Problems · NHTSA complaints

2003 Lincoln Town Car problems

Owners filed 201 complaints about the 2003 Lincoln Town Car with NHTSA between Jul 2002 and Apr 2024. The most-cited component is suspension (81).

Complaints
201
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Suspension81
  2. Power train27
  3. Vehicle speed control18
  4. Steering16
  5. Structure12
  6. Air bags10
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic10
  8. Electrical system8
  9. Engine and engine cooling8
  10. Engine6
  11. Wheels6
  12. Exterior lighting6
  13. Tires6
  14. Seats4

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
20025
200316
200413
200510
200617
200713
200815
200912
201012
201114
201210
20139
201410
201512
20169
20176
20184
20194
20200
20213
20225
20231
20241

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

Suspension

81 reports1 crash1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated while his son was driving on the highway, the accelerator pedal was slightly released; however, the vehicle stopped instantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to drive to his destination safely. The vehicle was towed to the contact's workplace. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The tow truck operator stated that the rear axle was fractured. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 28, 2022SuspensionODI 11471316

Power train

27 reports
“I have had to replace wheel bearing and axle every few months because of premature wear and causing driving to be a safety concern. Once it wears thin, the car shakes and wobbles and the tire almost snapped off twice.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 24, 2022Power train, WheelsODI 11475616

Vehicle speed control

18 reports8 crashes
“Rear end started a sudden howell and shaking and grinding and the Abs and traction control light came on and brakes and suspension did not want to function properly while driving in traffic as quick as I could I pulled over and it looked like one tire was sticking out of the axel way far So I just pulled over and called for my AAA to to and got towed home thats it”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 7, 2022Steering, Suspension, Vehicle speed controlODI 11463703

Steering

16 reports
“The rear-end failed does not have tempered axle There was a recall on 2003 lincolns with same problem but when I enter vin It does not pull anything up Lost control of car and had to be towed home have not had it to the dealer yet”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 1, 2022Steering, Suspension, Service brakesODI 11466895

Structure

12 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SCRAPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO POMPANO FORD (2741 N FEDERAL HWY, POMPANO BEACH, FL 33064, (954) 773-9486) FOR REPAIRS. WHEN THE CONTACT RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FLOORBOARD WAS FLOODED WITH WATER. THE DEALER BELIEVED THE WATER WAS DUE TO THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FLOODING OR THE WIPERS PUSHING WATER INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER THEN STATED THAT THERE WAS A PAN IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO DRAIN WATER OUT INTO THE STREET. THE DEALER TRIED TO BLAME THE INSURANCE COMPANY THAT DIRECTED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE SCRAPE REPAIRED. THE DEALER GAVE THE CONTACT A BILL FOR $880 AND DID NOT CLEAR OUT THE WATER. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE DEALER RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE CONTACT STILL FULL OF WATER AND GAVE HIM A STATEMENT LISTING THE CHARGES FOR WHICH THEY EXPECTED THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO PAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 26, 2019Structure, EngineODI 11222735

Air bags

10 reports4 crashes
“I RECENTLY HAD OPEN HEART SURGERY AND NEED TO GET THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DISABLED. MY LINCOLN DEALER WILL DISABLE THE AIR BAG BUT THEY NEED SOME STATEMENT FROM YOUR AGENCY TO ALLOW THE TO COMPLETE THE DISABLE. MY NAME: (XXXX) PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 27, 2018Air bagsODI 11163676
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.