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#BS-1998-LINCON-26D8

1998 Lincoln Continental

Based on reports from 88 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
88
Crashes
11
Fires
2
Recalls
2
TSBs
140
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 88 complaints, 11 crashes, 2 fires, and 2 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

security light flashes and car wont start

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
2

power steering failure

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

transmission failure

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Speed ControlHIGH

10 owners reported speed control issues — failures commonly reported around 97K miles.

!Inspect the Power Train:automatic TransmissionMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

3
0–30K
5
30–60K
60–90K
6
90–120K
3
120–150K
2
150K+

Peak failure range: 90–120K miles (6 reports) • Median: 97K 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: Speed Control (10 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

Speed Control10 (11%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission5 (6%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline4 (5%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System4 (5%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine3 (3%)
Visibility:windshield3 (3%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System3 (3%)
Electrical3 (3%)

1998 Lincoln Continental: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 1998 Lincoln Continental, with 10 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 96,500 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 97K-mile mark.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1998 Lincoln Continental, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1998 Lincoln Continental, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1998 Lincoln Continental, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:cooling system-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

13
00
5
01
10
02
8
03
2
04
6
05
2
06
3
08
3
09
2
10
5
11
1
12
1
14

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1998 Lincoln Continental. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

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.

98V028000Mar 1998

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TEXT AND/OR GRAPHICS FOR THE VEHICLE HEADLAMP AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

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.

1998 Lincoln Continental vs. Class Average (Large Cars)

This vehicle

88

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. 88 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

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View all Lincoln Continental years →

1998 Lincoln Continental: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1998 Lincoln Continental?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1998 Lincoln Continental is related to the speed control, with 10 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1998 Lincoln Continental reliable?
The 1998 Lincoln Continental has 88 complaints, 11 crash reports, and 2 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 1998 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 1998 Lincoln Continental have any recalls?
Yes, the 1998 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 19 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 96,500 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 90–120K 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 88 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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