NHTSA complaint: 2000 LINCOLN TOWN CAR — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
BRAKE FAILURE. FIRST TIME I WAS ABLE TO STOP. MY HUSBAND NEXT DROVE THE CAR AND COULD NOT FIND ANY FAULT WITH BRAKES. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO NEW ORLEANS WITH NO OTHER PROBLEMS EXCEPT IT HAD A TENDENCY TO HYDROPLANE DURING A HEAVY RAIN. SEVERAL DAYS LATER HE WAS PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT AN INTERSECTION. THE BRAKES FAILED TO HOLD AND HE BUMPED THE CAR AHEAD WHICH HIT ANOTHER WHICH HIT ANOTHER. NO INJURIES BUT DAMAGE TO TWO OF THE VEHICLES. CAR WAS RETURNED TO SUPERIOR LINCOLN TO HAVE THE BRAKES CHECKED AND TO HAVE REAR BUMPER REPAIRED. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR PLASTIC BUMPER AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. WE PICKED UP THE CAR ON 8/14/01 AND AFTER TESTING THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING HOME EVERYTHING SEEMED O.K. THAT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING FROM A 4TH FLOOR PARKING GARAGE THE BRAKES FAILED COMPLETLY AND WE HEADON CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE BLOCK WALL. THERE WERE 4 PEOPLE IN THE CAR (ALL HAD THEIR SEAT BELTS FASTENED) AND ALL SUSTAINED BRUISES AND CONTUSIONS. FORTUNATLY THERE WERE NO BROKEN BONES BUT WE ARE STILL NURSING VARIOUS ACHES AND PAINS. THE 2 PEOPLE IN THE REAR SEAT SUFFERED FROM WIPLASH AND SEAT BELT BRUISES AND SORE CHESTS. ONE THING THAT WORKED WAS THE FRONT AIR BAGS THAT SAVED MY WIFE AND I FROM ANY FURTHER INJURY.*AK
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation