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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.

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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

Power Train complaints

14 reports
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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

135,000 miles · Jan 21, 2013
Power Train

CAR TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. NOW ONLY DRIVE AND REVERSE WORK, SO THE CAR STARTS OFF IN DRIVE AND ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY. DOES NOT SHIFT TO OVERDRIVE OR DOWNSHIFT TO LOWER GEARS. REPLACED SOLENOID BLOCK FOR $400 AND HAVE IT IN TRANSMISSION SHOP NOW. MECHANIC CLEARS CODES, AND ALL FAI…

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CAR TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. NOW ONLY DRIVE AND REVERSE WORK, SO THE CAR STARTS OFF IN DRIVE AND ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY. DOES NOT SHIFT TO OVERDRIVE OR DOWNSHIFT TO LOWER GEARS. REPLACED SOLENOID BLOCK FOR $400 AND HAVE IT IN TRANSMISSION SHOP NOW. MECHANIC CLEARS CODES, AND ALL FAILURE CODES THEN REAPPEAR THE MOMENT THE ENGINE IS STARTED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10493653

109,000 miles · Sep 28, 2009
Power TrainCrash

2001 LS LINCOLN TRANSMISSION I BELIEVE MY LINCOLN LS IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DO TO THE FACT THAT THE SHIFTING IS ERRATIC. THIS CAR HAS ACTUALLY CUT OUT ON ME ON THE HIGHWAY ALL LIGHTS POWER STEERING EVERYTHING AND GAVE ME AN ERROR MESSAGE. THE MESSAGE STATED GEAR SHIFTING ERROR. I BOUGHT AN AUTOMATIC TO ELEVATE MY BAD SHIFTING AND N…

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2001 LS LINCOLN TRANSMISSION I BELIEVE MY LINCOLN LS IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DO TO THE FACT THAT THE SHIFTING IS ERRATIC. THIS CAR HAS ACTUALLY CUT OUT ON ME ON THE HIGHWAY ALL LIGHTS POWER STEERING EVERYTHING AND GAVE ME AN ERROR MESSAGE. THE MESSAGE STATED GEAR SHIFTING ERROR. I BOUGHT AN AUTOMATIC TO ELEVATE MY BAD SHIFTING AND NOW MY AUTOMATIC DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO SHIFT GEARS C'MON!!!!!!MY DEALER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WHY ARE THEY REGISTERED AS A LINCOLN DEALER IF THEY CANT FIX LINCOLNS. THIS CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHEN OUR DAUGHTER DROVE IT ON WET ROADS. THIS ALSO CAUSED MY WIFE TO LOOSE CONTROL ON A SNOW COVERED HIGHWAY. VERY LUCKY IT STOPPED AND SHE REGAINED CONTROL. I PERSONALLY THOUGHT IT CANT DO SUCH A THING BUT IT ALSO DONE IT TO ME ON DRY PAVEMENT AND CAN REALIZED HOW BAD IT CAN BE ON WET OR SNOW CONDITIONS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10285573

Mileage unknown · Apr 1, 2009
Power Train

MY 2001 LINCOLN LS HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR TO SECOND, SOMETIMES IT EVEN SHAKES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10263836

98,000 miles · Nov 24, 2008
Power Train

2001 LINCOLN LS HAS AN E THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY AND EVERY TIME IT SHIFTS TO THE NEXT GEAR IT ALMOST JERKS I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR AND NOW IT IS MESSING UP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10249638

100,000 miles · Oct 12, 2008
Power Train

I CURRENTLY DRIVE A 2001 LINCOLN LS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A COMPLETE NIGHTMARE AND IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE! THE SHIFTING ON THIS CAR IS COMPLETELY ERRATIC AND IS IN NO WAY SAFE. I KNOW MULTIPLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND LINCOLN IS NO HELP. THEY WILL NOT AND CAN NOT FIX OR SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THEIR ONLY ANSWER …

