2001 Lincoln LS Suspension Problems

The contact owns a 2001 Lincoln LS. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH the contact heard an abnormal noise. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road and the contact noticed the front passenger side tire had separated from the joint. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the mechanic stated that the vehicle was experiencing a similar failure as NHTSA Campaign Number: 00V359001 (Suspension). The dealer was contacted, and the dealer stated that the vehicle was not under any recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not under NHTSA Campaign Number: 00V359001 (Suspension) and advised that contact NHTSA. The failure mileage was 114,000.

The contact owns a 2001 Lincoln LS. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the front suspension ball joint detached. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, it was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 00V359001 (Suspension). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL POPPING SOUND COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHCILE BEGAN TO SHAKE BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO HIS RESIDENCE. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WHO IS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A FRACTURED BALL JOINT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.

ON TWO OCCASIONS MY CAR SUSPENSION HAD FAILED. I AM JUST LUCKY I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY OR I COULD HAVE BEEN FATALLY WOUNDED. I CAN NOT BELIEVE I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICES ABOUT THE SUSPENSION RECALL. THE FIRST INSTANCE I WAS DRIVING IN MY DRIVEWAY AND THE CAR COMPLETELY DROPPED DOWN ON THE TIRES AND COULD NOT MOVE THE VEHICLE. THE SECOND INSTANCE I WAS DRIVING AND THE SUSPENSION FELL ON A REGULAR ROAD NOT A FAST HIGHWAY. IT HAD COST ME $250.00 TO HAVE IT TOWED BOTH TIMES BECAUSE IT COULD NOT BE MOVED BY DRIVING. IN ADDITION THE SECOND FAILURE COST ME $175.00 BECAUSE THE FRONT TIRES WERE RUINED. FOR THE REPAIR WORK ON BOTH INSTANCES COST ME $125.00 EACH TIME TOTALING ANOTHER $250.00 . SO BECAUSE OF SOMEONE'S FAILURE TO TIGHTEN NUTS IT COST ME $675.00 , AND NOT TO MENTION THE RISK OF LOSING MY LIFE. TERRIFYING TO SAY THE LEAST.

FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS AFTER INSPETION ARE CRACKED AND LOSE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL CRUNCHING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THE BALL JOINTS WERE NOT ATTACHED TO THE CONTROL ARM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR HIS VEHICLE MODEL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VEERED OUT OF DIRECTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE WHEEL BEARING, HUB ASSEMBLY, AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V359001 (SUSPENSION); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING AN ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE OR BUMPING NOISE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V359001 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALL JOINT FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I GOT THIS CAR IN JULY & SHORTLY THEREAFTER I STARTED HEARING A POP HERE & THERE IN THE FRONT END. AND ITS GRADUALLY GETTING WORSE. I WAS TOLD TO CHECK TO SEE IF THERE MAY BE A RECALL FOR THE BALL OR U JOINTS. I NEED TO KNOW IF THIS CAR IS INCLUDED IN A RECALL OR NOT. AND IF SO HOW DO I GO ABOUT GETTING IT FIXED. *TR

I WAS TOLD TODAY WHILE I WAS GETTING THE OIL CHANGED ON MY VEHICLE THAT THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE VERY LOOSE, AND THAT I WAS LUCKY THAT MY FRONT TIRED HADN'T FALLEN OFF YET. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE MANAGER HE REFERRED ME TO FORD BECAUSE OF THE RECALL ON THE SUSPENSION THAT HE KNEW ABOUT. HE THOUGH THAT MY CAR SHOULD QUALIFY CONSIDERING THE SEVERITY OF THE CONDITION THAT THEY WERE IN. AFTER SPEAKING WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE AT FORD I WAS INFORMED THAT EVEN THOUGH I WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL THAT MY CAR 'S VIN NUMBER DID NOT QUALIFY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT AT ALL. MY CAR IS THE SAME YEAR, MAKE , AND MODEL, WITH THE SAME DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AROUND 11PM TO PICK UP MY HUSBAND, AND THE LEFT DRIVER SIDE R/R DS LOWER BALL JOINT IN FRONT OF THE CAR COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND. I HAD TRAFFIC COMING FROM BEHIND AND FROM A CROSS STREET IN FRONT OF ME. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO SIGNAL EVERYONE BY HORN, ARM WAVING AND DOUBLE BLINKERS BEFORE I WAS HIT BY ANYONE. I WAS ABLE TO PREVENT THE ACCIDENT. *TR

