Your vehicle report
2001 Lincoln LS
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 240
- Received Oct 2000 to Apr 2023
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Ball joints wear out and fail37 complaints · 15% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly12 complaints · 5.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving10 complaints · 4.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #00V359001Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The front suspension lower ball joints were not tightened to specifications when they were attached to the lower control arms.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 20 crashes, 1 fire, 13 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 18 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
- Ball joints wear out and fail
- Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly
- Tires blow out or tread separates
1 more problem
Body, doors & glass
- Power window regulator fails and window drops
- Frame rusts and corrodes through
- Water leaks into cabin during rain
1 more problem
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 17 |
| 2002 | 20 |
| 2003 | 17 |
| 2004 | 15 |
| 2005 | 20 |
| 2006 | 22 |
| 2007 | 21 |
| 2008 | 26 |
| 2009 | 20 |
| 2010 | 15 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 240 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball joints wear out and fail | 37 | 15% | – | NHTSA recall #00V359001 |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 12 | 5.0% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 10 | 4.2% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 8 | 3.3% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 7 | 2.9% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 6 | 2.5% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 6 | 2.5% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 6 | 2.5% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 5 | 2.1% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 5 | 2.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 2.1% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 4 | 1.7% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 3 | 1.3% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 1.3% | – | |
| Alloy wheel rims crack and lose air | 3 | 1.3% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 3 | 1.3% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 3 | 1.3% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 3 | 1.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #00V359001November 3, 200082,300 vehicles affected
suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The front suspension lower ball joints were not tightened to specifications when they were attached to the lower control arms.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2001 Lincoln LS.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN