LincolnTown Car1991Overview/lincoln/town-car/1991/base/

1991 Lincoln Town Car

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1991 Town Car.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1991 Lincoln Town Car is a passenger car that uses a 5.0‑qt engine oil capacity with a 5W‑20 API viscosity rating, is equipped with an automatic four‑speed transmission, and returns EPA fuel economy of 15/22/18 mpg (city/highway/combined). It accumulated 263 owner complaints, the most frequent concerning the service brakes‑hydraulic system, and was issued five recalls. Within the 1990‑2011 complaint span, the 1991 model’s total sits below the 1997 high of 328 complaints and above the 2009 low of five complaints, placing it at a moderate point in the Town Car’s reliability history.

Model year201120102009200820072006200520041991

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

ThermostatRT1229

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length220.1 in
Overall width78.3 in
Overall height56.7 in
Wheelbase117.3 in
Curb weight4034 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)56/44

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 22 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume118 cu ft
Cargo volume22 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Town Car of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

11.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 11.00 sec — 1990 Signature Series Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1990Signature Series Sedan 5.0L V811.00 sec18.00 sec150 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine OilSYNTHETIC · 5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miSteering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
Every 100,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

In 1991 the vehicle generated 263 complaints, 5 recalls, 1 investigation and 38 TSBs, exceeding the 1990 totals of 240 complaints, 4 recalls, 2 investigations and 33 TSBs but falling below the 1992 figures of 288 complaints, 4 recalls, 7 investigations and 62 TSBs. The 1991 complaint categories were led by Service Brakes, Hydraulic (51), Visibility (23), Engine & Engine Cooling (21) and Latches/Locks/Linkages (18). Crash‑related complaints numbered 26 and fire‑related complaints 16, both lower than the peaks observed in later years. Consequently, while not free of issues, the 1991 model does not represent a high‑risk year and can be considered a reasonable purchase for a used 1991 Lincoln Town Car.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
38
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
263
Owner complaints
26 involved a crash · 16 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 263 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic51
Visibility23
Engine & Engine Cooling21
Latches/Locks/Linkages18
Structure17
Electrical System16
Vehicle Speed Control16
Air Bags15

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

91V008000Fuel System, Gasoline:DeliveryReported 08/01/1991

DISTORTED FUEL LINES IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT MAY CONTACT THE STEERING COLUMN UNIVERSAL JOINT AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE FUEL LINE. Remedy: REPOSITION FUEL LINE TO PREVENT CONTACT WITH UNIVERSAL JOINT; IF FUEL LINES ARE ALREADY DAMAGED, REPAIR OR REPLACE FUEL LINES.

95V091000Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:LatchReported 16/05/1995

CORROSION OF THE HOOD LATCH STRIKER PLATE CAUSES DETACHMENT OF THE PLATE FROM THE HOOD ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN AN UNEXPECTED OPENING OF THE HOOD WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HOOD INNER PANEL REINFORCEMENT AND A NEW, GALVANIZED HOOD LATCH STRIKER PLATE.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 38 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
021072002-05-27VisibilityTRANSFER SERVICE TIPS FOR THE FRONT WIPER MOTOR MOUNT BRACKET AND DEPRESSED PARK OUTPUT…
011562001-08-06VisibilitySOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
011572001-08-06Unknown Or OtherINFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
0112012001-06-25VisibilityTHIS INFORMATION IS A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WIPER SYSTEM SERVICE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE…
01472001-03-05Engine And Engine CoolingSUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE OIL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USE IN 2001 VEHICLES - SAE 5W-20 MOTOR…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Town Car. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1991 Town Car take?

5.0 qt of SYNTHETIC 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1991 Town Car have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Town Car get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.