2003 Lincoln LS Engine Problems

We have owned this car for about 3 years and it has been one problem after another and see same problems on line 1) Will start over heating sometimes at idle sometimes while driving (try being in DFW rush hour traffic and deal with that 2) Wife was driving one day and a bolt on right lower control arm broke sending her across 4 lanes of traffic including on coming. 3) All of a sudden when brake pedal was depressed started hearing vacuum leak under dash, brake pedal real hard , and couldn't hardly get car to stop, traction control light started flashing. Found bad brake booster and sensor located on it (both unavailable from manufacturer), also found on line that to get light to stop flashing you have to take to dealer and have reprogrammed (nobody else has the ability) 4) Have constantly had problem with check engine light staying on and running rough, no power, and having to replace ignition coils 5) While wife was driving with no advance notice of any kind heading home on farm market road with no shoulder to pull off on transmission went out completely and stopped pulling 6) Rear control arm bushings go from ok to extremely bad causing back end to drift from side to side going down the highway in a blink of an eye 7) Right front sway bar link keeps wearing control arm and snapping stud off 8) Sunroof drain hoses constantly failing and allowing water to get to electrical components The list goes on but all you have to do is a online search of the LS sport with the 3.9 v-8 and see all the problems. I was in automotive for over 16 years and every vehicle generally has its know couple problems but this is way beyond that. There hasn't been any accidents or injuries but real close to it.

NHTSA ID

11477698

Incident

Aug 17, 2021

CAR GETS TO HOT MY FILL BUCKET FOR THE RADIATOR KEEPS GETTING A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF IT OR SOME WHERE I HAVE REPLACED IT TWICE AND AGAIN THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. AND IT HAS OVER HEATED AND GOES ALL THE WAY TO H NOW BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IT MITE NOW NEED HEAD GASKETS Y CAN'T YOU MAKE THIS CAR BETTER THEN IT IS AND MAKE IT WITH NO PROBLEMS THERE JUNK I WON'T EVEN TELL ANYONE TO BUY THIS PIECE OF JUNK.AND IT SAYING SAFE FAIL MODE OVER AND OVER LIKE THIS CAR IS PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM CAN SOMEONE FIX MY CAR FOR ME AT NO COST PLEASE.

NHTSA ID

11256011

Incident

Aug 10, 2019

Mileage

200,000 mi

I PURCHASED MY 2003 LINCOLN LS JUNE/2015. EXCELLENT CONDITION, 35,000 MILES. INTERIOR IMMACULATE CONDITION LEATHER SEATS AND CARPET VIRUTALLY UNTOUCHED. UNDERNEATH HOOD THE SAME, HADN'T LOOK AS IF BEEN DRIVEN. EXTERIOR BODY AND PAINT AGAIN EXCELLENT. THE CAR APPEARED AS IF IT HAD STOOD STILL IN TIME. UPON INVESTIGATION, ONLY ONE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WHO'D MAINTAINED A FIRST CLASS MAINTENANCE RECORD. OVER THE LAST WEEK THE VEHICLE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING SHE SAID WHILE DRIVING THE VECHICLE BEGAN TO STALL WHILE SHE WAS ACCELERATING IN TRAFFIC. SHE STATED SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT OUT THE STREET BUT IN DOING SO THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND SHUT OFF. OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE REPLICATED THE EXACT SAME TENDENCY WITH ME. STALLING, HESITATING DURING ACCELERATION TO THE POINT OF SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. IN MOTION ON A VERY BUSY CITY STREET. ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON

NHTSA ID

10816186

Incident

Dec 24, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,066. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED.

NHTSA ID

10781622

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

Mileage

200,066 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IT MISFIRES IT DOESN'T WANT TO GO ON ACCELERATION..IT IS LEAKING OIL INTO THE SPARK PLUG WELLS AND AFFECTING COILS..THERE WAS A EXTENSION WARRANTY ON THESE PARTS.BUT IT WAS 10 YEARS OR 100000 MILE . I DIDN'T PURCHASE THIS CAR TILL AFTER IT ALREADY HAD MORE THAN 100000 MILES SO I WAS UNAWARE OF THESE EXTENSIONS AND TIME FRAMES..I SPOKE WITH FORD/LINCOLN AND BASICALLY TOLD THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER.I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL NOT EXTENDED WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10649745

