2005 Lincoln LS problems & reliability
90 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2005 Lincoln LS, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. 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.
6 complaints report injuries (6 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2005 Lincoln LS vehicles were involved in 9 fatal crashes with 9 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 21 | 23% |
| Power Train | 17 | 19% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 13 | 14% |
| Air Bags | 10 | 11% |
| Engine | 9 | 10% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 10% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 9% |
| Wheels | 8 | 9% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 6% |
| Service Brakes | 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 60,000 miles (middle 50% between 39,500 and 79,500 miles), based on 79 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Car accident with full left side impaction door will not open doors will not open and I was not able to move out of my seat and yet I was stuck behind the steering wheel behind smashed impacted buckled, steering wheel did not deploy the airbags”
Structure · filed Apr 11, 2023
“The contact owns a 2005 Lincoln LS. The contact stated all four tires melted and rusted to the ground and the belly of the vehicle fell out. The contact also stated the vehicle was overheated. There were no warning lights. The contact put tape underneath the engine to keep it in place. The contact drove the vehicle to…”
Tires · filed May 31, 2022
“The fuel tank needs replacement due to a crack in the fuel tank is causing fumes in the vehicle. Exactly like the recall of 2005 Lincoln LS, that the dealership cannot find because it is more than 15 years.”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Mar 7, 2022
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
31 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2005 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
The 2005 Lincoln LS has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
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 2005 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 60,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.