2001 Lincoln Continental Complaint Log

I'M A NEW OWNER I ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR TWO YEARS AND THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS FUNNY WHEN I'M DRIVING OR TURNING THE WHEEL AND I HEAR A NOISE WHEN I TURN IT .

DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK IS DEFECTIVE. THE ALTERNATOR WAS DEFECTIVE, BUT I HAD IT FIXED AT THE DEALERSHIP AT MY EXPENSE.

I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE AT HOME AND WHEN I TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL, THE LEFT FRONT SPRING BROKE AND SHREDDED THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. I CHECKED THE AREA THAT THE SPRING BROKE, AND IT WAS CLEAN, UNRUSTED METAL, THERE WAS NO SIGN OF AN IMPENDING FAILURE, JUST A SUDDEN BREAK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, SMOKE STARTED EMITTING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND NEAR THE WIPER SWITCH. ALSO, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE LOW WASHER FLUID SENSOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND THAT UNDER THE HOOD THERE WAS A DISCONNECTED PIECE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN REPLENISHED THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID AND FIXED THE DETACHED PIECE. WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

WHILE BACKING THE CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AFTER IT HAD BEEN SITTING OVERNIGHT, THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WENT FLAT. AFTER REMOVING THE WHEEL, I SAW THAT THE LARGE COIL SUSPENSION SPRING HAD BROKEN AND THAT THE SHARP END OF THE BROKEN SPRING HAD SLICED OPEN THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE CAR IS SITTING THE DRIVEWAY WAITING FOR PART I ORDERED. I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT COST $690.00 EACH FOR COIL SPRINGS THAT'S' CRAZY . AND THAT THERE IS NO RECALL SINCE I HAVE BEEN READING A LOT OF THIS SAME COMPLAINT. THIS IS A 2001 AND THE MILEAGE IS STILL LOW ONLY 50,000 MILES. *TR

WHILE BACKING THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AFTER IT HAD BEEN SITTING OVERNIGHT, THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WENT FLAT. AFTER REMOVING THE WHEEL, I SAW THAT THE LARGE COIL SUSPENSION SPRING HAD BROKEN AND THAT THE SHARP END OF THE BROKEN SPRING HAD SLICED OPEN THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE CAR IS NOW IN THE SHOP, SO THE VIN AND EXACT MILEAGE ARE NOT AVAILABLE. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. MY MECHANIC TELLS ME THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM WITH FORD PRODUCTS BEFORE. IF THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM? *TR

2001 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL / 115,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING ON THE 10 FWY IN JULY 2008, AND WITHOUT ACTIVATING CRUISE CONTROL, OR PRESSING SHARPLY ON THE GAS PEDAL, MY CAR BEGAN TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE AT TOP SPEED. THE ENGINE ROARED WITH A LOUD SOUND AND IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO FULL OPERATING POWER. THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE AT FULL THROTTLE WAS UNMISTAKABLE AND AS I LOOKED AT THE DASH BOARD GAUGES, I SAW MY SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE QUICKLY REACH 90 MPH AND KEPT MOVING HIGHER. REALIZING I WAS IN DANGER, I APPLIED THE BRAKE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT SLOWING MY CAR DOWN IN THE NORMAL FASHION. IT ONLY DEPRESSED ABOUT - OF THE NORMAL RANGE. CONFUSED, I QUICKLY GLANCED DOWN AT MY FEET TO CHECK FOR AN OBJECT OR FLOOR MAT THAT WOULD CAUSE MY GAS PEDAL TO BE STUCK OR LODGED. THERE WERE NO OBJECTS TO BE FOUND. WITH MY CAR CONTINUING AT A SPEED OF AT LEAST 90 MPH, AND MY LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE, I THEN FELT THE GAS PEDAL BENEATH MY RIGHT FOOT MOVE AWAY AND DOWN TOWARD THE FLOOR BOARD ON ITS OWN. I LIFTED THE GAS PEDAL WITH MY FOOT IN AN ATTEMPT TO REVERSE THE ACCELERATION, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK. REALIZING I HAD NO CONTROL OF MY CAR, I REPEATEDLY PRESSED MY BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THIS ONLY SLOWED THE CAR FROM 90 MPH TO 70 MPH; IT WAS NOT BRINGING MY CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP. WITH MANY CARS SURROUNDING ME, A CRASH BECAME IMMINENT ? SO I MOVED 2 LANES OVER INTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX 60MPH AT THIS POINT & KEPT BRAKING TO TRY TO REGAIN CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. THE BRAKES WERE NOT STOPPING MY VEHICLE SO I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, WHICH SLOWED THE VEHICLE TO APPROX 40 MPH. STILL MOVING FORWARD, WITH BOTH FEET ON MY BRAKE PEDAL PUSHING AS HARD AS I COULD, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO ENGAGE THE E-BRAKE AS A LAST OPTION. THIS SLOWED MY CAR TO ABOUT 15 MPH, AFTER WHICH I PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. *TR

COIL SPRING ON LEFT FRONT STRUT BROKE, RUBBED THROUGH SIDEWALL OF TIRE CAUSING BLOWOUT. WIFE WAS REAL LUCKY THIS WAS IN TOWN AT LOW SPEED. COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC ON FREEWAY. PARTS ARE REAL EXPENSIVE $450 EACH SIDE PLUS ONE NEW TIRE, I'M GOING TO GET BOTH SIDES DONE BECAUSE I DON'T TRUST THE OTHER ONE NOW. I HAVE THE PARTS ORDERED. I WILL SAVE FAILED PART. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND ACCELERATING FORWARD, THE CONTACT HEARD A RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WAS LEANING ON THE TIRE. HE ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE THE TIRE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE COIL SPRING FAILED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,052 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,755. UPDATED 02-12-08 BF * UPDATED 02/12/08 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE, THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO BACK UP THE VEHICLE AND THE TIRE BLEW OUT. HE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING FAILED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,371 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,350. UPDATED 01-29-08. *KB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH OR GREATER, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REAR UPPER BALL JOINT FAILED AND THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE WAIT COULD BE 2-6 MONTHS. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE WAIT TIME FOR THE PART WAS UNACCEPTABLE. THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO LOCATE ONE PART; HOWEVER, AS OF NOVEMBER 1, 2007, THE MECHANIC HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 79,000.

2001 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL CONDENSATION IN FRONT HEADLAMP SEAL. CUSTOMER BELIEVES THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SEAL. MANUFACTURER STATED IT WAS HER RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE IT. *KB THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING RELIEF FOR REPAIRS AND OR POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT IF NECESSARY AND ATTACHED EXTENDED WARRANTY. *TR UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07

WE ARE OWNERS OF A 2001 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. MY TWO YOUNG BOYS AGES 2 AND 4 WERE IN THEIR CAR SEATS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR SEAT, LEAVING THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT UNUSED. MY FOUR YEAR OLD HAD CALLED ME FOR HELP WHILE I WAS DRIVING OVER A BRIDGE. I SAW HE WAS NOOSED AROUND HIS NECK BY THE MIDDLE BELT AND PINNED AGAINST THE REAR OF THE SEAT. THE CAR HAS AN AUTOMATED LOCKING POSITION FOR SAFETY . THIS TURNS OUT TO BE A DANGER. THE BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE LEAVING ME TO HAVE TO RUN FOR HELP ON THE HIGHWAY. I FOUND A MAN WHO COULD HELP CUT THE BELT AND RELEASE MY SON. HE WAS LEFT WITH A FULL COLLAR BELT BURN ON HIS NECK. BE AWARE OF THIS AUTOMATED LOCKING POSITION. IT ALMOST COST MY SON HIS LIFE. *JB

