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1994 Lincoln ContinentalProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 190 owner complaints about the 1994 Lincoln Continental, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 5 safety recalls.

30
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.3× the Continental median · #2 of 19 years by complaints
Safety recalls5Free fix at dealersOwner complaints19020 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage54kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 2, 2018. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1994 Lincoln Continental has problems

190 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling851
Suspension290
Power train201
Service brakes, hydraulic166
Electrical system151
Structure150
Exterior lighting130
Vehicle speed control111
Visibility100
13 other systems4611

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

5 recalls

1994 Lincoln Continental recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Structure: frame and members

Recall 98V-323 · Dec 16, 1998 · 2,697,000 vehicles

Risk. IF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Headlights: switch

Recall 98V-009 · Jan 21, 1998 · 506,000 vehicles

Risk. LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION CAN AFFECT A DRIVER'S ABILITY TO NAVIGATE THE ROADWAY AND REDUCE THE VISIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Vehicle speed control

Recall 97V-025 · Feb 26, 1997 · 212,700 vehicles

Risk. DRIVER CONTROL OF VEHICLE SPEED USING THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM OR THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEM WOULD BE DIMINISHED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Cooling system: fan

Recall 97V-019 · Feb 25, 1997 · 75,200 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE SMOKE OR FLAMES FROM THE FAN AND/OR SHROUD, THE FAN ELECTRICAL WIRING, OR THE FAN MOTOR RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 1 more recall

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Lincoln.

Best & worst years

1994 vs. every other Continental year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Continental median. How we score

'69'74'75'77'78'79'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'17'18'19'20
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1994 Lincoln Continental safety ratings

1994 Lincoln Continental 4-DR in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1994 Lincoln Continental, and the recalls they led to.

  1. ENGINE COOLING FAN FIRESEA96024 · closed Apr 15, 1997
    Led to recall 97V-019
  2. ENGINE COOLING FAN FIRESPE96033 · closed Sep 30, 1996
    Led to recall 97V-019
In owners' words

What Continental owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

CONTINUATION OF PREVIOUS COMPLAINT. RESPONSE FROM LETTER TO PRES. OF FORD ON 3.8L V6 ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON LINCOLN CONTINENTAL WITH 54,436 MILES ON IT: FORD BASICALLY SAID "TOUGH LUCK". DEALER SAYING $1,700 TO $3,000 PLUS TO FIX. MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMS ME THERE IS ANOTHER…
Complaint 10142338 · Nov 9, 2005 · 54,432 miles
1) SUDDEN ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE 2) BLOWN HEAD GASKET WITH GRAY/WHITE SMOKE FROM BOTH EXHAUST PIPES 3) NO CORRECTION DONE SO FAR. PARKED CAR AND TRYING TO DETERMINE PROPER STEP TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM
Complaint 10140677 · Oct 24, 2005 · 54,344 miles
VEHICLE TAKES AWHILE TO HEAT, COOLENT OKAY, NO EXTERNAL LEAKS, REMOVED PLUGS AND FOUND SIGNS OF COOLENT IN #4 CYL. REPLACED HEAD GASKETS AND SENT HEADS OUT TO MACHINE SHOP. APPEARS TO BE OKAY NOW. ON 06/01/99 AT CALL BACK FOR LEAKING HEAD GASKET THEY FOUND IT LEAKING AND REPLACED GASKETS AT NO…
Complaint 10070216 · Jan 15, 2004 · 40,000 miles

Own a 1994 Continental?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.