Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. 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. 16 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
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
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
WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN MOTION, STEERING IS STIFF. POWER STEERING OIL LEVEL IS PROPER AT APPROPRIATE LEVEL. THE LOCAL MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE STEERING MECHANISM IS AT FAULT. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON STREET, STEERING IS DIFFICULT BUT MANAGEABLE.
13S08 CAMPAIGN FOR LOWER/UPPER STEERING SHAFT REPLACEMENT COVERS 2005-2011 CROWN VICTORIA/GRAND MARQUIS/TOWN CAR, BUT NOT THE 2003-2004, WHICH HAVE THE SAME PARTS. MY 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR IS HAVING THE ISSUE ADDRESSED BY 13S08, BUT IS NOT COVERED BY THE CAMPAIGN.
47,000 MILES ON 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME DIFFICULT AND 'BINDS' INTERMITTENTLY AT A CONSTANT TURNING RADIUS WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL BOTH CLOCK-WISE AND COUNTER-CLOCKWISE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE IN MOTION AT LOW SPEEDS, ~25 MPH, IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMING DOWN A HILL, AS IF THE SUDDEN COMPRESSION OF THE CAR CAUSE THE SHAFT TO WARP AT THE JOINT. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION THE LOWER AND INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFTS APPEAR HEAVILY CORRODED AT THE U-JOINTS AND THROUGHOUT BOTH SHAFTS. BASED ON THE INFLUX OF STEERING SHAFT COMPLAINTS OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO FOR THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL CAR, THIS IS UNDENIABLY A MECHANICAL FAILURE ON THE MANUFACTURERS PART, I.E., ENGINEERED TO FAIL. ADDITIONALLY, BASED ON THE LEVEL OF CORROSION, THIS ISSUE MAY HAVE BEEN MORE APPARENT AND/OR SEVERE IF THERE WAS MORE MILEAGE PUT ON THE CAR BUT LUCKILY THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. IMAGES ARE ATTACHED BELOW.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT DETACHED CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH HOWEVER, A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION AND THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AGAIN WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE UPPER STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILLAGE WAS 80,000.
WE HAVE A FLEET OF LINCOLN TOWN CARS USED IN A GROUND TRANSPORTATION SERVICE. THE DRIVER REPORTED THAT "THE STEERING FELT (VERY) TIGHT". ANOTHER CAR WAS DISPATCHED TO COVER THE LIVERY, AND THE AFFECTED CAR WAS TOWED BACK TO OUR FACILITY. OUR SENIOR MECHANIC EXAMINED THE CAR AND THE ISSUE IS THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY. IT IS SEVERELY CORRODED, AND THE "U-JOINTS" CONTAINED IN IT ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE. WE CONTACTED THE DEALER, PROVIDED THE VIN, AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE THIS IS NOT A NEW FOMOCO PROBLEM, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL RECALLS OF SEVERAL OTHER YEARS (AND MODELS) FOR THE VERY ISSUE. IT IS THE EXACT SAME PART THAT HAS FAILED IN SEVERAL YEARS OF TOWN CAR (AND SIMILAR). THEY ARE PLAYING GAME WITH RECALL STATUS ON THIS VEHICLE THESE CARS (THAT ALL HAVE THE SAME STEERING SHAFT DESIGN) SHOULD BE RECALLED THE SCOPE OF THIS RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED
THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME "HARD STEERING" ISSUES AS OUR OTHER TOWN CARS. THE NEWER ONES WERE RECALLED, BUT THE 2003 & 2004 WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL. UPON EXAMINATION, IT IS DETERMINED THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT IS CORRODED AND THE CAUSE OF THESE ISSUES, AS EXPLAINED IN LINCOLN'S 13S01 RECALL. WHY IS THIS VEHICLE NOT RECALLED AS WELL? *TR
