2003 Lincoln Ls

ON A 2003 LINCOLN LS, THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED TO ENGAGE PROPERLY ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS. EACH TIME, THE PAVEMENT IS DRY AND FREE OF DEBRIS OR GRAVEL. WITH EACH INCIDENT, THERE HAS BEEN A 25%-75% LOSS OF BRAKING POWER WITH A GRATING, OR METAL-ON-METAL, SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END. WE HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THREE DEALERSHIPS AND ONE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO TRY TO RESOLVE THIS, BUT NONE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. WITH EACH INCIDENT, THE CAR HAS NOT ILLUMINATED ANY WARNING LIGHTS, NOR HAVE THE LIGHTS INDICATING ENGAGEMENT OF ABS/TRACTION CONTROL ILLUMINATED. THE OBDII MODULE HAS NO CODES RELATED TO THESE FAILURES. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE HAD NO INJURIES DUE TO THIS, TWICE NOW THE CAR HAS BEEN UNABLE TO STOP AT STOP SIGNS AND GONE COMPLETELY THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CONDITIONS TRIGGER THE BRAKE FAILURE. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET (SEARCHING "LINCOLN LS NOISE BRAKES" OR "LINCOLN LS BRAKE FAILURE") INDICATE A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS, AND IN EACH CASE, IT APPEARS NO MECHANICAL CAUSE HAS BEEN FOUND. *TR

WHILE DRIVING SUDDENLY THE ABS LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND THE PARKING BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE FREEWAY AND PULLED INTO A PARKING AREA AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. AFTER CALMING MY 87 YEAR OLD MOTHER DOWN I RESTARTED THE CAR AND NONE OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON. I PROCEEDED TO START DRIVING MY CAR HOME AND AGAIN ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THEY KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE LINCOLNS AND THAT I SHOULD BRING IT IN WHICH I DID. I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST APPROX. $2,000.00 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE LINCOLN ONLY COVERS AUTOMOBILES THAT ARE LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD OR HAVE LESS THAN 100K MILES. MY CAR HAS 109K BUT I FEEL THAT LINCOLN SHOULD COVER THIS SINCE THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT LONG BEFORE MY CAR HAD 100K MILES AND THIS IS A VERY BIG SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE TAKEN EXCELLENT CARE OF MY CAR GETTING EVERY OIL CHANGE ON TIME AND EACH OF THE SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED. LINCOLN HAS SAID THEY CAN'T HELP ME AND THE DEALER SAYS HIS HANDS ARE TIED, WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE? ALSO I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN MY CAR. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG IN THE SEAT DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON AT ALL. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I COULD HAVE WRECKED THE VEHICLE AND I HAD THREE PASSENGERS IN THE CAR WITH ME. FORD REFUSES TO FIX THE AIRBAG BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY CONTINUE TO BLOW ME OFF. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO WOBBLE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE CONTACT THOUGHT SHE HAD A FLAT TIRE, BUT DISCOVERED THAT THE LUG NUTS AND STUDS HOLDING THE WHEEL HAD FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V136000 (WHEELS). THE CONTACT HAS REPLACED ONE REAR WHEEL, BUT THE SAME ONE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000. UPDATED 09/29/08.*LJ UPDATED 09/29/08. *JB

CLIPS HOLDING THE SEAT BACK IN PLACE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT FAILED, RESULTING IN THE ENTIRE SEAT BACK COMING LOOSE AND FALLING BACKWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS UNOCCUPIED DURING THE FAILURE, HOWEVER IF THE VEHICLE WAS OCCUPIED, THE LARGE PLASTIC SEAT BACK COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY, ESPECIALLY IF THIS FAILURE OCCURRED DURING AN ACCIDENT OR IF A YOUNG CHILD WAS RIDING IN THE REAR SEAT. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, NO PASSENGERS HAD BEEN RIDING IN THE REAR SEAT FOR OVER 6 MONTHS, SO IT IS UNLIKELY THAT SOMEONE MANIPULATING THE SEAT BACK WAS THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT. ADDITIONALLY, APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR PRIOR TO THIS, THE SEAT BACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT FAILED IN THE SAME MANNER, UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS REPLACEMENT OF THE SEAT BACK, AS THE BROKEN RETAINING CLIPS ARE INTEGRAL TO THE PLASTIC MOLDING. A DEALER SEARCH OF EXISTING TSBS AND OF FORD'S OASIS SYSTEM YIELDED NO SIMILAR REPORTS, HOWEVER A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET RESULTS IN MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS OF SEATS ON THE 2003 LINCOLN LS FAILING IN A SIMILAR WAY. THERE SEEMS TO BE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO REQUEST THAT FORD REVIEW SERVICE RECORDS TO DETERMINE IF THIS PART IS FAILING AT AN ABNORMALLY HIGH RATE. *NM *TR

CLIPS HOLDING THE SEAT BACK IN PLACE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT FAILED, RESULTING IN THE ENTIRE SEAT BACK COMING LOOSE AND FALLING INTO THE REAR SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS UNOCCUPIED DURING THE FAILURE, HOWEVER IF THE VEHICLE WAS OCCUPIED, THE LARGE PLASTIC SEAT BACK COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY, ESPECIALLY IF THIS FAILURE OCCURRED DURING AN ACCIDENT OR IF A YOUNG CHILD WAS RIDING IN THE REAR SEAT. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, NO PASSENGERS HAD BEEN RIDING IN THE REAR SEAT FOR OVER 6 MONTHS, SO IT IS UNLIKELY THAT SOMEONE MANIPULATING THE SEAT BACK WAS THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT. ADDITIONALLY, APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR PRIOR TO THIS, THE SEAT BACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT FAILED IN THE SAME MANNER, UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS REPLACEMENT OF THE SEAT BACK, AS THE BROKEN RETAINING CLIPS ARE INTEGRAL TO THE PLASTIC MOLDING. A DEALER SEARCH OF EXISTING TSBS AND OF FORD'S OASIS SYSTEM YIELDED NO SIMILAR REPORTS, HOWEVER A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET RESULTS IN MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS OF SEATS ON THE 2003 LINCOLN LS FAILING IN A SIMILAR WAY. THERE SEEMS TO BE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO REQUEST THAT FORD REVIEW SERVICE RECORDS TO DETERMINE IF THIS PART IS FAILING AT AN ABNORMALLY HIGH RATE. *NM I COPIED THIS COMPLAINT FROM MYCARSTATS.COM BUT THIS SAFETY HAZARD HAS HAPPENED TO BOTH OF MY FRONT SEATS. *TR

REPEATED FAILURE OF LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING AND LEFT DIFFERENTIAL SEAL. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED WHEEL BEARING AND SEAL 2X, SECOND TIME REPLACED LEFT AXLE SHAFT ALSO. FIRST INDICATION OF PROBLEM IS ODOR OF GEAR OIL LEAKING FROM DIFFERENTIAL, PARTICULARLY AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING. NOTICED IT AGAIN TODAY, (3/15/08) WILL BE RETURNING TO DEALER ASAP. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN LS. ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-65 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND POWER STEERING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FINE EVEN THOUGH THE STABILITY ENHANCING SYSTEM LIGHT CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 110,000.