Brake response concerns
10 mentions · 6.3% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
Matching rule
\b(brake fail\w*|brakes fail\w*|brake pedal|braking distance|unintended braking|phantom braking)\bU.S. public vehicle records
1989 Lincoln CONTINENTAL problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
158 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
133,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1989 model year. Data updated: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Owner-reported patterns
Most common problems
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 32 of 158 complaints (20.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 26 | 16.5% |
| Steering behavior | 14 | 8.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 6.3% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 1.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 1.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 32 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 15 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 15 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 9 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 8 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 8 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 6 |
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 32; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 15; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 9; Vehicle Speed Control: 9; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 8; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 8; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 156 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 31 |
| 1996 | 42 |
| 1997 | 6 |
| 1998 | 25 |
| 1999 | 34 |
| 2000 | 6 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
1995: 31; 1996: 42; 1997: 6; 1998: 25; 1999: 34; 2000: 6; 2001: 4; 2002: 5; 2003: 3; 2004: 1; 2008: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 14 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 10 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 481547 · 1995-02-28 (February 28, 1995)
ANTILOCK VALVE BLOCK REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE PULLING TO RIGHT WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. *AW
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 481547 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 484251 · 1995-07-24 (July 24, 1995)
ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 484251 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10224542 · 2008-04-15 (April 15, 2008)
THE SUBFRAME ON OUR 1989 CONTINENTAL RUSTED THROUGH WHICH ALLOWS THE ENGINE TO FALL ONTO THE STEERING GEAR AND PREVENTS STEERING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 230,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10224542 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 484811 · 1995-08-03 (August 3, 1995)
UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S KNEE JAMMED INTO TILT STEERING COLUMN LEVER, CAUSING PERMANENT DAMAGE. 8AW
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 484811 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 505266 · 1996-06-10 (June 10, 1996)
BATTERY REPLACED. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 505266 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 505632 · 1996-06-19 (June 19, 1996)
ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 505632 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 525042 · 1997-11-18 (November 18, 1997)
IGNITION MODULE FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 525042 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 544599 · 1999-03-25 (March 25, 1999)
ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 544599 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 970436 · 1995-08-15 (August 15, 1995)
AT 65,000 TRANSMISSION BLEW PURCHASE CAR USED . TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 970436 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 971692 · 1995-09-07 (September 7, 1995)
REPLACE THE FRONT STRUT WAS REPLACED THREE AND THE REAR WAS REPLACED TWO TIMES THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES THE POWER STEERING AND CV JOINT REPLACE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 971692 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 834011 · 1999-01-27 (January 27, 1999)
THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE HAD DROPPED, DROPPING VEHICLE LOW TO THE GROUND AND MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR THE GAS TANK TO SCRAPE THE GROUND. DEALER SAYS THE VEHICLE NEEDS NEW AIR SHOCKS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 834011 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 985293 · 1996-06-05 (June 5, 1996)
VEHICLES FUEL SENDER FUSING HOT WIRE IN FUEL TANK WAS BURNED OUT.DEALER DOESNT KNOW HOW THE CAR DID NOT BLOW UP. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 985293 at NHTSA ↗
Explore the data
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
158 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
1.3%Usable mileage2 / 158 records
70.9%Valid incident date112 / 158 records
100.0%Valid filing date158 / 158 records
