Research · complaint index

Lincoln LS years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say

We compared 7 model years of the Lincoln LS by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2000, 2001 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.

01 —Complaint index

Complaints per year on the road

1.0 = typical year for this model
View as table
Model yearComplaints per year since release
200013
200110
20025
20033
20044
20054
20061
YearComplaintsPer year on roadIndexRecallsCrashesSignal
20061810.202Fewest complaints
20059041.014Typical
20049041.008Typical
20036830.713Typical
200212151.2021Typical
2001251102.4123Most complaints
2000354133.2118Most complaints
  • 200618 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 200590 complaints · 1 recallTypical
  • 200490 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 200368 complaints · 1 recallTypical
  • 2002121 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 2001251 complaints · 1 recallMost complaints
  • 2000354 complaints · 1 recallMost complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 11, 2026

Fewest complaints for their age: 2006.

02 —FAQ

About this comparison

What Lincoln LS years have the most complaints?

Adjusted for years on the road, 2000, 2001 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 7 model years compared.

Is this a reliability rating?

No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.

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