1997 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Steering Problems

BEGINNING ON A COLD MORNING THE STEERING FELT OFF, LIKE IT NEEDED MORE EFFORT TO TURN AT TIMES. THE STEERING ALSO FAILED TO RETURN TO CENTER ON ITS OWN, INDICATING A POSSIBLE SEIZED UP UNIVERSAL JOINT IN THE STEERING SHAFT. I REMOVED THE STEERING SHAFT AND FOUND THE UNIVERSAL JOINT SEIZED AND VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE WHICH CAUSED MY DIFFICULT STEERING. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SAME ISSUE ON NEWER TOWN CARS, WHY DOES THIS NOT COVER MINE? *TR

EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS LED TO VAGUE STEERING AND A WANDERING CAR PATH. THE CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS THAT WERE REPLACED WERE RUBBER ON METAL WITHOUT ZERK LUBE FITTINGS. THEY WERE DESIGNED TO FAIL. THE REPLACEMENT CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS ARE METAL-ON-METAL WITH ZERK LUBE FITTINGS. IN 1999 THERE WAS A RECALL ON LINCOLN TOWN CARS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS. THE RECALL NUMBERS ARE NHTSA RECALL NO. 98V322/FORD RECALL NO. 98S37. HOWEVER, WE HAD TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE REPAIR. DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD COOLANT CROSSOVER PIPE AND LOST ALL ENGINE COOLANT. WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED 80 MILES FOR REPAIR. SEVERAL FORD RECALLS WERE ISSUED ON THE 4.6L V8 ENGINE FOR REPLACEMENT OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART; BUT THEY WERE FOR POLICE CARS, LIMO FLEETS, ETC. I WAS TOLD I AM NOT...

AN EXTREMELY STRONG MILDEW ODOR IS COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT, CAUSING PASSENGERS TO BECOME ILL. DEALER STATES ODOR IS DUE TO COIL WHICH IS TOO TIGHT AROUND AIR CONDITIONER, PREVENTING WATER TO ESCAPE, AND CAUSING MILDEW ODOR. *AK EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOES WERE REPLACED. BRAKES SQUEAL, DEALER HAS REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS, RESURFACED ROTORS, LUBED CALIPER SLIDES, REPLACED REAR BRAKE PADS, MACHINED REAR ROTORS, HOWEVER BRAKES STILL SQUEAL. BOTH REAR WHEELS WERE COVERED WITH GEAR LUBE. DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT AT TIMES, DEALER REPLACED SEAT BELT. NOISE AND THIMPING FELT IN STEERING WHEN MAKING TURNS, DEALER LUBED STOPS. LEFT FRONT WINDOW INOPERABLE, DEALER REPLACED WINDOW REGULATER. FRONT ROOF WELT LOOSE AND BROKEN, DEALER REPLACED. FRONT DOOR PULL TRIM MISSING. BLEND DOORS INOPERABLE, WILL NOT BLOW AIR THROUGH DEFROST VENT. ASH TRAY WILL NOT CLOSE. AC/HEATER EMITS A MUSTY/MOLDY ODOR, THE ODOR NOT ONLY PERMEATES THE PASSENGER, BUT...

WOULD BE DRIVING & THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD HAVE TOO MUCH PLAY. FEELS LIKE LOSING CONTROL OF VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. STEERING PRESSURE SENSOR HAS BEEN RPLACED OR CHANGED & AFFECTS THE STEERING OF THE VEHICLE. ROCKER ARM WAS CRACKED & NEEDED REPLACING. HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO LACK OF CONTROL OF STEERING WHEEL. HIT A TELEPHONE POLE & THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. SUFFERED INJURIES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT INTERSTATE SPEED AND OVER BUMPS VEHICLE MOVED TO RIGHT AND LEFT WHICH COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. A NEW STEERING DESIGN FOR 1997. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

STEERING IS POOR, VIBRATION AND LOSS OF CONTROL.

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AT ABOUT 60MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO WONDER ALL OVER THE ROAD, IT ALSO DOES THIS IN WINDY CONDITIONS. ON TWO OCCASIONS LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, VEHICLE WENT INTO OTHER LANE. *AK