2003 Lincoln Town Car problems
Owners have filed 242 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Lincoln Town Car. Suspension is the most reported problem area, at 34% of complaints. After that come drivetrain & axles (14%) and cruise control (7%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 242 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Suspension 34% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 15 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 6 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 69,000 miles 189 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 19 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 19 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 38 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 28 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 34 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 17 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 8 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 18 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 5 |
What the data shows
Among the 189 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 69,000 miles. For suspension specifically, the median reported mileage is about 71,000 miles (70 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 15 complaints mention a crash; 6 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2003 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 19 model years of the Lincoln Town Car with enough data (113 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
The vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning while idling, which resulted in the vehicle hitting a wall, consumer was injured.
I had a front end collision in my 2003 lincoln town car and neither the drivers side nor passenger side air bags deployed. It was not until the car had stopped and I was getting out of the car that the drivers airbag deployed. The passenger side never inflated. The impact to my vehicle was so severe that the front end is completely gone and the hood was crumpled back to the windshield. The engine was pushed up against the firewall. Why did my airbags not inflate????!!!!!
In 2003 lincoln town car when the airbag deployed it shot off the round silver lincoln emblem which severely lacerated my nose. Thank god it did not take out an eye. I have noticed on the newer models that the emblem is now embedded in the material so it cannot fly off and cause injury.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 lincoln town car. The contact had to replace the spark plugs in the front coil springs on two different occasions. The first repair was performed under warranty in 2004 at 26,000 miles. A different front coil spring had to be replaced on october 31, 2007. The dealer stated that the vehicle was no longer under warranty and could not be repaired under NHTSA campaign id number 98v322000 (suspension:front: control arm:lower ball joint).
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 lincoln town car. While driving 15 MPH, the contact heard a grinding noise coming from the rear end of the vehicle. He called the dealer, but they were unable to schedule an appointment. The contact took the vehicle to the repair shop. The mechanic removed the rear wheels and discovered that the wheel bearing had disintegrated and both rear axles were severely compromised, to the point that at least one of them would have completely failed within the next 1,000 miles.