2003 Lincoln Town CAR Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Town CAR years
- More complaints than other years 3rd of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 201 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Lincoln Town CAR. That ranks 3rd out of 17 Town CAR model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (81 complaints, 40%), typically at around 73,921 miles. Complaints mention 14 crashes, 6 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 201owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 14complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Lincoln Town CAR problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension problems | 81 | 40% | 73,921 | “suspension rear” (31%) | — |
| Power Train | 27 | 13% | 83,256 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 | 9% | 43,307 | — | — |
| Steering | 16 | 8% | 107,453 | — | — |
| Structure | 12 | 6% | 37,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 5% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 10 | 5% | 66,745 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 8 | 4% | 81,940 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 4% | 37,175 | — | — |
| Engine | 6 | 3% | 92,900 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 3% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 6 | 3% | 9,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 3% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 2% | 30,450 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 2% | 45,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 2% | 44,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 1% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 1% | 134,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 1% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 0% | 29,400 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Lincoln Town CAR recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Certain police, commercial, and passenger vehicles sold to fleets typically input higher loads into the vehicle chassis overloading the wheel bearings and axles.
Risk: This could lead to early bearing failure and ultimately to axle shaft fracture. In the event of axle shaft fracture, the vehicle would lose drive function and would coast to a stop. Loss of drive function could lead to a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear wheel bearings, seals,and axle shafts. The recall began on july 15, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head (DP05005) — opened Sep 22, 2005, closed Jan 4, 2006.
- Rear axle fracture (PE04010) — opened Jan 22, 2004, closed Jul 8, 2004, led to recall 04V328000.
- Inadvertent side air bag deployment (EA03014) — opened Aug 22, 2003, closed Aug 12, 2004.
- Inadvertent side air bag deployment (PE03011) — opened Mar 14, 2003, closed Aug 22, 2003.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)
The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the vehicle experienced rough idling. Additionally, the headlights were flickering, and the alternator failed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the powertrain control module…
I have had to replace wheel bearing and axle every few months because of premature wear and causing driving to be a safety concern. Once it wears thin, the car shakes and wobbles and the tire almost snapped off twice.
The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated while his son was driving on the highway, the accelerator pedal was slightly released; however, the vehicle stopped instantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to drive to his destination safely. The vehicle was…
The rear-end failed does not have tempered axle There was a recall on 2003 lincolns with same problem but when I enter vin It does not pull anything up Lost control of car and had to be towed home have not had it to the dealer yet
Other Lincoln Town CAR years
← 2002 Town CAR · 2004 Town CAR →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 Town CAR | 6 | 3 |
| 2010 Town CAR | 13 | 3 |
| 2009 Town CAR | 5 | 3 |
| 2008 Town CAR | 20 | 3 |
| 2007 Town CAR | 84 | 3 |
| 2006 Town CAR | 143 | 2 |
| 2005 Town CAR | 119 | 3 |
| 2004 Town CAR | 83 | 0 |
| 2003 | 201 | 1 |
| 2002 Town CAR | 65 | 0 |
| 2001 Town CAR | 161 | 5 |
| 2000 Town CAR | 108 | 8 |
| 1999 Town CAR | 148 | 5 |
| 1998 Town CAR | 154 | 7 |
| 1997 Town CAR | 314 | 6 |
| 1996 Town CAR | 259 | 8 |
| 1995 Town CAR | 165 | 6 |
See all Lincoln Town CAR problems by year, every Lincoln model, or the Lincoln VIN decoder.
Similar Lincoln models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Lincoln Town CAR?
Owners most often report suspension, power train, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 81 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Lincoln Town CAR?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Lincoln Town CAR a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Town CAR model years, the 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.