Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Lincoln Continental problems

Owners filed 32 complaints about the 2001 Lincoln Continental with NHTSA between Oct 2000 and Apr 2019. The most-cited component is suspension (8).

Complaints
32
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Suspension8
  2. Electrical system6
  3. Engine and engine cooling4
  4. Steering3
  5. Vehicle speed control3
  6. Power train3
  7. Visibility2
  8. Wheels1
  9. Exterior lighting1
  10. Seat belts1
  11. Tires1
  12. Air bags1
  13. Other / unknown4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20001
20013
20026
20035
20041
20054
20060
20073
20083
20090
20100
20110
20120
20131
20142
20150
20160
20171
20181
20191

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Suspension

8 reports
“I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE AT HOME AND WHEN I TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL, THE LEFT FRONT SPRING BROKE AND SHREDDED THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. I CHECKED THE AREA THAT THE SPRING BROKE, AND IT WAS CLEAN, UNRUSTED METAL, THERE WAS NO SIGN OF AN IMPENDING FAILURE, JUST A SUDDEN BREAK.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 18, 2017Steering, Suspension, WheelsODI 11006217

Electrical system

6 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, SMOKE STARTED EMITTING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND NEAR THE WIPER SWITCH. ALSO, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE LOW WASHER FLUID SENSOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND THAT UNDER THE HOOD THERE WAS A DISCONNECTED PIECE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN REPLENISHED THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID AND FIXED THE DETACHED PIECE. WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 20, 2014Electrical systemODI 10626781

Engine and engine cooling

4 reports
“VEHICLE SUFFERED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK INTO DRIVE. VEHICLE COLLIDES WITH A WALL CAUSING DAMAGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FENDER AND HEAD LIGHT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 7, 2003Engine and engine coolingODI 10006761

Steering

3 reports
“I'M A NEW OWNER I ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR TWO YEARS AND THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS FUNNY WHEN I'M DRIVING OR TURNING THE WHEEL AND I HEAR A NOISE WHEN I TURN IT .”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 17, 2019Steering, Unknown or otherODI 11196996

Vehicle speed control

3 reports
“2001 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL / 115,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING ON THE 10 FWY IN JULY 2008, AND WITHOUT ACTIVATING CRUISE CONTROL, OR PRESSING SHARPLY ON THE GAS PEDAL, MY CAR BEGAN TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE AT TOP SPEED. THE ENGINE ROARED WITH A LOUD SOUND AND IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO FULL OPERATING POWER. THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE AT FULL THROTTLE WAS UNMISTAKABLE AND AS I LOOKED AT THE DASH BOARD GAUGES, I SAW MY SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE QUICKLY REACH 90 MPH AND KEPT MOVING HIGHER. REALIZING I WAS IN DANGER, I APPLIED THE BRAKE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT SLOWING MY CAR DOWN IN THE NORMAL FASHION. IT ONLY DEPRESSED ABOUT - OF THE NORMAL RANGE. CONFUSED, I QUICKLY GLANCED DOWN AT MY FEET TO CHECK FOR AN OBJECT OR FLOOR MAT THAT WOULD CAUSE MY GAS PEDAL TO BE STUCK OR LODGED. THERE WERE NO OBJECTS TO BE FOUND. WITH MY CAR CONTINUING AT A SPEED OF AT LEAST 90 MPH, AND MY LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE, I THEN FELT THE GAS PEDAL BENEATH MY RIGHT FOOT MOVE AWAY AND DOWN TOWARD THE FLOOR BOARD ON ITS OWN. I LIFTED THE GAS PEDAL WITH MY FOOT IN AN ATTEMPT TO REVERSE THE ACCELERATION, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK. REALIZING I HAD NO CONTROL OF MY CAR, I REPEATEDLY PRESSED MY BRAKE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 19, 2008Vehicle speed controlODI 10246012

Power train

3 reports
“WHILE STOPPED TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL, THE FLOOR-SHIFTING MODULE DID NOT MOVE. *BF ATTEMPTS TO PLACE THE SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE OR 3RD GEAR FAILED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN THE FRONT PISTON IN WHICH THE PLATE WAS WARPED. THE COMPUTER SHOWED NO PROBLEM, THEREFORE THEY COULD NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *SC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 19, 2005Power trainODI 10109584
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.