YearToAvoid

2018 Lincoln Continental Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

33/100

#3 most-complained of 4 Continental years

The 2018 Lincoln Continental has a complaint index of 33, ranking 3rd worst out of 4 model years, with a 'Good' verdict relative to other Continental years. It has 20 complaints, 2 recalls, and no fires or deaths reported.

Complaints
20
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
1 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
20
17 city / 25 hwy

Top 2018 Lincoln Continental problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Structure & Body8 (40%)
  2. Electrical System4 (20%)
  3. Collision Avoidance & Cameras4 (20%)
  4. Other4 (20%)
  5. Engine1 (5%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (5%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain1 (5%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers1 (5%)

What owners report

  • Owners report doors with recall-affected latch pawl motors that would not fully engage, some vehicles delivered new with the recall already open.
  • Instrument cluster deprograms itself and interior lighting, folding mirrors, and rearview mirror settings change or activate without driver command.
  • Heads-up display flashes multicolor lights onto the windshield and approach lighting stops working, with owners linking issues to battery drain from infrequent driving.
  • Wipers and washers turn on sporadically by themselves, sometimes draining the washer fluid reservoir, and fail to respond when the driver operates the switch.
  • Rearview camera displays foggy or blurry images under the Back Over Prevention recall, with owners reporting the replacement part was unavailable for an extended period.
2018 Lincoln Continental complaints: complaints filed per month3Mar 2019May 2020Jan 2022Mar 2023Mar 2025Jun 2026
24 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2019 to Sep 2026; peak Sep 2026 (3).

2018 Lincoln Continental recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 22V644000Aug 26, 2022Collision Avoidance & Cameras277,040 vehicles

    Back over prevention: sensing system: camera

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

  2. NHTSA 19V077000Feb 11, 2019Structure & Body27,609 vehicles

    Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

2018 Lincoln Continental fuel economy and fuel cost

City
17 MPG
Highway
25 MPG
Combined
20 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,250
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2018 compared with other Continental years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002017201820192020
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2017Avoid10075420
2018Good3320220
2019Caution6732319.5
2020Best07219.5

All Lincoln Continental years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Lincoln Continental reliable?
Compared to other Continental years, the 2018 model has a complaint index of 33 and ranks 3rd worst of 4 years, earning a 'Good' verdict. It has fewer complaints than the 2017 and 2019 model years.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Lincoln Continental?
NHTSA complaints show Structure & Body issues make up 40% of complaints, followed by Electrical System and Collision Avoidance & Cameras at 20% each.
Does the 2018 Lincoln Continental have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls: one for door latch pawl motors (campaign 19V077000) and one for a degraded rearview camera anti-reflective coating (campaign 22V644000).
What year Lincoln Continental should I avoid?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2017 Continental has the highest complaint index at 100 and is the year rated 'Avoid,' while 2018 and 2020 rank better.
At what mileage do 2018 Lincoln Continental problems occur?
The median mileage at failure across all reported problems is 78,500 miles, though Structure & Body complaints had a median of 103,517.5 miles.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.