RoadVitals

2004 Lincoln Town Car Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Oct 20, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
10%
of 83 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Lincoln Town Car submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Oct 20, 2025

My car has the same lcm control module issues as cars from the same years ad models, but when I enter my VIN it is not showing. +4 PO#3 1998-2000 Lincoln Town Car Lighting Control Module YW1T ... Yes, a recall exists for a 2003-2005 model year Ford/Lincoln Town Car lighting control module (LCM) failure that can cause a loss of headlights. The recall, #15S39, involves dealers installing a bypass module kit to fix the problem for free. The issue stems from a cracked solder joint inside the LCM that can lead to intermittent or complete headlight failure, increasing crash risk at night. The lcm is under the dash near the pedals. It causes loud vibrating noise for a long time and causes a parasitic drain to my battery almost daily especially when it's cool outside. The relay under the hood vibrates as well

NHTSA ID
11694438
Incident
Dec 2, 2024
Electrical
Filed Feb 5, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE BATTERY DRAINED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIGHT CONTROL MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 64,000.

NHTSA ID
11174557
Incident
Dec 1, 2018
Mileage
64,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Dec 22, 2015

LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE SAME PART NUMBER AS FORD RECALL FOR MARQUIS OF SAME YEAR, WHY ISN'T TOWN CARS INCLUDED FROM SAME PERIOD. POSSIBLE LINK TO LEFT INFORMATION DISPLAY IN DASH HAS BEGUN FLICKERING, NUMBERS PHASE OUT AND EVENTUALLY AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, ENTIRE DISPLAY DISAPPEARS LOSING SPEED, ODOMETER, WARNING LIGHTS, EVERYTHING ON THAT SIDE OF THE DISPLAY PANEL. RIGHT DISPLAY PANEL HAS DISPLAYED SIMILAR FLICKERING WHEN LEFT SIDE COMPLETELY GOES OUT.

NHTSA ID
10811817
Incident
Nov 1, 2015
Mileage
220,000 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Sep 4, 2015
Crash reported

I CAME FROM WORK AT AROUND 0600 AM ON 9/4/15 IN MY 2004 LINCOLN TOWN CAR AND PARK IT IN MY APARTMENT. AT AROUND 0330 OF THE SAME DAY I DECIDED TO GO PICK MY CHILD FROM SCHOOL . WHENT I STATRTED MY CAR AND PUT IT IN REVERSE TRYNG TO BACK UP FROM THE PARKING LOT, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 60 ML/HR TO HIT TOW CARS PARK IN THE PARKING LOT AND DRAGGING ONE OF THE TO A TREE WHICH FINALLY STOPPED THE CAR. IF THAT TREE DID NOT STOP THE CAR THE DAMAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN WORSE BECAUSE ALL MY EFFORTS TO STOP THE CAR FAILED. THE CAR WAS JUST UNCONTROLLABLE WITH UNPRECEDENTED SPEED . IT WAS AS IF THE CAR HAD A MIND OF IT SELF. I WAS JUST LUCKY BECAUSE MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE IN ANOTHER CAR VERY CLOSE TO THE CAR THAT WAS DRAGGED. IF THEY HAVE CAME OUT OF THE CAR , THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN DRAGGED TOO. THANK GOD THEIR IS NO FATALITIES. I HAVE DIVEN ALL TYPES OF VEHICLE ,INCLUDING TRACTOR TRAILER OVER THE ROAD AND DOMESTIC AND HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH PHENOMENON.

NHTSA ID
10761720
Incident
Sep 4, 2015
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jul 27, 2015

DRIVING SLOWLY ON A SUBURBAN STREET AT TWILIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE SAME THING OCCURRED A THREE TIMES WEEK LATER ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH ABOUT 10 P.M. THE AUTOMATIC DELAYED HEADLIGHT OFF SETTING NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. THE LIGHTS CAN BE TURNED ON IN THE MANUAL POSITION.APPARENTLY, THE LIGHT CONTROL MODULE HAS FAULTY RELAYS WHICH FAIL SUDDENLY DURING THE COURSE OF NORMAL USE.

NHTSA ID
10743986
Incident
Jun 2, 2015
Mileage
105,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 10, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED, THE VEHICLE WHINES, THE POWER DRAINS, AND THE BATTERY FAILS. THE CONTACT HAS TO CHARGE THE BATTERY EVERY TWO OR THREE DAYS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THREE PREVIOUS OCCASIONS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,749 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,794. UPDATED 4/8/08 *CN UPDATED 04/08/08 *TR

NHTSA ID
10220702
Incident
Dec 10, 2007
Mileage
26,749 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 13, 2007
Fire reported

FIRE STARTED IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR WITHOUT ANY KNOWN REASONS. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED REGULARLY AND NO PROBLEMS WERE NOTED DURING THE SERVICE TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE FIRE. A THOROUGH FULL SERVICE WAS DONE IN MAY 200Y AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10205581
Incident
Sep 14, 2007
Mileage
109,954 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 23, 2006
Fire reported

2004 TOWN CAR PARKED IN GARAGE. TURNED KEY AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. ALL I DID WAS TURN THE KEY. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO CAR, FIRE AND SMOKE DAMAGE TO HOME.*AK

NHTSA ID
10148334
Incident
Jan 21, 2006

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .