Front Suspension Lower Ball Joint Problems of Lincoln Town Car - part 1

Tl- the contact owns a 1999 Lincoln town. The contact stated that while driving and making a turn, the rocker arm lowered with no warning. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop where the right upper and lower ball joints and the right outer tie rod were replace. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The contact mentioned that the clanking noise was still present. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 109,228. Jo.

See all problems of the 1999 Lincoln Town Car 🔎.

The contact owns a 1999 Lincoln Town Car. The contact was traveling 30 mph when an abnormal squealing was heard from the driver's side as the vehicle started to shake abnormally. The vehicle was taken to dealer who confirmed that the front end and the drivers side ball joints needed to be replaced. In addition, the dealer confirmed that the VIN failed to qualify for repairs under NHTSA campaign id number:98v322000 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint). The manufacturer was not contacted and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 275 and the current mileage was 276.

Tl- the contact owns a 1999 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated that while completing a turn, the front driver's side control arm failed. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 98v322000 (suspension: lower ball joint), but the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 101,000 and the current mileage was 110,000. Kmj.

See all problems of the 1998 Lincoln Town Car 🔎.

The contact owns a 1999 Lincoln Town Car cartier. The contact stated that while traveling 2 mph, a loud noise emitted as the vehicle failed to accelerate. The vehicle was towed to a local repair shop where it was discovered that the passenger side ball joint needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN failed to qualify for repairs under NHTSA campaign id number:98v322000 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 167,000 and the current mileage was 173,000.

The contact owns a 1996 Lincoln Town Car with 92000 miles. The contact stated that when turning the steering wheel he heard a clanking noise. The contact stated that recall 98v322000, suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint was the cause of failure. The manufacturer was called but they could not find any record of the vehicle being repaired or included in the recall.

See all problems of the 1996 Lincoln Town Car 🔎.

The contact owns a 1999 Lincoln Town Car. While driving approximately 40 mph, the contact heard a loud crack. He pulled over but did not find the cause of the noise. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the contact was advised that the front ball joints needed to be replaced. The contact called the manufacturer in regards to recall 98v322000 (suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint) but was told that the vehicle was not included. The contact also stated that there was a crack in the intake manifold and a mechanic told him that it needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The current and failure mileages were approximately 111,500.

Son was operating the vehicle. As he made a left turn, he heard a loud clunking sound and the right side of the vehicle crashed to the ground. Had the car towed home and subsequently towed to the repair shop the next day. Was told that the lower right ball joint had failed, subsequently snapping the stabilizer link. This happened in August 2010. November 15, 2011, I was driving home. Stopped to air up my right rear tire. Upon re-entering the vehicle and backing out, the right front side fell to the ground. Again, the right front lower ball joint failed. This time, I had to also replace the right front lower control arm, right front stabilizer link, right front shock and right front ball joint. There is a serious problem with the 1997 Lincoln towncar's front end. When the mechanic went to install the right lower ball joint (which is a pressed fit) the ball joint went right in by hand, which indicated that the right front lower control arm was faulty. I now have a rattling sound coming from the left front side. I'm really scared to drive this car.

See all problems of the 1997 Lincoln Town Car 🔎.

The contact owns a 1997 Lincoln Town Car. While driving at 2 mph, the contact heard a loud sound. Seconds later, the front end of the vehicle suddenly fell to the ground. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the front driver side ball joint had separated from the vehicle. A few weeks prior to the failure, the contact noticed that the vehicle made a creaking sound whenever operated. The contact called the dealership and was informed that recall 98v322000 (suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint) did not include his vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current and failure mileages were approximately 175,000.

The contact owns a 1999 Lincoln Town Car. The contact was driving approximately 3 mph in a parking lot. The lower ball joints detached without warning. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer. A recall repair was performed under NHTSA campaign id number 098v322000 (suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint). The failure mileage was 75,397. The current mileage was 75,412. Updated 6/1/10 updated 06/04/lj updated 09/02/jb.

I own a 1996 Lincoln Town Car with approximately 73,000 miles on the odometer. Recently, I have been experiencing problems with the front end wobbling. I took the car to sears automotive and discovered that the lower ball joint are defective and control arms. The problem matches exactly your recall below: NHTSA campaign id number: 98v322000 summary: vehicle description: certain 1996-1999 Ford crown victoria police, fleet, natural gas, and 1996-1999 Lincoln Town Car limousine vehicles that were produced with a lower control arm ball joint containing a one piece bearing; and 1990-1996 Ford crown victoria police, fleet, and ngv vehicles and 1990-1996 Lincoln Town Car limousine vehicles that have been serviced with either a ball joint containing the one-piece bearing or a front lower control arm containing a ball joint with a one-piece bearing. The one-piece bearing within the lower control arm ball joint can weaken slowly during use and eventually crack. This could result in separation of the ball and cap of the joint, allowing the control arm to drop to the ground. Consequence: if this occurs while the vehicle is moving, reduced steering control could occur, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy: dealers will replace the lower control arm ball joints (2). Notes: owner notification is expected to begin January 18, 1999. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236). We never receive notice of any recall. However, when I attempted to call Ford customer service they could not find this recall or my VIN. Therefore, I am respectfully requesting that you add our vehicle VIN to this recall for repair.

