LincolnTown Car1993Overview/lincoln/town-car/1993/base/

1993 Lincoln Town Car

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1993 Town Car.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1993 Lincoln Town Car is a traditional passenger car motivated by an engine requiring 5.0 quarts of 5W-20 API oil and a 4-speed automatic transmission, delivering an EPA-rated 16 city and 24 highway mpg for a 19 combined average. The model's 210 total owner complaints are primarily concentrated in the electrical system and are accompanied by four recalls, but its placement within the broader 1990-2011 complaint history provides essential context. Because the generation's complaints peak at 328 in 1997 and drop to a low of just 5 in 2009, the 1993 model sits well below the most problematic years, indicating a relatively moderate reliability baseline for researchers evaluating this era of the nameplate.

Model year201120102009200820072006200520041993

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 economy16/24/19 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)55/45

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 24 / 19 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 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (replace) · Spark 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.

The 1993 model year marks a distinct inflection point in the Town Car's federal record, with complaints dropping to 210 from 288 in 1992, while recalls held steady at four and technical service bulletins jumped to 79 from 62. Investigations remained elevated at seven, matching the 1992 level and exceeding most subsequent years until the generation's later peak. Relative to the broader arc, 1993 sits between the early-generation escalation of 1990–1992 and the mid-1990s surge that saw complaints climb to a high of 328 by 1997 alongside rising recalls. While Electrical System and Vehicle Speed Control led complaint categories with 42 and 33 entries respectively, and fire complaints totaled 61 against 14 crash complaints, the data does not specify root causes for these incidents. Given its lower complaint volume compared with adjacent peak years and moderate recall exposure, 1993 represents a relatively favorable year to buy within this generation.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
79
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
7
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
210
Owner complaints
14 involved a crash · 61 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 210 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System42
Vehicle Speed Control33
Engine & Engine Cooling20
Service Brakes, Hydraulic17
Power Train16
Steering13
Air Bags11
Suspension8

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

07V336000Vehicle Speed ControlReported 03/08/2007

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED…

95V133000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 11/07/1995

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE REAR BRAKE LINE AT THE POINT AT WHICH THE EXTENDED BRAKE LINE FIRST BENDS AND EXTENDS OVER THE LEFT REAR WHEEL AREA OF THE FRAME. IF NOT INSTALLED WITH SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE, CHAFING OF THE… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE LINE FOR PROPER INSTALLATION AND/OR DAMAGE AND REPLACE AS NECESSARY. ALSO A PROTECTIVE BOOT OR SLEEVE OVER THE BRAKE LINE WILL BE INSTALLED.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 79 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
CSP 08B042008-05-15Fuel System, GasolineFORD/LINCOLN MERCURY: CERTAIN 1992-2001 MODEL YEAR CROWN VICTORIA, GRAND MARQUIS, AND…
031812003-09-15Electrical SystemREMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY (RKE) - SERVICE TIPS. *TT
031482003-07-21Power TrainNEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER - SERVICE TIPS. 2003 ESCORT AND SUPER DUTY F SERIES…
022082002-10-14EquipmentCLIMATE CONTROL A/C SERVICE TECH TIPS. *EH
021072002-05-27VisibilityTRANSFER SERVICE TIPS FOR THE FRONT WIPER MOTOR MOUNT BRACKET AND DEPRESSED PARK OUTPUT…

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 1993 Town Car take?

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

Does the 1993 Town Car have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Town Car get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 24 highway / 19 combined mpg.