Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Lincoln Town Car problems

Owners filed 172 complaints about the 2001 Lincoln Town Car with NHTSA between Oct 2000 and Oct 2022. The most-cited component is air bags (56).

Complaints
172
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
24
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
27
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags56
  2. Vehicle speed control29
  3. Visibility14
  4. Engine and engine cooling13
  5. Service brakes, hydraulic13
  6. Steering12
  7. Suspension12
  8. Electrical system11
  9. Seats7
  10. Structure6
  11. Engine5
  12. Power train5
  13. Tires5
  14. Visibility/wiper3

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
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
20004
200117
200221
200323
200414
200517
20067
200713
200810
20095
20104
20115
20124
20134
20146
20156
20163
20173
20181
20191
20201
20211
20222

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

Air bags

56 reports11 crashes2 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2001 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated while driving 35 mph, the passenger’s side curtain air bag inadvertently deployed without warning. While the contact was startled by the deployment of the air bag, there was no injury sustained. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 50,930.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 8, 2021Air bagsODI 11423887

Vehicle speed control

29 reports10 crashes2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO STOP. NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONE OTHER TIME AND HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL COMING TO A SCREECHING STOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 21, 2017Vehicle speed controlODI 10979733

Visibility

14 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 12/30/15*LJ THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 04/07/16.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 19, 2015VisibilityODI 10689399

Engine and engine cooling

13 reports1 crash1 fire
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE CHECK ENGINE SOON SERVICE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO WATER IN THE ENGINE. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE WATER IN THE MANIFOLD PENETRATED IT AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MANIFOLD AND THE ENGINE FOR $6,200. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,787. UPDATED 02/18/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND WATER LEAKED IN THE MOTOR. THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE WAS RUINED. UPDATED 09/07/10*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 25, 2010Engine and engine coolingODI 10302164

Service brakes, hydraulic

13 reports4 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN TOWNCAR. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATER HAVE FAILED. THE SPEEDOMETER SPORADICALLY FAILS. THE ABS LIGHT WAS CONSISTENTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE WIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT HIS EXPENSE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 89,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 24, 2009Service brakes, hydraulic, Visibility, Equipment, Electrical systemODI 10296911

Steering

12 reports1 related recall
“" TAKATA RECALL " WHEN I DRIVE OVER A POT HOLE MY CAR WANTS 2 GO ALL OVER THE ROAD THE STEERING IS LOOSECAN'T HARTLEY HOLE IT STRAIGHT ON THE ROAD I CANNT. AND ALSO MY WINDSHIELD FLUID DOESN'T COME OUT WHEN PUSH.STEERING COULD IS LOOSE.ALL IN MOTION EVEN.ON THE HWY I CANNOT GO ON. I CANNOT TAKE PIC IT IS UNDER THE CAR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 31, 2019Steering, Unknown or otherODI 11217016
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.