Lincoln Continental
Registered from 1996 to 2020.
About this model
The Lincoln Continental is a series of mid-sized and full-sized luxury cars produced between 1939 and 2020 by Lincoln, a division of the American automaker Ford. The model line was introduced following the construction of a personal vehicle for Edsel Ford, who commissioned a coachbuilt 1939 Lincoln-Zephyr convertible, developed as a vacation vehicle to attract potential Lincoln buyers. In what would give the model line its name, the exterior was designed with European "continental" styling elements, including a rear-mounted spare tire.
From the Wikipedia article Lincoln Continental, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it stands out against its peers
- Structure: more complaints than 98% of 2017 cars — 27% of its 74 complaints, where an ordinary 2017 car has 5%.
- Latches/locks/linkages: more complaints than 99% of 2017 cars — 20% of its 74 complaints, where an ordinary 2017 car has 1%.
- Back over prevention: more complaints than 97% of 2017 cars — 15% of its 74 complaints, where an ordinary 2017 car has 1%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
Crash test
| Overall | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ |
| Stability control | Standard |
| Forward collision warning | Standard |
| Lane departure warning | Standard |
Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 325 hp · 1916 kg · 2990 mm wheelbase · 12.4 L/100km (EPA) · 14.7 L/100km city · 9.8 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2019 | 325 hp · 1916 kg · 2990 mm wheelbase · 12.4 L/100km (EPA) · 14.7 L/100km city · 9.8 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2018 | 325 hp · 1916 kg · 2990 mm wheelbase · 11.8 L/100km (EPA) · 13.8 L/100km city · 9.4 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2017 | 325 hp · 1916 kg · 2990 mm wheelbase · 11.8 L/100km (EPA) · 13.8 L/100km city · 9.4 motorway |
| 2002 | 1745 kg · 2770 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.2 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2001 | 1755 kg · 2770 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.2 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 2000 | 1745 kg · 2770 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.2 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 1999 | 1755 kg · 2770 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.2 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 1998 | 1755 kg · 2770 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.7 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 1997 | 1801 kg · 2770 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.2 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
| 1996 | 1801 kg · 2770 mm wheelbase · 13.1 L/100km (EPA) · 15.7 L/100km city · 10.2 motorway · Sedan, 4-door |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
56% of 2020 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.
16V731000
Reduced turn signal visibility to other drivers and pedestrians can increase the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlights, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C15.
17V123000
During deployment, if the air bag does not fully inflate or the cushion detaches, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began June 16, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C02.
19V077000
A door latch that is not fully engaged may result in a door opening while driving, increasing the risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the latch assemblies on all four doors, free of charge. The recall began October 14, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S03.
22V644000
Lack of a clear rearview camera image can reduce the driver's visibility of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 14, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S51.
25V442000
A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.
Regulator investigations
Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.
Inadvertent side air bag deployment
Engineering analysis, opened April 2001, closed April 2003.
Inadvertent side air bag deployment
Preliminary evaluation, opened October 2000, closed April 2001.
What the maker told its dealers
Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.
Lincoln filed 68 bulletins about the 2020 Continental.
- Electrical system: 17
- Equipment: 11
- Power train: 7
- Structure: 5
- Engine and engine cooling: 4
- Back over prevention: 3
- Equipment adaptive/mobility: 3
- Seats: 2
- Forward collision avoidance: 1
- Latches/locks/linkages: 1
- Other: 14
- Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming · July 2026
- NEW VEHICLE DELIVERY HOLD - Emissions Recall 25E08 – Supplement #1 Certain 2016 – 2019 Model Year Lincoln MKT, 2016 Model Year MKS, and 2017 - 2020 Model Year Continental Vehicles with 3.7L Engines… · May 2026
- Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation · March 2026
- Some 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC3 may experience various connectivity concerns with The Ford App Lincoln App including but not limited to: missing activation prompt… · March 2026
- Certain 2017 - 2020 Model Year Lincoln Continental Vehicles with 3.7L Engines Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming · January 2026
- Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025.… · November 2025
- Various 2019-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience a partially or fully black center display screen at start-up using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. This does not affect… · August 2025
- Certain 2018-2024 model year various vehicles — update sync software · June 2025
60 more.
Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.