1999 Lincoln CONTINENTAL problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
42 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
90,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data updated: . 19 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Owner-reported patterns
Most common problems
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 42 complaints (14.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic
Matching reports
Share of complaints
Braking behavior
9
21.4%
Transmission and shifting
1
2.4%
Engine operation
1
2.4%
Steering behavior
1
2.4%
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.
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs
6
Air Bags:Frontal
5
Air Bags:Side/Window
4
Vehicle Speed Control
4
Suspension
3
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
2
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
2
Power Train
2
Component breakdown data
Category
Count
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs
6
Air Bags:Frontal
5
Air Bags:Side/Window
4
Vehicle Speed Control
4
Suspension
3
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
2
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
2
Power Train
2
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs: 6; Air Bags:Frontal: 5; Air Bags:Side/Window: 4; Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Suspension: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 2; Power Train: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
Under 25,000
1
25,000 to 49,999
2
50,000 to 74,999
2
75,000 to 99,999
7
100,000 to 149,999
7
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
Category
Count
Under 25,000
1
25,000 to 49,999
2
50,000 to 74,999
2
75,000 to 99,999
7
100,000 to 149,999
7
150,000 and above
0
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 23 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.
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 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 10073520 · 2004-05-12 (May 12, 2004)
INTERMITTENTLY, AFTER THE VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP, VEHICLE LOUNGES FORWARD. WHEN THIS OCCURS CONSUMER'S FOOT IS DEPRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS PROBLEM RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE JUMPING A CURB AND SMASHING INTO A STOP SIGN. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES, BUT THEY CANNOT LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. *AK VEHICLE WOULDN'T STAY RUNNING AND CONSUMER HAD TO FLOOR IT TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. ONCE OUT, SHE HAD TO RESTART IT APPROX. FIVE TIMES TO GET TO ANOTHER PARKING SPACE. ALL THE VEHICLE POWER WENT OUT. *PH
I SAW FLUID ON THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE WENT TO MY REPAIR SHOP HE STATED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING UNIT WAS LEAKING NOT FROM ONE OF THE SEALS BUT FROM A CRACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE UNIT . HE SAID THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT . I SAW THE FLUID COMING RIGHT OUT OF THE METAL CASING. *TR
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
42 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
45.2%Usable mileage19 / 42 records
78.6%Valid incident date33 / 42 records
100.0%Valid filing date42 / 42 records
78.6%Ordered incident and filing dates33 / 42 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 complaint heatmap
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 mi
THE 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.
INSTRUMENT 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
I 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…
UNEXPLAINED 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.
MY 1999 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL HAS A BROKEN FRONT COIL SPRING THAT SNAPPED WHILE THE CAR WAS SITTING IN MY CAR PORT WITH NO ONE NEAR IT. THE BROKEN COIL SPRING ALSO BROKE SOME PLASTIC LINKAGE PART THAT IS HANGING DOWN AND PUNCTURED A BRAND NEW TIRE AND THE "AIR BAG" LIGHT IS ALSO SHOWING ON THE DASHBOARD NOW. I KNOW THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS SPRING PROBLEM #04S17 BUT FORD SAYS THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT INCLUDE THE LINCOLN. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 43K ON IT, THANK GOD NO ONE WAS DRIVING IT WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY DEFECT. …
DT: THE CALLER SAI WHILE WIFE DRIVING 55-60 MPH SIDE/CURTAIN AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DEPLOYED. DEALER SAID A ROCK MIGHT HAVE HIT THE SENSOR AND MADE IT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY COULD OFFER NO HELP FOR FREE. THE CALLER SAID THERE WAS A SAFETY UPDATE 03I44000 IN 2003, NOT A RECALL CONCERNING CRASH SENSOR. *AK
DT: THE CONTACT WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE. THE FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKES, THE ENGINE REVVED, AND VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD, CRASHING INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. SHE TOOK THE CAR TO A CERTIFIED DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON GS PARKWAY THE CAR ACCELERATED FROM 65 MILES PER HR TO 100 MILES PER HR. AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN EVEN WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR WAS SPEEDING OUT OF CONTROL WHILE IN THE MIDDLE LANE. WE THEN TRIED TO GET OVER TO SIDE OF PARKWAY ONTO A GRASSY HILL SO WE WOULD NOT HIT ANY OTHER CARS. THE CAR SLOWED DOWN ENOUGH FOR ME AND MY SON TO JUMP OUT ON DRIVERS SIDE BEFORE THE CAR WENT FULL SPEED AHEAD TOWARD THE PARKWAY BUT HIT A GUARD RAIL AND FLIPPED OVER. BY SOME MIRACLE MY SON AND I WERE NOT HURT. I CALLED FORD TO RECALL CAR …
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE FRONT TIE ROD AND BALL JOINT, THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE COMPONENTS HAD FAILED, CAUSING THE TIRE TO WEAR PREMATURELY AND SPLIT IN HALF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000.
PUT CAR INTO REVERSE, AND TIRE IMMEDIATELY BLEW OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, FRONT LEFT SPRING HAD FRACTURED AND BROKE. SPRING HAD PUNCTURED TIRE SIDEWALL ONCE BEING PUT INTO REVERSE AND BUSTED OFF PLASTIC STABILIZER LINK. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, IT WOULD HAVE SHREDDED TIRE. *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. *AK VEHICLE WOULDN'T STAY RUNNING AND CONSUMER HAD TO FLOOR IT TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. ONCE OUT, SHE HAD TO RESTART IT APPROX. FIVE TIMES TO GET TO ANOTHER PARKING SPACE. ALL THE VEHICLE POWER WENT OUT. *PH
AFTER PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT PHARMACY AND WITH FOOT STILL ON BRAKE, CAR LURCHED FORWARD AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, ONTO SIDEWALK AND INTO THE STONE WALL OF PHARMACY. NO DAMAGE TO PHARMACY. AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT INJURIES. *TR
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
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
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
Equal observation windows
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
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
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 co-occurrence matrix
Component
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs
Air Bags:Frontal
Air Bags:Side/Window
Vehicle Speed Control
Suspension
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
Power Train
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs
—
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Air Bags:Frontal
0
—
1ODI 841145
DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH AND WITHOUT HITTING OR BEING HIT B ANY OBJECT WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH AND WITHOUT HITTING OR BEING HIT B ANY OBJECT WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK
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.
3 patterns with matching reports.
Brake response concerns
3 mentions · 7.1% of complaints
Median mileage: 25,500 mi (2 usable records).
ODI 10073520 · 40,000 mi
INTERMITTENTLY, AFTER THE VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP, VEHICLE LOUNGES FORWARD. WHEN THIS OCCURS CONSUMER'S FOOT IS DEPRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS PROBLEM RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE JUMPING A CURB AND SMASHING INTO A STOP SIGN. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES, BUT THEY CANNOT LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
DT: THE CONTACT WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE. THE FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKES, THE ENGINE REVVED, AND VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD, CRASHING INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. SHE TOOK THE CAR TO A CERTIFIED DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.*AK
AFTER PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT PHARMACY AND WITH FOOT STILL ON BRAKE, CAR LURCHED FORWARD AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, ONTO SIDEWALK AND INTO THE STONE WALL OF PHARMACY. NO DAMAGE TO PHARMACY. AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT INJURIES. *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. *AK VEHICLE WOULDN'T STAY RUNNING AND CONSUMER HAD TO FLOOR IT TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. ONCE OUT, SHE HAD TO RESTART IT APPROX. FIVE TIMES TO GET TO ANOTHER PARKING SPACE. ALL THE VEHICLE POWER WENT OUT. *PH