NHTSA Complaint #705784 — 1991 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL

WHILE RETURNING FROM VACATION WITH 3 OCCUPANTS, PULLED OFF I-95 AT MARYLAND HOUSE NEAR ABERDEEN FOR COFFEE. NO PROBLEMS WITH CAR FOR PREVIOUS 1000 MILES OF TRIP. WAS NEGOTIATING HEAD-IN PARKING SPOT WITH CARS PARKED ON EITHER SIDE. BROUGHT CAR TO A FULL STOP WITH MY FRONT WHEEL EVEN WITH REAR WHEEL OF CAR PARKED TO MY LEFT. WENT TO RESUME FORWARD MOTION FOR THE 12 FT. OR SO TO COMPLETE PARKING AND CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. THINKING I MAY HAVE ACCIDENTALLY SHIFTED THE LEVER INTO NEUTRAL, I WORKED IT THROUGH FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS TO NO AVAIL. I WAS STYMIED SINCE UNTIL THAT TIME THE CAR HAD WORKED FLAWLESSLY. WENT THROUGH GEARSHIFT POSITIONS AGAIN. AGAIN NOTHING. ENGINE BEGAN HESITATING WITH CAR MAKING A SURGING MOTION. FEARING A STALL I MADE SURE GEARSHIFT WAS IN NEUTRAL AND I REVVED THE ENGINE. SOMETHING ENGAGED -I CAN ONLY ASSUME IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION- AND THE CAR JERKED VIOLENTLY FORWARD ABOUT 8 FT. BEFORE I COULD STOP IT. CHECKED LEVER AGAIN AND IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. I, MY WIFE ,AND SISTER-IN-LAW HEARD SOMETHING BREAK WHEN THE CAR LURCHED. A BIT EMBARASSED,I SHOWED THEM "LOOK, IT'S IN NEUTRAL!" WHEREUPON MY WIFE SAID "A FEW MORE FEET AND YOU MIGHT HAVE HIT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE!" SHE WAS REFERRING TO SOME PASSERSBY WALKING ON THE MEDIAN WHICH SERVED AS THE FAR LIMIT OF THE PARKING STALL AND WHICH PEOPLE USE TO WALK TO THE COFFEE HOUSE. THE CAR WAS FLATBEDDED TO HINDER LINCOLN MERCURY IN ABERDEEN. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS TRANSMISSION, MOTOR MOUNTS, AND DAMAGE TO AN AXLE. I HAD THE CAR SHIPPED HOME TO LONG ISLAND WHERE MY OWN MECHANIC REPLACED BOTH AXLES, BOTH MOUNTS, AND REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. I AM TOLD IN ALL LIKELIHOOD THE BANG INTO GEAR DESTROYED AN ALREADY WEAK OR FAILING MOUNT AND/OR AXLE. M.. .