Problems · by component
2002 Lincoln LS engine and engine cooling problems
25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Lincoln LS cite engine and engine cooling, 21% of all 121 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
25
21% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“VEHICLE IN FIRESTONE, CHECKING WHY HEAT BLOWING COOL AIR, OVERHEATED TWICE SINCE THE REPAIRS CAR HAS OVERHEATED 5 TIMES, EVERY TIME RETURNED TO SHOP THEY CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM. *TR”
“I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE. THEN I FELT THE CAR GO OUT OF CONTROL AND I MANAGED TO SAFELY GET THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. MY PASSENGER DOOR SIDE AIRBAG CAME OUT. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR MY TIRE WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY OF THE RIM. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID I NEEDED A NEW AXLE, WHEEL BEARING, CONTROL ARM, ROTOR, RIM AND TIRE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THEY REALIZED THE RIM WENT THROUGH THE UNDERSIDE OF TRUNK AND DAMAGED BATTERY AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THEY ESTIMATED IT WOULD COST ABOUT $3,000 TO FIX NOT INCLUDING THE BODY DAMAGE. I JUST REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY AND CONTROL ARM IN FEB. 2011. I HAVE REPLACED ENGINE COILS AND VALVE COVERS NUMEROUS TIMES.”
“MY CAR HAS NUMEROUS PARTS THAT TEAR UP REPEATEDLY, WITHIN A 6 MONTHS TIME. VALVE COVER GASKET HAD REPLACED TWICE WITHIN A 6 MONTHS TIME. THE COIL PACKS GO UP VERY OFTEN. I HAD PANEL BUTTONS JUST TEAR UP FOR NO REASON THREE TIMES! WHEEL CAPS REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. OVERHEATING ISSUES, DOOR LOCKING ISSUES, BATTERY REPLACED TWICE WITHIN 2 YEARS TIME. AC ISSUES, (I NEVER USED MY AC..AT ALL) . THIS CAR HAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS ON THE T.S.BULLETIN. I CONTACTED FORD IN REFERENCE TO THE MULTIPLE ISSUES I WAS HAVING WITH THE CAR, THE COMPANY REPRESENTATIVES TOLD ME TO TAKE THE COMPLAINT TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF WHICH I HAD BEEN DEALING WITH. THEN THEY SAID LINCOLN IS AN INDEPENDENT OWNED ESTABLISHMENT SO I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED BY THIS WHOLE ORDEAL, THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF MULTIPLE PROBLEMS OUT OF THAT CAR. AND THEY REFUSE TO RECALL SOME OF THOSE (AS I WOULD SAY) HAZARDOUS ISSUES. I WAS AT THE DEALER 2 WEEKS AGO, I WAS CONVERSING WITH A REP. AT THE DEALERSHIP AND HE WAS TELLING ME HOW THE LINCOLN LS WAS THEIR MOST PROBLEM VEHICLE, AND CASH MAKER FOR REPAIRS. (OH BY THE WAY.......I RESEARCHED TO FIND THIS SITE. TO ANSWER THE QUESTION IN THE CONSUMER SECTION). *TR”
“MY 2002 LINCOLN LS'S ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT THE END ON MAY, I HAD AUTOZONE DO A FREE TEST ON IT AND IT READ THAT IT WAS MISFIRING ON CYLINDERS 3 AND 4. I TOOK IT ON AND HAD A TUNE UP AND REPLACED 2 OF THE 8 COILS (WHICH WAS ABOUT $500 TOTAL). A MONTH LATER IT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING, IT SHUTTERS WHEN I REACH THE SPEED OF 40 MPH AND IT IDLES LIKE A SEMI. I HAVE YET TO TAKE IT IN, I RARELY DRIVE IT BECAUSE OF IT. I GOT AN ESTIMATE FOR ANOTHER $500, JUST FOR THE OTHER 6 COILS. *TR”
“MY 2002 LINCOLN LS V8 HAS BROKEN DOWN IN NUMEROUS WAYS. ALL IGNITION COILS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED, TWO WINDOW MOTORS, AIRBAG CONNECTOR CLIP, MY TIE ROD ENDS ARE BAD, MY CAR HAS ACTUALLY SHUT OFF COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING UP THE 15 NORTH THREE TIMES WHILE MY SON WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME AND NOW MY TRANSMISSION HAS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. WHEN IT CAME TO FIXING THE AIRBAG CONNECTOR PROBLEM LINCOLN TOLD ME IT WAS FIXED AND I WENT TO PICK UP MY CAR AND IT WAS STILL DOING THE SAME THING THE THREE BEEPS SO THEY FIXED IT FOR FREE AND THEN TOLD ME MY INSTRUMENT PANEL ON ONE SIDE WAS BURNED OUT BUT THE LIGHTS SEEMS TO WORK ON IT WHEN I TURN THEM ON. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME 800 DOLLARS FOR THAT BUT I REFUSED. THE IGNITION COIL REPLACEMENT WAS ROUGHLY 1000 DOLLARS AND I AM WAITING ON MY ESTIMATE FOR MY TRANSMISSION. BOTH WINDOW MOTORS WERE 200 DOLLARS A PIECE. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS TAILLIGHTS REPLACED AND ACTUALLY HAD A DOOR LOCK JAM CLOSED ON ME. I TRULY FEEL THAT THIS CAR IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ME AND MY SON IF IT TURNS COMPLETELY OFF AT 65 MILES AN HOUR ON A FREEWAY WITH MY SON IN THE CAR. *TR”
“I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2003 FORD THUNDERBIRD AS WELL AS "SOME LINCOLNS" FOR VALVE COVER LEAKING OIL INTO THE SPARK PLUGS. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO BURN OIL AND FILL THE CABIN WITH BAD GASES. IT REQUIRES A CONSUMER TO SPEND APPR. $700.00 TO FIX; REPLACING THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND PROBABLY NEEDING THE SPARK PLUGS THAT ARE FILLED WITH AND BURNING OIL REPLACED ON TOP OF THIS COST. THE 2002 LINCOLN LS HAS THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM, MADE AT THE SAME ASSEMBLY PLANT WITH THE SAME PARTS THE YEAR PRIOR TO THE RECALL BUT I WAS TOLD BY FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS THAT NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAINED TO INCLUDE THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. THE CURRENT RECALL/ "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM" THROUGH FORD MOTOR IS: 07M07 AND IT REQUIRES FORD TO FIX THE PROBLEM 10 YEARS OR UP TO 100K MILES. IT IS DISAPPOINTING TO LEAVE THIS BURDEN ON CUSTOMERS WHO TAKE CARE OF THEIR VEHICLES AND COME TO FIND OUT THAT THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT. *TR”
Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.