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2001 Lincoln Ls

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Ls years

Owner complaints for the 2001 Lincoln Ls are substantially higher than the model-year median of 91.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

166 reports with mileage · 74 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Suspension. Review the 110 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

20 crash reports1 fire reports11 injury reports

Engine complaints

5 reports
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99,999 miles · Jan 26, 2018
EngineStructure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND STALLED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ANTIFREEZ…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND STALLED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ANTIFREEZE RESERVOIR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,999.

NHTSA ODI #11065015

151,000 miles · Apr 4, 2014
Engine

THE PLASTIC TENSIONERS THAT THE MANUFACTURER PUT IN BROKE CAUSING A HUGE ENGINE MISFIRE. THE VEHICLE HAD THESE PLASTIC TENSIONERS BUT A RECALL SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED AS IT APPEARS SOMEONE KNEW ABOUT THIS SINCE MANUFACTURER CAME UP WITH GENERATION II AND GENERATION III AND THESE ADDED GENERATIONS, ARE MADE OF METAL WHICH SHOULD HA…

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THE PLASTIC TENSIONERS THAT THE MANUFACTURER PUT IN BROKE CAUSING A HUGE ENGINE MISFIRE. THE VEHICLE HAD THESE PLASTIC TENSIONERS BUT A RECALL SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED AS IT APPEARS SOMEONE KNEW ABOUT THIS SINCE MANUFACTURER CAME UP WITH GENERATION II AND GENERATION III AND THESE ADDED GENERATIONS, ARE MADE OF METAL WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN PLACED WHEN THEY FIRST BUILT THE ENGINE. AWESOME ENGINE, LOUSY TENSIONERS THAT AT HIGH SPEEDS, COULD HAVE CAUSE ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND PERHAPS GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT OR KILLED MYSELF OR KILL SOME ONE ELSE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL FOR THESE TENSIONERS. I AM ABOUT TO SPEND 1,500 TOP REPLACE THEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10577489

173,233 miles · Sep 28, 2013
Engine

THE PLASTIC TENSIONER FOR TIMING CHAIN BROKE DUE TO BEING MADE OF PLASTIC. INTERNAL PARTS SHOULD NOT BE PLASTIC. ALTHOUGH NO ACCIDENT, CAR IS DISABLED. WHOEVER BUILT THOSE CARS, HAVE NO REGARD FOR SAFETY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10546013

120,000 miles · Sep 26, 2013
Electrical SystemEnginePower TrainFire

MY 01 LINCOLN LS 3.9 V8 CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY AT 11:30 PM. BY THE TIME IT WAS NOTICED, THE ENTIRE FRONT HALF WAS ENGULFED. IT EXPLODED ABOUT 3 TIMES (POSSIBLY THE AIRBAGS EXPLODING). THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE FIRE OUT BEFORE IT REACHED THE FUEL TANK. I HAD DRIVEN IT AROUND AN HOUR BEFORE. THE MOST DAM…