Incident

Oct 1, 2014

Mileage

162,000 mi

CAR HESITATES ON ACCELERATION SINCE IT WAS NEW. TOOK THE CAR TO THE SELLING DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THE CONDITION GOT WORSE. WHEN TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE CAR STARTS BUCKING AND MISFIRING. TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE SELLING LINCOLN DEALERSHIP (SESI LINCOLN MERCURY). THEY DEALERSHIP SAID THE DRIVERS DOOR NEEDED ADJUSTMENT. THIS MADE NO SENSE TO ME AND DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WENT OUT OF WARRANTY SHORTLY AFTER THAT. NOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY AND CAR HESITATES, BUCKS, STALLS AND RUNS ROUGH, MISFIRES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND MIL STARTS FLASHING. THE COWL PLASTIC PIECE HAS A POOR SEAL ON IT THAT LETS WATER ONTO THE ENGINE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. FORD ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN THAT ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE AND FORD ADMITS THAT SEALS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS MAY NOT BE THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS CARS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BUT IT IS A BIG PROBLEM. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT, NOTHING A CUSTOMER CAN DO TO PREVENT THIS. FORD SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THESE CARS AND FIXED THEM AT NO COST. THE FACT THAT THEIR DEALERSHIPS WERE HIDING THE REAL REASON FOR THIS MISFIRE AND NOT REPAIRING THE VEHICLES UNDER WARRANTY IS BREECH OF CONTRACT. FORD SHOULD BE FINED AND PUNISHED AND FORCED TO RECALL AND REPAIR ALL OF THESE CARS. I AM AN ASE MASTER MECHANIC. I TEACH AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE TECHNOLOGY AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. THE CAR WAS GARAGE KEPT AND VERY WELL MAINTAINED, IT LOOKS NEW. I FOUND THAT # 6 CYLINDER HAD A P0306 COIL MISFIRE DTC. I HAD TO REMOVE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD JUST TO SEE THE COIL ON PLUG SET UP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BANK OF ENGINE. TURNS OUT THERE IS POOR SEALING OF THE WINDSHIELD COWL AREA AND WATER RUNS DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE AND ENGINE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE WATER SHORTS OUT THE COILS, SPARK PLUGS, COMPUTER AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME ESPECIALLY WHEN WET. *TR

NHTSA ID

10595849

Incident

Jan 1, 2003

Mileage

1 mi

HELLO, I BOUGHT A 2003 LINCOLN LS AND I'M GETTING A MESSAGE ON THE DASH THAT IS SAYING ETC FAIL SAFETY MODE AND THE CAR IS NOT ABLE TO GO OVER 30 MPH, AND HAS VERY SLOW PICK UP AND IS RUNNING VERY HARD. I HAVE FOUND THAT SOMETIMES IF I TURN THE CAR OFF/ON THE MESSAGE DOES NOT COME UP THE CAR DRIVES NORMALLY. I HAVE TRIED REPLACING THE THROTTLE BODY AFTER GETTING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH TO CODES P0207 AND P02110 AND I'M STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE READ ALLOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH FIX. *TR

NHTSA ID

10549022

Incident

Oct 10, 2013

Mileage

107,000 mi

I HAVE BEEN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS FROM DAY ONE SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR. I HAD A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN BY THE LINCOLN PLACE THREE YEARS AGO. NOW MY TRANSMISSION IS ACTING UP AGAIN. 1. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ROUGH OR JERKY FROM PARK 2. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ROUGH OR JERKY WHILE DRIVING 3. GEAR CHANGES TAKE TO LONG TO COMPLETE 4. SHIFTS OCCUR TOO EARLY, TOO LATE, TOO OFTEN 5.ALWAYS HAVING TO REPLACE THE SAME PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10390394

Incident

Mar 16, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH SHE NOTICED THE PARKING BRAKE/ SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. SEVERAL DAYS LATER WHILE STARTING THE IGNITION SHE NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT SHE HAD AN OIL LEAK FROM THE REAR OF THE ENGINE THAT WAS DRIPPING ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. ALSO THE ENGINE WOULD GO INTO LIMP MODE WITHOUT WARNING; WHICH DRASTICALLY REDUCED THE VEHICLES SPEED. SHE HAD THE THROTTLE BODY REPAIRED AT AN EXPENSE OF $489.00. THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 77,303. THE STEERING WAS NOISY WHEN THE CONSUMER MADE TURNS, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE OIL PAN WAS LEAKING. ALL OF THE TIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS ALSO LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 01/26/10.*JB

NHTSA ID

10295606

Incident

Dec 9, 2009

Mileage

77,303 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN LS. ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-65 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND POWER STEERING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FINE EVEN THOUGH THE STABILITY ENHANCING SYSTEM LIGHT CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 110,000.

