10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
13,031 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 1996 Lincoln Mark VIII:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #33

Apr 042002

(reported on)

Mark VIII

  • miles
Simply cannot see at night. Very dangerous.

- Muskegon, MI, USA

problem #32

Apr 032002

(reported on)

Mark VIII

  • miles
The headlights are too dim for safe night driving. I have replaced both assemblies and bulbs (right and left) with new ones, as well as checked the eletrical system, and the light output is still so weak that driving at night is unsafe. I replaced the assemblies because the reflective material on the inside of the assembly had been burned off by the bulbs. (the assembly is less than three inches in height. The close proximity to the bulb in combination with poor reflective material resulted in the material burning or flaking off.) even with the new assemblies, with all the reflective material intact, and clear unyellowed lenses, the light output is still too weak for safe night driving. I can only assume the problem is due to bad design.

- Lebanon, TN, USA

problem #31

Mar 011999

Mark VIII

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Headlights are not bright enough for night driving, consumer has to use high beams. Problem has worsen over time.

- Renton, WA, USA

problem #30

Mar 182002

(reported on)

Mark VIII

  • miles
Low beam headlights are so dim it is a hazard. Refused to drive the car after dark because of poor lighting. There is no known recall that I am aware of. I have talked to other Mark viii owners of 1993 to 1996 cars and they all are complaining of dim low beam headlights. These lights need to be recalled and replaced by lowbeam headlight that put out enough light to be safe driveing at night. These lights are a safty hazard. And I would not have bought the car if I had known this before hand.

- Washington, PA, USA

problem #29

Oct 222001

Mark VIII

  • miles
Headlights on this model are very poor for the price you pay for this vehicle..even the high beams are poor for this vehicle.this is a major complaint for Lincoln owners for this year of vehicle it seems.

- Gresham, OR, USA

problem #28

Jan 012002

Mark VIII

  • miles
The chrome reflective material on the inside of the headlight assemblies flakes off with age. This vehicle is a 1996 model, and although just over 5 years old, the reflective material has flaked off the inside of the headlights, meaning the bulb only has the base plastic to reflect off, which means output is virtuall nothing. I can send you one of these defective assemblies if you would like to inspect it.

- Fairfax, CA, USA

problem #27

Sep 201999

Mark VIII

  • miles
The headlight housing has deteriorated to the point that the lights are useless. The reflective material has yellowed & has also flaked off to the point is is almost all gone. I contacted Ford approx. 3 mos. Ago & was told that I was the only person that had called with this problem. Ya right. Looking on the internet I have found that I am not the only one.

- West Frankfort, IL, USA

problem #26

Dec 212000

Mark VIII

  • miles
The headlights that came standard on 1993-1996 Mark viiis are not safe for public roads. They are probably the weakest headlights ever placed into a vehicle during the 1990S. IM surprised they even passed the dot regulations. The headlights provide very little lighting for the road and they do not even give enough light to the street signs so that they can be read legibly and easily. Driving on a poor lit road is impossible without turning on the high beams because other wise you become a hazard because of poor visibility. Ive been in countless near accidents due to the poor lights and because they barely light up the markers on the middle of the road. They either need to replaced with the hid units that are available, or at least improved drastically; otherwise the risk of having an accident with this car during the night increases at least 10 fold.

- Sunnyvale, CA, USA

problem #25

Feb 062002

Mark VIII

  • miles
The front headlights are dangerously dim. It is a safety hazard as in very dark places moving under the speed limit, it can become very difficult to see where you are going. I have just been the owner of this car for two days, but throught the small time that I've owned the car, I can allready see that it is a problem that needs to be resolved.

- Edwardsville, IL, USA

problem #24

Feb 072002

(reported on)

Mark VIII

  • miles
The headlights have very poor coverage. The houseing show no wear or problems. The light output and beam angles can not cover a average street at night. There should be something done before a problem is created. We have techonolgy to create lighting that will be effective. Make the manufs. Do it. It should be a easy problem to quickly solve.

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

problem #23

Feb 052002

(reported on)

Mark VIII

  • miles
The lights are extremely dim, bulbs replaced with no help, etreme hazardous condition.

- East Setauket, NY, USA

problem #22

Jan 162002

(reported on)

Mark VIII

  • miles
Headlights are very poor. Can hardly see at night. Often I have many close calls in the rain its almost impossible.

- Roeland Park, KS, USA

problem #21

Mar 042001

Mark VIII

  • miles
No summary listed for above vehicle.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #20

Jan 012001

Mark VIII

  • miles
Lowbeam headlamps are not adequate for night time travel. Lights are dim with a blotchy pattern. High beam lamps are adequate. Lamps are accurately adjusted. Ford Motor Company addressed the problem on certain Mark viii models with hid headlamps. Ford should recall the Mark viii models and fit adequate headlamps.

- Auburn, NE, USA

problem #19

Mar 292001

(reported on)

Mark VIII

  • miles
The headlamps on the vehicle provided little light, and thus, limited visibilty in lightless situations. Acceptable visibilty is limited to (an estimated) 25 ft. Even constant use of the high beams (which is a danger to other motorists, though many do not seem to notice) provides little more than slightly acceptable light.

- Bayville, NJ, USA

problem #18

Jul 012000

Mark VIII

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Headlights had gone out. Dealership claimed defect existed in ballast which will result in replacement of entire headlight system.

- Mcneil, MS, USA

problem #17

Sep 012000

Mark VIII

  • miles
Headlights are too dim while driving vehicle, visibility is reduced, and driving is dangerous. Please provide any additional information.

- Mataoca, VA, USA

problem #16

Feb 152001

(reported on)

Mark VIII

  • miles
Head lamps do not project light out to a safe distance. One side (left, drivers) inside the lens the chrome reflecting surface has dissintegrated. The other side just appears dim. On a wet night we do not want to drive this car.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #15

Feb 142001

Mark VIII

  • miles
Headlamp reflector discoloring, causing weak output-Ford will not correct.

- Tallahassee, FL, USA

problem #14

Jan 102001

(reported on)

Mark VIII

  • miles
Headlights have gotten dimmer as vehicle aged. I don't even like to drive it at night anymore.

- Madison, AL, USA

Read the next 13 complaints »