1990 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 158 complaints · 5 recalls
Most-reported system: ENGINE (30 complaints · 19.0%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 5
  • Fires 15
  • Injuries 8
  • Deaths 3
Compare with 1989 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution ENGINE appears in 30 of 158 owner complaints (19.0%) in this vehicle snapshot. ENGINE: 30 complaints, 19.0% of reports ENGINE 30 · 19.0% · 4 fire reports SEAT BELTS: 24 complaints, 15.2% of reports SEAT BELTS 24 · 15.2% SUSPENSION: 17 complaints, 10.8% of reports SUSPENSION 17 · 10.8% STEERING: 15 complaints, 9.5% of reports STEERING 15 · 9.5% · 3 fire reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 14 complaints, 8.9% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14 · 8.9% · 6 fire reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 14 complaints, 8.9% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 14 · 8.9% · 2 crash reports STRUCTURE: 11 complaints, 7.0% of reports STRUCTURE 11 · 7.0% AIR BAGS: 10 complaints, 6.3% of reports AIR BAGS 10 · 6.3% · 2 crash reports POWER TRAIN: 7 complaints, 4.4% of reports POWER TRAIN 7 · 4.4% · 1 crash reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 114 complaints, 72.2% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 114 · 72.2% · 3 crash reports 15 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
ENGINE 30 19.0% 0 crashes · 4 fires
SEAT BELTS 24 15.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
SUSPENSION 17 10.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
STEERING 15 9.5% 0 crashes · 3 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14 8.9% 0 crashes · 6 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 14 8.9% 2 crashes · 0 fires
STRUCTURE 11 7.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
AIR BAGS 10 6.3% 2 crashes · 0 fires
POWER TRAIN 7 4.4% 1 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 114 72.2% 3 crashes · 15 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1995; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 1990. 1995-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 1995-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 1995-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 1995-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 1996-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 1996-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 1996-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 1996-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 1997-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 1997-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 1997-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 1998-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 1998-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 1998-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 1998-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 1999-Q1: 18 owner reports 18 1999-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 1999-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 1999-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2000-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2000-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2000-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2000-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2001-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2001-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 1990 Jan 2005 Recall campaign 90E043001 ◆ Recall campaign 90E043001 Recall campaign 91V134000 ◆ Recall campaign 91V134000 Recall campaign 97I003000 ◆ Recall campaign 97I003000 Recall campaign 97V174000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V174000 Recall campaign 98V323000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V323000 Investigation PE92014 ● Investigation PE92014 Investigation EA92040 ● Investigation EA92040 Investigation PE93058 ● Investigation PE93058 Investigation EA94008 ● Investigation EA94008 Investigation DP95004 ● Investigation DP95004 Investigation EA95033 ● Investigation EA95033
  • Campaign 97I003000 was reported 707 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 97V174000 was reported 707 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 98V323000 was reported 792 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1995-Q1 Owner reports 4
1995-Q2 Owner reports 6
1995-Q3 Owner reports 8
1995-Q4 Owner reports 7
1996-Q1 Owner reports 7
1996-Q2 Owner reports 9
1996-Q3 Owner reports 5
1996-Q4 Owner reports 7
1997-Q1 Owner reports 4
1997-Q2 Owner reports 2
1997-Q3 Owner reports 3
1997-Q4 Owner reports 3
1998-Q1 Owner reports 8
1998-Q2 Owner reports 7
1998-Q3 Owner reports 8
1998-Q4 Owner reports 4
1999-Q1 Owner reports 18
1999-Q2 Owner reports 8
1999-Q3 Owner reports 8
1999-Q4 Owner reports 5
2000-Q1 Owner reports 2
2000-Q2 Owner reports 8
2000-Q3 Owner reports 3
2000-Q4 Owner reports 3
2001-Q1 Owner reports 6
2001-Q3 Owner reports 1
2002-Q3 Owner reports 1
2004-Q1 Owner reports 1
2004-Q4 Owner reports 1
2005-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 90E043001
Recall campaign 1 91V134000
Recall campaign 1 97I003000
Recall campaign 1 97V174000
Recall campaign 1 98V323000
Defect investigation 1 PE92014
Defect investigation 1 EA92040
Defect investigation 1 PE93058
Defect investigation 1 EA94008
Defect investigation 1 DP95004
Defect investigation 1 EA95033
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (5)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 90E043001

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    Consequence:
    INFLATOR COMPONENT SEPARATION ALLOWS HOT COMBUSTION GASES TO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURIES TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.
    Remedy:
    REPLACE AIR BAG MODULES CONTAINING POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE INFLATORS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 91V134000

    Report date
    Component:
    SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
    Consequence:
    SEVERELY CORRODED ROTORS MAY FRACTURE OR SEPARATE NEARTHE INNER EDGES OF THE BRAKE DISCS RESULTING IN REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS,HIGHER THAN NORMAL PEDAL EFFORTS, LOUD GRINDING NOISES, AND MODERATE PULLS WHENTHE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS MAY INCREASE MINIMUMSTOPPING DISTANCES, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
    Remedy:
    REPLACE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH FULL CAST FRONT BRAKE ROTORS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 97I003000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEAT BELTS
    Consequence:
    IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, THE OCCUPANT OF THE SEAT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED AND PERSONAL INJURY COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY, FOR 12 YEARS AND UNLIMITED MILEAGE.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 97V174000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEAT BELTS
    Consequence:
    THESE CONDITIONS COULD REDUCE SEAT BELT USAGE INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT OUTBOARD SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 98V323000

    Report date
    Component:
    STRUCTURE
    Consequence:
    IF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL SUBFRAME REAR MOUNT BOLTS, REINFORCEMENT PLATES, AND PLATE NUTS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 158 complaints · page 1 of 7

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources