2003 Lincoln LS Problems
- Complaints
- 68filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 59,788miles, 57 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 1campaigns on record
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 20 mpgcombined, 3.0L 6-cyl RWD · 17 city / 24 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 Lincoln LS (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of the 2003 Lincoln LS most often describe transmission trouble, ranging from harsh or delayed shifts to a check transmission light and, in some cases, replacement of the unit. Many complaints also involve electronic throttle and computer-related fail-safe mode, where the car drops into limp-home power, plus sporadic electrical faults such as warning lights and sudden loss of power. Many issues appear at moderate mileage, and some owners describe them as intermittent and hard for dealers to reproduce.
- Transmission and drivetrain
Transmission hard shifting and check transmission light
- 16 complaints (24%)
- median 78,000 mi at 8.8 yrs old (15 state mileage)
- filed 2003–2018
Complaints describe harsh or delayed shifting, a shift that lurches forward, or a transmission that will not engage certain gears, often with a check transmission indicator on. Some owners report the dealer reprogrammed the computer first, and in other cases the transmission was rebuilt or replaced. Several owners say the symptom returned after repair. Reported from very low mileage up to about 170,000 miles, with many complaints between 50,000 and 110,000 miles.
What to check: Drive the car through several up- and down-shifts, including light-throttle acceleration, and watch for a lurch or delayed engagement. Ask whether the transmission was reprogrammed, rebuilt or replaced and whether fluid changes were documented.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I bought a 2003 Lincoln LS and it has been in the shop most of the time I have owned it. 11,000 dollars worth of repairs. Now the transmission shift erratically and the dealer says it can be fixed and has to ha a new one. 3800 dollars more cmon the is now only a 3000 dollar car.”
NHTSA complaint #10415279, filed 2011-07, 78,000 miles“Cel came on, code indicated transmission issue. E appeared in the gear indicator, rather than the gear the transmission was in. Trans would not shift into 2nd and 5th of gears. Had the car towed to transmission shop, who told me the problem was a bad transmission case that had been destroyed as the result of servo impact over time. A bushing could have resolved the problem, had Lincoln installed one at manufacture. Tech told me this was a known problem with the Lincoln 5r55 transmission. …”
NHTSA complaint #10682272, filed 2015-02, 113,000 miles - Electrical system
Fail-safe mode / ETC warning with rough running
- 23 complaints (34%)
- median 75,100 mi at 6.5 yrs old (19 state mileage)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2003–2022
Owners describe the car dropping into a reduced-power fail-safe mode, sometimes with an ETC or engine warning message, rough running, surging or stalling, and normal behavior again after a restart. Complaints mention throttle body replacement, coil replacement and dealer diagnoses of a full-throttle or throttle control fault without a lasting fix. Reported across a wide range, from about 44,000 to 170,000 miles, usually during normal driving at steady speeds.
What to check: Ask if the throttle body or PCM has been replaced or reprogrammed, and check for stored throttle-control and ETC codes with a scan tool rather than relying only on whether the warning light is currently lit.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Car goes into fail safe each and every time it is driven. It did so 19 times today. I connected a code reader which identified the problems as being related to the throttle control and the throttle body. I purchased the car 1 1/2 months ago. Prior owner had the throttle body replaced with a new mopar unit 4 months ago/ 2000.miles ago. Don't want to replace it again since this is likely not the problem.”
NHTSA complaint #11043120, filed 2017-11, 75,100 miles“Hello, I bought a 2003 Lincoln LS and I'm getting a message on the dash that is saying etc fail safety mode and the car is not able to go over 30 MPH, and has very slow pick up and is running very hard. I have found that sometimes if I turn the car off/on the message does not come up the car drives normally. I have tried replacing the throttle body after getting the check engine light came on with to codes p0207 and p02110 and I'm still having the same problem. I have read allot of complaints about this problem with fix.”
NHTSA complaint #10549022, filed 2013-10, 107,000 miles - Air bags
Spontaneous side airbag deployment
- 6 complaints (9%)
- median 61,450 mi at 4.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
- 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2004–2011
Several owners report the side or seat airbag deploying with no impact, usually while cruising at highway speed, accompanied by a loud noise, dust and, in some cases, injuries to the arm or ear. Complaints state the dealer attributed deployment to road debris or declined repair out of warranty. Reported from about 5,000 to 66,500 miles, typically at highway speeds.
