MODELYEARINDEX

Which Lincoln Continental years to avoid

Across 3 scored model years, the 2017 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Lincoln Continental Full report
F
Grade 2017–2019
2017 vs model median 2.1×
Model median3× median
Body & Interior 15
Electrical 5
Steering 3
Avoid

2017

Best

2018 · 2019

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2017
2.11× 34 F
2018
0.89× 11 B
2019
1.00× 13 C

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2017 F 34 reports · median 31,852 mi

  1. Body & Interior 15

    The contact owns a 2017 lincoln continental. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the front passenger side door erroneously opened. After stopping and closing the door, the failure continued. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 5

    We are dissatisfied with the level of service from the lincoln motor company and serramonte ford dealership in colma, california, with specific reference to the case, cas-1758606, recall 19s03 and NHTSA recall # 1v-077. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Steering 3

    I'm writing from lithuania, several month ago I bought lincoln continental 2017 after small accident. I ship it to lithuania, repaired it and find out why accident happened.. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

1 crash

2019 C 13 reports · median 21,500 mi

  1. Driver Assist 4

    The contact owns a 2019 lincoln continental. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 22v6440000 (back over prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 2

    This is a company car and I sometimes work from the back seat during my travel to clients as it's large and comfortable. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Body & Interior 2

1 crash

The best year for the Continental

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2018 is the best-scoring Continental model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 72.9 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2018 0.89× 11 B
2019 1.00× 13 C
2017 2.11× 34 F

Recalls

5 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
22V644000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2017–2019 277,040
25V442000 BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE 2019 200,237
19V077000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH 2017–2019 27,609
17V123000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2017 27,531
16V731000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS 2017 1,827

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2017 were reported at a median of 31,852 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Lincoln Continental years should you avoid?
2017 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Lincoln Continental model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Lincoln Continental?
2018 is the best-scoring Lincoln Continental model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 72.9 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Lincoln Continental have?
5 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Lincoln Continental model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2017 Continental
Complaints in window
34
Severity-weighted
37
Model median (weighted)
18
vs model median
2.11×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
4
Open investigations
0
Score 37.2 F