Lower ball joint on the rt. Side & lt. Side fail while driving down the road, dropping car to the ground . Towed to fords repair shop and had both replaced. Last fall the rt. One broke and was replaced. Know the lt. One.

The contact owns 1998 Lincoln Town Car. While driving at any speed, the contact hears a squeaking sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. The dealer stated that the dust cover on the lower ball joint of the front passenger side was worn, and the ball joint was cracked. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number 98v322000 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint). The failure mileage was 168,000. Updated 10/14/08. Updated 10/16/08.

1998 Lincoln Town Car made a grinding sound underneath. Consumer stated that the vehicle had to be towed to a dealer. He stated that he saw a front ball joint dragging on the ground. The consumer stated the ball joints did not have any grease fittings. The consumer had all of the ball joints replaced. The consumer discovered a recall regarding the ball joints. However, no one informed him there was a problem.

The contact owns a 1997 Lincoln Town Car. While driving 3-5 mph, the contact heard a popping sound and the front passenger side of the vehicle dropped. The lower ball joints had fallen out of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to his residence. The contact has scheduled an appointment to have the vehicle repaired. The current and failure mileages were 136,278.

The contact owns a 1997 Lincoln Town Car. While driving 55 mph, the contact heard a clicking noise coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle began pulling to the right and became difficult to steer. She took the vehicle to the dealer and they performed a diagnostic test. The results indicated that the lower ball joints needed to be replaced. The lower ball joints were replaced three years ago. The current mileage was 80,000 and failure mileage was 78,500. The consumer provided a copy of the recall notice. Updated 10/24/07.

The contact owns a 1999 Lincoln Town Car. While driving 30 mph, the contact stated that the lower ball joints failed and the front driver side of the vehicle fell to the ground and bent. The vehicle was repaired. He was informed that his vehicle was not included in recall campaign number 98v322000 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint). The purchase date and mileage information were unknown.

The contact owns a 1997 Lincoln Town Car. While driving 40 mph, the vehicle vibrated on the front passenger side. The dealer stated that the control arm and lower ball joints failed. There are recalls for the suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint (NHTSA campaign id number 98v322000) and service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (NHTSA campaign id number 98i001000); however, the dealer refused to repair the vehicle as part of the recalls. The failure mileage was 85,000 and current mileage was 99,000.

The contact owns a 1997 Lincoln Town Car. While driving 30 mph, the lower ball joint failed. The contact spoke in detail regarding the control arm. The vehicle was towed to his private mechanic and it was determined that the control arm was the cause of failure. The purchase date was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 153,000. The upper ball joints, lower control arm bushings and right lower control arm were all replaced. The mechanic also noted the rear main seal and transmission front pump seal was starting to leak. Update 09/11/07.

The contact owns a 1997 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated that the upper control arm makes a horrible squeaking and popping noise and needs to be replaced. The failure occurred while driving 15 mph. The dealer stated that his vehicle was not included in recall number 98v322000 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint). He believes his vehicle should be included in the recall since it is experiencing the same failure. The current mileage was 102,000 and failure mileage was 100,000. Updated 09/10/07.

The contact owns a 1999 Lincoln Town Car. While attempting to back out of a parking space, the contact turned the wheel and the vehicle jerked and stopped moving. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic shop to have the front driver's side control arm repaired. Through online research, he discovered NHTSA campaign id number 98v322000 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint), which was similar to the failure he experienced. The dealer stated that his VIN was not included in the recall. The current mileage was 114,000 and failure mileage was 101,000. Updated 6/16/08 updated.

: the contact stated while driving 4 mph under normal road conditions, the vehicle made a loud noise. An independent mechanic determined that the lower ball joint separated.

: the contact stated while traveling 3 mph the front passenger side of the vehicle fell to the ground. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop where the lower ball joint was replaced. Updated 10/4/2006 -.

See all problems of the 2000 Lincoln Town Car 🔎.

: the contact stated while starting the engine with the vehicle in park, the left front lower ball joint fractured without warning. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer. There was a NHTSA recall, # 98v322000, regarding the suspension. The vehicle was not included in the recall due to the VIN. The manufacturer was alerted.

The contact owns a 1998 Lincoln Town Car. While accelerating at 15 mph, the passenger side control arm detached from the ball joint. The mechanic replaced the ball joint. The driver side control arm and ball joint failed shortly thereafter. The vehicle has not been repaired. The current mileage was 122,447 and failure mileage was 75,000.

