2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWNCAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WOULD COME TO A STOP AFTER HEAVY PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 10 MPH WHEN THE REAR AXLE BROKE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT CAUSING A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS HOME AND THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS BROKEN. THE CONTACT FOUND NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V328000 (SUSPENSION: REAR); HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR FLEET VEHICLES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

MANUFACTURING / DESIGN DEFECT IN VEHICLE INSIDE DOOR PANEL CAUSING PANEL TO FAIL AND INSIDE DOOR LATCH HANDLE TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THIS RESULTS IN DRIVER BEING UNABLE TO OPEN DOOR FROM INSIDE VEHICLE. DRIVER IS TRAPPED AND IN DANGER IN AN EMERGENCY. COMPANY NO LONGER PRODUCES REPLACEMENT PARTS OR REPAIR PARTS. THIS DESIGN CONTINUES IN CURRENT MODELS AND WILL MULTIPLY EXPOSURE AS VEHICLES AGE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WOULD FEEL VIBRATIONS COMING FROM THE REAR END WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE HIMSELF AND NOTICED THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE VERY LOOSE. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V328000 (SUSPENSION:REAR). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,692.

I WAS DRIVING FROM FLORIDA TO SOUTH DAKOTA AND STARTED UP THE FIRST FOOTHILL OF THE OZARK MOUNTAINS ABOUT 35 MILES WEST OF JONESBORO, ARKANSAS ON US 63. THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD JUST STARTED TO INCREASE THE ENGINE RPMS WHEN I HEARD A BANG FOLLOWED BY WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A BELT OR SOMETHING THUMPING ON THE INSIDE OF THE HOOD. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS THE 2ND ENTRANCE TO A REST STOP ON US 63 IMMEDIATELY TO MY LEFT AND I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT. US 63 IS A 2 LANE HIGHWAY WITH AN OCCASIONAL PASSING LANE ON SOME HILLS. IT WAS ALSO FORTUNATE IT HAPPENED AT THAT POINT OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS POSITION WITH LITTLE ROOM TO GET SAFELY OFF THE HIGHWAY WITH THE NARROW SHOULDERS AND ROCK CUTS RIGHT UP TO THE ROAD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE IN THE PARKING LOT. IT WAS THEN I FOUND SOMETHING EXPLODING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. I COULD SMELL A LOT OF GAS AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF IMMEDIATELY. I CALLED AAA AND WAS CARRIED BACK TO JONESBORO ON A FLATBED ABOUT 3 HOURS LATER. I WENT TO CAVENAUGH FORD THE NEXT MORNING AND THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A SPARK PLUG BLOWN OUT OF THE #3 CYLINDER. THE REPAIR WITH A FULL SET OF NEW PLUGS INSTALLED IN ADDITION TO THE BAD CYLINDER COST $629 PLUS AN ADDITIONAL $190 FOR TOWING. ONE ADDITIONAL PLUG ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE ENGINE WAS ALSO LOOSE AND A POTENTIAL BLOWOUT. THESE PLUGS WERE FACTORY ORIGINAL AND HAVE NOT BEEN CHANGED SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THE PLUGS WERE NOT PROPERLY TORQUED IN AT THE FACTORY WHICH RESULTS IN LOOSENING OF THE THREADS IN THE HEAD OVER TIME FROM THE PERCUSSION IN EACH CYLINDER. THIS APPEARS TO HAPPEN QUITE OFTEN ON THE 4.6 AND 5.4 LITER ENGINES. I WAS LUCKY SINCE MANY FIRES HAVE ALSO OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THESE PLUGS BLOWING OUT OF THE ENGINE. *TR

RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2003 LINCOLN TOWNCAR WITH 35,000 MILES THAT EXHIBITED REAR AXLE NOISE. FORD REPLACED THE AXLES AND BEARINGS SITTING NO RECALL EXISTED. *TR

HAD A PREMATURE AXLE FAILURE ON MY 2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR, ONLY 110K MILES. SAME YEAR, MODEL, BODY CODE, ASSEMBLY PLANT & PROBLEM AS ADDRESSED IN THE RECALL FOR THIS CAR, BUT WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT IT WAS NOT THERE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WAS BUILT A FEW MONTHS OUTSIDE OF THE DATE RANGE GIVEN IN THE RECALL. A LITTLE INTERNET RESEARCH WILL SHOW YOU THAT THERE ARE MANY OF US OUT HERE THAT HAVE RECEIVED NO REMEDY FROM FORD TO CORRECT THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM. ALSO WHILE DOING RESEARCH ON THIS CAR I DISCOVERED THAT MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE THAT BROKE A FEW MONTHS AGO CREATING ANOTHER POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION HAS ALSO BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED AND IGNORED BY FORD & THE NHTSA. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, SOMEONE TO BE TRAPPED & DIE BECAUSE OF A BROKEN PIECE OF PLASTIC. *TR

LOWER STEERING SHAFT IS BINDING AT 25,000 MILES I FIND THIS TO BE A DEFECT FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR. THIS DEFECT MAKES STEERING VERY HARD, LIKE HAVING LIMITED POWER STEERING, AND IT GRABS AND BINDS AS YOU TURN THE WHEEL. I REPLACED THE PART AT MY OWN EXPENSE, PART #5W1Z-3B676-AA AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF. IT COST 168.00 USD, WITH A DISCOUNT. THIS IS THE SECOND TOWN CAR I HAVE HAD TO DO THIS REPAIR TO. *LN

2003 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING MOLD SPORES IN LINCOLN VEHICLES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE UNLOADING THE VEHICLE, THE RIGHT REAR FLOOR BOARD HAD STANDING DIRTY WATER. THEN CONSUMER THEN NOTICED THE CARPET WAS WET. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS THE AC UNIT. THE DEALER CLEANED THE AC DRAIN AND SAID A GALLON OF WATER CAME OUT OF THE FLOOR PAN. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY FOUND THE FRONT FLOOR PAD WAS SOAKED AND WATER WAS RUNNING FROM THE AC UNDER THE PAD AND POOLING IN THE RIGHT REAR FLOOR. THE DEALER STATED THEY WOULD HAVE TO PULL THE DASH IN ORDER TO GET TO THE AC UNIT AND IT WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY 10 HOURS AT A COST OF $99 PER HOUR. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN TOWNCAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BEARINGS ON THE REAR AXLE HAD FAILED AS IT LEAKED OIL FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WILL BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 117,000. UPDATED 03/31/11*LJ UPDATED 05/04/11