2001 Lincoln Town CAR Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 54about this part
- Share
- 34%of 161 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 89,000miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 54 complaints about the air bags of the 2001 Lincoln Town CAR, 34% of the 161 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 89,000 miles. 9 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 2 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“My son and I were driving a 2001 Lincoln Town Car on flat smooth wet road when the passenger side airbag deployed for no apparent reason. My son received slight abrasions to his right cheek and right arm.”
NHTSA complaint #10362599, filed 2010-10, 121,000 miles“I was driving 1-16 west, going speed limit (70) with cruise control when I heard a loud explosion in my left ear (I thought I had been shot), I was so stunned for a moment I didn't realize what had happened, but I turned my head slightly to the left and realized the air bag in my back rest had blown up. Smoke was pouring out of it and I thought my car was on fire. The air bag slammed into the left side of my face, neck & shoulder. I was traumatized the rest of the day.”
NHTSA complaint #10250696, filed 2008-12, 127,000 miles“While I was driving our 2001 Lincoln Town Car south on i95 north of baltimore, the left front tire passed over a piece of debris which triggered only the driver's side air bag. Fortunately, I didn't loose control. However, I appear to have sustained some moderate ,permanent hearing loss in my left ear between 250-1800 hertz. I have been under a doctor's care since the event and have taken 5 hearing tests without any signs of healing of the inner ear. …”
NHTSA complaint #10092991, filed 2004-09, 22,000 miles“Comments: our 2001 Lincoln Town Car's drivers side curtain air bag deployed unintended on august 18th, at 7:00 pm while we were driving on a highway. There was no accident, no primary or secondary impact, no debris on the road, no potholes, no logs, rocks, trees, cows, or other debris frequently attributed to an unintended deployment. The ford dealership service manager states that there is an impact mark under the body directly under the air-bag sensor but we were driving on a paved roadway and nothing on the road, and nothing around to run over . …”
NHTSA complaint #10166815, filed 2006-08, 76,000 miles“While driving on a gravel road at approximately 10 MPH, airbag from the side of front passenger seat deployed. There was no warning. We heard a loud explosion, followed by smoke and a foul odor. My daughter, who was sitting in the seat was screaming in pain. I immediately stopped the car and exited the vehicle to attend to her injuries. At first we thought she had been shot. She had burns, cuts, and bruising on her back and right side. We both had trouble breathing. We found a police officer and he told us to seek medical attention. Which we did. …”
NHTSA complaint #10134958, filed 2005-08, 73,050 milesRelated recalls
- 00V412000Dec 6, 2000Vehicle description: minivans and passenger vehicles. A restraint control module (rcm) or a side or front crash sensor may have been assembled with one or…Covers: Lincoln Town CAR 2001, Mercury Grand Marquis 2001, Ford Windstar 2001 +1 more
- 00V270000Sep 13, 2000Certain passenger vehicles, limousines, and mini vans were built with a newly designed restraint control module (rcm). In some cases, the rcm does not…Covers: Lincoln Town CAR 2001, Mercury Grand Marquis 2001, Ford Windstar 2001 +1 more
Air bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 2 | 33% |
| 2010 | 1 | 8% |
| 2009 | 1 | 20% |
| 2008 | 1 | 5% |
| 2007 | 12 | 14% |
| 2006 | 58 | 41% |
| 2005 | 22 | 18% |
| 2004 | 2 | 2% |
| 2003 | 10 | 5% |
| 2002 | 20 | 31% |
| 2001 | 54 | 34% |
| 2000 | 17 | 16% |
| 1999 | 29 | 20% |
| 1998 | 1 | 1% |
| 1997 | 9 | 3% |
| 1996 | 9 | 3% |
| 1995 | 12 | 7% |
| 1994 | 11 | 7% |
| 1993 | 11 | 6% |
| 1992 | 10 | 4% |
| 1991 | 14 | 9% |
| 1990 | 9 | 4% |
Other parts of the 2001 Lincoln Town CAR
26 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
16 complaintsBrakes
13 complaintsEngine cooling
10 complaintsSteering
10 complaintsSuspension
10 complaintsElectrical system
9 complaintsSeats
7 complaintsOther or unknown
6 complaintsBody and structure
6 complaintsEngine
5 complaintsTires
5 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2001 Lincoln Town CAR
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology