2002 Lincoln LS

Routine

Owners filed 121 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. No safety recall has been issued.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k

89 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 75,00090,000 miles; the median is 80,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags13
402
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine10
000
Suspension › Front9
000
Engine and Engine Cooling7
100
Suspension6
000
Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls5
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission5
000
Power Train5
000
Wheels4
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
200

What owners reported

Newest filings
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed Oct 11, 2022230,000 milesTX

The contact owns a 2002 Lincoln LS. The contact stated while driving at 50-55 MPH, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. The brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that he stood on the brake pedal until the vehicle responded 8-10 minutes later. The vehicle speed was 120 MPH at the time the contact regained control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving. The contact shifted into neutral (N) and veered to the side of the road where the vehicle came to a complete stop. The contact then shifted into park (P). However, the RPMs revved up to 5,000 MPH. The contact turned off the vehicle. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.

Suspension
Filed Mar 17, 2022GA

I have a 2002 lincoln LS v8 the passenger ball joint came loose and broke had it fixed driver side has now came loose and rattling

Traction Control System
Filed Jul 16, 2021103,000 milesCA

The contact owns a 2002 Lincoln LS. The contact stated that the advanced traction control warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed but was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that they were unable to provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000. The vin was not available.

Steering
Filed Jan 23, 2021188,000 milesOK

BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE LOWER BALL JOINTS HAVE FRACTURED, BEEN REPLACED AND HAVE FRACTURED AGAIN. THE STUD POST ITSELF CONTINUES TO FRACTURE ABOVE THE CONTROL ARM MOUNTING HOLE, DESPITE BOTH BALL JOINTS BEING REPLACED AND RETORQUED TO MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED TIGHTNESS.

Service BrakesCrash2 injured
Filed Feb 6, 2020MD

MY DAUGHTER WAS A RESTRAINED DRIVER ON A HIGHWAY ---IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, MOVING ABOUT 55MPH. THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER BRAKED SUDDENLY AND WHEN MY DAUGHTER PUSHED ON THE BRAKE IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND SHE HAD NO BRAKES. SHE CLIPPED THAT CAR REAR END AND SWERVED RIGHT'HITTING A SECOND CAR AS SHE GOT TO THE SHOULDER. SHE SCRAPPED ALONG THE METAL RAIL FOR A DISTANCE AND THEN WENT OFF THE ROAD IN TO A GULLY AND HIT A POLE AND AN DIRT EMBANKMENT. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE LIGHT POLE DID NOT LOOK DAMAGED, I THINK THE POLE MUST HAVE HAD A LARGE CEMENT BASE, BASED ON THE EXTENT AND SHAPE OF THE FRONT END DAMAGE. THE CAR IS TOTALED. THE AIR BAGS DID A GREAT JOB. SHE HAS A BAD SPRAIN ON HER ANKLE THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO BRAKE WITH AND SORE EVERYWHERE. A FAMILY MEMBER WORKS AT FORD . HE ASKED ME TO CHECK THE BRAKE FLUID SINCE BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES FAILED. I CHECKED THE BRAKE PEDDLE AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANY RESISTANCE. I CHECKED THE BRAKE RESERVOIR AND IT WAS FULL. MY FAMILY MEMBER TOLD ME TO SUBMIT THIS REPORT.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 21, 201980,000 milesVA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING OR UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.*PM*JB

Air BagsCrash
Filed May 16, 2019100,000 milesTX

'TAKATA RECALL' I WAS DRIVING AND WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT. THERE WAS MAJOR DAMAGE THE FRONT OF MY CAR AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 31, 201885,251 milesWA

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. WHEN I TURN THE KEY ON THE LIGHT COME ON THE DISPLAY.

Air Bags
Filed Aug 10, 2018IL

AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON

Engine
Filed Jun 21, 201835 milesNE

WHEN I DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES, MY 2002 LINCOLN LS WANTS TO OVERHEAT AND SHUT DOWN ON ME. I HAVE TO WAIT TILL IT COOLS DOWN AND THEN START IT UP AND PROCEED ON MY WAY.

