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Lincoln LSModel year report

2005 Lincoln LS Problems

Complaints
90filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
59,500miles, 80 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 2005 Lincoln LS (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2005 Lincoln LS most often describe electronic throttle problems, transmission shift complaints and premature ignition coil failures, with a recurring theme of a fault that the dealer cannot reproduce. Many complaints are filed between roughly 40,000 and 80,000 miles, and several describe symptoms appearing repeatedly in wet weather or after heavy rain before clearing when the car is restarted.

  1. Vehicle speed control

    ETC failsafe / sudden loss of throttle power

    • 36 complaints (40%)
    • median 62,000 mi at 5.8 yrs old (33 state mileage)
    • filed 2005–2017

    Owners describe the car dropping into 'ETC engine failsafe mode', sometimes with a wrench light, cutting accelerator response and leaving the vehicle at idle or limited speed while in traffic. Many say restarting clears it temporarily and that the fault returns, and several were told the throttle body or accelerator pedal sensor was at fault, with the part reportedly on backorder. Some complaints mention the condition occurring more often after heavy rain. Reported from roughly 19,000 to 112,000 miles, with many in the 40,000-80,000 range and several after heavy rain.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the throttle body or accelerator pedal sensor has been replaced, and have a scan tool check for stored throttle codes. Drive the car in steady traffic and after rain to see whether the failsafe message appears.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “2005 v8 Lincoln LS with 78 k miles started giving me an error message ecl engine fail safe mode came on in my car and the engine went to idle when I was able to get out of traffic I put it in n and restarted engine it ran ok but did it 3 times before getting home took it to local parts stores to be diagnosed it said throttle body failure.”

    NHTSA complaint #10348069, filed 2010-08, 78,000 miles

    “The car will suddenly surge or die out while driving. Can occur at any time while driving, did it to me multiple times, whether in idle or on the highway going 50+MPH. I am trying to get the part replaced from the dealer. The part is on backorder, seemingly there is a large number of these going bad and not enough new ones to go around. The part the dealer is telling me went bad is the throttle body.”

    NHTSA complaint #10319954, filed 2010-03, 65,000 miles
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Harsh or delayed transmission shifts

    • 12 complaints (13%)
    • median 46,418 mi at 5.8 yrs old (12 state mileage)
    • filed 2009–2013

    Complaints describe abrupt or violent gear changes, hesitation when pulling away from a stop, and jerking between gears, with some owners reporting the car would not move properly in fourth and fifth. Several say the problem was reported while the car was under warranty and later diagnosed as needing a new or replacement transmission. A related group describes the car rolling when shifted into park on an incline. Mostly reported between about 39,000 and 80,000 miles, though some appear earlier.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test drive from a stop and through light-throttle upshifts, and ask whether the transmission has been serviced or replaced. A service bulletin describes a procedure for delayed or harsh reverse engagement on cars built before late September 2004.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Problems with car stalling after stop (I.e. Not responding easily to gas pedal) and jerking into gear since purchase. Problem reported to dealer one year post-purchase with no resolution. Car continued to get worse - going from periodic to constant problems with stalling and jerking into gear (from a stop and also from reverse into drive.) at 39,000 miles now we are told a new transmission is needed. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10276892, filed 2009-07, 39,000 miles

    “My Lincoln LS 2005 was doing fine than 53000 miles hits that's nothing on vehicles and. My transmission is jumping gears four and five are horrible I cant exceed 55mph ..id understand on a vehicle that has 160000 miles but I mean 53000 give me a financial break. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10328424, filed 2010-05, 58,000 miles
  3. Air bags

    Side or curtain airbag deploying without impact

    • 9 complaints (10%)
    • median 56,750 mi at 5.2 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
    • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2005–2023

    Owners report the driver's side or side-curtain airbag firing while driving on ordinary roads with no collision, sometimes causing bruising or ear and neck injuries. In one case a dealer attributed the deployment to a foreign object striking the side airbag sensor; in others owners say the manufacturer declined to cover the repair. Another complaint describes airbags not deploying in an actual rollover crash. Reported from about 5,900 to 130,000 miles, with several between 40,000 and 75,000 miles.

    What to check: Ask whether any airbag has deployed or been replaced and whether the airbag warning light behaves normally on start-up. Have a pre-purchase inspection include the airbag system and check for flood or underbody damage near the side sensors.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The passenger side impact airbag deployed without an accident while I was driving. Ford has refused to fix the vehicle claiming that I must have had an accident because of the diagnostic computer code . Only the one bag deployed, damaging the seat and the passenger side seat belt retractor molding. No one was sitting in the passenger seat at the time.”

    NHTSA complaint #10127819, filed 2005-07, 5,900 miles

    “I was driving on a county road in colorado to pickup some food. I was not going very fast because I did not know where I would have to turn. The side impact air bag deployed. I did not hit anything and nothing hit me. I have done everything that the car company has asked and now they will not take responsibility. The car has not been fixed yet.”