WE PURCHASED A LINCOLN LS ON 2/24/12 AND A I WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME I HEARD A LOUD NOISE THAT SOUNDED AS IF THE WHEELS WERE GOING TO FALL OFF ESPECIALLY AS I WENT OVER BUMPS. I TOOK THE CAR TO MIDAS AND THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE BAD, ALONG WITH THE STRUTS, AND GASKET COVER. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND I FOUND THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN RECALLED IN 2000 FOR THE BALL JOINTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH OVER A ROADBUMP, THE CONTACT LOST SLIGHT CONTROL BECAUSE THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ABNORMALLY SWAY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. IN ADDITION, THE FOUR WHEEL RIMS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE WERE CORRODED NEAR THE HUB. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V359001 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL). THERE WAS ALSO A MANUFACTURER VOLUNTARY RECALL ON THE WHEEL RIMS BUT THE VIN WAS INELIGIBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE TOOK HIS VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE LOOSE AND NEEDED TO BE TIGHTENED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHSTA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V359001 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,244 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,376.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE SUDDENLY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. HE MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY IN WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO HIS HOME. THE VEHICLE HAS YET TO BE INSPECTED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2001 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE FAILURE SEEMED TO BE REMEDIED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN TO BACKFIRE AND DRIVE ABNORMALLY ROUGH. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE WOULD EXHIBIT ABNORMAL NOISES AND AN OVERPOWERING OIL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET AND COIL SPRINGS WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH OVER A MANHOLE COVER, HE HEARD A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A SLIGHT LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE WAS CAUTIOUSLY MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM COMPLETELY FRACTURED, WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO TURN IN ON A 90 DEGREE ANGLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND REPAIRED. MOST RECENTLY, THE IDENTICAL FAILURE OCCURRED WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V359001 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT). THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THAT WHEN TRAVELING OVER A BUMP THE VEHICLE WILL BEGIN TO SWAY LEFT AND RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS AND THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 104000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE 1 MPH, THE FRONT CONTROL ARM AND LOWER BALL JOINT SUDDENLY FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE RIM TO CRACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 00V359001 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

2001 LINCOLN LS, LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE WHILE DRIVING!!!, THERE IS A RECALL RELATED TO THIS ISSUE 00S39, BUT MY VEHICLE ACCORDING TO FORD, BY VIN DID NOT FALL UNDER THE CURRENT RECALL? MY REAL QUESTION IS WHY? SOME BACK GROUND ON MY INCIDENT I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH, HEARD AND FELT A CHANGE IN THE STEERING, PULLED OVER AND AS I WAS COMING TO A STOP THE RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT STUD BROKE IN HALF, IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED 30 SECONDS SOONER (GOING 65 MPH) I COULD HAVE EASILY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY SHOP, I AM A OWNER OF A REPAIR FACILITY FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, AND AM A ASE CERTIFIED MASTER TECHNICIAN, WITH OVER 23YRS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING ON VEHICLES. I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE HOLES (BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES) IN THE ALUMINUM LOWER CONTROL ARMS OVER SIZED FROM THE BALL JOINT STUD BEING LOOSE AND MOVING INSIDE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. THIS IS AN OBVIOUSLY DANGEROUS ENGINEERING/MANUFACTURING ERROR, STEEL BALL JOINT STUDS PASSING THROUGH A ALUMINUM CONTROL ARM WITHOUT A STEEL REINFORCED SLEEVE IN THE CONTROL ARM? WITH THE CONSTANT MOVEMENT AND DISSIMILAR METALS, KEEPING A PROPER TORQUE ON THE BALL JOINT STUD IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. THEY HAVE A NYLOCK/SELF LOCKING NUT ON THE BALL JOINT STUD SO IT WON'T BACK OFF ALL THE WAY, BUT COMING LOOSE/LOSING TORQUE AND MOVING INSIDE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM UNTIL IT SNAPS OFF IS INEVITABLE. MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION FROM MY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IS THE CURRENT RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. TO REPEAT AFTER PERFORMING MY OWN INSPECTION AND AS A PROFESSIONAL IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED BY FORD. PLEASE TAKE THIS REPORT SERIOUSLY AS I FEEL MY LIFE WAS IN REAL DANGER AND I KNOW OTHERS ARE IN DANGER AS WELL... JIM OLDHAM, OWNER AUTOMOTIVE SOLUTIONS, ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN. *TR