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Lincoln · Large Sedan

2018 Lincoln Continental

Gas

Large Cars
5 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

87 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints1 crash reported 21

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 21 mpg

2020 2019 2018 2017

The 2018 Lincoln Continental is sold in the U.S. as a gas large sedan with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Continental FWD, is EPA-rated at 21 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 21 complaints, most often about the latches/locks/linkages. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Lincoln Continental — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Lincoln Continental · Photo: Dinkun Chen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Continental FWD	Gas	FWD	2.7L 6-cyl turbo	18	27	21	$3,200
Continental AWD	Gas	AWD	2.7L 6-cyl turbo	17	25	20	$3,350
Continental FWD	Gas	FWD	3.7L 6-cyl	17	26	20	$3,350
Continental AWD	Gas	AWD	3.7L 6-cyl	16	24	19	$3,550
Continental AWD	Gas	AWD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo	16	24	19	$3,550

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39400, 39399, 39401, 39300, 39402.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Continental AWD, Continental FWD	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Continental AWD	5 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 / California LEV-III ULEV70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Continental FWD	3 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Continental AWD	3 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / California LEV-III ULEV125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	6
Displacement	3 L
Engine configuration	V-Shaped

Engine Output

Horsepower

400 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	AWD/All-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	6

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control

Optional: Adaptive cruise control, Automatic emergency braking, Forward collision warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Black Label, Premier, Reserve, Select). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	201.6 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	75.2 in
Height	58.7 in
Wheelbase	117.7 in
Track, front	63.4 in
Track, rear	64.2 in
Curb weight	4,224 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	59/41

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

●moderate

Back Over Prevention

22S51

277,040 vehicles 62% reported repaired

Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2020 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and 2017-2020 Lincoln Continental vehicles equipped with the 360-degree camera system. Degradation of the camera's anit-reflective lens coating can lead to a foggy or cloudy rearview camera image. Risk Lack of a clear rearview camera image can reduce the driver's visibility of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 14, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S51.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 22V644000 reported Aug 26, 2022 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Latches/Locks/Linkages

19S03

27,609 vehicles 87% reported repaired built Nov 30, 2015 – Nov 25, 2018

Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Lincoln Continental vehicles. The door latch pawl motors may not function properly, possibly resulting in a door latch not fully engaging. Risk A door latch that is not fully engaged may result in a door opening while driving, increasing the risk of injury. Fix Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the latch assemblies on all four doors, free of charge. The recall began October 14, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S03.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 19V077000 reported Feb 11, 2019 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Continental

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Lincoln publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Lincoln’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 Lincoln Continental, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

21complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

25 per 10,000 built · Lincoln reported 8,237 Continental built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2019: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 6

Most-cited components

Latches/Locks/Linkages 6

Electrical System 5

Unspecified 4

Back Over Prevention 4

Structure 2

Exterior Lighting 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Windows are all coming down even when I'm away traveling with the FOB nowhere near

Electrical System Oct 2, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11768633

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the message "Driver Door Fault - Use Inside Override Lever Map Pocket" was displayed and a chime sounded, disabling the Auto Hold, Cruise Control mode, and other functions. The message "Door Latch Fault" was displayed on the Ford Mobile App.

Latches/Locks/Linkages at 90,000 miles Sep 21, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11765949

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked on several occasions, the contact became aware that the front driver’s side metal near the check strap was splitting, and while the driver’s door was opened, there was a cracking sound coming from the door.

Structure at 110,000 miles Aug 18, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11757713

When rotating tires 12/22/2023, upon removal of the right front tire, it was discovered that the inner sidewall had split open about midway between the tread and the wheel rim, for a distance of about one foot. There was no advance warning of this, and no warnings or messages displayed on the vehicle prior.

Tires Dec 22, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11561568

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln Continental. The contact received recall notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V644000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse(R), the rear-view camera displayed blurry images.

