Problems · NHTSA complaints
2001 Lincoln LS problems
Owners filed 251 complaints about the 2001 Lincoln LS with NHTSA between Oct 2000 and Apr 2023. The most-cited component is suspension (112).
Complaints
251
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
23
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
20
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Suspension112
- Air bags35
- Engine and engine cooling28
- Steering16
- Electrical system16
- Visibility16
- Power train14
- Vehicle speed control14
- Service brakes, hydraulic13
- Structure11
- Wheels9
- Equipment9
- Exterior lighting6
- Engine5
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 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
18
21
18
15
25
22
24
26
20
15
7
5
8
6
8
8
0
1
0
0
1
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 18 |
| 2002 | 21 |
| 2003 | 18 |
| 2004 | 15 |
| 2005 | 25 |
| 2006 | 22 |
| 2007 | 24 |
| 2008 | 26 |
| 2009 | 20 |
| 2010 | 15 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Suspension
112 reports8 crashes1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2001 Lincoln LS. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the front suspension ball joint detached. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, it was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 00V359001 (Suspension). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.”
Air bags
35 reports8 crashes
“ON TWO OCCASIONS MY CAR SUSPENSION HAD FAILED. I AM JUST LUCKY I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY OR I COULD HAVE BEEN FATALLY WOUNDED. I CAN NOT BELIEVE I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICES ABOUT THE SUSPENSION RECALL. THE FIRST INSTANCE I WAS DRIVING IN MY DRIVEWAY AND THE CAR COMPLETELY DROPPED DOWN ON THE TIRES AND COULD NOT MOVE THE VEHICLE. THE SECOND INSTANCE I WAS DRIVING AND THE SUSPENSION FELL ON A REGULAR ROAD NOT A FAST HIGHWAY. IT HAD COST ME $250.00 TO HAVE IT TOWED BOTH TIMES BECAUSE IT COULD NOT BE MOVED BY DRIVING. IN ADDITION THE SECOND FAILURE COST ME $175.00 BECAUSE THE FRONT TIRES WERE RUINED. FOR THE REPAIR WORK ON BOTH INSTANCES COST ME $125.00 EACH TIME TOTALING ANOTHER $250.00 . SO BECAUSE OF SOMEONE'S FAILURE TO TIGHTEN NUTS IT COST ME $675.00 , AND NOT TO MENTION THE RISK OF LOSING MY LIFE. TERRIFYING TO SAY THE LEAST.”
Engine and engine cooling
28 reports1 crash1 fire
“MY AIR BAGS LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS ON FOR NO REASON, I DONT FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT BECAUAE IM SCARE ITS GOIN TO BRAKE DOWN ON MY ONE DAY AND I HAVE MY NEW BORN BABY WITH ME MOST OF THE TIME I DRIVE THE CAR. *TR”
Steering
16 reports2 crashes
“WE OWN A 2001 LINCOLN L.S.. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN IN A CURVE LAST NIGHT I HEARD A LOUD CRACKING SOUND COME FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION. INSTANTLY THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT END DROPPED CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. SNATCHED THE STEERING WHEEL HARD TO THE LEFT OUT OF MY HANDS CAUSING ME TO CROSS OPPOSING TRAFFIC INTO A DITCH SLIDING INTO THE FRONT OF A CONCRETE PIPE LEADING UNDER THE STREET. