Lincoln · LS · 2002
0
Recalls
121
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2002 Lincoln LS has no recalls and 121 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: engine and engine cooling (19 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
The contact owns a 2002 Lincoln LS. The contact stated while driving at 50-55 MPH, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. The brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that he stood on the brake pedal until the vehicle responded 8-10 minutes later. The vehicle speed was 120 MPH at the time the contact regained control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving. The contact shifted into neutral (N) and veered to the side of the road where the vehicle came to a complete stop. The contact then shifted into park (P). However, the RPMs revved up to 5,000 MPH. The contact turned off the vehicle. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.
I have a 2002 lincoln LS v8 the passenger ball joint came loose and broke had it fixed driver side has now came loose and rattling
The contact owns a 2002 Lincoln LS. The contact stated that the advanced traction control warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed but was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that they were unable to provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000. The vin was not available.
BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE LOWER BALL JOINTS HAVE FRACTURED, BEEN REPLACED AND HAVE FRACTURED AGAIN. THE STUD POST ITSELF CONTINUES TO FRACTURE ABOVE THE CONTROL ARM MOUNTING HOLE, DESPITE BOTH BALL JOINTS BEING REPLACED AND RETORQUED TO MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED TIGHTNESS.
MY DAUGHTER WAS A RESTRAINED DRIVER ON A HIGHWAY ---IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, MOVING ABOUT 55MPH. THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER BRAKED SUDDENLY AND WHEN MY DAUGHTER PUSHED ON THE BRAKE IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND SHE HAD NO BRAKES. SHE CLIPPED THAT CAR REAR END AND SWERVED RIGHT'HITTING A SECOND CAR AS SHE GOT TO THE SHOULDER. SHE SCRAPPED ALONG THE METAL RAIL FOR A DISTANCE AND THEN WENT OFF THE ROAD IN TO A GULLY AND HIT A POLE AND AN DIRT EMBANKMENT. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE LIGHT POLE DID NOT LOOK DAMAGED, I THINK THE POLE MUST HAVE HAD A LARGE CEMENT BASE, BASED ON THE EXTENT AND SHAPE OF THE FRONT END DAMAGE. THE CAR IS TOTALED. THE AIR BAGS DID A GREAT JOB. SHE HAS A BAD SPRAIN ON HER ANKLE THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO BRAKE WITH AND SORE EVERYWHERE. A FAMILY MEMBER WORKS AT FORD . HE ASKED ME TO CHECK THE BRAKE FLUID SINCE BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES FAILED. I CHECKED THE BRAKE PEDDLE AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANY RESISTANCE. I CHECKED THE BRAKE RESERVOIR AND IT WAS FULL. MY FAMILY MEMBER TOLD ME TO SUBMIT THIS REPORT.
'TAKATA RECALL' I WAS DRIVING AND WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT. THERE WAS MAJOR DAMAGE THE FRONT OF MY CAR AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING OR UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.*PM*JB
PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. WHEN I TURN THE KEY ON THE LIGHT COME ON THE DISPLAY.
AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON
WHEN I DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES, MY 2002 LINCOLN LS WANTS TO OVERHEAT AND SHUT DOWN ON ME. I HAVE TO WAIT TILL IT COOLS DOWN AND THEN START IT UP AND PROCEED ON MY WAY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SHUT DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.
DEALER SOLD ME A VEHICLE THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME IS RUSTED AWAY. BIG RUST HOLES ON UNDERCARRIAGE
NO MATTER WHAT IS DONE THE CHECK TRANSMISSION AND EVERYTHING ERROR COMES UP AND CAR SHIFTS HARD AND SLIPS I SEE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS PROBLEM SEEMS ALL OF THE LS CARS ARE DOING THE SAME THING.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN PRESTON HWY I REAR ENDED A TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME AS I WAS UNABLE TO STOP IN TIME. POTENTIAL TOTALED CAR WITH HEAVY FRONT END DAMAGE YET THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED. 207,000 MILES ON THE CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKES ALSO FAILED TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
2002 LINCOLN LS , AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON. HAVE HAD TO DRIVE CAR FOR 3 YRS LIKE THIS WHILE HAVING FEAR OF AIR BAG NOT WORKING IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. 3 MECHANICS HAVE TRIED TO FIX AND IT ONLY TURNS OFF FOR A FEW MIN.S AFTER THEY ATTEMPT A FIX WITH THE WIRING. THE MILEAGE THEN BEGAN ABOUT 80,007. ABOUT 1.5 YR AGO (MAY 2014) MY AC /HEATER CORE FLUID BEGAN LEAKING. IT WORSENED WHEN AC WAS TURNED HIGH, TOOK ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE BURNING SMELL WAS CONTINUOUSLY COMING FROM ENGINE AFTER RUNNING AC AND FLUID WAS ALWAYS DRIPPING. 6 MONTHS (JAN 2016) AGO MY BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN FLUTTERING WHEN DEPRESSED. I HAD THE CONTROL ARMS, BALL JOINTS AND BRAKES/ROTORS REPLACED. THE BRAKE PEDAL STILL FLUTTERS WHEN SLOWING FROM 30 MPH QUICKLY. MY LINCOLN LS MILEAGE IS 86,605
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WENT TO A STOP LIGHT STOPPED AND AS I PROCEEDED TO GO IT STARTED SOUNDING LIKE A BUS THE SOUND UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF A CAR AND IT WAS ACTING LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING I PULLED OVER TURN MY CAR OFF GOT BACK IN AND STARTED GOING AGAIN AND IT GOT LOUDER THE NOISE DID IT SOUNDED LIKE A BIG BUS AND IT FELT LIKE IT WAS PULLING ME DRAGGING ME BACK LIKE AS IF I HAD THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON OR SOMETHING BUT I DID NOT. THEN I STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING LIGHT OIL OR SOMETHING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 LINCOLN LS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THERE WAS DEBRIS IN THE ROAD THAT CAUSED THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE TO SEIZE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED CONTUSIONS TO THE HEAD, FRACTURED RIBS, AND A BRUISED STERNUM THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE BALL JOINT WAS LOOSEN CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THREE MONTHS LATER THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 212,000.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2002 Lincoln LS has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 121 owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Lincoln LS.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2002 Lincoln LS.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2002 Lincoln LS are engine and engine cooling (19 reports), air bags (16 reports), suspension (14 reports).
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2002 Lincoln LS. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.