What to check: Ask whether any airbag work or deployment has been recorded for the car, and have the airbag system scanned for stored deployment or fault codes before purchase.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“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.”
NHTSA complaint #10246547, filed 2008-10, 66,400 miles“My fiance was driving down the road approximately 35mph when out of nowhere the airbag in the driver seat deployed on its own with no impact to the vehicle. It rang her eardrum and scared her to death, the car of course filled with dust and she pulled over immediately and called me. She was only about a mile away from home so I instructed her to slowly drive it home and park it. I have been reading about a lot of issues with the airbags in these cars. …”
NHTSA complaint #10401198, filed 2011-05, 85,000 miles - Brakes
Brakes: soft or intermittent pedal, ABS and traction lights
- 6 complaints (9%)
- median 77,378 mi at 6.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
- filed 2008–2022
Complaints describe the pedal going low or hard with reduced braking power and a grinding sound, sometimes without any warning light, and other cases where ABS, parking brake and traction control lights come on together. Owners report multiple dealer visits and no consistent diagnosis; one notes fluid around the master cylinder cap. Mostly between about 70,000 and 78,000 miles, occurring during ordinary stops.
What to check: Check brake fluid level and look for moisture around the master cylinder, and ask for the ABS module to be scanned for stored codes C1145/C1155; a road test should include a firm, high-speed stop.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“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. …”
NHTSA complaint #10267898, filed 2009-05, 109,300 miles“Abs light, parking brake and traction control light coming on and then going off; only to reappear again. At times, brakes are not properly working. Engine light will also sometimes appear to blink when this happens. I have called the Lincoln customer service and was told that all warranties ran out at 50,000 miles so this problem will not be covered. Also am having problems with the transmission. The car has 90k miles. …”
NHTSA complaint #10341840, filed 2010-07, 80,000 miles - Suspension
Front-end clunk or slam over bumps
- 5 complaints (7%)
- median 43,964 mi at 8.0 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
- filed 2004–2022
Owners describe a loud slamming or clunking from the front suspension over small bumps and in turns, sometimes with the wheel pulling or the car wandering. Complaints mention worn shock, coil and bracket components, and one report of a broken lower control arm bolt. Reported from about 7,600 miles to roughly 120,000 miles, progressively worsening.
What to check: Drive over speed bumps and patchy pavement during the test drive, listen for front-end noise, and have the front struts, mounts and control-arm bushings inspected on a lift.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“2003 Lincoln LS 3/15/04- experiencing clicking noise on right turns, sun roof leaks under carwash,and vehicle coasts to the right. Dealer states that sun oof not made to withstand such pressure, vehicle coasts because cars are made to coast to the right in case you fall asleep it would avoid head-on collison on left, clicking noise is bracket assembly, shock assemby and front coil. Dealer repaired only clicking noise from 3/15/04 to 4/7/04. I picked up the car and drove ~ 10 miles when the ABS light came on and had to return vehicle. …”
NHTSA complaint #10074772, filed 2004-06, 7,600 miles“We have owned this car for about 3 years and it has been one problem after another and see same problems on line 1) Will start over heating sometimes at idle sometimes while driving (try being in DFW rush hour traffic and deal with that 2) Wife was driving one day and a bolt on right lower control arm broke sending her across 4 lanes of traffic including on coming. …”
NHTSA complaint #11477698, filed 2022-08
Buying note. This model year draws repeated owner reports of transmission and electronic throttle problems, so a thorough test drive and a scan-tool check for stored transmission, throttle and ABS codes are worthwhile. Records of transmission reprogramming or replacement, brake work and front suspension repairs help show whether the car has already had the commonly reported issues addressed.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 68 consumer complaints for the 2003 Lincoln LS. 57 of the complaints include a mileage, and 42% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 59,788 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 36 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Electrical system11 16%
- Brakes8 12%
- Engine cooling8 12%
- Engine7 10%
- Suspension7 10%
- Air bags6 8.8%
- Seats6 8.8%
- Steering6 8.8%
Also reported: Wheels (6), Fuel system (5), Equipment (3), Other or unknown (3), Tires (3), Electronic stability control (1), Body and structure (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).
Example complaints
Transmission and drivetrain: “Took transmission for repair. Transmission shop could not load new Lincoln software on new computer module. It has been two weeks at rowlett transmission shop and now the engine side of the new computer installed will not clear. Says there in an engine issue now. There was no engine issue before I took it to get the transmission fixed.”