CONSIDER INCLUDING TOWN CARS IN THE LATEST FORD CROWN VIC, MERC GRAN MARQUIS, MARAUDER 500K CAR STEERING ISSUE. WHILE CHANGING THE OIL ON MY 2003 TOWN CAR ONE MONTH AGO, I FOUND A HEAT SHIELD FROM THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD LAYING PARALLEL TO AND ON THE STEERING SHAFT STUCK BETWEEN THE SHAFT AND THE UPPER CONTROL ARM SUPPORT AND VEHICLE FRAME. THE BOLTS HOLDING THE SHIELD AS WELL AS MOUNTING TABS ON THE SHIELD HAD RUSTED AND BROKEN OFF. VERY SCARY TO SEE SINCE THE UNIVERSAL JOINT MIDWAY ON THE SHAFT COULD HAVE EASILY JAMMED ON THE SHIELD WHILE STEERING TO THE LEFT I.E. TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL COUNTER CLOCKWISE. THE SHIELD WAS EASILY REMOVED FROM WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT THE USE OF TOOLS. THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW. THANK YOU. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER, PRODUCING A STIFF BINDING WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE LOWER INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220000. THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER, HIS MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 11/13/13
THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND SUBSEQUENTLY WHEN THE STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT FAILED INTERNALLY. THIS VEHICLE IS A STRETCH LIMO AND DRIVEN SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY ON LEVEL SURFACES AND SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED AT THIS LOW MILEAGE. *TR
LOWER STEERING SHAFT IS BINDING AT 25,000 MILES I FIND THIS TO BE A DEFECT FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR. THIS DEFECT MAKES STEERING VERY HARD, LIKE HAVING LIMITED POWER STEERING, AND IT GRABS AND BINDS AS YOU TURN THE WHEEL. I REPLACED THE PART AT MY OWN EXPENSE, PART #5W1Z-3B676-AA AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF. IT COST 168.00 USD, WITH A DISCOUNT. THIS IS THE SECOND TOWN CAR I HAVE HAD TO DO THIS REPAIR TO. *LN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE METAL PIECE THAT SECURES THE STEERING COLUMN CAME APART. THIS PART WAS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR ALLOWING THE COLUMN TO ROTATE IN A CIRCULAR MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THE METAL PIECE WAS REPLACED. THE REPAIRS DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. HE THEN PURCHASED PARTS AND MODIFIED THE STEERING COLUMN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT HAS HAD TWO ALTERNATORS INSTALLED IN HER VEHICLE WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ONE THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. WHILE DRIVING 30 AND 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER AND THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES FAIL. ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS FLASH ON AND OFF AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. OCCASIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WILL TAKE A MINUTE BEFORE RESTARTING. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD FIND NO FAILURES. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY $90 PER HOUR FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. UPDATED 03/09/09. *LJ THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED DUE TO IT OVERCHARGING. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AS WELL. THE TRUNK WOULD NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. UPDATED 03/10/09. *JB
WHEN VEHICLE ENGINE IS RUNNING AND TURN SIGNALS ARE ACTUATED, THE DIGITAL DASH, TURN SIGNALS, AND AIR CONDITIONER CUTS OFF. ADDITIONALLY, STEERING EFFORT INCREASES SUBSTANTIALLY, ABS CYCLES OFF AND BACK ON WHEN THE POWER IS RESTORED. THE DURATION MAY BE MOMENTARY (LESS THAN 5 SECONDS) OR LAST FOR A MINUTE OR LONGER. FREQUENCY IS 80+ PERCENT OF THE TIME WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS ARE ENGAGED (LEFT OR RIGHT). I HAVE HAD ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE WHICH GAVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH ALSO. FORD HAS A POORLY DESIGNED TURN SIGNAL-WINDSHIELD WIPER-WASHER SWITCH COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT POWER IS SHUNTED THROUGH THIS SWITCH ALL THE TIME, CAUSING OVERHEATING AND PREMATURE FAILURES. THIS LINCOLN IS NOT AN INCOMPLETE VEHICLE. THE LAST LINE OF THE VEHICLE DETAILL FORM NEEDS A 2ND ALTERNATIVE OR WEBMASTER NEEDS TO PROVIDE FOR THE DEFAULT CHOICE (--).
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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