2003 Lincoln Town Car problems & reliability
201 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Lincoln Town Car, 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): 2003 Lincoln Town Car vehicles were involved in 33 fatal crashes with 26 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 81 | 40% |
| Power Train | 27 | 13% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 | 9% |
| Steering | 16 | 8% |
| Structure | 12 | 6% |
| Air Bags | 10 | 5% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 10 | 5% |
| Electrical System | 8 | 4% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 4% |
| Engine | 6 | 3% |
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 69,444 miles (middle 50% between 45,000 and 104,000 miles), based on 157 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the vehicle experienced rough idling. Additionally, the headlights were flickering, and the alternator failed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the powertrain control module (PCM) was faulty and…”
Electrical System · filed Jan 20, 2023
“I have had to replace wheel bearing and axle every few months because of premature wear and causing driving to be a safety concern. Once it wears thin, the car shakes and wobbles and the tire almost snapped off twice.”
Wheels · filed Jul 24, 2022
“The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated while his son was driving on the highway, the accelerator pedal was slightly released; however, the vehicle stopped instantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to drive to his destination safely. The vehicle was towed to the…”
Suspension · filed Jun 28, 2022
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
Defect Petition DP05005 · opened Sep 22, 2005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
- REAR AXLE FRACTURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE04010 · opened Jan 22, 2004 · closed Jul 8, 2004 · led to recall 04V328000
- INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
Engineering Analysis EA03014 · opened Aug 22, 2003 · closed Aug 12, 2004
- INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
Preliminary Evaluation PE03011 · opened Mar 14, 2003 · closed Aug 22, 2003
Technical service bulletins
83 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2003 Lincoln Town Car. 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
Some 1997-2008 vehicles equipped with a 4.6l 2v, 5.4l 2v, or 6.8l 2v engine--spark plug thread repair procedure--not covered under new vehicle limited warranty. *nj this includes f-53 motorhome chassis. Updated 2/23/10…
07212 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 2007
Customer satisfaction program 05b31 - information only. A possibility that during a high speed / high energy rear collision, certain components have an increased risk of puncturing the fuel tank on vehicles with limo…
0531 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 8, 2007
Limited slip axle chatter, shudder, binding sensation, or vibration during low speed turning maneuvers. *tt
06216 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2006
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
Safety belt retraction speed. *tt
042421 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 7, 2005
Door locks being inoperative when using the keypad and/or remote keyless entry (rke) fob - fuse 2.30 opening intermittently.
0567 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2005
Safety belt web stop button service. *eh
05310 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 21, 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 2003 Lincoln Town Car 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 2003 Lincoln Town Car?
- · 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 69,444 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.