NHTSA complaint #10875443, filed 2016-06, 80,000 milesElectrical system: “Myself, and just about all Lincoln LS owners are having problems with the car computer system. Etc - message cause the car to go into a fail-safe mode. Been to the shop several times but the same problem still exist. On the web it appears all Lincoln LS are having the same problem. I own a 2003 Lincoln LS.”
NHTSA complaint #10241171, filed 2008-09, 53,000 milesBrakes: “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. …”
NHTSA complaint #10293486, filed 2009-11, 77,378 milesEngine cooling: “Car has consistently just shut off while driving (roughly 30 times in the last year). Been into the dealer no less than 10 times. Had thousands of dollars of valve covers, coils, plugs gaskets, windshield wiper components replaced. No change. Car will still die whenever it feels like it. Lincoln/ford could care less, and the dealer and field engineers seem tired of seeing my car. Constant movement of brake pedal in rhythm with windshield wipers. Dealer has tried to fix numerous times and the problem is worse now then when they started. Front brake pads rattle. …”
NHTSA complaint #10212443, filed 2007-12, 39,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
42% of the 57 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 23,000 and 85,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2003 Lincoln LS version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LS RWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 18 | 25 | 21 | $3,900 |
| LS RWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 17 | 24 | 20 | $4,100 |
| LS RWD | 3.9L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 16 | 22 | 18 | $4,550 |
| LS RWD | 3.9L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 16 | 23 | 18 | $4,550 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 03V136000Apr 7, 2003WheelsCovers: Lincoln LS 2003
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 17 inch chrome wheels, the chrome wheels were not heat-treated. These wheels may crack at the lug-nut holes, which could result in the loss of the lug-nut torque.
Recall details for the 2003 Lincoln LS → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 36 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 10177863Jul 13, 2020Body and structure. This article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000 and newer Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns…
- 10156863Feb 7, 2019Equipment, Body and structure. Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white…
- 10155551Feb 7, 2019Body and structure. Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white…
- 10048099Aug 1, 2012Electrical system, Engine. Ford/lincoln/mercury: may have sludge buildup in throttle body leading to less airflow or engine idling rpm fluctuation and hard starts or battery disconnect or dead battery after keep alive memory…
- 10026402May 20, 2008Electrical system, Engine cooling. Ford/lincoln mercury: certain 2003-2005 model year lincoln ls and ford thunderbird vehicles equipped with 3.9l engine with extended warranty coverage on ignition coil assemblies and on 2003 my…
- 10025342Mar 10, 2008Engine cooling. Lincoln service campaign: see document search button for owner letter. Certain 2003-2005 lincoln ls vehicles equipped with duratec 3.0l 4v engine. Pcv hose assembly replacement. Csc was received.
- 10022299Jul 25, 2007Other or unknown. Parking aid system is inoperative - dtc c1983.
- 10023293Jul 3, 2007Engine cooling. Certain 2003 model year lincoln ls and ford thunderbird vehicles equipped with 3.9l engine - extended warranty coverage on ignition coil assemblies and engine valve cover gaskets. Also have an…
- 10020702Dec 28, 2006Brakes. Parking aid system inoperative - dtc c1983.
- 10018745Nov 14, 2005Engine cooling. Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running.
Other model years of the Lincoln LS
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 18 | 65,000 | 0 | — | 18 | — | Stable |
| 2005 | 90 | 59,500 | 1 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 91 | 59,925 | 0 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 68 | 59,788 | 1 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 121 | 80,000 | 0 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 240 | 88,006 | 1 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2000 | 354 | 76,000 | 1 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
All Lincoln LS model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Lincoln LS?
Owners of the 2003 Lincoln LS most often describe transmission trouble, ranging from harsh or delayed shifts to a check transmission light and, in some cases, replacement of the unit. The issues reported most often: Transmission hard shifting and check transmission light; Fail-safe mode / ETC warning with rough running; Spontaneous side airbag deployment.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 Lincoln LS have?
NHTSA recorded 68 consumer complaints for the 2003 Lincoln LS as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2003 Lincoln LS is reported most often?
Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 20 complaints (29% of the total), followed by electrical system with 11.
Has the 2003 Lincoln LS been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2003 Lincoln LS get?
The EPA rates the 2003 Lincoln LS (LS, 3.0L 6-cyl) at 20 mpg combined, 17 city and 24 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,100 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2003 Lincoln LS reported?
Among the 57 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 59,788 miles and the middle half falls between 23,000 and 85,000 miles; 42% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.