2000 Lincoln Continental Suspension Problems

A NEIGHBOR POINTED OUT THAT THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SITTING SEVERAL INCHES LOWER THAN NORMAL CLOSER TO GROUND WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. I BEGAN TO CHECK ON THIS EVERY TIME I WENT TO USE THE CAR. SOMETIMES VEHICLE WAS NORMAL HEIGHT, SOMETIMES LOWER. I NOTICED THAT, SOMETIMES, WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY THERE WAS SOUND HEARD LIKE A FAN OPERATING. I ASKED QUESTIONS OF PEOPLE WHO HAD OWNED SIMILAR MODELS AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL SHOWING UP 4 TO 8 YEARS AFTER MANUFACTURE. THIS MODEL HAS A RIDE CONTROL WHICH INVOLVES THREE "RIDE CONTROL" SETTINGS. AS CARS AGE THERE ARE AIR BAGS UNDER THE CAR WHICH CONTROL THE FEEL OF CAR (PLUSH, NORMAL, FIRM) AND THEY ADJUST ACCORDINGLY. BEFORE I START THE CAR, IF IT SITS LOW, TURNING THE IGNITION KEY CAUSES THE RIDE MECHANISM TO RAISE THE CAR FRAME A FEW INCHES ABOVE THE TIRES. SOMETIMES IN COLD WEATHER THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO OPERATE AND A MESSAGE SHOWS "CHECK RIDE CONTROL". THE STORE THAT DOES ROUTINE SERVICE REGULARLY TELLS ME THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM IN LINCOLN/FORDS AND THAT REPAIRS OFTEN COST $2000 OR MORE. THE CAR NOW HAS ABOUT 114,000 MILES ON IT AND THIS PROBLEM OCCURS MORE OFTEN. I BELIEVE THIS HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE, AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY OWNER HAVING THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM ANOTHER OWNER, WHOM I KNOW, IN ABOUT 2008. HE HAD PURCHASED IT FROM A FORD DEALER AS A "PROGRAM CAR" I BELIEVE IN 2001. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER COIL SPRING FRACTURED AND HAD PUNCTURED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON IT,S OWN AND WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THEY WOULDN'T WORK. I HAD TO GET OFF THE NEXT EXIT BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT ANYONE TO GET IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE IT WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO 90 MPH.ONCE I GOT OFF IT STILL WAS ACCELERATING SO I DROVE UP ON THE SIDEWALK TO KEEP FROM HITTING TRAFFIC AT THE LIGHT AND GOT INTO THE GRASS AND IT STILL WAS GOING FAST AND THE BRAKES STILL NOT WORKING I PRAYED AND PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL OR I WOULD HAVE WENT RIGHT BACK INTO THE TRAFFIC. ONCE I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL IT STOPPED AND THEN I PUT IT IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. I THEN TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT WAS IDLING SO HIGH AND LOUD I TURNED IT BACK OFF AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. ONCE THEY ARRIVED HE STATED THAT THE LINKAGE TO THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK AND THAT'S IS WHY THE BRAKES WEREN'T RESPONDING. HE THEN CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHO STATED HE WASN'T SURE IF THE COULD LOOK AT THE CAR OR IF HE DID WHEN HE WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK ON IT. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN SITTING AND I FOUND OUT ABOUT ALL THESE OTHER RECALLS AND COMPLAINTS FOR THE VERY OTHER THINGS WE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ON THIS CAR. THE TOWER ALSO STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ACCELERATION IF SO I NEED TO KNOW THIS BECAUSE THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE FIXED ON THE OTHER RECALLS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT DID THE ACCELERATION BUT THE FOGGY WINSHIELD,THE SEATBELTS LOCKING UP ON USING THE FRONT SEATS, THE SUSPENSION AND BRAKES HAVE BEEN LIKE THIS FOR A WHILE AND WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THESE RECALL SO WE COULD GET THEM CORRECTED. OTHERS AND MYSELF COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT ON THAT HIGHWAY IF I DIDN'T STAY CALM THROUGH OUT THE WHOLE ORDEAL. I WOULD LIKE SOME RESPONSE TO WHAT I NEED TO DO NEXT AND IF THIS IS A RECALL LIKE THE OTHERS CAN I TAKE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAVE IT CORRECTED. RIGHT NOW IT CAN BE DRIVEN AT ALL. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN THE LEFT FRONT SPRING BROKE WHICH WAS LIKE AN EXPLOSION. THIS CAUSED LOTS OF OTHER DAMAGE TO THE CAR AS WELL AS THE TIRE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE IN REVERSE, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE. HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND A TECHNICIAN REPAIRED THE DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT, SPRING, AND TIRE. ONE YEAR LATER, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILED WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SWAY BAR, SPRING, STRUT, AND TIRE WERE REPAIRED AT THE COST OF OVER $1,000. THE CONTACT HAS SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION OF THE VEHICLE'S REPAIR HISTORY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,881. UPDATED 09/23/08 *BF THE LEFT AIR BAG AIR SUSPENSION HAD BLOWN. THE SECOND TIME THE FAILURE HAPPENED, THE CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND HEARD A NOISE. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THE LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING HAD BROKEN JUST LIKE THE FIRST FAILURE. UPDATED 09/25/08. *JB

LTR FM (PA) REPORTING COIL SPRING BROKE IN HIS MODEL YEAR 2000 FORD LINCOLN CONTINENTAL DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. *TS *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 10 MPH I HEARD A LOUD BANG ON THE MORNING OF 4-24-06. I CAME TO A STOP THINKING I HAD HIT SOMETHING IN THE ROAD. I LOOKED AROUND THE BACK OF THE CAR AND NOTICED PART OF THE COIL SPRING ON THE GROUND. I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS BECAUSE THE PASSENGER SIDE BROKE ON 4-6-06. IF AT EITHER TIME I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING AT ANY SUBSTANTIAL SPEED IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PUTTING AIR IN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE, IT WAS NOTICED, THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS HAD BROKEN AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. ALTHOUGH THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED, NO APPOINTMENT FOR INSPECTION WAS MADE. UPDATED 5/2/2006 - *NM

THE SPRING ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE, CAUSING THE BROKEN END TO CATCH THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE RIPPING THE ENTIRE SIDE AND INHIBITING STEERING. HAD THIS HAPPENED AT ANY SPEED WHILE DRIVING AN TERRIBLE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED. THERE WAS NO PRIOR INCIDENT WHICH COULD HAVE LED TO THE SPRING BREAKING AND THERE IS NO OBVIOUS SUPERFICIAL DEFECT IN THE SPRING. *AK

BOTH REAR WINDOWS HAVE FAILED AND NOW DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW HAS ISSUES. FRONT BRAKES HAD BE REPLACED AND NOW GRIND WHEN STOPPING AT HIGH SPEED. REAR VIEW MIRROR HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO ELECTRICAL FALURE. BOTH OUTER TYE ROD ENDS HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER RUINING BOTH FRONT TIRES AND ALINEMENT WAS NOT COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRENTY. THE CARS RIDE AND HANDLING IS POOR AND THE INTERIOUR NOISE LEVEL IS HIGH FOR A LUXERY CAR.*AK

THE MOON ROOF WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE MOTOR DID NOT WORK, THE AIR BAGS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER, THE HORN DID NOT WORK, THERE WAS A CHIMING NOISE EVERY 30 MINUTES, AND ALSO THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED TWICE, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS OFF TRACK, THE SPEAKERS DID NOT WORK, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED WHEN A STOP WAS MADE. *AK *JB