Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1999 Lincoln Continental, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Suspension12
- Air bags9
- Vehicle speed control5
- Service brakes, hydraulic4
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Power train2
- Steering2
- Exterior lighting2
- Equipment1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 7 1999 Continental vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1999 Lincoln Continental failed the safety check 2.62% of the time — 49% more often than the average 1999 passenger car (1.76%). Median odometer at inspection: 110,762 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
1 1999 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 13.2 L/100 km (about 18 mpg US), CO₂ 304 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continental · Full-size · Premium gasoline | 15.5 | 10.4 | 13.2 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1999 Lincoln Continental.
| 1998213 28 Oct 1998 | Fuel System Certain vehicles may have a fuel rail crossover hose that was damaged during fuel rail assembly. In some cases the fuel rail may leak and in the presence of and… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COULD DEPLOY AS A RESULT OF UNDERBODY IMPACTS NEAR THE SENSORS, SUCH AS THOSE OCCURRING FROM PIECES OF GRAVEL OR DEBRIS THROWN FROM THE WHEELS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED AT MODERATE TO HIGH SPEED OR BEING ACCELERATED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FUEL RAIL CROSSOVER HOSE WAS DAMAGED DURING FUEL RAIL ASSEMBLY ALLOWING FUEL LEAKAGE.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Lincoln told its dealers about the 1999 Lincoln Continental: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637765 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE ELECTRONIC AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL (EATC) WILL NOT CYCLE THE AI CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR WHEN THE FLOOR MODE IS SELECTED. *TT |
| 637556 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AX4N/4F50N TRANSAXLE MAY EXHIBIT A SHUDDER DURING A 3-4 SHIFT. *TT |
| 636065 | INFORMATION REGARDING DISCHARGED BATTERY CHARGING SERVICE TIPS AND GUIDELINES. *TT |
| 635992 | HESITATION, BUCK OR SURGE DURING A STEADY STATE OPERATION AT 40-60 MPH (64-96 KM/H). *TT |
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 630356 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A PARK PULLOUT CLUNK NOISE WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO ANOTHER GEAR POSITION. *TT |
| 630351 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A GROAN/BUZZ/VIBRATION WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR IS IN PARK. *TT |
| 630001 | SOME ENGINE ASSEMBLIES WITH ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS REPAIRED IN-VEHILE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO LEAK COOLANT AND/OR OIL FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA. *TT |
| 627955 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A HESITATION, STUMBLE OR STALL DURING LOW SPEED PARKING MANEUVERS OR AFTER RELEASING THE THROTTLE FOLLOWING OPERATION OF THE TRACTION ASSIST SYSTEM. *TT |
| 627927 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT VACUUM OR AIR LEAKS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND / OR ENGINE SYSTEM CAUSING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0171 AND OR P0174. *TT |
| 627774 | SOME IGNITION SWITCH LOCK CYLINDER ASSEMBLIES MAY EXHIBIT ROUGNESS AND / OR EXCESS EFFORT IN TURNING, KEY DOES NOT FULLY RETURN FROM START, A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP MAY ILLUMINATE WITH P0500, P1502 AND U1039 STORED IN POWERTRIAN CONTROL MODULE (PCM). *TT |
| 625715 | BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB |
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 623944 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC |
| 621059 | CONCERNS WITH VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A AX4N / 4F50N TRANSAXLE EXHIBITING A SHUDDER DURING A 3-4 SHIFT. *TT |
| 620183 | THIS BULLETIN STATES THAT ON SOME VEHICLES (INCLUDING 2002 BLACKWOOD) A BATTERY DISCONNECT OR PARAMETER RESET IS REQUIRED DURING POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) OR INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (VIC / HEC / ICM) REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 619424 | SUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE OIL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USE IN 2001 VEHICLES - SAE 5W-20 MOTOR OIL. *TT |
| 619266 | VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH PASSIVE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM (PATS) MAY NOT START OR CRANK. *TT |
| 616505 | SUBJECT REGARDING SPECIAL FIELD ACTION - EMISSION CONTROL INFORMATION ON THE FAN WARNING LABEL. *TT |
| 615491 | ALL VEHICLES WITH ANTILOCK BRAKE MODULE CONCERNS THAT REQUIRE A MODULE REPLACEMENT, THE TECHNICIAN MUST CALL FOR APPROVAL BEFORE REMOVING AND / OR REPLACING THE MODULE. *TT |
| 615485 | FOR ALL VEHICLES WITH DRIVERS SEAT MODULE CONCERNS THAT REQUIRE A MODULE REPLACEMENT, THE TECHNICIAN MUST CALL FOR APPROVAL BEFORE REMOVING AND / OR REPLACING THE MODULE. *TT |
| 615484 | FOR ALL VEHICLES WITH DRIVERS DOOR MODULE CONCERNS THAT REQUIRE A MODULE REPLACEMENT, THE TECHNICIAN MUST CALL FOR APPROVAL BEFORE REMOVING AND / OR REPLACING. *TT |
| 615456 | INFORMATION ON PROGRAMMING ON VALET KEY AND SPARE KEYS. *TT |
| 615324 | SOME VEHICLES WILL NOT START WITH A PROGRAMMED PASSIVE ANTI-THEFT (PATS) KEY FOR 20 SECONDS AFTER AN ATTEMPT TO START WITH A NON-PROGRAMMED PATS KEY. THE PATS WILL NOT RECOGNIZE A PROGRAMMED PATS KEY UNTIL THE SYSTEM RESETS. *TT |
| 615323 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A LIGHT SCRAPING / GRINDING / TICKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END. THE NOISE IS OFTEN INTERMITTENT AND MAY CHANGE IN INTENSITY WITH VEHICLE SPEED OR WHEN TURNING. THIS MAY BE CAUSED BY A PLASTIC TIE STRAP COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE BACKSIDE OF THE WHEEL.*TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation