2004 Lincoln LS problems & reliability
91 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Lincoln LS. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
12 complaints report injuries (12 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2004 Lincoln LS vehicles were involved in 7 fatal crashes with 6 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 25 | 27% |
| Power Train | 19 | 21% |
| Electrical System | 18 | 20% |
| Air Bags | 15 | 16% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 15 | 16% |
| Equipment | 7 | 8% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 5% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 5% |
| Fuel System, Other | 4 | 4% |
| Seats | 4 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 62,500 miles (middle 50% between 33,179 and 87,375 miles), based on 76 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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.”
Power Train · filed Jan 2, 2020
“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…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Sep 30, 2019
“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…”
Air Bags · filed Dec 10, 2017
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
68 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2004 Lincoln LS. The 10 most recent:
This article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000 and newer Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled…
TSB 20-2233 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 13, 2020
Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel…
TSB 19-2026 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 7, 2019
Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel…
TSB 19-2026 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 7, 2019
The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a…
SSM 46085 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 21, 2016
Ford/lincoln/mercury: may have sludge buildup in throttle body leading to less airflow or engine idling rpm fluctuation and hard starts or battery disconnect or dead battery after keep alive memory (kam) clear. Models…
TSB-12-8-1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2012
Ford/lincoln mercury: certain 2003-2005 model year lincoln ls and ford thunderbird vehicles equipped with 3.9l engine with extended warranty coverage on ignition coil assemblies and on 2003 my vehicles only , engine…
CSP 07M07 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 20, 2008
Lincoln service campaign: see document search button for owner letter. Certain 2003-2005 lincoln ls vehicles equipped with duratec 3.0l 4v engine. Pcv hose assembly replacement. Csc was received. *pe
08-N-01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 10, 2008
Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running. *tt
041601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 14, 2005
Excessive electrical system current draw which could result in a discharged battery and a no crank condition. *tt service tips. *tt
0295 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 14, 2005
Water/moisture in cop wells - dtc p0301-p0308 - 3.9l engine - vehicles built through 5/1/2004. *tt
02162 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 7, 2005
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2004 Lincoln LS in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2004 Lincoln LS?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 62,500 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.