12 problems related to brake hoses, lines/piping, and fittings have been reported for the 1996 Lincoln Town Car. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
Brakes failed - due to severe corrosion on brake lines (right front). Second occurance different brake line(rear). Also occured on my neighbors 1996 Lincoln Town Car (rear brake line) both cars are available for inspection. Serious accident avoided by using emergency brake.
Brake pedal to the floor while driving in mall parking lot. Brake fluid flowing from leak in rusted brake line under body of vehicle at location where attached to frame. Found metal brake lines rusty from distribution block in engine compartment to all 4 wheels. Fortunately this happened at slow speed, what would have happened if this vehicle failed to stop at a busy intersection?vehicle currently awaiting parts to repair. Old parts will be available for inspection. Updated 10/10/07.
Total sudden brake failure on Lincoln Town Car due to rust/corrosion of brake lines. Own two other Lincoln Town Cars whose brake lines are also severely rusted. Fortunately, failure occurred on my driveway and wreck was avoided. Personally replaced worst sections of rear brake lines via bypassing factory installed lines leaving original lines in place.
Brake line failure due to corroded brake line.
On four separate occasions the consumer experienced a loss of braking due to four different sections of the metal brake line due to exterior corrosion. Each time the vehicle was taken to a repair shop to have the brake line replaced. The dealer was notified. The vehicle struck the rear of a utility truck due to the brake failure. The air bag did not deploy. The first failure occurred in 2001. The brake pedal had gone to the floor upon application with no braking effect on either axle. Each failure occurred by ruptured steel brake line due to external rust.
A cell phone using driver cut into my lane and I had to hit the brakes hard. There was a sudden loss of braking power but I was able to steer around the SUV. My rear steel brake line failed in the area located just in front of the left rear tire. These brake lines are a problem! last summer the same thing happened to my wife's 95 Mercury grand marquis. I will have to replace all steel lines as all are rusted. When will fomoco do something about these failures? how many people must get hurt or die?.
Vehicle lost brake power while driving 5 to 10 mph. The brake line was corroded. Dealer recommended replacing all lines.
The vehicle experienced sudden brake failure due to significant corrosion of the brake line across the rear. The consumer still has the corroded line in his possession.
Sudden loss of brakes, pedal went to the floor. I pulled into a midas brake shop and they put the car in the lift and found that he entire brake line from the left rearwheel crossing over to the rt. Rear wheel was corroded and full of pin holes. Thiscar was well maintained but this is a problem that would not appear referenced in rq03-004.
Ltr fm edward f. Harrigan (NJ) asking NHTSA to look into a brake line corrosion problem on his 1996 Lincoln Town Car. Refer to recall #02v101000. The vehicle experienced sudden brake failure while entering a major interstate. Brake fluid was found over the rear housing as a result of pin holes that were in the crossover line from the left to the right wheel cylinders. The brake pedal had gone to the floor very suddenly. (the manufacturer may use a low-carbon steel which was cheaper or alloy or coatings which were readily available but are corrosion proof. ).
1996 Lincoln Town Car brake line failure. The consumer found braking fluid all over the rear housing as a result of pin holes that were in the crossover line from the left to the right wheel cylinders. The brake pedal had gone to the floor very suddenly. Refer to #02v1001000. Referenced in rq03-004.
The brake lines rusted trhough, causing brake failure. Dealer has inspected and repaired vehicle. Referenced in rq03-004.