1988 Lincoln Town Car Recalls, Complaints & Specs

5 safety recalls list the 1988 Lincoln Town Car, and owners have filed 99 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

safety recalls

owner complaints to NHTSA

8 / 31

complaints citing a crash / fire

MPG combined (EPA)

5 safety recalls for the 1988 Lincoln Town Car

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

Ignition (electrical system)

NHTSA 96V071000 Reported April 25, 1996 7,900,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

The ignition switch could experience an internal short circuit.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the ignition switch.
Labels (equipment)

NHTSA 90V093000 Reported May 9, 1990 544 vehicles potentially affected EMPIRE COACH COMPANY

Vehicle description: limousines built by empire coach. Vehicle alterers label may be missing or incomplete.

Remedy: Add compliance label.
Anchorage (seat belts)

NHTSA 90V050000 Reported March 6, 1990 223 vehicles potentially affected ROYALE LIMOUSINE MFRS.

Safety belts (type 1 lap belts) for rear facing seats were not installed.

Remedy: Install safety belts for rear facing seats.
Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)

NHTSA 87V139000 Reported September 4, 1987 3,600,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Spring lock fuel line coupling may not be properly engaged.

Remedy: Install retainer clips over the couplings to prevent coupling separation and fuel leakage.
Fuel injection system (fuel system)

NHTSA 87V131000 Reported August 17, 1987 11,119 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Fuel rails may be bent so that no. 5 injector cups are out of design position.

Remedy: Replace fuel rail assemblies as necessary.

99 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1988 Lincoln Town Car have filed 99 complaints with NHTSA; 8 describe a crash and 31 describe a fire. Reports cite 10 injuries and 3 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 104,963 miles. Complaints peaked in 1996 with 41 filed that year.

Most-reported components

Electrical system: switch22
Vehicle speed control14
Power train: automatic transmission9
Electrical system: ignition6
Electrical system: front underhood5
Engine and engine cooling: gasoline4
Seat belts: buckle assembly4
Tires: tread/belt4

What owners are reporting

“Seat belts won't retract. Ignition switch is faulty and shorting out radio and other electrical components. Wanting to prevent fire from happening, by taking care of this now.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 23, 2017 · Electrical system

“The ignition switch gives sparks and could ignite the car. Ford admits other 1988 lincoln town cars have a ignition switch problem and replaces them. They have not included my VIN on the defect and re”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 28, 2014 · Electrical system

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1988 Lincoln Town Car. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined	18 mpg
City / Highway	15 / 22
Fuel	Regular
EPA class	Large Cars
Engine	8 cyl, 5 L
Transmission	Automatic 4-spd

Compare Lincoln Town Car model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Lincoln Town Car model year in NHTSA's database.

Model year	Recalls	Complaints
1977 Lincoln Town Car	0	1
1978 Lincoln Town Car	0	1
1980 Lincoln Town Car	0	1
1981 Lincoln Town Car	0	1
1982 Lincoln Town Car	0	2
1983 Lincoln Town Car	3	4
1984 Lincoln Town Car	1	15
1985 Lincoln Town Car	1	21
1986 Lincoln Town Car	4	50
1987 Lincoln Town Car	6	32
1988 Lincoln Town Car	5	99
1989 Lincoln Town Car	5	89
1990 Lincoln Town Car	4	209
1991 Lincoln Town Car	5	155
1992 Lincoln Town Car	4	249
1993 Lincoln Town Car	4	176
1994 Lincoln Town Car	5	155
1995 Lincoln Town Car	6	165
1996 Lincoln Town Car	8	259
1997 Lincoln Town Car	6	314
1998 Lincoln Town Car	7	154
1999 Lincoln Town Car	5	148
2000 Lincoln Town Car	8	108
2001 Lincoln Town Car	5	161
2002 Lincoln Town Car	0	65
2003 Lincoln Town Car	1	201
2004 Lincoln Town Car	0	83
2005 Lincoln Town Car	3	119
2006 Lincoln Town Car	2	143
2007 Lincoln Town Car	3	84
2008 Lincoln Town Car	3	20
2009 Lincoln Town Car	3	5
2010 Lincoln Town Car	3	13
2011 Lincoln Town Car	3	6

Checking a specific 1988 Lincoln Town Car

How do I know if my 1988 Lincoln Town Car has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 1988 Lincoln Town Car; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Lincoln dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 87V131000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Lincoln models

Continental1,678 complaints
Mkz1,665 complaints
Mkx1,417 complaints
Navigator1,353 complaints
LS982 complaints
Mark VIII826 complaints
Mkc599 complaints
Aviator488 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.