lisound-ga:
Thank you for your Question regarding the reliability of the air
suspension system found in the 1999 Lincoln Continental. I hope that
you find the following Answer meets your needs.
Summary:
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In researching this Answer, I applied the techniques that I always use
for my friends when trying to determine whether or not to recommend
they purchase a particular used vehicle. The techniques involve
looking at the safety and repair cost history for the model year in
question, as well as the model years that immediately precede and
follow it.
"Reliability" is a very subjective word. The most uniform way to
determine reliability for automobiles sold in the US is to refer to
the consumer complaints and recall/technical service bulletin archives
of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Their
records for the 1999 Lincoln Continental do not include any specific
complaints, recalls, or technical service bulletins related to the air
suspension system. Similarly, the records for the 1998 and 2000 model
years do not have any air suspension-related issues. As the Lincoln
Continental received important mechanical updates to its suspension
system in 1997, I also ran searches in the NHTSA database for that
model year; there was one complaint (out of a total of 84) related to
the rear air suspension, but it can be attributed to a
consumer-specific issue (ie. not a general problem with the model).
Another useful resource for information about reliability for used
cars is Edmunds.com, and the editor reviews contained there. Again,
for the 1999 Lincoln Continental, the Edmunds.com editors have nothing
to warn potential buyers about when it comes to the air suspension
system. Similarly, the J.D. Powers consumer survey results do not show
any problems related to the suspension. While the absence of
complaints does not necessarily guarantee that problems do not exist,
it is a good indicator that there are no major problems with the air
suspension system.
Finally, another good proxy to use for the reliability of a system is
to see if there are any specialized solutions available on the market.
In the case of the older (ie. pre-1997) Lincoln Continentals, it seems
that there are indeed cases where the air bladders develop leaks, and
require replacement. I was able to find at least two online retailers
who specialize in replacement kits (both replacement bladders, and
conversion kits to replace the bladders with coil springs). It is
important to note that, as of the 1997 model year, the front air
suspension was replaced in the design by coil-over-strut hydraulic
shock absorbers. While the rear air springs can still develop leaks
over time due to wear and tear, the cost of the replacement components
is quite reasonable, so your repair costs should not be too
exhorbitant.
However, before I give you the details for the above, there is a very
important Recall Notice that I must inform you of. On April 9, 2003,
Ford and the NHTSA released a Recall Notice regarding the side air
bags (in vehicles so equipped). It seems that the side air bags can be
triggered inadvertantly by slight impacts on the underbody of the car
(for example, by loose gravel kicked up by the front tires). You are
therefore best advised to ensure that the necessary component
replacements detailed by the Recall Notice have been performed on the
vehicle you are considering purchasing. Other than this, the number of
complaints and technical service bulletins associated with the 1999
Lincoln Continental are no worse than can be expected for a car of
this age.
Details and Links:
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National Highway Traffic Safety Association - Defect Investigations
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/
The NHTSA maintains the official government database for all issues
related to road vehicles sold in the US. You can search their database
for consumer complaints, recall and technical service bulletins, and
defect investigation information. This resource is a must-see for
anyone looking at buying a used car.
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Edmunds.com review for the 1999 Lincoln Continental
http://www.edmunds.com/used/1999/lincoln/continental/11927/review.html
The editors at Edmunds.com provide reasonably objective reviews and
information for just about every used car model available in the US.
They also provide direct links to review survey results from other
Edmunds.com customers, as well as the J.D. Power & Associates survey
results for vehicle quality. For the 1999 Lincoln Continental, the
results are good.
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Internet Auto Guide review for the 1999 Lincoln Continental
http://www.internetautoguide.com/Reviews/1999/1999_Lincoln_Continental.html
As corroboration for the Edmunds.com review, the Internet Auto Guide
is also useful. While there are limited additional links available
through the IAG review, the review itself is worth the visit.
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Replacement Air Suspension Parts - Sources and Prices
Strutmasters.com
http://www.continental.strutmasters.com/95upCont.html
Arnott Industries
http://www.arnottindustries.com/products/products.asp?modelYearId=16
Inevitably, air springs will fail (just like coil springs will
eventually break). Your mileage may vary (literally), but it's always
good to know what sort of expense to expect should you need to replace
the parts. Both Strutmasters.com and Arnott Industries carry
replacement parts for the rear air suspension found in the post-1997
Lincoln Continentals. In addition, the Strutmasters.com website
contains useful information about troubleshooting problems with the
Lincoln Continental's air suspension system (mostly applicable to the
pre-1997 models):
Techman Air Suspension Help Site
http://www.techman.strutmasters.com/
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IMPORTANT RECALL NOTICE
Please remember to search for NHTSA Recall Campaign Number 03V144000
on the NHTSA website, and read the recall so that you are familiar
with the remedy. Ask the seller to prove that this recall has been
performed on the vehicle in question, if applicable, before closing
the sale. Even though you can have the recall work performed free of
charge by any Lincoln dealer after you buy the car, it is still a good
idea to insist that the work be done before you take ownership and
become liable for any problems should something happen before you can
get the work performed.
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Again, I hope that this Answer meets your needs. While lack of
evidence can never prove that a problem does not exist, it can prove
that any problem is not major enough to warrant a consumer warning.
Best of luck in your used car negotiations!
Regards,
aht-ga |
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