NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2000–2006

Lincoln LS recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 982 owner complaints for the Lincoln LS, covering model years 2000 to 2006. The 2000 model year drew the most complaints (354), and Suspension is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Lincoln LS VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

3 recall campaigns on file
982 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
7 model years with data (2000–2006)

most complaints: 2000 (354 for that model year)
top component: Suspension (268 complaints)
latest recall 05V113000 (reported Mar 18, 2005)

76 complaints reporting a crash (7.7%)
3 complaints reporting a fire (0.3%)
54 complaints reporting an injury (5.5%)
2 complaints reporting a death (0.2%)

Lincoln LS complaints by model year

7 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2000 model year has the most complaints: 354 of 982, or 36.0%. Next come 2001 (240) and 2002 (121). The fewest are for 2006, with 18 complaints.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Lincoln LS complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Lincoln LS complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury	Reporting a death
2000	354	18	1	11	1
2001	240	20	1	11	1
2002	121	21	0	8	0
2003	68	3	0	3	0
2004	91	8	1	12	0
2005	90	4	0	6	0
2006	18	2	0	3	0
All model years	982	76	3	54	2

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Lincoln LS components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Suspension is the component named most often, in 268 complaints (27.3% of all 982), followed by Engine and Engine Cooling (141) and Air Bags (139).

Components named most often in Lincoln LS complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Lincoln LS complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Suspension	268	27.3%
Engine and Engine Cooling	141	14.4%
Air Bags	139	14.2%
Power Train	126	12.8%
Electrical System	101	10.3%
Vehicle Speed Control	78	7.9%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	53	5.4%
Steering	52	5.3%
Visibility	49	5.0%
Engine	35	3.6%
Structure	33	3.4%
Wheels	31	3.2%
Equipment	28	2.9%
Seats	23	2.3%
Exterior Lighting	22	2.2%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Lincoln LS recalls

3 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name LS, newest first. The 3 campaigns cover model years 2000 to 2005. 4 model years tie for the most campaigns (1 each).

3 recall campaigns

Lincoln LS recall campaigns covering each model year
2000: 1 campaign	2001: 1 campaign	2002: no campaigns	2003: 1 campaign	2004: no campaigns	2005: 1 campaign

Highlighted: the model years with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 05V113000
Reported Mar 18, 2005
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage
Model year 2005
On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel tank may have a localized thin wall section in the lower half of the tank. The fuel tank may crack creating a potential for a fuel leak and fuel odor. The "service engine soon" indicator may illuminate.
Consequence:
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the fuel tank free of charge. The recall began on April 4, 2005. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673, Lincoln at 1-800-521-4140.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 03V136000
Reported Apr 7, 2003
Wheels
Model year 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.
Consequence:
If this condition occurs, the driver may experience noise and/or vibration while driving the vehicle. Continued operation of the vehicle could result in the wheel separating from the hub, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the wheels to make sure that all the wheels have been heat-treated. Any wheel that has not been heat-treated will be replaced. Owner notification began April 14, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Lincoln at 1-800-521-4140.
Filed by Ford Motor Company
NHTSA campaign 00V359001
Reported Nov 3, 2000
Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Model years 2000–2001
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The front suspension lower ball joints were not tightened to specifications when they were attached to the lower control arms.
Consequence:
If the ball joint attaching nuts are not adequately tightened, they can loosen and, ultimately, result in fracture of the ball joint stud. If the ball joint fractures, control of the vehicle could be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the torque on the two ball joint attaching nuts. Vehicles with loose ball joint attaching nuts will either have the fasteners tightened to specification, or if necessary, the ball joints will be replaced.
Filed by Ford Motor Company

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Lincoln LS questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Lincoln LS have?

NHTSA lists 3 vehicle recall campaigns for the Lincoln LS, covering model years 2000 to 2006. The most recent, 05V113000, was reported on March 18, 2005 and is filed under “Fuel system, gasoline”.

Which Lincoln LS model year has the most complaints?

The 2000 model year, with 354 of the 982 complaints in NHTSA’s file (36.0%). The next are 2001 (240) and 2002 (121). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Lincoln LS complaint?

Suspension is the component named most often: 268 complaints, or 27.3% of all 982. Engine and Engine Cooling (141) and Air Bags (139) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Lincoln LS?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Lincoln dealer.

How many Lincoln LS complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 982 complaints, 76 report a crash, 3 a fire, 54 at least one injury and 2 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Lincoln models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Lincoln VIN decoder with every Lincoln model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Lincoln Town Car 1995–2011 · 27 recalls · 2,048 complaints
Lincoln MKZ 2006–2020 · 32 recalls · 1,661 complaints
Lincoln MKX 2007–2020 · 23 recalls · 1,416 complaints
Lincoln Navigator 1997–2027 · 68 recalls · 1,350 complaints
Lincoln MKC 2015–2019 · 14 recalls · 594 complaints
Lincoln Continental 1995–2020 · 13 recalls · 590 complaints
Lincoln Aviator 2003–2027 · 51 recalls · 485 complaints
Lincoln Mark VIII 1995–2000 · 1 recall · 418 complaints

All Lincoln models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.