1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Engine And Engine Coolingcooling System Problems

CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD. *TR

I WOULD LIKE TO INFORM YOU ABOUT A SAFETY PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN LINCOLN TOWN CAR MODELS. I AM THE OWNER OF A 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR (SIGNATURE SERIES). ON JUNE 16, 2006, WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING ON, I SAW SMOKE POURING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND ANTIFREEZE LEAKING FROM UNDER THE CAR. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD I SAW ANTIFREEZE ALL OVER THE ENGINE BLOCK. I MANAGED TO DRIVE THE CAR TO A NEARBY JIFFY LUBE. THE TECHNICIAN THERE COULD NOT FIND ANY LEAKS IN THE HOSES OR THE RADIATOR. AFTER ALLOWING THE CAR TO COOL FOR ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES, THE TECHNICIAN FILLED THE RADIATOR WITH A 50-50 ANTIFREEZE-WATER MIXTURE. I STARTED DRIVING HOME, ABOUT FIVE MILES AWAY. BEFORE I ARRIVED, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE REACHED THE MAXIMUM POINT, AND THE HIGH-TEMPERATURE ALARM SOUNDED. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR AND OPENED THE HOOD. AGAIN, I SAW ANTIFREEZE ALL...

SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD "BLEW" WHILE CHECKING ENGINE RPM , RESULTING IN LOSS OF COOLANT AND ENGINE FAILURE. FURTHER STATED THAT HIS FACILITY HAD REPLACED 30 DEFECTIVE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS SO FAR THIS YEAR , 16 SINCE APRIL. HE INDICATED THAT FORD MOTOR WILL REPLACE AT NO COST TO TAXICAB , POLICE,AND FORD THUNDERBIRD OWNERS , BUT NOT TO INDIVIDUAL OUT OF WARRANTY OWNERS. COST TO REPLACE BY THE DEALERS BOOK INCLUDING LABOR $1241.00 DESIGN DEFECT : INTAKE MANIFOLD IN REPLACEMENT PART CHANGES THE FRONT COOLANT TRANSFER SECTION WITH METAL SECTION INSTEAD OF PLASTIC. REAR SECTION THAT TRANSFERS COOLANT ALSO IS NOT CHANGED ,REMAINS PLASTIC. WHEN IS PROJECTED FAILURE OF REAR PLASTIC COOLANT PART AS THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAD 59,126 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. ? I HAVE RETAINED THE DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND HAVE DOCUMENTED WITH PHOTO GRAPHS THE DEFECTIVE SECTION WITH...

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO MAXIMUM, AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW. THIS CAUSED ANTI FREEZE TO SPREAD ONTO ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING.*AK

THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LEAKED COOLANT ONTO THE ENGINE. *NLM

FORD HAS A HISTORY OF COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURES ON THEIR 4.6L V-8 ENGINES. THE CRACK, NOTED BY FORD, IS ON THE FIRST CROSSOVER DIRECTLY BEHIND THE ALTERNATOR. THE LEAKING FREEZE SPRAYS ALL OVE THE ENGINE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STOP. THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER COULD CAUSE UNNECESSARY ACCIDENTS. FORD, AT PRESENT, DOES NOT OFFER AN ENTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS DESIGN FAILURE. DT

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER NOTICED THAT COOLANT WAS LEAKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK