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2004 Lincoln Ls

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Lincoln Ls do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 91.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

80 reports with mileage · 11 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports1 fire reports12 injury reports

What owners actually said

91 reports
200,000 miles · Jan 2, 2020
Power Train

THE TRANSMISSION IN THESE CARS GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THEY WILL STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. YOU WILL HAVE TO PULL OVER AND ONCE YOU PULLOVER AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP IT WILL NOT LET THE CAR ENGAGE INTO GEAR AND MOVE.

NHTSA ODI #11296640

150,000 miles · Sep 30, 2019
Fuel System, Gasoline

HI. I BOUGHT THIS CAR AND I KEPT SMELLING GAS VERY BAD. TO THE POINT THE WHOLE HOUSE SMELT AND WHEN I PARK THE CAR I CAN SMELL IT. I FIGURED THERE HAD TO BE A PROBLEM BUT COULD NOT FIND A LEAK. I DECIDED TO LOOK ONLINE AND FOUND LINCOLN HAD A RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE GAS TANKS WHICH HAS THE SYMPTOMS I'M ENCOUNTERING. ITS A HIGH SAFE…

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HI. I BOUGHT THIS CAR AND I KEPT SMELLING GAS VERY BAD. TO THE POINT THE WHOLE HOUSE SMELT AND WHEN I PARK THE CAR I CAN SMELL IT. I FIGURED THERE HAD TO BE A PROBLEM BUT COULD NOT FIND A LEAK. I DECIDED TO LOOK ONLINE AND FOUND LINCOLN HAD A RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE GAS TANKS WHICH HAS THE SYMPTOMS I'M ENCOUNTERING. ITS A HIGH SAFETY ISSUE WHICH CAN START A FIRE AND OR HAVE HEALTH ISSUES WITH ME AND THE KIDS. WELL TURNS OUT MY CAR WITH THAT VIN DID NOT HAVE A RECALL EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL FOR SAME YEAR AND MAKE BUT NOT MINE FOR SOME REASON. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT MY VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE RECALLED TO FIX IT. IM IN DESPERATE NEED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO. I DONT HAVE THE FUNDS TO FIX THERE MISTAKE. PLEASE HELP IN ANY WAY YOU CAN. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #11259105

121,000 miles · Dec 10, 2017
Air BagsSeatsInjury

WHILE DRIVING IN THE EVENING, ON A SLIGHTLY WINDING, SMOOTH, GRAVEL ROAD AT ABOUT 30 TO 35 MPH, TEMPERATURE ABOUT 34 DEGREES F, THE AIRBAG IN THE PASSENGER SEAT DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NOT ANY FORM OR TYPE OF COLLISION. DURING THE TIME I HAVE HAD THE CAR, ABOUT 2 YEARS, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY FORM OF COLLISION DAMAGE, AS FAR AS I …

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WHILE DRIVING IN THE EVENING, ON A SLIGHTLY WINDING, SMOOTH, GRAVEL ROAD AT ABOUT 30 TO 35 MPH, TEMPERATURE ABOUT 34 DEGREES F, THE AIRBAG IN THE PASSENGER SEAT DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NOT ANY FORM OR TYPE OF COLLISION. DURING THE TIME I HAVE HAD THE CAR, ABOUT 2 YEARS, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY FORM OF COLLISION DAMAGE, AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE WAS NOT ANY PRIOR HISTORY OF ANY TYPE OF COLLISION DAMAGE. THERE WAS AN OCCUPANT IN THE SEAT, HIS SHOULDER FELT SORE AND HIS HEARING WAS AFFECTED AT THE TIME.

NHTSA ODI #11053793

105,000 miles · Jan 18, 2016
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineVehicle Speed Control

NORMAL CLEAR WEATHER DRIVING DOWN BUSY STREET WHEN CARE SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN ALMOST RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH VEHICLES BEHIND ME. THE ENGINE STOPPED , I RESTARTED WITH VERY LIMITED DRIVABILITY THE ETC FAILSAFE MODE KICKED IN FOR NO APPARENT REASON THIS ISSUE MUST BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED.

NHTSA ODI #10820770

109,132 miles · Jan 21, 2015
Exterior Lighting

WAS COMING HOME FROM THE STORE I WAS GOING 55MPH AND OUT OF NO WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF....PULLED OVER TURNED OFF THE CAR THEN BACK ON AND WORK FOR LIKE A MIN THEN AGAIN I ALMOST CRASH BECAUSE NO LIGHT..A 15MIN DRIVE HOME BECAME 50MIN HAD TO BE PULLING OVER ALL THE WAY HOME....DUE TO THE LIGHTS TURNING OFF ON THERE OWN... …

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WAS COMING HOME FROM THE STORE I WAS GOING 55MPH AND OUT OF NO WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF....PULLED OVER TURNED OFF THE CAR THEN BACK ON AND WORK FOR LIKE A MIN THEN AGAIN I ALMOST CRASH BECAUSE NO LIGHT..A 15MIN DRIVE HOME BECAME 50MIN HAD TO BE PULLING OVER ALL THE WAY HOME....DUE TO THE LIGHTS TURNING OFF ON THERE OWN... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10678161

112,622 miles · Oct 13, 2014
Air BagsInjury

WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH ON A DRIVEWAY, THE PASSENGER CEILING AIR BAG DEPLOYED FROM THE FRONT SEAT TO THE BACK SEAT. THE CAR DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING. PASSENGER WAS INJURED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10644305

57,900 miles · Oct 3, 2014
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LINCOLN LS. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. UPON RESTARTING, THE WRENCH WARNING SYMBOL DISPLAYED CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED MULT…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LINCOLN LS. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. UPON RESTARTING, THE WRENCH WARNING SYMBOL DISPLAYED CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,900.

NHTSA ODI #10641184

44,000 miles · Jun 22, 2014
Electrical SystemEngine

BRAND NEW BATTERY IN CAR. COME OUT TO START CAR. BATTERY IS DEAD. MY MECHANIC HAS CAR FOR THREE DAYS. HE TRIED TO FIND A SHORT. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO MAKE SURE ALL DOORS ARE COMPLETELY CLOSED AND LIGHTS ARE ALL OUT. THIS WAS AFTER MULTIPLE DEAD BATTERIES. I MADE SURE OF ALL THE ABOVE AND STILL CAME OUT TO DEAD BATTERIES. …

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BRAND NEW BATTERY IN CAR. COME OUT TO START CAR. BATTERY IS DEAD. MY MECHANIC HAS CAR FOR THREE DAYS. HE TRIED TO FIND A SHORT. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO MAKE SURE ALL DOORS ARE COMPLETELY CLOSED AND LIGHTS ARE ALL OUT. THIS WAS AFTER MULTIPLE DEAD BATTERIES. I MADE SURE OF ALL THE ABOVE AND STILL CAME OUT TO DEAD BATTERIES. I MANUALLY TURN OFF THE LIGHTS AS I CAME OUT TO THEM BEING ON AFTER I HAD WATCHED THEM DIM AND GO OUT. I REPLACED THE NEW BATTERY WITH ANOTHER NEW BATTERY AND I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10605031

168,000 miles · Apr 30, 2014
Air BagsSeatsInjury

WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH ON FLAT, SMOOTH TWO LANE ROADWAY THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AND SIDE SEAT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED STRIKING DRIVER ON LEFT SHOULDER AND FACIAL AREA. THERE WAS NO SIDE IMPACT OR ROUGH ROAD PRIOR TO DEPLOYMENT. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND MOVE TO BERM. DRIVER SUFFERED SOFT TISSUE TRAUMA TO LEFT SH…

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WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH ON FLAT, SMOOTH TWO LANE ROADWAY THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AND SIDE SEAT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED STRIKING DRIVER ON LEFT SHOULDER AND FACIAL AREA. THERE WAS NO SIDE IMPACT OR ROUGH ROAD PRIOR TO DEPLOYMENT. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND MOVE TO BERM. DRIVER SUFFERED SOFT TISSUE TRAUMA TO LEFT SHOULDER, UPPER ARM AND FACE. SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG DAMAGED INTERIOR ROOF HEADER UPON DEPLOYMENT. DRIVER SEAT SIDE AIRBAG APPEARS TO HAVE NOT FULLY DEPLOYED AND EXPANDED INSIDE THE SEAT RIPPING OUT A 3 FOOT AREA OF STITCHING AND TEARING THE LEATHER SEATING MATERIAL IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEY REFUSED RESPONSIBILITY. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10585623

125,000 miles · Apr 14, 2014
Service Brakes

NO BRAKES TILL ENGINE WARMS UP. PEDAL GOOD BUT NO BRAKES. NEW PADS AND ROTORS. NO IDIOT LITE. MECHANIC CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY IT DOES THIS. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10582791

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.