CONCERNED ABOUT FIRES IDENTIFED AS BEING CAUSED BY THE HOT WIRED CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH AS RECENTLY REPORTED ON TWICE ON TELEVISION. I AM AFFRAID TO PUT CARS IN GARAGE. THERE ARE NO INCIDENTS. CAN'T PROCEED WITH THIS COMPLAINT WITHOUT DATES. CARS: 2001 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL AND 2004 SABLE LS

I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER AT THE TIME OF OIL CHANGE THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS MAKING A NOISE, AND REQUESTED A CHECK. THEY APPARENTLY DID NOTHING, AND EACH TIME I HAD THE OIL CHANGED I WOULD REQUEST A CHECK. NOW THAT THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY SAY THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS FAIING AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT WILL EVENTUALLY LOCK UP OF NOT REPAIRED. I AM RECEIVING NO ACTION FROM THE DEALER.

WHILE STOPPED TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL, THE FLOOR-SHIFTING MODULE DID NOT MOVE. *BF ATTEMPTS TO PLACE THE SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE OR 3RD GEAR FAILED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN THE FRONT PISTON IN WHICH THE PLATE WAS WARPED. THE COMPUTER SHOWED NO PROBLEM, THEREFORE THEY COULD NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *SC

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER AND LET THE VEHICLE COOL DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

CONSUMER WAS HAVING DASHBOARD LIGHT PROBLEMS. THE ELEMENT THAT LIT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP BROKE. CONSUMER CALLED FORD, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PART HE NEEDED WAS ON BACK ORDER. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE JULY 2003. CONSUMER INSISTED THAT THIS WAS DANGEROUS BECAUSE HE COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING, DID NOT KNOW HOW FAST HE WAS TRAVELING, WHEN HE WAS LOW ON FUEL OR WHETHER HE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ANY PART OF THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING BATTERY. *AK

WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO REASON. DEALER STATES THE DEFECT IS CALLED A STRESS FRACTURE. *AK

VEHICLE SUFFERED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK INTO DRIVE. VEHICLE COLLIDES WITH A WALL CAUSING DAMAGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FENDER AND HEAD LIGHT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH

I BELIEVE THE INTECH SYSTEM HAS FAILED. CAR DOES NOT START. *AK

ENGINE SEIZED UP WITHOUT WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED AND SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *TT

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTSDOWN WITHOUT WARNING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK THE VEHICLE HAD A MISS IN TRANSMISSION WHEN CHANGING GEARS TO OVERDRIVE AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH. *YH

CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WAS GOING FROM PARK INTO REVERSE, AS IT WENT INTO REVERESE, THE VEHCILE JERKED, WHEELS SQUEALED AND THE VEHCILE WENT BACKWARDS AT A VERY HIGH SPEED, THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE SAFETY FACTOR THAT REQUIRES ONE TO STEP ON THE BRAKE OR THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO REVERSE WAS NOT CONNECTED, IT WAS AN OPEN CIRCUIT.*JB