Back Over Prevention May 31, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11524602

The wiper and washers do not operate as intended. Operation is sporadic. Washers do not respond to the control. They turn on by themselves, usually after starting the car and will empty the washer fluid reservoir. The wipers do not respond to the controls. They too may turn on at anytime on their own.

Visibility/Wiper at 7,103 miles Oct 23, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11365891

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Lincoln itself: 4 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 3 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 49 per 100,000 built. Every Continental model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	11%
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	11%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 135

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-06-30

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 131 service bulletins, 2 emissionss, 2 others

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Power Train, Seats.

25E08-S1 Other
2026-06-30 · Engine
Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming
25E08 S1 Emissions
2026-04-14 · Power Train
NEW VEHICLE DELIVERY HOLD - Emissions Recall 25E08 – Supplement #1 Certain 2016 – 2019 Model Year Lincoln MKT, 2016 Model Year MKS, and 2017 - 2020 Model Year Continental Vehicles with 3.7L Engines Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming
25N17 Other
2026-03-25 · Back Over Prevention — Rearview System Braking
Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation
25E08 Emissions
2025-12-13 · Power Train
Certain 2017 - 2020 Model Year Lincoln Continental Vehicles with 3.7L Engines Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming
TSB 25-2570 Service bulletin
2025-11-26 · Electrical System
This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns Phone connection issues Dropped phone connections Applink related performance Travel Link not present
SSM 54366 Service bulletin
2025-11-12 · Power Train
Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) or in Section 303-14 of the Workshop Manual (WSM) has been updated to address this concern.
SSM 53174 Service bulletin
2024-11-27 · Unknown Or Other
Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs. Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs.
SSM 53040 Service bulletin
2024-10-10 · Unknown Or Other
While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
U0198 U0198 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	7 bulletins
P0011 P0011 on Lincoln →	Camshaft timing on bank 1 is more advanced than commanded.	Power Train	5 bulletins
P0012 P0012 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins
P0014 P0014 on Lincoln →	The second camshaft on bank 1 is timed further advanced than commanded.	Power Train	5 bulletins
P0015 P0015 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins
P0016 P0016 on Lincoln →	The crankshaft and camshaft are not where they should be relative to each other — timing, chain or phaser.	Power Train	5 bulletins
P0017 P0017 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins
P0018 P0018 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins
P0019 P0019 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins
P0021 P0021 on Lincoln →	Camshaft timing on bank 2 is more advanced than commanded.	Power Train	5 bulletins
P0022 P0022 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins
P0024 P0024 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 3.3%

failed emissions

215 initial inspections of 210 vehicles.

Measure	The 2018 Continental	Every 2018 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	3.3%	3.0%	211
Failed the safety inspection	1.4%	1.9%	215
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0%	0.22%	215
Miles driven a year	8,796	10,002	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	73,374	82,833	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Continental by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2020 B 2 7 21 mpg 2019 B 3 33 21 mpg 2018 this page B 2 21 21 mpg 2017 C 4 75 21 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 Continental

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Lincoln Continental have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Lincoln Continental. The most serious on file is 19V077000, covering Latches/Locks/Linkages. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Lincoln Continental?

NHTSA gave the 2018 Lincoln Continental 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (87/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Lincoln Continental?

Across the 5 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Lincoln Continental, the best EPA combined figure is 21 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Lincoln Continental?

Transport Canada measured it at 201.6 in long, 75.2 in wide (body, without mirrors), 58.7 in tall, on a 117.7 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,224 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Lincoln Continental?

Owners have filed 21 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Lincoln Continental, most often about latches/locks/linkages, electrical system, unspecified. Of those, 1 involved a crash. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 Lincoln Continental?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Lincoln Continental runs 3 to 5 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV125, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Lincoln Continental?

The manufacturer has filed 135 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Lincoln Continental, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-06-30. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2018 Lincoln Continental do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Lincoln Continental failed the emissions check on 3.3% of first inspections — close to the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.4% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	5 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	5 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	21	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	135	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	13 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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