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I CURRENTLY DRIVE A 2001 LINCOLN LS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A COMPLETE NIGHTMARE AND IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE! THE SHIFTING ON THIS CAR IS COMPLETELY ERRATIC AND IS IN NO WAY SAFE. I KNOW MULTIPLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND LINCOLN IS NO HELP. THEY WILL NOT AND CAN NOT FIX OR SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THEIR ONLY ANSWER IS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND WHEN THAT IS DONE THE PROBLEM COMES BACK! WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 85 MPH MY CAR DECIDES TO CUT OUT ON ME AND DISPLAY AN ERROR MESSAGE. I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT. THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED ME IS THAT THE CAR BEHIND WE WAS ABLE TO SWERVE OUT OF THE WAY. MY CAR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NO LONGER KNOW HOW TO SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY. IT IDLES IN BETWEEN GEAR CHANGES AND AT TIMES TAKES MINUTES TO ACTUALLY SWITCH GEARS AND SPEED UP THE ENGINE. MOST OF THE TIME ALL THAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE RPMS WILL RAISE TO 4500 AND I WILL NOT MOVE AT ALL. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH TONS AND TONS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BOUGHT THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10245182

26,000 miles · Jul 9, 2008
Power TrainSuspension

3 OF 4 WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE FAILED IN A 2001 LINCOLN LS WITH APPROXIMATELY 26,000 ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10233624

Mileage unknown · Jan 2, 2008
Power Train

2001 LINCOLN LS V6. NUMEROUS ELECTRONIC ISSUES (WINDOW, LOCKS, SEATS, ETC.) HAD A USED TRANSMISSION PLACED IN THE VEHICLE AT APPROX. 76,000 MILES IN 2005. NOW, THAT TRANSMISSION IS SHOT AND I AM IN NEED OF A NEW OR REBUILT ONE AGAIN. WHEN DRIVING, THE CAR SEEMED TO NOT BE ABLE TO GET POWER, STUTTERED CLOSE TO SHUTTING DOWN, …

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2001 LINCOLN LS V6. NUMEROUS ELECTRONIC ISSUES (WINDOW, LOCKS, SEATS, ETC.) HAD A USED TRANSMISSION PLACED IN THE VEHICLE AT APPROX. 76,000 MILES IN 2005. NOW, THAT TRANSMISSION IS SHOT AND I AM IN NEED OF A NEW OR REBUILT ONE AGAIN. WHEN DRIVING, THE CAR SEEMED TO NOT BE ABLE TO GET POWER, STUTTERED CLOSE TO SHUTTING DOWN, AND WAS DIFFICULT TO GET IN GEAR OR EVEN TO GET THROUGH THE GEARS. SPEED SEEMED TO TOP OUT AROUND 55MPH WHEN IT BEGAN 'JUMPING'...I HAVE READ NUMEROUS REPORTS ON THE MANY ISSUES THE LINCOLN LS HAS GIVEN SO MANY OWNERS AND AM IN SUPPORT OF SOMETHING BEING DONE TO COMPENSATE US.*CN

NHTSA ODI #10213418

18,000 miles · Apr 10, 2007
Power Train

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS - GEARS ARE HARD TO SHIFT WHILE DRIVING, GEARS TAKE LONG TIME TO SWITCH BETWEEN P, D, R TRANSMISSION HISITATED TO SWITCH GEARS. I LOOKED AND DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND SAW ALOT OF LINCOLN LS OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I THINK THIS IS NOT RIGHT, THAT SOMEONE BUYS A HIGH END CAR AND HAS TO…

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TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS - GEARS ARE HARD TO SHIFT WHILE DRIVING, GEARS TAKE LONG TIME TO SWITCH BETWEEN P, D, R TRANSMISSION HISITATED TO SWITCH GEARS. I LOOKED AND DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND SAW ALOT OF LINCOLN LS OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I THINK THIS IS NOT RIGHT, THAT SOMEONE BUYS A HIGH END CAR AND HAS TO FACE PROBLEMS SUCH AS THESE WITHOUT A RECALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT WOULD COST TOO MUCH. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10187528

53,926 miles · Nov 9, 2006
Power Train

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION....NO PREVIOUS SIGNS OR SIGNALS OF FAULT. TURNED LEFT IN FRONT OF ON COMING TRAFFIC AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. LATER FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD . IT NOW HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10173091

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.