70.9%Ordered incident and filing dates112 / 158 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Unknown Or Other | 1621.3%ODI 11129985 · 125 miTHE FRONT HOOD VIBRATES AS IF IT'S GETTING READY TO UNLATCH AS YOUR DRIVING AT 70 M.P.H. WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. IT'S VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND SCARY. | 420.0%ODI 11324349 · 1,500 miINSTRUMENT CLUSTER DEPROGRAMS ITSELF, INTERIOR LIGHTING STOPPED WORKING, FOLDING EXTERIOR MIRRORS FOLD THEMSELVES WITHOUT COMMAND TO DO SO,REAR VIEW MIRROR CHANGES IT SETTING WITHOUT COMMAND, HUD FLASHES MULTICOLOR LIGHTS ONTO WINDSHIELD VIEWING AREA, APPROACH LIGHTING STOPPED WORKING. SYNC3 WAS PROGRAMMED TO DISPLAY MAP ON STARTUP BUT RECENTLY CAME UP WITH DIFFERENT SETUP. ALL OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. BEGAN 12/11/2018 UNTIL PRESENT. *TR | 412.5%ODI 11434777I am not aware of an accident involving this defect. I am reporting a safety concern that occurred to me after I bought the car. All door controls(inside and out) are electronic. Doors are electronically opened by pressing a button. In the event of a crash that disables the electric system, occupants would be trapped in a locked car with no way to open the door. For this apparent reason, the driver's side door has a very small mechanical lever low on the driver's side door panel that will open the door in case of electrical failure. Howev… | 228.6%ODI 11413854 · 5,000 miUNEXPLAINED CRACK IN WINDSHIELD. CRACK APPEARED WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL OBJECT STRIKING THE WINDSHIELD. TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE 70S AND NOT FREEZING TEMPERATURES ALL YEAR (LIVING IN FRESNO CA). NOT SURE WHEN IT HAPPENED, BUT I NOTICED IT WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 7 MILES. |
| Structure:Frame And Members | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | Too few reports for a range | 37,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10047944 · 37,000 miDRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT KEEPS RELEASING ON ITSW OWN WHILE DRIVING. *AK |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2019: 4 complaints · 2020: 5 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 2020 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | Vehicle Speed Control | Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | Seat Belts:Front:Retractor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2ODI 503043SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT UPON RELEASE APPROXIMATELY 80 % OF THE TIME. *DSH ODI 977271THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR SOMETIMES FAIL. THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE. TT |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 834330WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT WILL STOP AND GO. ENGINE IS VERY NOISY. ONLY TWO GEARS WORK AND DOES NOT GO INTO OVERDRIVE. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 2ODI 885441WHEN APPYLING THE BRAKES VEHICLE WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK | 0 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1ODI 834330WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT WILL STOP AND GO. ENGINE IS VERY NOISY. ONLY TWO GEARS WORK AND DOES NOT GO INTO OVERDRIVE. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK | 2ODI 885441WHEN APPYLING THE BRAKES VEHICLE WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK | 0 | — | 0 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 2ODI 503043SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT UPON RELEASE APPROXIMATELY 80 % OF THE TIME. *DSH ODI 977271THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR SOMETIMES FAIL. THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE. TT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
4 patterns with matching reports.
Steering assistance concerns
10 mentions · 6.3% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
ODI 701592
I PURCHASED THE CAR AT 87,300 MILES AND PUT 1500-2000 MILES ON IT. WORKED LIKE A DREAM = PREVIOUS OWNER SAID HE HAD TAKEN CARE OF CERTAIN PROBLEMS THAT LINCOLN MERCURY SAID COULD POSSIBLE BE WRONG WITH THIS YEAR MODEL. (HAD RECEIPTS) - AT AN OIL CHANGE I WAS INFORMED THAT IT NEEDED LOOKING AT DUE TO A POWER STEERING LEAK - TOOK IT IN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC "THE BENZ CONNECTION" AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE POWER STEERING RACK - HAD IT CHANGED AND STILL A MAJOR PROBLEM. SO THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING HOSE - THEN NO POWER STEERING. TOOK IT BAC…
ODI 803647
WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING LINE BROKE, CAUSING POWER STEERING FLUID TO SPILL ON THE ENGINE, RESULTING IN A FIRE IN THE ENGINE. *AK
Matching rule
\b(power steer\w*|steering assist\w*|steering lock\w*|steering wheel lock\w*)\bStalling or loss of power
3 mentions · 1.9% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
ODI 837441
WHEN DRIVING LONG DISTANCES VEHICLE WILL STALL AND SHUT DOWN. THE DEALER IS WORKING ON THE VEHICLE. *AK
Matching rule
\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\bWarning lights and dashboard alerts
2 mentions · 1.3% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
ODI 975906
ABS MOTOR NEEDED REPLACING. ABS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THEN BRAKE PEDAL GOT HARD, AUTO DID NOT STOP. TT
Matching rule
\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b