2000 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

The contact owns a 1979 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and turned off, there was smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the rear end near the driver's side of the vehicle had caught on fire. The vehicle was extinguished by the Fire Department. A fire report was filed, and a fire report number was provided; however, the cause for the failure was not yet determined. A Police report was not filed. No injuries were sustained. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,070. The VIN was invalid.

TAKATA RECALL

A NEIGHBOR POINTED OUT THAT THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SITTING SEVERAL INCHES LOWER THAN NORMAL CLOSER TO GROUND WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. I BEGAN TO CHECK ON THIS EVERY TIME I WENT TO USE THE CAR. SOMETIMES VEHICLE WAS NORMAL HEIGHT, SOMETIMES LOWER. I NOTICED THAT, SOMETIMES, WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY THERE WAS SOUND HEARD LIKE A FAN OPERATING. I ASKED QUESTIONS OF PEOPLE WHO HAD OWNED SIMILAR MODELS AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL SHOWING UP 4 TO 8 YEARS AFTER MANUFACTURE. THIS MODEL HAS A RIDE CONTROL WHICH INVOLVES THREE "RIDE CONTROL" SETTINGS. AS CARS AGE THERE ARE AIR BAGS UNDER THE CAR WHICH CONTROL THE FEEL OF CAR (PLUSH, NORMAL, FIRM) AND THEY ADJUST ACCORDINGLY. BEFORE I START THE CAR, IF IT SITS LOW, TURNING THE IGNITION KEY CAUSES THE RIDE MECHANISM TO RAISE THE CAR FRAME A FEW INCHES ABOVE THE TIRES. SOMETIMES IN COLD WEATHER THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO OPERATE AND A MESSAGE SHOWS "CHECK RIDE CONTROL". THE STORE THAT DOES ROUTINE SERVICE REGULARLY TELLS ME THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM IN LINCOLN/FORDS AND THAT REPAIRS OFTEN COST $2000 OR MORE. THE CAR NOW HAS ABOUT 114,000 MILES ON IT AND THIS PROBLEM OCCURS MORE OFTEN. I BELIEVE THIS HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE, AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY OWNER HAVING THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM ANOTHER OWNER, WHOM I KNOW, IN ABOUT 2008. HE HAD PURCHASED IT FROM A FORD DEALER AS A "PROGRAM CAR" I BELIEVE IN 2001. *TR

A NEIGHBOR POINTED OUT THAT THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SITTING SEVERAL INCHES LOWER THAN NORMAL CLOSER TO GROUND WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. I BEGAN TO CHECK ON THIS EVERY TIME I WENT TO USE THE CAR. SOMETIMES VEHICLE WAS NORMAL HEIGHT, SOMETIMES LOWER. I NOTICED THAT, SOMETIMES, WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY THERE WAS SOUND HEARD LIKE A FAN OPERATING. I ASKED QUESTIONS OF PEOPLE WHO HAD OWNED SIMILAR MODELS AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL SHOWING UP 4 TO 8 YEARS AFTER MANUFACTURE. THIS MODEL HAS A RIDE CONTROL WHICH INVOLVES THREE "RIDE CONTROL" SETTINGS. AS CARS AGE THERE ARE AIR BAGS UNDER THE CAR WHICH CONTROL THE FEEL OF CAR (PLUSH, NORMAL, FIRM) AND THEY ADJUST ACCORDINGLY. BEFORE I START THE CAR, IF IT SITS LOW, TURNING THE IGNITION KEY CAUSES THE RIDE MECHANISM TO RAISE THE CAR FRAME A FEW INCHES ABOVE THE TIRES. SOMETIMES IN COLD WEATHER THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO OPERATE AND A MESSAGE SHOWS "CHECK RIDE CONTROL". THE STORE THAT DOES ROUTINE SERVICE REGULARLY TELLS ME THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM IN LINCOLN/FORDS AND THAT REPAIRS OFTEN COST $2000 OR MORE. THE CAR NOW HAS ABOUT 114,000 MILES ON IT AND THIS PROBLEM OCCURS MORE OFTEN. I BELIEVE THIS HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE, AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY OWNER HAVING THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM ANOTHER OWNER, WHOM I KNOW, IN ABOUT 2008. HE HAD PURCHASED IT FROM A FORD DEALER AS A "PROGRAM CAR" I BELIEVE IN 2001. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED EXCESSIVELY AS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONTROL VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 165,000.