Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Lincoln Continental, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Latches/locks/linkages6
- Electrical system5
- Back over prevention4
- Unknown or other4
- Structure2
- Tires1
- Exterior lighting1
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Power train1
- Visibility/wiper1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
1982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022017201820192020
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 4 2018 Continental vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 2 people died inside them. 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 2018 Lincoln Continental failed the safety check 2.21% of the time — 34% more often than the average 2018 passenger car (1.65%). Median odometer at inspection: 60,257 miles.
2,129first inspections
2.21%failed on safety
60,257 mimedian odometer
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 2 variants; 2 of 2 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Lincoln Continental 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | 10.6 % |
| 2018 Lincoln Continental 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | 10.6 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 12.0–12.3 L/100 km (about 19–20 mpg US), CO₂ 280–290 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continental AWD · Full-size · Regular gasoline | 14.0 | 9.4 | 12.0 |
| Continental AWD · Full-size · Regular gasoline | 14.3 | 9.7 | 12.2 |
| Continental AWD · Full-size · Regular gasoline | 14.5 | 9.8 | 12.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2018 Lincoln Continental.
| 2022485 29 Aug 2022 | Visual System Issue: Over time, the coating on the lens for the rearview camera could degrade. If this happens, the rearview camera image may appear foggy or cloudy. Note… |
| 2019063 12 Feb 2019 | Structure Issue: On certain vehicles, the door latches may not fully latch when a door is closed. If a door is not properly latched, it could open while the vehicle is … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
22V644000 · Back over prevention26 Aug 2022 · 277,040 vehicles
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2020 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and 2017-2020 Lincoln Continental vehicles equipped with the 360-degree camera system. Degradation of the camera's anit-reflective lens coating can lead to a foggy or cloudy rearview camera image.
19V077000 · Latches/locks/linkages11 Feb 2019 · 27,609 vehicles
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Lincoln Continental vehicles. The door latch pawl motors may not function properly, possibly resulting in a door latch not fully engaging.
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 2018 Lincoln Continental: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11010950 | Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs. Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs. |
| 11008948 | While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. |
| 11001174 | This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty, and 2018-2019 EcoSport vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience various SYNC performance related concerns. related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns Phone connection issues Dropped phone connections Applink |
| 10253963 | Certain 2017-2020 Model Year Continental and Super Duty, 2018-2020 Navigator, 2020 Aviator, and 2020 Explorer Vehicles Replace Front and/or Side Cameras if Foggy |
| 10251952 | For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and testing methods. Ford has evaluated turbochargers replaced for oil leak symptoms and although oil may collect on the external surface of a turbocharger, it is extremely rare for a turbocharger assembly to be the root cause of the oil leak. Careful inspection of the turbocharger oil feed and drain tubes should be performed along with the recommended WSM procedures as needed. Warranty claims for turbochar |
| 10251934 | During service and repair requiring removal and replacement of a crankshaft bolt and/or crankshaft damper, achieving proper torque of the crankshaft pulley bolt is critical. Incorrect torque may allow the bolt to loosen resulting in the timing gear breaking and engine damage. Replacement of the bolt is critical to the repair and accurately following the installation procedure in the Workshop Manual (WSM) Section, 303-01 is extremely important. The bolt torque procedure can be found in the crankshaft front seal removal and installation procedure or in the engine assembly procedure. |
| 10238875 | Certain 2017-2020 Model Year Continental and Super Duty, 2018-2020 Navigator, 2020 Aviator, and 2020 Explorer Vehicles Replace Front and/or Side Cameras if Foggy |
| 10235153 | For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a different vehicle. Most modules on these affected vehicles are VIN/vehicle specific and hardware variations between modules do exist. Swapping a module from a vehicle or ordering a module using a different vehicle/VIN can cause ineffective repairs and additional vehicle down time. Make sure all appropriate Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures are |
| 10233587 | Some 2018-2019 Edge/Continental, 2018 MKX and 2019 Nautilus vehicles built on or before 1-Aug-2019 and 2018-2019 Fusion/MKZ vehicles built on or before 15-Aug-2019 equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost or 3.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an oil leak from the engine oil pan RTV seal. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure steps to replace the oil pan with a new oil pan equipped with a press in place gasket. |
| 10231026 | Certain 2017-2018 Model Year Continental Vehicles Drivers Seat Back Carrier Replacement REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT Service Action: The seat back heating element is now available as a separate component and should be replaced with the seat back foam. Parts List Update: Part numbers have been added for the required seat back heating elements. |
| 10228876 | Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00. The brake rotors should only be machined if directed by the WSM because one or more of the following conditions are present on the braking surface: scoring, excessive corrosion/rust or pitting, bluing/discoloration and/or heat spots. For additional information, refer to WSM section 206-00. |
| 10228766 | This article supersedes TSB 17-2203 to update the vehicle model years, Service Procedure, and Part List. Some 2017-2018 Continental vehicles built on or before 22-Sep-2017 may exhibit one or both front seats with an outside bolster that is loose or separating from the seat frame. |
| 10222788 | Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00. The brake rotors should only be machined if directed by the WSM because one or more of the following conditions are present on the braking surface: scoring, excessive corrosion/rust or pitting, bluing/discoloration and/or heat spots. For additional information, refer to WSM section 206-00. |
