Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Lincoln Town Car submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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
WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY, THE ACCELERATOR STUCK OPEN CAUSING THE CAR TO GAIN AN EXCESS AMOUNT OF SPEED IN TRAFFIC. THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND THE BREAKS WOULD NOT HOLD IT OR SLOW IT DOWN. IN THE END THE CAR WAS TOTALED AFTER HITTING 2 TREES AND A WALL.
MERGING INTO TRAFFIC ON A INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I HAD TO ACCELERATE MY SPEED. VEHICLE SEEMED TO LOCK AT THIS HIGHER SPEED AND THE ONLY WAY I WAS TO RELEASE THIS CONDITION WAS TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND SLOWLY BRAKE, THIS COULD HAVE EASILY BECOME UGLY.THIS TO ME WAS LIKE THE PROBLEM WITH THE UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION WITH A GM. PRODUCT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWNCAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN HAD CAUSED THE CONTROL BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME NON ADHESIVE CAUSING THE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURES TO MALFUNCTION. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000.
I WAS IN FRONT OF THE TOWNHOUSE WHERE I LIVE WAITING IN IDLE FOR AN ONCOMING CAR TO PASS SO I CAN PARK ON MY SPOT WHEN I HEARD THREE CLICKING SOUNDS BENEATH THE CAR AT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. SECONDS AFTER THAT THE CAR JERKED FORWARD AT AN INCREASING SPEED ,KNOCKED A NISSAN PATHFINDER AND CARRIED A MITSUBUSHI ECLIPSE ,FROM THE PARKING LOT, OVER THE SIDEWALK TO THE GRASS WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL GAINING SPEED TOWARDS A LIVINGROOM WITH THE FAMILY IN THERE. I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR AWAY FROM THE BUILDING, BETWEEN A BIG TREE WITH A SPACE THE SIZE OF THE CAR.AS I CAME OUT THROUGH THE TIGHT SPACE THE SPEED OF THE CAR WAS TOO FAST FOR ME TO NEGOTIATE IT BETWEEN THE NEXT SET OF TREES.THE CAR HIT A TREE AND CAME TO A STOP. THIS IS A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ,REGISTERED FOR A LIMOUSINE SERVICE. I SENT THE CAR TO FIVE SHOPS AND THEY STILL CANNOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS THE REASON WHY I AM ASKING FOR HELP BECAUSE I KNOW THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWNCAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WOULD COME TO A STOP AFTER HEAVY PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.
WITHIN THE PAST 8 MONTHS, I HAVE HAD THREE (3) INCIDENTS: TWO OF WHICH OCCURRED AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN; WHEN STARTING TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR SUDDENLY JUMPED INTO PASSING GEAR WITHOUT WARNING! ONE OF THOSE INCIDENTS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO REAR-END THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE HAPPENED AS I WAS PUTTING THE CAR INTO MY GARAGE. AGAIN, IT RAPIDLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING ME TO RUN INTO THE BACK OF MY GARAGE (RESULTING IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO MY BRICK HOME)! AFTER THE SECOND OCCURRENCE, I TOOK THE CAR TO MY DEALER, WHERE THEY TOLD ME THERE HAD BEEN NO RECALLS; AT WHICH TIME THEY CHECKED IT OUT AND TOLD ME THEY HAD FOUND NOTHING WRONG. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, HE ENGAGED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT FELL TO THE FLOORBOARD. THERE WAS AN ABNORMALLY HIGH INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS AND THE VEHICLE THEN ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED REPEATEDLY BUT TO NO AVAIL. SUDDENLY, THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS SHIFTED INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE IDENTICAL FAILURE OCCURRED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION IN WHICH THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PROCEEDING VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO DAMAGES OR PERSONAL INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED SIGNIFICANT CONCERN OF A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, WITHOUT A WARNING THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN . HE THEN TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THEY DID NOT WORK UNTIL HE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL GEAR. THE VEHICLE DECREASED IN SPEED AND BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT REPROGRAMMED THE PCM. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41598. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42245 UPDATED 3/30/10 *CN UPDATED 08/18/10*JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EVERYTIME SHE ACTIVATED THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE SWITCH BECAME VERY HOT. SHE TRADITIONALLY ACTIVATES THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. SHE NEVER NOTICED ANY SMOKE OR WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE TECHNICIAN DID NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF THE COMPONENT WAS POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,369 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,369.