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES IN THE GRASS CAR SMASHED INTO THE EDGE OF THE CONCRETE PIPE. HAD CAR BROUGHT TO OUR HOME. JACKED UP DRIVERS SIDE FRONT THIS MORNING AND FOUND THE LOWER BALL JOINT HAD CAME OUT OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM IT IS BUSTED AS WELL AS THE TIRE, RIM, FRONT STEEL CROSS MEMBER THAT MOUNTS THE LOWER CONTROL ARM IS BENT. WIPED OUT THE OIL PAN CAUSING ALL THE OIL TO LEAK OUT ALSO DAMAGING THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM MOUNT WHICH IS ALUMINUM. PLUS BUSTING THE FRONT BUMPER COVER/ LOWER AIR DAM. DRIVING LIGHTS. CANNOT FIND IF OUR CAR WAS RECALLED AND FIXED PER YOUR RECALL CONCERNING IMPROPERLY TIGHTENED LOWER BALL JOINTS. UNABLE TO FIND ANY INFORMATION FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY NORTH AMERICA. NOW WE ARE WITHOUT A CAR TO GET TO WORK. NOW WE…”
Electrical system
16 reports2 crashes2 fires
“MY 01 LINCOLN LS 3.9 V8 CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY AT 11:30 PM. BY THE TIME IT WAS NOTICED, THE ENTIRE FRONT HALF WAS ENGULFED. IT EXPLODED ABOUT 3 TIMES (POSSIBLY THE AIRBAGS EXPLODING). THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE FIRE OUT BEFORE IT REACHED THE FUEL TANK. I HAD DRIVEN IT AROUND AN HOUR BEFORE. THE MOST DAMAGE WAS NEAR THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT OF CAR NEAR WHERE THE HEADLIGHT AND AIR FILTER WERE LOCATED. THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAD NOT BURNED AS INTENSE AS THE DRIVER SIDE. (THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT OF THE HOOD HAD COMPLETELY BURNED AWAY..) THE FIRE DEPT SAID IT POSSIBLY STARTED IN THE ENGINE BUT THE FIRE HAD BURNED SO MUCH THAT THEY COULD NOT BE SURE. NO INVESTIGATION SINCE I ONLY HAD LIABILITY INSURANCE. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE 2008 AND HAVE NOTICED DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS SUCH AS RADIO VOLUME INCREASING, INDICATOR LIGHTS RANDOMLY COMING ON/OFF (ATC, ABS, AIR BAG, ECT). ABOUT ONE MONTH BEFORE FIRE THE CAR WAS HAVING ISSUES WITH NOT STARTING AND RANDOMLY DYING AS I WAS DRIVING. THE BATTERY WAS TESTED AND WAS NOT THE ISSUE. I LOVED MY CAR BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS EVER FREE OF ISSUES. (WINDOW REGULATORS/CLIPS…”
Visibility
16 reports
“THE CAR STARTED MAKING KNOCKING NOISE WHILE RIDING ON HWY 85 AND I PULLED OVER OFF ON AN EXIT AND THE CAR STOP WOULD NOT CRANK. IT ONLY HAPPEN THIS ONE TIME. IT HAD TO BE TOWED. I HAD TO BUY A NEW ENGINE. MY LINCOLN LS ONLY HAS 108,000 MILES ON IT. MY CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND I TOOK THE CAR FOR INSPECTION. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED AND THE FAILURE SEEMED TO BE REMEDIED HOWEVER , THE VEHICLE BEGIN TO BACKFIRE AND DRIVE ABNORMALLY ROUGH ,,IN ADDITION , THE ENGINE WOULD EXHIBIT ABNORMAL NOISES AND AN OVERPOWERING OIL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS IN FORMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET AND COIL WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND THE CURRANT MILEAGE WAS108,000. THE POWER WINDOWS HAVE FAILED TWO TIMES AND THE PAINT IS PEELING. I BOUGHT THIS LINCOLN LS BECAUSE I NEW IT WAS A GOOD CAR BUYING IT FROM THE FORD & MERCURY DEALER . I M SAD TO SAY THEY HAVE LET ME DOWN AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE PAYING DOUBLE FOR IT. I AM A PERSON WHO BELIEVE IN TAKING CARE OF WHAT I LIVE TO PAY FOR. I ALWAYS KEEP UP WITH OIL CHANGING AND KEEPING A CLEAN CAR . I HAVE OVER PAID MORE THAN WHAT THIS 2001 LS…”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.