2005 Lincoln Town CAR Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe unintended acceleration, usually when the brake pedal is pressed and the engine revs or the car lurches forward, and many note that dealers could not reproduce or diagnose it. Air bag warning lights tied to front seat belt pretensioners are the next most common theme, while brake stopping complaints and steering stiffness round out the reports. Many of these complaints were filed years after purchase, so the sample reflects mileage spread from near-new to well over 100,000 miles.

1. 1
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended acceleration / engine revving when braking

   • 42 complaints (35%)
   • median 66,000 mi at 7.3 yrs old (38 state mileage)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2022

   Complaints describe the car accelerating or the engine revving when the driver is braking, coasting, or shifting into drive, sometimes at a stop and sometimes at low speed. Owners say holding the brake hard, shifting to neutral, or shutting off the engine was needed to regain control. Several report that dealers could not duplicate the problem or found no stored codes, and a few mention the adjustable pedal assembly or suspected throttle components. Some owners also report the accelerator sticking with cruise control off. Reported across the mileage range, including near-new cars under 2,000 miles, with many between about 25,000 and 100,000 miles and a few over 125,000.

   What to check: Ask whether the throttle body and pedal assembly have been inspected and whether any dealer diagnostic was done; on a test drive, check that the pedal returns freely and that the car coasts without surging when your foot is off the accelerator.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was parking at applebees when the car bolted and slammed in the wall. I tried to put it in park but went in reverse also at hgh speed. Finally I was able to brake and go to park. I'm concerned. I did not have my foot on the acceleator. I would like someone to check my car out.”

   NHTSA complaint #10949857, filed 2017-02, 230,000 miles

   “Our concrete drive is at a small incline-I went to put car in our garage -I had overhead garage door open-I started car and the wheels squealed leaving tire marks on concrete as it jumped forward-when I hit brake pedal it accelerated more. This was one of about 7 cases where car for no reason accelerated and jumped forward without any warning-when this happens the tires always squeal leaving tire marks on surface. In oct. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10501335, filed 2013-03, 1,500 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   Brake pedal low or brakes slow to stop

   • 23 complaints (19%)
   • median 56,250 mi at 6.6 yrs old (22 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2020

   Complaints describe the brake pedal going soft or toward the floor and the car taking longer than expected to stop, in some cases contributing to a collision. Owners frequently report that the engine revved at the same moment, and that dealers could not duplicate the failure. In some reports the brakes worked normally afterward, which owners say made the problem hard to demonstrate. Spread widely, from cars with only a few thousand miles up to roughly 130,000, with many reports between about 10,000 and 70,000 miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for brake service records and check pedal feel and fluid level on a test drive; a service bulletin covers ABS wheel speed sensor diagnostic codes if an ABS light is present.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I took delivery of my new Town Car and on the short drive home, I rear ended a car stopped at a traffic light. I saw the light was red and began by stop normally and then realized that the car was not stopping. I pressed harder on the brakes and the engine revved faster, the anti-lock brakes would grab and release and then I struck the stopped car. The impact did not set off the air bags but did considerable damage to the bumpers of both cars. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10154688, filed 2006-04, 97 miles

   “I just purchased a used 2005 Lincoln. The 1st day of/during driving it, I had the same problem when moving my right foot onto the brake pedal to stop. Doing so, 3 different times, the vehicle leapt forward. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10854244, filed 2016-04, 73,616 miles
3. 3
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light from seat belt pretensioners

   • 18 complaints (15%)
   • median 63,500 mi at 9.8 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2008–2019

   Owners describe the air bag warning light coming on and staying on, sometimes while driving and sometimes at start-up. Dealers and mechanics most often traced it to the front seat belt pretensioner or belt buckle assemblies, sometimes both sides, and quoted several hundred dollars per side to replace them. Some owners also report a chime pattern with no warning lights, and others had a clock spring replaced without resolving the light. Appears from about 27,000 to 115,000 miles, with most reports in the 35,000-100,000 mile range, often on cars described as garaged or low-mileage for their age.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Turn the key to start and confirm the air bag light goes out after the bulb check; if it stays on, ask for the diagnostic code and an estimate for the seat belt pretensioner replacement before negotiating.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall. I noticed a few weeks ago that my airbag light is on. I have 28000 actual miles on the 2005 Lincoln Town Car that has always been garaged. I have not had a recall on the airbag light and I would like for you to check it out and let me know of any recalls on the airbags.”