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MY 01 LINCOLN LS 3.9 V8 CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY AT 11:30 PM. BY THE TIME IT WAS NOTICED, THE ENTIRE FRONT HALF WAS ENGULFED. IT EXPLODED ABOUT 3 TIMES (POSSIBLY THE AIRBAGS EXPLODING). THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE FIRE OUT BEFORE IT REACHED THE FUEL TANK. I HAD DRIVEN IT AROUND AN HOUR BEFORE. THE MOST DAMAGE WAS NEAR THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT OF CAR NEAR WHERE THE HEADLIGHT AND AIR FILTER WERE LOCATED. THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAD NOT BURNED AS INTENSE AS THE DRIVER SIDE. (THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT OF THE HOOD HAD COMPLETELY BURNED AWAY..) THE FIRE DEPT SAID IT POSSIBLY STARTED IN THE ENGINE BUT THE FIRE HAD BURNED SO MUCH THAT THEY COULD NOT BE SURE. NO INVESTIGATION SINCE I ONLY HAD LIABILITY INSURANCE. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE 2008 AND HAVE NOTICED DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS SUCH AS RADIO VOLUME INCREASING, INDICATOR LIGHTS RANDOMLY COMING ON/OFF (ATC, ABS, AIR BAG, ECT). ABOUT ONE MONTH BEFORE FIRE THE CAR WAS HAVING ISSUES WITH NOT STARTING AND RANDOMLY DYING AS I WAS DRIVING. THE BATTERY WAS TESTED AND WAS NOT THE ISSUE. I LOVED MY CAR BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS EVER FREE OF ISSUES. (WINDOW REGULATORS/CLIPS REPLACED EACH WINDOW TWICE, OIL IN CYLINDERS-REPLACED ALL CYLINDERS/COILS/ECT TWICE, CAR WOULD LOSE POWER/HESITATE OVER 40MPH, GAS PEDAL WOULD GET STUCK IF PRESSED TO QUICKLY CAUSING RPMS TO SURGE BUT CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 25-30 MPH AND WOULD BE EXTREMELY HARD TO STOP (IT WOULD SURGE FORWARD AND I WOULD HAVE TO PUT ALL MY WEIGHT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO KEEP IT FROM HITTING WHATEVER WAS IN FRONT OF IT) I WOULD TEMP FIX THIS ISSUE BY FLICKING THE IDLE CONTROL LEVER (WHICH I NOTICED ONE OF THE "E CLIPS" HAD COME OFF OF ONE OF THE ARMS) NEAR THE THROTTLE BODY (WHICH WOULD ALSO GET STUCK OPEN/CLOSED AND HAVE TO BE CLEANED ON REG BASIS.) MANY MORE ISSUES NOT LISTED HERE... BEAUTIFUL CAR BUT DEFINITELY A LEMON... *JS

NHTSA ODI #10545536

72,678 miles · Mar 29, 2013
EngineVehicle Speed Control

I OWN A 2001 LINCOLN MERCURY LS V-8 WITH 72,678 MILES ON THE ODOMETER .. FREQUENTLY (WITHIN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS) I HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AROUND TOWN IN THE 25-45 MPH SPEED RANGE. HITTING THE BRAKES FAILS TO OVERRIDE THE ACCELERATION. THE ONLY SOLUTION TO PREVENT AN A…

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I OWN A 2001 LINCOLN MERCURY LS V-8 WITH 72,678 MILES ON THE ODOMETER .. FREQUENTLY (WITHIN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS) I HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AROUND TOWN IN THE 25-45 MPH SPEED RANGE. HITTING THE BRAKES FAILS TO OVERRIDE THE ACCELERATION. THE ONLY SOLUTION TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT OR TO SLOW THE VEHICLE IS TO THROW THE AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL AND CLEAR THE ACCELERATION WITH A HARD PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR WHILE THE CAR IS NEUTRAL. THE OTHER REMEDY IS TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION WHILE IN TRAFFIC. NEITHER ONE OF THESE SOLUTIONS IS ACCEPTABLE AND FORD/LM DENIES THAT THIS ISSUE EXISTS ON ANY OF THEIR VEHICLES DATING BACK 10-15 YEARS. MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE WAS A 2000 CROWN VICTORIA AND I EXPERIENCED THE VERY SAME ISSUE AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD EXCEEDED 60,000 MILES. FORD/LM IS WELL ARE OF THESE ISSUES AND HAS FAILED TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE THEM FOR FEAR OF LIABILITY AND THE COST TO REPAIR THE ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT AN OWNER SHOULD DO IN THIS SITUATION. I BELIEVE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HAS RECENTLY BEEN FILED AGAINST FORD/LM ON BEHALF OF OWNERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. IN THE MEAN TIME THE COMPANY FAILS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER A GOVERNMENT ORDERED RECALL OR WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10504949

Official recalls

1

00V359001 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

Nov 3, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE NOT TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATIONS WHEN THEY WERE ATTACHED TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE BALL JOINT ATTACHING NUTS ARE NOT ADEQUATELY TIGHTENED, THEY CAN LOOSEN AND, ULTIMATELY, RESULT IN FRACTURE OF THE BALL JOINT STUD. IF THE BALL JOINT FRACTURES, CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE AFFECTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TORQUE ON THE TWO BALL JOINT ATTACHING NUTS. VEHICLES WITH LOOSE BALL JOINT ATTACHING NUTS WILL EITHER HAVE THE FASTENERS TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATION, OR IF NECESSARY, THE BALL JOINTS WILL BE REPLACED.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.