2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR WITH UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND SHE WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION. *KB ***NAR*** THE CONSUMER STATED AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE UNWANTED ACCELERATION. *JB
RE: 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR CRUISE CONTROL RUNAWAY ISSUE ON 3/16/07 I WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT DURING A SNOWSTORM ON A TWO LANE NARROW ROAD. I HAD PREVIOUSLY DISENGAGED THE OVERDRIVE AND MANUALLY SHIFTED INTO 2ND GEAR AT 20-25 MPH FOR BETTER CONTROL. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY OVER STEERED TO THE RIGHT. TRYING TO CORRECT, IT OVER STEERED TO THE LEFT, SLID SIDEWAYS IN THE DEEP SHOULDER ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 25 FEET. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL HIT A LARGE OAK TREE, BOUNCED OFF AND THE VEHICLE WENT DOWN A STEEP 70 FOOT DRIVEWAY AND JUMPED A FROZEN PILE OF SNOW. I DID HAVE THE CAR UNDER CONTROL GOING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. IT WAS A VERY BUSY TEN SECONDS. THE INITIAL ESTIMATE FROM GEICO IS $5100, CLAIM 023442150101027. I CALL THE FORD 800 NUMBER AND DIDN'T GET ANY HELP THERE, WHICH IS NO SURPRISE. I AM WELL AWARE OF MANUFACTURERS NOT ADDRESSING VEHICLE PROBLEMS UNTIL THEY HAVE TO BECAUSE OF MONETARY ISSUES OR LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. I AM A FORMER GM DEALER AND HAVE DRIVEN LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES IN VARIOUS CONDITIONS OF DIRE REPAIR. I ALSO ATTENDED BONDURANT HIGH SPEED DRIVING SCHOOL, HAVE AN EXPIRED SCCA RACING LICENSE AND HOLD AMA EXPERT COMPETITION MOTORCYCLE LICENSE. EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS 35 TO 40 YEARS AGO THE COMPETITION EXPERIENCE TOOK OVER. ONE CAUSE COULD BE THE LOCKING DOG FOR THE STEERING HAS SHORTED THE CRUISE CONTROL RIBBON WIRES AND CAUSED THE PROBLEM. THERE COULD ALSO BE ISSUES WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL CIRCUITRY AND/OR MODULES. SINCE THE ACCIDENT I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT CRUISE ENGAGEMENT PROBLEMS. THERE ALSO MAY BE AN ISSUE WITH THE AUTO TRACTION CONTROL WHICH MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY THE CAR WENT SO VIOLENTLY OUT OF CONTROL. THIS DEVICE IS RATHER USELESS AND IMPEDES DRIVABILITY RATHER THAN HELPS. ON THE DRIVE BACK TO MY HOUSE I HAD TO DISENGAGE IT TO DRIVE UP SMALL HILLS, AND HAVE DONE SO BEFORE IN BAD WEATHER AS THIS TYPE OF TRACTION CONTROL IMPEDES ACCELERATION. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BRAKING FROM 30 MPH ON A HIGHWAY EXIT RAMP, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE, WHICH DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE 3 TIMES. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE VEHICLE SLOWED, AND THE BRAKE TOOK EFFECT. A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED, BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED. UPDATED 01/18/07. *JB
I WAS STOPPED FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN, I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL, VERY LIGHTLY,AND THE CAR ACCELERATED AWAY FROM ME. I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND ENDED UP ON THE SIDEWALK, HITTING A BRICK WALL. THE CAR WAS TOTALED OUT BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THIS CAR WAS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR WITH 36,000 MILES. I THEN PURCHASED A 2006 LINCOLN TOWN CAR AND AFTER DRIVING 700 MILES, THE CAR ACCELERATED AGAIN AND I ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE LINCOLN DEALER SERVICE MANAGER. THEY TOOK THE CAR ON A LIFT, CHECKED IT OUT AND TEST DROVE IT AND TOLD ME THAT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. FORD INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NO RECALLS ON THIS CAR FOR THAT PROBLEM. I DID NOT TRUST DRIVING THIS CAR ANY LONGER, SO I TRADED IT IN FOR ANOTHER MAKE CAR AND TOOK A VERY LARGE LOSS, RATHER THAN RISK MY LIFE, MY WIFE'S LIFE OR AN INNOCENT PERSON. *NM
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE IN REVERSE THE BACK UP ALARM SENSOR WAS NOT WORKING WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE STRIKING A MAILBOX. THERE WAS NOT A CRASH ,BUT SOME PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE ALARM SENSOR UNDER WARRANTY AND DETERMINED IT HAD MALFUNCTIONED. SINCE THE REPAIR THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. *AK UPDATED 11/29/05. *JB
AFTER SHIFTING THE GEAR INTO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES HARD, SHIFT THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *JB *SB *NM
DT: HAVING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE, VEHICLE ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN, WITH NO WARNING. PUT CAR IN REVERSE IT ROARS UP, AND PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND IT TAKES OFF ON IT OWN. CONSUMER CAN TAKE FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND IT CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN.*AK CONSUMER HAS BEEN IN SEVERAL MINOR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS. *SB
THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE IDLING, WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE HITTING A WALL, CONSUMER WAS INJURED.*JB
DRIVER PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE GEAR AND TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. VEHICLES ENGINE REV UP TO FULL THROTTLE, AND ACCELERATED AT A HIGH SPEED CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS RESULTED IN THE DRIVER BEING INJURED. TS
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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