Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Lincoln LS problems

Owners filed 90 complaints about the 2004 Lincoln LS with NHTSA between Feb 2004 and Jan 2020. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (25).

Complaints
90
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling25
  2. Power train19
  3. Electrical system18
  4. Air bags15
  5. Vehicle speed control15
  6. Equipment7
  7. Fuel system, gasoline5
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic5
  9. Seats4
  10. Fuel system, other4
  11. Engine3
  12. Exterior lighting3
  13. Electronic stability control (esc)2
  14. Service brakes2

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 Nov 11, 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
20047
20058
20066
20073
20085
200914
201018
20119
20126
20134
20145
20151
20161
20171
20180
20191
20201

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

Engine and engine cooling

25 reports1 crash
“I SHOULD HAVE DONE MY HOMEWORK PRIOR TO PURCHASING THIS CAR USED. 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, CAR STARTED SHAKING, AND JUMPING, WENT INTO LIMP HOME MODE. MECHANIC UNABLE TO REPAIR, BUT REPLACED COILS AND CAR RAN "OK" FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS AND NOW DOES EXACT SAME THING TIMES 100. CAR STARTS, IDLES AT ABOUT 200 RPMS, SHAKES, POPS, JUMPS AND THEN DIES. MECHANIC SAID HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT TO DO EXCEPT REPLACE COILS AGAIN AND HE NOT EVEN SURE IF THAT WILL FIX THE CAR SINCE THAT IS WHAT THE CODE ON THE COMPUTER TOLD HIM TO DO IN THE 1ST PLACE. I HAVE A USED CAR THAT I HAVE MADE 2 PAYMENTS ON AND IS NOW A BEAUTIFUL, LUXURIOUS PILE OF SCRAP METAL STUCK IN A PARKING LOT WHERE IT LAST DIED. FROM WHAT ALL I HAVE READ, THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE WITH THIS CAR AND EVEN FORD DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. THIS WILL BE MY LAST FORD PRODUCT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2012Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 10442542

Power train

19 reports1 fire
“THE TRANSMISSION IN THESE CARS GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THEY WILL STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. YOU WILL HAVE TO PULL OVER AND ONCE YOU PULLOVER AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP IT WILL NOT LET THE CAR ENGAGE INTO GEAR AND MOVE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 2, 2020Power trainODI 11296640

Electrical system

18 reports1 crash
“BRAND NEW BATTERY IN CAR. COME OUT TO START CAR. BATTERY IS DEAD. MY MECHANIC HAS CAR FOR THREE DAYS. HE TRIED TO FIND A SHORT. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO MAKE SURE ALL DOORS ARE COMPLETELY CLOSED AND LIGHTS ARE ALL OUT. THIS WAS AFTER MULTIPLE DEAD BATTERIES. I MADE SURE OF ALL THE ABOVE AND STILL CAME OUT TO DEAD BATTERIES. I MANUALLY TURN OFF THE LIGHTS AS I CAME OUT TO THEM BEING ON AFTER I HAD WATCHED THEM DIM AND GO OUT. I REPLACED THE NEW BATTERY WITH ANOTHER NEW BATTERY AND I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 22, 2014Electrical system, EngineODI 10605031

Air bags

15 reports4 crashes
“WHILE DRIVING IN THE EVENING, ON A SLIGHTLY WINDING, SMOOTH, GRAVEL ROAD AT ABOUT 30 TO 35 MPH, TEMPERATURE ABOUT 34 DEGREES F, THE AIRBAG IN THE PASSENGER SEAT DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NOT ANY FORM OR TYPE OF COLLISION. DURING THE TIME I HAVE HAD THE CAR, ABOUT 2 YEARS, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY FORM OF COLLISION DAMAGE, AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE WAS NOT ANY PRIOR HISTORY OF ANY TYPE OF COLLISION DAMAGE. THERE WAS AN OCCUPANT IN THE SEAT, HIS SHOULDER FELT SORE AND HIS HEARING WAS AFFECTED AT THE TIME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 10, 2017Air bags, SeatsODI 11053793

Vehicle speed control

15 reports2 crashes
“NORMAL CLEAR WEATHER DRIVING DOWN BUSY STREET WHEN CARE SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN ALMOST RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH VEHICLES BEHIND ME. THE ENGINE STOPPED , I RESTARTED WITH VERY LIMITED DRIVABILITY THE ETC FAILSAFE MODE KICKED IN FOR NO APPARENT REASON THIS ISSUE MUST BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2016Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 10820770

Equipment

7 reports1 crash
“I HAVE A 2004 LINCOLN LS WITH A LITTLE OVER 96,000. THIS CAR HAS BEEN GIVING PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION. WHEN I PUSH THE GAS, THE CAR HESITATE AS IT SWITCH GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID, IT'S THE TRANSMISSION SO I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY SAID, NO PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION SO I TOOK IT TO AUTO ELECTRIC SHOP AND THEY SAID, "THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR" BUT I HAVE STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM SO FRUSTRATED AND I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR. IS CAR IS A LEMON. *KB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 19, 2011Power train, Vehicle speed control, EquipmentODI 10413629
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

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