: the contact stated a squeeking sound was heard coming from the front right wheel. The contact treated the wheel with wd-40 and the sound went away. Also, while driving 10 mph in a parking lot, the right front wheel fell off. The vehicle was towed to a service dealer, who determined that the upper and lower ball joints had failed and were replaced as well as steering gear. The manufacturer was not alerted. Updated 12/18/06.

1997 Lincoln Town Car front control arm lower ball joint failed, puncturing tire and driving lower control arm into asphalt. Speed of accident 15 mph. Numerous complaints on lower control arm failures for Lincoln, crown victoria etc. Manufacturer claims the specific VIN is not under recall criteria. I suspect this is an oversight by the manufacturer. I am thankful that I was not taking my child on the highway when this occurred at highway speeds. There would have certainly been a wreck and the way the failure occurred, I am not sure how the car could not have spun and rolled if the failure would have occurred at a higher speed. The control arm left a groove in the asphalt and halted the car instantly throwing everyone forward when it occurred. It would be advisable to have these recalled to avoid potential litigation and law suits. I have seen several instances of this in this complaint database as well as on the web. I have not seen any class action suit and can only find the recall on the lower control arm that apparently does not include my specific VIN number (and a lot of others apparently as well). I have asked several mechanics and they are aware of this and suspect a manufacturing defect and they also say that it is pretty ridiculous to have a control arm go out so soon in a vehicles life. There are cars that still have their original control arms and twice the mileage of other manufacturers. The repairs are expensive, the failure is dangerous, and I honestly have problems trusting whether the dealer will use parts that have been re-engineered to overcome this failure. Especially since we are seeing that some of the replacement control arms appear to have the same failures or same defect. How can I be assured that this will not occur again? and will I be just as lucky as I was this time in that the failure occurred at extremely low speed?.

: the contact stated the right lower ball joint fell out while driving 10 mph causing the steering to fail. The vehicle was towed to a dealership. The contact reports having no problems with the steering prior to the incident. There is an NHTSA recall, # 98v322000, regarding the suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the VIN.

: the contact stated the vehicle does not react correctly when the steering wheel is turned. There was a recall, #98v322000, concerning the lower ball joint. The recall work was performed prior to purchase, but the problem has returned. The vehicle has not been seen by a mechanic.

The contact owns a 1997 Lincoln Town Car. While driving 50 mph, the front passenger side of the vehicle jumped when the brake pedal was depressed. The dealer stated that the control arm and lower ball joint failed. The brake lines also failed. As of October 23, 2007, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle. There are recalls for the suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint (NHTSA campaign id number 98v322000) and service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (NHTSA campaign id number 98i001000); however, the dealer refused to repair the vehicle as part of the recalls. The failure mileage was 90,000 and current mileage was 143,000.

The driver's side lower ball joint fell off on September 24, 2005. The vehicle just had an oil change the day before, and they did not see anything at that time. There was no accident. The consumer had the vehicle towed to the mechanics. The consumer found that there was a recall for this problem but this vehicle was not involved due to VIN. Updated 12/07/05.

Contact stated the front driver's side wheel fell off on 8-5-05. It sounded like a flat tire and the front end was dragging. The tires were a few years old. He called Ford and asked about a recall and they told him no there had not been any recalls. It was determined that the upper and lower ball joints had failed.

A recall was issued for the same type of vehicle the consumer owns, however his vehicle was not included in the recall. Without warning the vehicle lurched forward and the front of the vehicle collapsed and spun around. When the consumer exited the vehicle, he discovered the ball joint punctured the tire on the front passenger side. The vehicle was towed the dealer and they said the consumers vehicle should be included the recall. The manufacturer said his car was not included in the recall. The consumer stated his vehicle had the same symptoms as stated in the recall # 98v322000. .

1996 Lincoln Town Car steering went out causing consumer to run into a fence. The steering wheel would turn left and right but the wheel did not respond. Rear air spring were replaced due to excessive cracking. The vehicle steering a suspension performed poorly. The dealer replaced the upper and lower ball joints and the inner and outer tie rods. The right front window regulator broke. The interior light on the left side of the vehicle did not work.

Ball joints corroded, resulting in abnormal wear. Because of the defect described in the steering linkage:arm:pitman recall 96v135000, but this vehicle was not covered due to VIN. The ballm joints were replaced by the dealership.

Erratic steering and noise at the passenger side front end. Approaching a stop light at less than 15mph the ball joint fell out. The vehicle was repaired by fiesta Ford Lincoln Mercury in indio CA. At my expense by replacing the lower cotrol armand shock absorber. A week ago the same noise developed on the driver side and the car was sent to fresno Lincoln Mercury for repair yesterday. I was told by the mechanic the left lower control arm needs replacing.