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#BS-1997-LINCON-26D8

1997 Lincoln Continental

Based on reports from 109 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
109
Crashes
5
Fires
3
Recalls
2
TSBs
157
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 109 complaints, 5 crashes, 3 fires, and 2 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

no heat

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
2

door ajar warning with interior lights on

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

headlight only works on high beams

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:interiorHIGH

11 owners reported visibility:rearview mirrors/devices:interior issues — failures commonly reported around 70K miles.

!Inspect the Wheels & TiresMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

1
0–30K
10
30–60K
4
60–90K
5
90–120K
120–150K
2
150K+

Peak failure range: 30–60K miles (10 reports) • Median: 70K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:interior (11 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:interior11 (10%)
Wheels & Tires6 (6%)
Speed Control6 (6%)
Drivetrain5 (5%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip5 (5%)
Suspension:front5 (5%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission5 (5%)
Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly3 (3%)

1997 Lincoln Continental: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:interior Issues

Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:interior complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1997 Lincoln Continental, with 11 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 70,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 70K-mile mark.

Wheels & Tires Issues

Wheels & Tires complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1997 Lincoln Continental, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to wheels & tires-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1997 Lincoln Continental, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1997 Lincoln Continental, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

19
00
17
01
6
02
13
03
7
04
3
05
3
06
4
07
1
08
3
12
1
18
1
19

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1997 Lincoln Continental. Recent trend: stable.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (2 recalls)

16E026000May 2016

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

Bosch Brake Components LLC (Bosch) is recalling certain aftermarket replacement front brake pads, models Bosch QuietCast BC598 and BP765, Bosch Blue BE598 and BE598H, Prostop PD598 and PD765M, Duralast Gold DG598, Duralast MKD598, Stop Master ST598, UltraStop ULT598, UltraLife MX598 and MX765, BrakeBest MKD765, and Prostop Platinum PGD598. These brake pads, manufactured October 1, 2014, to October 31, 2015 are intended for use on 2001-2007 Ford Taurus, 2001-2005 Mercury Sable, 1995-1999 Ford Taurus SHO, 1995-2002 Lincoln Continental, and 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII vehicles. The brake pad shim may shift out of position causing the shim to contact the brake disc resulting in damage to the disc.

96V166000Sep 1996

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET HAS A SHARP EDGE WHICH CAN CAUSE THE PARKING PAWL TO HANG UP AND NOT ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Lincoln Continental is the 2000 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is accessories - interior.

1997 Lincoln Continental vs. Class Average (Large Cars)

This vehicle

109

Class avg

219

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical large cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 109 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Lincoln Continental Model Years

2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969
View all Lincoln Continental years →

1997 Lincoln Continental: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1997 Lincoln Continental?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1997 Lincoln Continental is related to the visibility:rearview mirrors/devices:interior, with 11 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1997 Lincoln Continental reliable?
The 1997 Lincoln Continental has 109 complaints, 5 crash reports, and 3 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 1997 Lincoln Continental problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1997 Lincoln Continental have any recalls?
Yes, the 1997 Lincoln Continental has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Lincoln Continental problems start?
Based on 22 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 70,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 30–60K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 109 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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