Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Lincoln Town Car problems

Owners filed 119 complaints about the 2005 Lincoln Town Car with NHTSA between Jun 2005 and Apr 2023. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (34).

Complaints
119
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
17
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
18
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Vehicle speed control34
  2. Air bags22
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic15
  4. Seat belts11
  5. Service brakes9
  6. Steering8
  7. Electrical system8
  8. Structure8
  9. Power train7
  10. Engine7
  11. Visibility/wiper3
  12. Exterior lighting3
  13. Fuel/propulsion system3
  14. Wheels3

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
200511
20068
20073
20089
20093
20109
20116
20126
20137
201414
201510
201611
20175
20185
20197
20202
20210
20222
20231

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

Vehicle speed control

34 reports9 crashes
“While accelerating approximate @ 30 mph, vehicle speed increased without assistance nearly plummeting into a body of water at a curve... exit 77 on I-95S MD. The car could not handled the curve at that rate of speed. Town Car had to be thrown into neutral and hard press brake pedal in order to stop. Safety issue could have been major accident or my death. I do not desire to reproduce a dangerous scenario with an accelerating vehicle. Dealership and private mechanic refused to reproduce incident. Zero warning lamps and nothing in computer to determine a problem/fix.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 26, 2022Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11490937

Air bags

22 reports2 crashes
“"TAKATA RECALL." I NOTICED A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. I HAVE 28000 ACTUAL MILES ON THE 2005 LINCOLN TOWN CAR THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED. I HAVE NOT HAD A RECALL ON THE AIRBAG LIGHT AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CHECK IT OUT AND LET ME KNOW OF ANY RECALLS ON THE AIRBAGS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2019Air bagsODI 11253948

Service brakes, hydraulic

15 reports3 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A POWER ADJUSTABLE FOOT PEDAL SWITCH. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE FOOT PEDAL SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 24, 2015Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10712613

Seat belts

11 reports
“AIR BAG LIGHT ON, GIVING CODE 34 THEN REMAINS ILLUMINATED. DEALER SAID SEAT BELT TENSIONERS ON BOTH SIDE NEED TO BE CHANGED @ A COST OF $1,500 . THEY ALSO ADVISE SERIOUS INJURY CAN OCCUR IN AN EVENT OF AN IMPACT .”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 27, 2019Air bags, Seat beltsODI 11182837

Service brakes

9 reports3 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT CALLED IN REGARDS TO HAVING A BRAKE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPROACHING A RED LIGHT AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT A TRUCK AND THE CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO STOP AFTER DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED NO INJURY WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR BODY DAMAGE ESTIMATE AND REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED A LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, CASE WAS FILED, AND REFERRED TO CONTACT NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 126,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 28, 2020Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11341849

Steering

8 reports2 related recalls
“BECAME HARD TO STEER WHILE DRIVING. LIKE LOSS OF POWER STEERING TO IT INTO BE CHECKED IT IS THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING. ALMOST LOST CONTROL. I WAS TOLD IT WAS RECALLED FOR SAME REASON. I CHECKED IT WAS RECALLED BUT SAYS 0 UNREPAIRED . BUT SAYS SOME WAS NOT REPAIRED CORRECTLY I HAVE LESS THAN 95,000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE. WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR THIS VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING DOWN A ROAD WITH OUT NOTICED”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2019SteeringODI 11242887
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.