MY 2001 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL WAS PURCHASED NEW, MARCH OF 2001. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER I PASSED THROUGH A WARNING RADAR DETECTOR ON THE INTERSTATE WITH MY CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 60 MPH. THE RADAR SAID I WAS TRAVELING AT 54 MPH. I TURNED AROUND AND REPEATED THE PASS-THROUGH WITH THE SAME RESULTS. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY WROTE UP THE SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM. AFTER 2 DIFFERENT SERVICE VISITS, AND CHECKING THE SPEED OF LINCOLN TOWN CARS, AND LINCOLN LS (TOWN CARS, AND LS LESS THAN 1 MPH OFF TRUE SPEED ACCORDING TO HANDHELD GPS) , THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT ALL CONTINENTALS HAVE DEFECTIVE SPEEDOMETERS AND MY CARS PROBLEM IS NORMAL. I COMPLAINED AT LEAST 4 MORE TIMES AND WAS TOLD ALL CONTINENTALS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I TESTED A 2002 CONTINENTAL AND IT HAD A 2 MPH ERROR. AT MY REQUEST HE QUESTIONED FORD ENGINEERS IN MICHIGAN AND WAS TOLD 10% PLUS OR MINUS IS AN ACCEPTABLE SPEEDOMETER ERROR. I ASKED FOR IT IN WRITING AND FORD RESPONDED THAT IT IS NOT IN WRITING, AND IT WAS AGAINST THE COMPANYS POLICY TO GIVE IT TO ME IN WRITING. I INQUIRED WITH OTHER CAR COMPANIES AND SPEEDOMETER CALIBRATION COMPANIES AND FOUND THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO MORE THAT A 1 MPH PLUS OR MINUS DIFFERENCE. I REQUESTED TO PRESENT MY CASE TO THE FORD DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD. I DID SO APRIL 4TH, 2002. THE BOARD CONCLUDED THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS IN REGARDS TO THE SPEEDOMETER CONCERN. THE BOARD BASED THIS DECISION ON ME TEST DRIVING A LIKE VEHICLE AND THE RESULTS WERE THE SAME. AN MY REQUEST FOR REPAIR OR VEHICLE REFUND WAS DENIED. WELL THEY WERE NOT THE SAME, MY VEHICLE HAS A 6 MPH ERROR. THE CONTINENTAL THAT I TESTED HAD A 2 MPH ERROR. A 200% DIFFERENCE. ACCORDING TO FORDS DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARDS REASONING, IF FORD SOLD A MODEL WITH A DEFECTIVE PART IN ALL OF THE UNITS PRODUCED, THE DEFECT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS.*AK

WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL AND DRIVING DOWN HILL VEHICLE WILL NOT MAINTAIN SPEED, VEHICLE WILL INCREASE SPEED DEPENDING ON DOWN GRADE, 20 MPH NOT UNCOMMON, DEALER TOLD CONSUMER LINCOLN HAD CHANGED DESIGN ON CRUISE CONTROL IN 1998, ALL LINCOLN VEHICLES HAVE THIS "FEATURE".*AK *JB

JUST BOUGHT A 2001 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. JUST ONE SMALL POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM. EMERGING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CENTER CONSOLE ARE TWO BLACK ELECTRICAL OR MECHANICAL CABLES, EACH ABOUT ONE-QUARTER OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER., THAT GO UP INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE DASHBOARD. THEY OBSTRUCT THE TOP OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CONSEQUENTLY, DEPENDING ON THE POSITION OF THE DRIVER'S RIGHT FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THESE CABLES PREVENT MOVING THE RIGHT FOOT FROM MOVING FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE BRAKE PEDAL QUICKLY. THIS HAS AHPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES, BUT FORTUNATELY HAS NOT RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CABLE'S SLACK IS TOO GREAT. IT NEEDS TO BE SHORTENED, OR THE CABLES NEED TO BE HELD UP OUT OF THE WAY WITH A CLIP OR SOME OTHER DEVICE.*AK

CANNOT READ THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT. THIS INCLUDES THE SPEEDOMETER AS WELL AS THE OTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHEN TAKING OFF AFTER A STOP OR WHEN GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY FROM A EXIT VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTSDOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

STEEL BELTS ARE SHOWING IN TIRE EQUIPMENT.*MR BOTH FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER TIRES SHOWED INSIDE WEAR MAKING THE STEEL BELT VISIBLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER WENT TO CHANGE THE TIRE, THE JACK BENT AND COLLAPSED ON THE CONSUMER. MICHELIN P225/60R16 B. *PH

PROBLEMS SEEING IN THE REAR WHEN BACKING UP VEHICLE. *MR THERE WAS NO VISION WHEN BACKING. (THIS OCCURRED WITH THE USE OF THE MIRRORS) *SCC *JB