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1998 Lincoln Continental

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Lincoln Continental do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 32.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 17 of 72 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

Visibility complaints

6 reports
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122,000 miles · Feb 15, 2011
Visibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR VIEW AND DRIVER SIDE MIRRORS WERE TINTED WITH AN ANTI-REFLECTION CHEMICAL WHICH MELTED THE PLASTIC INSIDE CAUSING THE MIRRORS TO LOOK FOGGY OR DARKER THAN THEY WERE. HE BELIEVED IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE HIS VISIBILITY WAS MINIMAL AT NIGHT. THE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR VIEW AND DRIVER SIDE MIRRORS WERE TINTED WITH AN ANTI-REFLECTION CHEMICAL WHICH MELTED THE PLASTIC INSIDE CAUSING THE MIRRORS TO LOOK FOGGY OR DARKER THAN THEY WERE. HE BELIEVED IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE HIS VISIBILITY WAS MINIMAL AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

NHTSA ODI #10382742

Mileage unknown · Mar 9, 2005
Visibility

THE 1998 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN, THE SLANTED WINDSHIELD ABOVE A GREY DASHBOARD, CAUSING A REFLECTION IN THE BRIGHT SUNLIGHT THAT MAKES SOME OBJECTS INVISIBLE TO THE DRIVER. TOO MANY CAR DESIGNS HAVE THIS FAULT AND SHOULD BE OUTLAWED FOR SAFETY REASONS. ALSO THE CONTINENTAL INSTRUMENT PANEL CANNOT…

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THE 1998 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN, THE SLANTED WINDSHIELD ABOVE A GREY DASHBOARD, CAUSING A REFLECTION IN THE BRIGHT SUNLIGHT THAT MAKES SOME OBJECTS INVISIBLE TO THE DRIVER. TOO MANY CAR DESIGNS HAVE THIS FAULT AND SHOULD BE OUTLAWED FOR SAFETY REASONS. ALSO THE CONTINENTAL INSTRUMENT PANEL CANNOT BE READ IN CERTAIN ANGLES OF SUN ON THE PANEL. YOU CANNOT SEED THE NEEDLE ON THE SPEEDOMETER AND I WONDER HOW MANY SPEEDING TICKETS RESULT FROM THIS DEFECT. I HAVE ADDED A BLACK COVER TO MY DASHBOARD AT MY COST TO TRY TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. IF AUTOS ARE MADE LIKE THIS THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD STAND THE COST OF BLACK OUT MATERIAL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10112795

58,000 miles · Jul 22, 2003
Visibility

THE AUTOMATIC DIMMING INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR APEARS FROSTED OVER HALF OF THE GLASS DISTORTING THE VIEW TO THE REAR. THIS MIRROR WAS REPLACED LESS THAN ONE YEAR AGO FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM. RESEARCH ON THE INTERRNET INDICATES THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH LINCOLN CONTINENTALS OF MULTIPLE YEARS IN THE LATE 1990'S. THERE ARE NUM…

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THE AUTOMATIC DIMMING INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR APEARS FROSTED OVER HALF OF THE GLASS DISTORTING THE VIEW TO THE REAR. THIS MIRROR WAS REPLACED LESS THAN ONE YEAR AGO FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM. RESEARCH ON THE INTERRNET INDICATES THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH LINCOLN CONTINENTALS OF MULTIPLE YEARS IN THE LATE 1990'S. THERE ARE NUMERIOUS INCIDENTS OF THIS DEFECT IN THE NHTSA COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE. FORD MOTOR CO APARENTLY HAS NO SOLUTION TO THIS DEFECT AS CURRENT REPLACEMENT MIRRORS FAIL AGIN IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. I BELEIVE THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL AS THE DEFECTIVE MIRROR GREATELY DISTORTS REAR VISION.

NHTSA ODI #10028844

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2001
Visibility

GLASS WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE USING DEFROSTER; WHILE PARKED IN HOME DRIVEWAY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #739422

Mileage unknown · Aug 12, 1998
Visibility

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH FRONT WINDSHIELD GLARE. CONSUMER INFORMED THAT EVERYTHING APPEARS TO REFLECT THE WINDSHIELD LIKE A MIRROR. DEALER /MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #826582

Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 1998
Visibility

VEHICLE'S VENTILLATION SYSTEM LEAKS FUMES CAUSING CONSUMER TO BECOME DISORIENTED.

NHTSA ODI #538164

Official recalls

1

98V028000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Feb 10, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TEXT AND/OR GRAPHICS FOR THE VEHICLE HEADLAMP AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ARE REPLACED, CUSTOMERS MAY BE CONFUSED BY THE AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES CAUSING THE HEADLAMPS TO BE IMPROPERLY AIMED.

Remedy: OWNER GUIDES CONTAINING REVISED AIMING INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE MAILED TO OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.