2001 Lincoln LS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
240 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
88,503 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 166 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint is the most frequently named component, appearing in 67 of 240 complaints (27.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 28 | 11.7% |
| Steering behavior | 27 | 11.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 13 | 5.4% |
| Engine operation | 9 | 3.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 1.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 0.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint | 67 |
| Suspension | 23 |
| Air Bags | 22 |
| Suspension:Front | 21 |
| Steering | 10 |
| Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls | 10 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 9 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 8 |
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint: 67; Suspension: 23; Air Bags: 22; Suspension:Front: 21; Steering: 10; Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 10; Engine And Engine Cooling: 9; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 12 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 12 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 33 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 52 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 50 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 12; 25,000 to 49,999: 12; 50,000 to 74,999: 33; 75,000 to 99,999: 52; 100,000 to 149,999: 50; 150,000 and above: 7
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (52). 74 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 17 |
| 2002 | 20 |
| 2003 | 17 |
| 2004 | 15 |
| 2005 | 20 |
| 2006 | 22 |
| 2007 | 21 |
| 2008 | 26 |
| 2009 | 20 |
| 2010 | 15 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
2000: 1; 2001: 17; 2002: 20; 2003: 17; 2004: 15; 2005: 20; 2006: 22; 2007: 21; 2008: 26; 2009: 20; 2010: 15; 2011: 7; 2012: 5; 2013: 8; 2014: 6; 2015: 8; 2016: 8; 2018: 1; 2021: 1; 2023: 2
Pattern summary
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 28 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 27 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 13 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10028479 · 2003-07-17 (July 17, 2003)
WHEN APPROACHING A STOP THE BRAKES DO NOT HOLD. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND NO COMMON DENOMINATORS CAN BE FOUND. THE CAR WILL SLOW DOWN WHEN BRAKING, BUT ON OCCASION THE CAR WILL CONTINUE MOVING EVEN WHEN BRAKES ARE FULLY APPLIED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RUN STOP SIGNS, INTERSECTIONS, AND REAR ENDING OTHER VEHICLES. ALSO WHEN BRAKING IT TAKES A LONG DISTANCE TO DO SO.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 17,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028479 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10031893 · 2003-10-21 (October 21, 2003)
WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. BOTH FEET WERE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN. *AK THE TIRES WERE SPINNING WHILE THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED. MECHANIC CHECKED FOR PEDAL BINDING AND RAN ALL SELF TEST. THERE WERE NO TROUBLE CODES STORED IN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS ROAD TESTED IN WARM AND COLD CONDITIONS. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT EVERYTHING WAS WORKING ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS. THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP HAD WATER INSIDE IT. THE DE…
Owner-reported narrative. 27,208 miles reported. Look up ODI 10031893 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10015262 · 2003-04-07 (April 7, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE'S STEERING COLUMN BROKE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015262 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10098178 · 2004-11-02 (November 2, 2004)
1) NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V359001, I PURCHASED A 2001 LINCOLN LS IN JUNE OF THIS YR 2004. A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE WHERE THE MILEAGE WAS OVER WARANTY, I SUFFERED STEERING ISSUES THAT WAS UNSAFE FOR DRIVING THE VEHICLE PULLING ERRATICALLY ECT. I TOOK THE CAR TO HOLMAN LINCOLN MERCURY OF POMPANO FL, WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED MY PROBLEM BEING THE SUSPENSION FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I PAYED FOR THE REPAIR NOT KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PART IN THE PAST. NOW JUST 3 DAYS AGO I NOTICED…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10098178 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10023076 · 2003-06-14 (June 14, 2003)
WHINE IN ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION DURING IDLE WHEN THE ENGINE RPM IS INCREASED OR DECREASED. NOISE IS MORE NOTICEABLE AT CITY SPEEDS (1000 TO 1400 RPM).PITCH CHANGES WITH ENGINE RPM. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10023076 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10088242 · 2004-08-20 (August 20, 2004)
WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC OR WAITING AT A STOP SIGN, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY PICKS UP ACCELERATION TO 4-5 THOUSAND RPM - THIS OVERPOWERS THE BREAK POWER AND THE VEHICLE FORCES ITSELF AHEAD OR INTO TRAFFIC - ONLY FLIPPING THE GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AVERTED A DISASTER.. THE ACCELERATION CYCLE LASTED 15-20 SECONDS.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10088242 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10134587 · 2005-08-29 (August 29, 2005)
STALLING AT IDLE, ENGINE CODES 171,174 BOTH BANKS LEAN FUEL MIXTURE. REPAIRED AT DEALER $450 FOR PVC HOSE FAILURE. OTHERS HAVE THE SAME FAILURE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134587 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10237223 · 2008-08-06 (August 6, 2008)
2001 LINCOLN LS WITH V8. VEHICLE HAD 70,000 MILES WHEN PURCHASED ONE YEAR AGO, NOW HAS 102,000. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ENGINE MISFIRES (WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STALL OR SPUTTER DURING ACCELERATION,) WHICH RESULTED IN ME HAVING TO REPLACE THE COIL ON PLUG ASSEMBLIES AND SPARK PLUGS. THE REASON THESE COIL PACKS GO BAD IS BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE VALVE COVER GASKET, WHICH LEADS TO OIL GETTING IN THE SPARK PLUG WELLS. FORD HAS RECOGNIZED THE VALVE COVER GASKETS FROM THE FACTORY ARE FAULTY, BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT GASKETS THEY MANUFACTURE ARE MAD…
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10237223 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10186169 · 2007-03-26 (March 26, 2007)
THE ELECTRICAL COILS IN THE 2001 LINCOLN LS ARE A MAJOR EXPENSE IMPOSED UPON THE OWNER. THESE COILD ARE OVER 280.00 TO REPLACE AND USUALLY AFTER REPLACING ONE ANOTHER SOON GOES OUT OR GOES OUT ON THE SAME DAY AS THE REPLACED COIL. ALLL OF THE MECHANICS AT LINCOLN ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SAID ITS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I HAVE REPLACED 4 OF THE 8 AS TODAY AND WILL BE REPLACING ANOTHER ONE THIS WEEK. I THINK CONSUMERS MUST BE MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I AM IN THE MARKET FOR PURCHASING A NEW CAR AND I MUS SAY, "BUYER BEWARE OF LINCOL…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,758 miles reported. Look up ODI 10186169 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10545536 · 2013-09-26 (September 26, 2013)
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 HOO…
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10545536 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10116990 · 2005-06-07 (June 7, 2005)
INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. OWNER WENT TO START THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION UNDER THE HOOD, AND A PUFF OF SMOKE THAT SMELLED LIKE FIRE WORKS CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO DISCOVERED A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND 4 FUEL INJECTOR WAS NOT WORKING. *AK *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116990 at NHTSA ↗