1997 Lincoln Town CAR Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint Problems

NHTSA component category: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT · data through 07/12/2026

23Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint complaints

7.3%Of all 314 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE39 · 12.4%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL33 · 10.5%

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT23 · 7.3%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING20 · 6.4%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS17 · 5.4%

Share of the 314 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR overview page.

What owners report

“THE LOWER CONTROL ARM DISENGAGED FROM THE LOWER BALL JOINT, AND DROPPED TO THE GROUND, TEARING A LARGE HOLE IN THE FRONT TIRE, THIS CAUSED…”NHTSA complaint 564863 — filed 04/03/2002

“WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 10-15 MPH LEFT FRONT BALL JOINT BROKE, AND VEHICLE COULD NOT BE CONTROLED. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO…”NHTSA complaint 8005733 — filed 03/15/2002

“WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH FRONT/RIGHT OF VEHICLE CRASHED TO THE GROUND UNEXPECTEDLY. AN UNKNOWN COMPONENT OF FRONT SUSPENSION DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT…”NHTSA complaint 8000794 — filed 12/17/2001

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR have suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint problems?

Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR: 23 of 314 complaints on file (7.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Lincoln Town CAR have in total?

314 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 10 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 8 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.