NHTSA ID

10220106

Incident

Dec 24, 2007

Mileage

110,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE WHEELS FELL OFF THE VEHICLE AND THE LUG NUTS FELL OUT OF THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE FLAT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, SHE HEARD A STRANGE NOISE. THE CONTACT WENT TO A LINCOLN DEALER AT THAT TIME AND INFORMED THEM OF THE NOISE SHE HEARD UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. A NOISE WAS ALSO HEARD NEAR THE STEERING COMPONENT. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. IN ADDITION TO THE TIRES, THE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AND THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHY THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO START. SHE WAS CHARGED TO REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT (ASY) IN THE VEHICLE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,510. UPDATED 04/29/08 *BF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED

NHTSA ID

10220018

Incident

Apr 19, 2005

Mileage

29,150 mi

CAR HAS CONSISTENTLY JUST SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING (ROUGHLY 30 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR). BEEN INTO THE DEALER NO LESS THAN 10 TIMES. HAD THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF VALVE COVERS, COILS, PLUGS GASKETS, WINDSHIELD WIPER COMPONENTS REPLACED. NO CHANGE. CAR WILL STILL DIE WHENEVER IT FEELS LIKE IT. LINCOLN/FORD COULD CARE LESS, AND THE DEALER AND FIELD ENGINEERS SEEM TIRED OF SEEING MY CAR. CONSTANT MOVEMENT OF BRAKE PEDAL IN RHYTHM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS. DEALER HAS TRIED TO FIX NUMEROUS TIMES AND THE PROBLEM IS WORSE NOW THEN WHEN THEY STARTED. FRONT BRAKE PADS RATTLE. DEALER SAYS IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND I SHOULD JUST DEAL WITH IT. FRONT SEAT BACKS FALL DOWN. DEALER AND FORD BLAME MY KIDS BEING IN CAR SEATS. NEVER HAD A PROBLEM BEFORE THEY TOOK SEATS APART TO REPLACE FAULTY SEAT HEATER. THE TRANSMISSION IS AWFUL. BEEN REPROGRAMMED 3 TIMES AND NEW SERVOS INSTALLED. STILL DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY, AND VERY ERRATIC. SHIFTS WHEN IT SHOULDN'T AND DOES NOT SHIFT WHEN IT SHOULD. CAR STALLED AND ACTIVATED THE ALARM HORN HONKING, LIGHTS BLINKING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. CAR RESTARTED. NEXT DAY CAR HAD DEAD BATTERY AND WOULD NOT START. COULD NOT EVEN JUMP IT AS THERE WAS NO POWER TO OPEN TRUNK AND LOCK CYLINDER WAS FROZEN DUE TO LACK OF USE. BATERY IN TRUNK!! WHEELS HAD TO BE BALANCED 3 TIMES THEN FORCE BALANCED TO REMOVE EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. ALL AT MY EXPENSE HAD LEAKY REVERSE LIGHT REPLACED BY DEALER NOW HAVE SOME PIECE OF A FASTENER FLOATING AROUND INSIDE THE DECK LID RATTLING. CLIPS FOR E BRAKE ARE ALWAYS BROKEN AND APPARENTLY 180 BUCKS TO FIX.

NHTSA ID

10212443

Incident

Dec 19, 2007

Mileage

39,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE GOES INTO THE FAIL SAFE MODE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES WITHIN THE PAST MONTH WHILE DRIVING 40-45 MPH. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS YET TO RESPOND. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 01-10-08. *KB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT ERRATICALLY. THE SHIFTER COVER WAS CRACKING ON THE RIGHT SIDE. UPDATED 01/10/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10211785

Incident

Oct 1, 2007

Mileage

44,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE ELEVATED FOLLOWED BY WHITE STEAM ERUPTING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ADDITIONALLY, THE AUTOMATIC STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVATED WHICH CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE TRACTION ASSIST CLUSTER SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM PERSISTED.

NHTSA ID

10164473

Incident

Aug 4, 2006

Mileage

40,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10032256

Incident

Jul 31, 2003