Lincoln Ls Reliability
1,366 NHTSA complaints (2000–2006). Complaint rate: 3959.4 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2000–2001 Lincoln Ls (58 crash-related complaints). The 2006 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Lincoln Ls Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT | 143 | 6.3% |
| AIR BAGS | 80 | 16.2% |
| SUSPENSION | 71 | 4.2% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 65 | 3.1% |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 64 | 4.7% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 62 | 3.2% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 60 | 16.7% |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 54 | 3.7% |
| POWER TRAIN | 51 | 2.0% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 45 | 2.2% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000AVOID | — | 458 | 27 | 2 | View 2000View→ |
| 2001AVOID | — | 319 | 31 | 3 | View 2001View→ |
| 2002 | — | 179 | 31 | — | View 2002View→ |
| 2003 | — | 113 | 3 | — | View 2003View→ |
| 2004 | — | 140 | 11 | 1 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005 | — | 132 | 6 | — | View 2005View→ |
| 2006GOOD | — | 25 | 2 | — | View 2006View→ |
See also: Lincoln Lsaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Lincoln Ls?
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