   NHTSA complaint #11253948, filed 2019-09, 28,000 miles

   “2005 Lincoln Town Car air bag light came on at nearly 51000 miles. Mechanic replaced clock spring in steering column ($250)--did not fix problem!! Then informed an additional problem in column. Never in an accident and maintained properly. Have written ford motor twice suggesting they should fix the problem, that it must be a factory defect. They did not have the decency to respond!!!!!”

   NHTSA complaint #10343885, filed 2010-07, 51,000 miles
4. 4
   Steering

   Steering wheel stiff or hard to turn

   • 6 complaints (5%)
   • median 126,500 mi at 11.7 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2012–2019

   Owners report the steering becoming stiff or the wheel sticking, especially at speed, and returning to normal intermittently. Mechanics in these complaints identified the lower or upper intermediate steering shaft and the steering column lower bearing as the parts needing replacement. Some owners mention prior recall work on the steering shaft and ask whether it was performed correctly. Generally reported at higher mileage, mostly above 90,000 and often past 125,000 miles.

   Recall 13V385000Recall 14V704000

   What to check: Ask whether the steering shaft recalls were completed at a dealer and whether the upper intermediate shaft was replaced; turn the wheel lock to lock on a test drive and note any binding.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Became hard to steer while driving. Like loss of power steering to it into be checked it is the intermediate steering. Almost lost control. I was told it was recalled for same reason. I checked it was recalled but says 0 unrepaired . But says some was not repaired correctly I have less than 95,000 miles on this vehicle. What can be done for this vehicle. This happened while driving down a road with out noticed”

   NHTSA complaint #11242887, filed 2019-08, 95,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2005 Lincoln Town Car. While driving various speeds, the steering wheel became stiff and difficult to turn without warning. It became difficult for the contact to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000. Consumer stated steering is very hard and stiff.”

   NHTSA complaint #11156830, filed 2018-12, 125,000 miles
5. 5
   Body and structure

   Water leaks into the cabin / rear floor

   • 7 complaints (6%)
   • median 53,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2016

   Complaints describe water pooling in the rear floor area, sometimes deep enough to cover the carpet, with owners suspecting a seal around the heating and cooling blower or a body seam. One owner also notes water appearing during rain and expresses concern about electrical seat connections under the carpet. Separately, a few owners report the trunk lid slamming shut or the trunk not closing properly. Reported at low to moderate mileage, from under 2,000 miles up to about 87,000, with several reports in the 40,000-90,000 range.

   What to check: Pull up the rear carpet and check for dampness or water lines after rain, and check that the trunk lid opens and closes smoothly with the power closer working.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When opening trunk it would slam shut. The vehicle is equipped with an automatic trunk closer. When the trunk was opened fully it would suddenly slam very rapidly and with great force. The consumer's wife finger sustained minor injury from the trunk lid motion. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired. They indicated that the problem was caused by the torque rod in the closure assembly becoming dislodged. The consumer feels that the bracket for the rod should be redesigned.”

   NHTSA complaint #10140975, filed 2005-10, 1,016 miles

   “The contact owns a 2005 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated that the trunk does not close properly. The latch and interior lighting in the trunk malfunctioned. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, but they could not determine the cause of the failure. The dealer recommended the vehicle undergo diagnostic testing; however, a component was ordered for the trunk latch failure. The failure and current mileages were 53,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10240221, filed 2008-08, 53,000 miles

Buying note. On a car of this age, prioritize a test drive that includes low-speed braking and a check of the air bag warning light, and ask for records showing whether the steering shaft recalls were completed. Have a mechanic inspect brake hydraulics and the front seat belt pretensioners before purchase.

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.