2003 LINCOLN LS Electrical System Problems

CAR GOES INTO FAIL SAFE EACH AND EVERY TIME IT IS DRIVEN. IT DID SO 19 TIMES TODAY. I CONNECTED A CODE READER WHICH IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEMS AS BEING RELATED TO THE THROTTLE CONTROL AND THE THROTTLE BODY. I PURCHASED THE CAR 1 1/2 MONTHS AGO. PRIOR OWNER HAD THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED WITH A NEW MOPAR UNIT 4 MONTHS AGO/ 2000.MILES AGO. DON'T WANT TO REPLACE IT AGAIN SINCE THIS IS LIKELY NOT THE PROBLEM.

Mileage: 75,100

TOOK TRANSMISSION FOR REPAIR. TRANSMISSION SHOP COULD NOT LOAD NEW LINCOLN SOFTWARE ON NEW COMPUTER MODULE. IT HAS BEEN TWO WEEKS AT ROWLETT TRANSMISSION SHOP AND NOW THE "ENGINE SIDE" OF THE NEW COMPUTER INSTALLED WILL NOT CLEAR. SAYS THERE IN AN ENGINE ISSUE NOW. THERE WAS NO ENGINE ISSUE BEFORE I TOOK IT TO GET THE TRANSMISSION FIXED.

Mileage: 80,000

CAR HESITATES ON ACCELERATION SINCE IT WAS NEW. TOOK THE CAR TO THE SELLING DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THE CONDITION GOT WORSE. WHEN TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE CAR STARTS BUCKING AND MISFIRING. TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE SELLING LINCOLN DEALERSHIP (SESI LINCOLN MERCURY). THEY DEALERSHIP SAID THE DRIVERS DOOR NEEDED ADJUSTMENT. THIS MADE NO SENSE TO ME AND DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WENT OUT OF WARRANTY SHORTLY AFTER THAT. NOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY AND CAR HESITATES, BUCKS, STALLS AND RUNS ROUGH, MISFIRES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND MIL STARTS FLASHING. THE COWL PLASTIC PIECE HAS A POOR SEAL ON IT THAT LETS WATER ONTO THE ENGINE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. FORD ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN THAT ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE AND FORD ADMITS THAT SEALS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS MAY NOT BE THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS CARS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BUT IT IS A BIG PROBLEM. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT, NOTHING A CUSTOMER CAN DO TO PREVENT THIS. FORD SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THESE CARS AND FIXED THEM AT NO COST. THE FACT THAT THEIR DEALERSHIPS WERE HIDING THE REAL REASON FOR THIS MISFIRE AND NOT REPAIRING THE VEHICLES UNDER WARRANTY IS BREECH OF CONTRACT. FORD SHOULD BE FINED AND PUNISHED AND FORCED TO RECALL AND REPAIR ALL OF THESE CARS. I AM AN ASE MASTER MECHANIC. I TEACH AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE TECHNOLOGY AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. THE CAR WAS GARAGE KEPT AND VERY WELL MAINTAINED, IT LOOKS NEW. I FOUND THAT # 6 CYLINDER HAD A P0306 COIL MISFIRE DTC. I HAD TO REMOVE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD JUST TO SEE THE COIL ON PLUG SET UP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BANK OF ENGINE. TURNS OUT THERE IS POOR SEALING OF THE WINDSHIELD COWL AREA AND WATER RUNS DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE AND ENGINE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE WATER SHORTS OUT THE COILS, SPARK PLUGS, COMPUTER AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME ESPECIALLY WHEN WET. *TR

Mileage: 1

CAR STARTS AND RUNS ROUGH, THEN SURGES FORWARD. HAVE TO HOLD THE BRAKE HARD. CAR THEN STALLS AND GIVES "ETC ENGINE FAILURE". UPON RESTART CAR WILL RUN FINE FOR A WHILE. *TR DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, AS IT DOES NOT CONSISTENTLY THROW A CODE, REPLACED THE COILS

Mileage: 78,000

2003 LINCOLN LS V8 ETC ENGINE FAILSAFE MODE. *TR

Mileage: 100

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH SHE NOTICED THE PARKING BRAKE/ SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. SEVERAL DAYS LATER WHILE STARTING THE IGNITION SHE NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT SHE HAD AN OIL LEAK FROM THE REAR OF THE ENGINE THAT WAS DRIPPING ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. ALSO THE ENGINE WOULD GO INTO LIMP MODE WITHOUT WARNING; WHICH DRASTICALLY REDUCED THE VEHICLES SPEED. SHE HAD THE THROTTLE BODY REPAIRED AT AN EXPENSE OF $489.00. THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 77,303. THE STEERING WAS NOISY WHEN THE CONSUMER MADE TURNS, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE OIL PAN WAS LEAKING. ALL OF THE TIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS ALSO LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 01/26/10.*JB

Mileage: 77,303

MYSELF, AND JUST ABOUT ALL LINCOLN LS OWNERS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR COMPUTER SYSTEM. ETC - MESSAGE CAUSE THE CAR TO GO INTO A FAIL-SAFE MODE. BEEN TO THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE SAME PROBLEM STILL EXIST. ON THE WEB IT APPEARS ALL LINCOLN LS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I OWN A 2003 LINCOLN LS. *TR

Mileage: 53,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE WHEELS FELL OFF THE VEHICLE AND THE LUG NUTS FELL OUT OF THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE FLAT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, SHE HEARD A STRANGE NOISE. THE CONTACT WENT TO A LINCOLN DEALER AT THAT TIME AND INFORMED THEM OF THE NOISE SHE HEARD UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. A NOISE WAS ALSO HEARD NEAR THE STEERING COMPONENT. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. IN ADDITION TO THE TIRES, THE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AND THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHY THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO START. SHE WAS CHARGED TO REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT (ASY) IN THE VEHICLE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,510. UPDATED 04/29/08 *BF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED

Mileage: 29,150

CAR HAS CONSISTENTLY JUST SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING (ROUGHLY 30 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR). BEEN INTO THE DEALER NO LESS THAN 10 TIMES. HAD THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF VALVE COVERS, COILS, PLUGS GASKETS, WINDSHIELD WIPER COMPONENTS REPLACED. NO CHANGE. CAR WILL STILL DIE WHENEVER IT FEELS LIKE IT. LINCOLN/FORD COULD CARE LESS, AND THE DEALER AND FIELD ENGINEERS SEEM TIRED OF SEEING MY CAR. CONSTANT MOVEMENT OF BRAKE PEDAL IN RHYTHM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS. DEALER HAS TRIED TO FIX NUMEROUS TIMES AND THE PROBLEM IS WORSE NOW THEN WHEN THEY STARTED. FRONT BRAKE PADS RATTLE. DEALER SAYS IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND I SHOULD JUST DEAL WITH IT. FRONT SEAT BACKS FALL DOWN. DEALER AND FORD BLAME MY KIDS BEING IN CAR SEATS. NEVER HAD A PROBLEM BEFORE THEY TOOK SEATS APART TO REPLACE FAULTY SEAT HEATER. THE TRANSMISSION IS AWFUL. BEEN REPROGRAMMED 3 TIMES AND NEW SERVOS INSTALLED. STILL DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY, AND VERY ERRATIC. SHIFTS WHEN IT SHOULDN'T AND DOES NOT SHIFT WHEN IT SHOULD. CAR STALLED AND ACTIVATED THE ALARM HORN HONKING, LIGHTS BLINKING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. CAR RESTARTED. NEXT DAY CAR HAD DEAD BATTERY AND WOULD NOT START. COULD NOT EVEN JUMP IT AS THERE WAS NO POWER TO OPEN TRUNK AND LOCK CYLINDER WAS FROZEN DUE TO LACK OF USE. BATERY IN TRUNK!! WHEELS HAD TO BE BALANCED 3 TIMES THEN FORCE BALANCED TO REMOVE EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. ALL AT MY EXPENSE HAD LEAKY REVERSE LIGHT REPLACED BY DEALER NOW HAVE SOME PIECE OF A FASTENER FLOATING AROUND INSIDE THE DECK LID RATTLING. CLIPS FOR E BRAKE ARE ALWAYS BROKEN AND APPARENTLY 180 BUCKS TO FIX.

Mileage: 39,000

DRIVING VEHICLE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH ALIGNMENT STOPPED WORKING, THE EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL LIGHTS WENT OUT, ENGINE, POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES STOPPED WORKING FOR 5 OR MORE SECONDS. THIS OCCURRED TWICE WITHIN FIVE MINUTES AT 4:00 AM LEAVING THE VEHICLE ROLLING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN THE DARK.*AK

Mileage: 11,500

DRIVING VEHICLE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH ALIGNMENT STOPPED WORKING, THE EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL LIGHTS WENT OUT, ENGINE, POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES STOPPED WORKING FOR 5 OR MORE SECONDS. THIS OCCURRED TWICE WITHIN FIVE MINUTES AT 4:00 AM LEAVING THE VEHICLE ROLLING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN THE DARK.*AK

Mileage: 11,500

JUST PURCHASED 03 LINCOLN LS V-8 SPORT THREE WEEKS AGO, ALREADY INTO SERVICE. THE TRANNY IS SLOW ON UP AND DOWN SHIFTS. THE SERVICE DEPT. ( NEIL LINCOLN MERCURY @ 1900 RT 112 MEDFORD NY) SAID THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON MY INITIAL CALL, JUST BRING IT IN AND THEY WILL REPROGRAM THE TRANNY SHOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. MY SECOND COMPLAINT IS I NOTICED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF UNCOMFORTALBE HEAT UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER SIDE DASH WHILE DRIVING, I SUSPECT THIS IS DUE TO THE LACK OF AN INSULATED COVER. THIS COVER I COME TO FIND OUT WAS IN THE 2000, 2001, 2002, MODEL YEARS. UNFORTUNATELY SOME GENUIS DECIDED TO FORGET IT. THAT'S A PROBLEM, AS IT IS NOT JUST A LITTLE WARM, BUT REALLY HOT, I CAN'T IMAGINE MY COMPLAINT WAS THE FIRST FOR THIS, AS NONE OF THE 03'S ARE EQUIPED WITH THIS PROTECTIVE COVER. THE LINCOLN SUPPORT CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS ADVISED ME I MUST TALK WITH SERVICE, AS THIS IS NOT A PART ON THE 03, AND SERVICE TELLS ME TO SPEAK TO LINCOLN, AS THIS IS A VALID COMPLAINT. WHAT THE HECK AM I SUPPOSE TO DO? OH AND BACK TO THE TRANNY WHAT IF IT DECIDES TO JUST GO TO MUSH WHILE I'M CROSSING AN INTERSECTION. TO LATE TO SAY SORRY THEN! I'VE HEARD THAT THE 30,000 MILE TRANNY TUNE UP WILL OFTEN SOLVE THIS TRANNY ISSUE, CAN I MAKE THEM SERVICE IT NOW I'VE GOT 1,500 LOGGED TO DATE. THANK YOU FOR THE ASSISTANCE, IT IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, SORRY FOR THE LONG MESSAGE. BRIAN

Mileage: 100