| 10219036 | Certain 2017-2018 Model Year Continental Vehicles Drivers Seat Back Carrier Replacement; In some of the affected vehicles, the front driver seat back bolster may crack, resulting in a loose outboard bolster and/or a gap between the foam trim and surrounding plastic. Continued seat use after the seat back bolster is cracked, may result in seat back foam deterioration. Once the bolster is cracked, there is a lack of support on the seat back, and deterioration of the foam may allow the seat heater mat coils to bunch and/or overlap in the mat causing a localized overheat condition |
| 10217028 | Some 2017-2022 Ford/Lincoln customers may experience a notification in the FordPass/LincolnWay app indicating Vehicle Has Entered Deep Sleep Mode. This occurs when the vehicle has not been started for 14 consecutive days, battery voltage is at/below 9.5 volts or the body control module (BCM) 12 volt battery state of charge (SOC) drops below 50%. A warning may also set if the telematic control unit (TCU) has received an over the air update. The TCU powers down all communication when in this mode and app features are disabled. Manually start the vehicle to wake if from mode. More information is |
| 10214832 | Some 2017-2022 Ford and Lincoln vehicle owners may experience a condition of missing authorization, command and control, battery charging details or phone-as-a-key setup buttons/selections in their FordPass or LincolnWay App. This condition is due to an error within the FordPass or LincolnWay App and not due to a concern on the vehicle. Verify that the customers FordPass or LincolnWay App is at the latest version. Replacement or reprogramming of the telematics control unit (TCU)/gateway module (GWM)/remote function actuator (RFA) will not resolve this condition. If the condition persists, util |
| 10212957 | Some 2013-2023 Ford or Lincoln vehicles with modems activated through FordPass or LincolnWay may experience 12 volt battery drain symptoms when the customer uses non-Ford/Lincoln phone applications as an alternate channel to access vehicle commands such as door lock/unlock, remote start, vehicle location, etc. The battery drain may be caused by excessive calls for data through the vehicle network keeping it in an activated state. Recommend that the customer uninstall the app to ensure this is not contributing to battery symptoms experienced. Advise the customer that unaffiliated third-party ap |
| 10210816 | Some 2017-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with a TCU may exhibit inoperative remote features via Ford Pass/Lincoln Way mobile app, incomplete user authorization and/or no modem electronic serial number (ESN) displayed. To correct this condition prior to programming, remove the TCU fuse for 5 minutes then reinstall. Delete all previous session files for the vehicle. Verify that the electronic serial number (ESN) is now displayed. Start a new IDS/FDRS session. Program the TCU to the latest IDS/FDRS version level. Make sure you are connected to the internet before retesting. If the concer |
| 10209208 | This article supersedes TSB 21-2235 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2017-2020 Continental, 2018-2022 Navigator vehicles may experience seat pan looseness, lateral movement, and/or clunk/thump noise on turns. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure steps to install an isolator onto the front cross tube on both front seat tracks. |
| 10208146 | Some 2017-2018 Focus/MKX/C-MAX, 2017-2019 MKC/Taurus/Flex/MKT, 2017-2020 Fusion/MKZ/Continental, 2017-2022 Mustang/Edge/Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility/Escape/F-150/F-Super Duty, 2018-2022 Expedition/Navigator, 2019-2022 Ranger/Nautilus, 2020-2022 Corsair/Aviator, and 2021-2022 Mustang Mach-E vehicles may exhibit a noisy, incorrectly operating, and/or inoperative seat motor. This may be due to a damaged or inoperative seat track motor. A lower level service part has been released to correct noisy, incorrect operation/inoperative seat track motors. |
| 10205694 | Some 2016-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may exhibit a condition where the navigation voice prompts are inoperative after a SYNC map update. This may be due to an incomplete installation of the SYNC map software. If possible, using the original USB that installed the update, reperform the update and verify the navigation voice prompts have returned. Multiple reboots are expected when this update is being performed. Verify the Installation Is Complete message displays in the touch screen. If the original USB is not available, go to website https://syncnavigation.com/ford/ho |
| 10205482 | Some 2018-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit inoperative remote features via the Ford Pass/Lincoln Way mobile app, incomplete user authorization, no modem electronic serial number (ESN) displayed or DTCs U2100 and/or B156D in the telematics control unit (TCU). These symptoms may persist even after performing a TCU software update and/or replacement. To correct this condition, start a new session with the latest version of the appropriate diagnostic scan tool and perform a PMI on the TCU. If issues persist, open a hotline assistance request and include the IDS version (if applicable) us |
| 10203841 | Some 2017-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with a TCU may exhibit inoperative remote features via Ford Pass/Lincoln Way mobile app, incomplete user authorization and/or no modem electronic serial number (ESN) displayed. To correct this condition prior to programming, remove the TCU fuse for 5 minutes then reinstall. Delete all previous session files for the vehicle. Verify that the electronic serial number (ESN) is now displayed. Start a new IDS/FDRS session. Program the TCU to the latest IDS/FDRS version level. Make sure you are connected to the internet before retesting. If the concer |
| 10201587 | Some 2017-2020 Continental vehicles equipped with a second row 40-20-40 seat may experience a concern with the rear seat armrest cup holder. Ford has released the rear seat armrest cup holder as a lower level service part. Refer to the parts catalog using base part number 5413562 for the vehicle/color specific part. For replacement, refer to Workshop Manua |
| 10201062 | Some 2017-2018 Continental 2.7L/3.0L equipped vehicles may exhibit a fluid leak from the engine mount, engine vibration, and/or various powertrain diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs), including but not limited to P0A14, P0A15, P0A16, P0AB6, P0AB7, and/or P0AB8. This may be due to a leaking switchable engine and/or transmission mount. To correct this condition, replace the switchable engine and transmission mounts with non-switchable mounts and reprogram the powertrain control module (PCM). |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)