Power Train
Filed Mar 14, 2018160,000 milesMO

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SHUT DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Aug 15, 2017FL

CADILAC CONVERTER RATTLE AND MAKE LOUD NOISES. IDLER STAY HIGH, IVE CHANGED IT THREE TIMES DEALER EVEN TRIED, BUT WANTS ME TO KEEP SPENDING MONEY ON OTHER IDEAS THEY HAVE OF WHAT THE PROBLEM IS

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Jul 13, 2017GA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE DROVE THROUGH A STOP SIGN AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. ONLY THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, BUT THE FORCE OF THE CRASH INJURED THE CONTACTS NECK, FRACTURED HIS BACK IN TWO PLACES, AND FRACTURED HIS STERNUM. THE CONTACT ALSO SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE PAINS IN THE LOWER BACK AND BUTTOCKS DUE TO NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE UPON IMPACT. THE CONTACT HAD TO CONTINUE TREATMENTS AND WAS MEDICATED DAILY BECAUSE OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A YARD AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THEY INVESTIGATED THE FAILURE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

Structure › Body
Filed Jul 4, 2017IL

DEALER SOLD ME A VEHICLE THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME IS RUSTED AWAY. BIG RUST HOLES ON UNDERCARRIAGE

Power Train
Filed Dec 17, 2016GA

NO MATTER WHAT IS DONE THE CHECK TRANSMISSION AND EVERYTHING ERROR COMES UP AND CAR SHIFTS HARD AND SLIPS I SEE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS PROBLEM SEEMS ALL OF THE LS CARS ARE DOING THE SAME THING.

Air BagsCrash
Filed Sep 1, 2016207,000 milesKY

WHILE DRIVING DOWN PRESTON HWY I REAR ENDED A TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME AS I WAS UNABLE TO STOP IN TIME. POTENTIAL TOTALED CAR WITH HEAVY FRONT END DAMAGE YET THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED. 207,000 MILES ON THE CAR.

Air Bags
Filed Aug 11, 201685,901 milesCA

2002 LINCOLN LS , AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON. HAVE HAD TO DRIVE CAR FOR 3 YRS LIKE THIS WHILE HAVING FEAR OF AIR BAG NOT WORKING IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. 3 MECHANICS HAVE TRIED TO FIX AND IT ONLY TURNS OFF FOR A FEW MIN.S AFTER THEY ATTEMPT A FIX WITH THE WIRING. THE MILEAGE THEN BEGAN ABOUT 80,007. ABOUT 1.5 YR AGO (MAY 2014) MY AC /HEATER CORE FLUID BEGAN LEAKING. IT WORSENED WHEN AC WAS TURNED HIGH, TOOK ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE BURNING SMELL WAS CONTINUOUSLY COMING FROM ENGINE AFTER RUNNING AC AND FLUID WAS ALWAYS DRIPPING. 6 MONTHS (JAN 2016) AGO MY BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN FLUTTERING WHEN DEPRESSED. I HAD THE CONTROL ARMS, BALL JOINTS AND BRAKES/ROTORS REPLACED. THE BRAKE PEDAL STILL FLUTTERS WHEN SLOWING FROM 30 MPH QUICKLY. MY LINCOLN LS MILEAGE IS 86,605

Air Bags
Filed Jun 14, 201673,000 milesVA

2002 LINCOLN LS , AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON. AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR FOR FEAR OF AIR BAG NOT WORKING IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. THIS LINCOLN LS MILEAGE IS 73,503

Engine
Filed May 24, 2016212,000 milesTN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE BALL JOINT WAS LOOSEN CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THREE MONTHS LATER THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 212,000.

Service Brakes
Filed May 19, 2016200,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKES ALSO FAILED TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

20 of 121 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200618000Routine
200590100Routine
200491010Routine
200368100Routine
2002 — this page121000Routine
2001240111Fatalities reported
2000354111Fatalities reported

Compare every LS year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.