    NHTSA complaint #10354917, filed 2010-09, 71,575 miles
  4. Engine

    Ignition coil failures and misfire

    • 17 complaints (19%)
    • median 61,000 mi at 5.6 yrs old (14 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2007–2023

    Owners describe repeated coil-on-plug ignition coil failures, misfires and rough running, sometimes with several coils replaced within a short period. Some say a dealer told them their vehicle identification number was not covered by related coverage even though the symptoms matched, and one owner notes misfire codes alongside the coil replacements. Reported from roughly 30,000 to 130,000 miles, with several around 50,000-100,000 miles.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for service records showing which coils and plugs have been replaced, and listen for a rough idle or hesitation on a test drive. A service bulletin describes extended warranty coverage on ignition coils for some 2003-2005 cars with the 3.9L engine, so ask whether that work was done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I own a 2005 Lincoln LS, and I have had to replace three coils and plugs just recently, I have an understanding that some of these cars were recalled because of manufacturers defect if they were manufactured at certain plants. I called a dealer and they said my VIN number was not one of them, yet I have had the exact problem that they described. My question is why wouldn't they all be all be covered under the recall if I have had to replace three already. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10382216, filed 2011-02, 54,000 miles

    “Multiple problems-probably some how related : in speed up lane to interstate - at 55mph car bucks/hesitates while trying to gain speed onto the interstate at 45/55 MPH constant speed car looses power and begins to buck/hesitate causing you to loose speed check engine light sometimes with above criteria - p0305, p0306, p0300.”

    NHTSA complaint #10450152, filed 2012-03, 30,000 miles

Buying note. A 2005 Lincoln LS with service records is worth a careful inspection: check throttle and transmission behaviour on a varied test drive, ask which coils and sensors have been replaced, and confirm open recalls such as the fuel tank notice were completed. Given the age, a pre-purchase inspection that includes the airbag and fuel systems is reasonable.

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 90 consumer complaints for the 2005 Lincoln LS. 80 of the complaints include a mileage, and 38% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 59,500 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 6 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 29 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.

Also reported: Electronic stability control (3), Other or unknown (3), Steering (3), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (3), Suspension (2), Equipment (1), Body and structure (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “The car turns on and runs but loses power randomly. It either sputters dead or stalls and backfires. When I turn it off and turn it back on it repeats the cycle. I have replaced fuel pumps, throttle body and maf sensors. And still no luck I see on the Lincoln forums that this is a problem not yet recognized by the nhsta or Lincoln.”

NHTSA complaint #10948483, filed 2017-01, 103,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “It was driving fine one day until I went to start it. It said etc engine fail safe mode, check parking brake and something about the gears. It starts sometimes, I've had it shut down while doing 50 MPH and lose steering and bad braking. This is a potential hazard for my newborn in the car. Now it wont start and no one knows what the problem is. How can they sell a car that they cant find out the problem on themselves and sell it?”

NHTSA complaint #10553224, filed 2013-11, 67,000 miles

Fuel system: “While traveling on a divided highway at approximately 35 MPH my car abruptly slowed to about 20 MPH causing vehicles behind me to brake and/or swerve around me. A wrench warning light came on and I found after getting to a safe spot and stopping, that the owner's manual stated that the car was in the limp mode where it would not go any faster and needed to be taken to my nearest ford dealership. After stopping the car I shut if off and upon restarting, the warning wrench light was off and the car acted normally. …”

NHTSA complaint #10499975, filed 2013-02, 40,950 miles

Engine cooling: “On at least 5 different occasions at highway speeds and trying to pass, car has lost all power and the wrench indicator has appeared on the dash, at that time car looses all power and the only choice is to pull over and shut car down , which does not always work while you are in traffic on a three lane highway with out you getting killed or injured by other drivers. I have contacted our local ford garage..... I explained to jack in service and he explained to me that he has seen more and more of these problems and the cure was to replace the throttle body.... …”

NHTSA complaint #10457455, filed 2012-05, 112,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

38% of the 80 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 39,000 and 79,000 miles.

8%0–109%10–2521%25–5034%50–7511%75–10014%100–1504%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (80 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 59,500 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.

’06’08’1020’12’14’17’20’23
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2005 Lincoln LS. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
LS · sedan not rated5 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2005 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).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
LS RWD3.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic172420$4,100
LS RWD3.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic172420$4,100
LS RWD3.9L 8-cyl5-speed automatic162218$4,550
LS RWD3.9L 8-cyl5-speed automatic162218$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

Recall details for the 2005 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. 29 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 29 bulletins →

Other model years of the Lincoln LS

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20061865,0000—18—Stable
20059059,5001—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20049159,9250—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20036859,7881—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200212180,0000—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200124088,0061—18Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200035476,0001—18Not 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 2005 Lincoln LS?

Owners of the 2005 Lincoln LS most often describe electronic throttle problems, transmission shift complaints and premature ignition coil failures, with a recurring theme of a fault that the dealer cannot reproduce. The issues reported most often: ETC failsafe / sudden loss of throttle power; Harsh or delayed transmission shifts; Side or curtain airbag deploying without impact.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2005 Lincoln LS have?

NHTSA recorded 90 consumer complaints for the 2005 Lincoln LS as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2005 Lincoln LS is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 21 complaints (23% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 17.

Has the 2005 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 2005 Lincoln LS get?

The EPA rates the 2005 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 2005 Lincoln LS reported?

Among the 80 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 59,500 miles and the middle half falls between 39,000 and 79,000 miles; 38% 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. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. 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.