Most common 2000 Lincoln Continental problems
Share of the 63 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lincoln Continental complaints by model year
Best Continental years: 2020, 2018, 2019. Years to avoid: 2017, 1997. Compare all years →
2000 Lincoln Continental recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal
On certain passenger vehicles, the driver and/or passenger side air bag could deploy as a result of underbody impacts near the sensors, such as those occurring from pieces of gravel or debris thrown from the wheels while the vehicle is being operated at moderate to high speed or being accelerated.
Remedy: Dealers will recalibrate the air bag sensors. Owner notification began March 31, 2003. Owners May contact Lincoln at 1-800-521-4140.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began August 20, 2001.
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The seat belt retractor May have a pin shaft in the switchable elr/alr mechanism that is incorrectly formed. In some circumstances, the switching mechanism could become nonfunctional, preventing the seat belt webbing from being extracted from the retractor.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the lap and shoulder belt assemblies. Assemblies with julian date codes of 200 through 223 are suspect and will be replaced.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2000 Lincoln Continental:
Inadvertent side air bag deployment
There is no summary currently available
Inadvertent side air bag deployment
On April 9, 2003, odi received from Ford an owner letter and dealer notice, both dated March 2003.the owner letter states that Ford will conduct a product improvement campaign of certain my 1999-2000 Lincoln continental vehicles equipped with side air bags (all my 1999 vehicles and my 2000 vehicles manufactured prior to 3/1/00; total of approximately 42,000 vehicles).the letter states that the side air bags in these…
What 2000 Lincoln Continental owners say
Air bags
When the consumer applied the brakes, the brake pedal became hard, and consequently the consumer hit another vehicle. The vehicle pulled to the left which happened when the brakes were applied, the engine had run rough, the driver window has become inoperative, the windshield wipers left too many streaks, the left rear window had become inoperative, the rear brakes would grind when applied at 50 MPH, the steering felt loose at 30 MPH and the consumer had to constantly adjust, the brakes would not work at times(2 accidents occurred as a result), and the air bag did not deploy upon impact.
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.
Suspension
When the consumer applied the brakes, the brake pedal became hard, and consequently the consumer hit another vehicle. The vehicle pulled to the left which happened when the brakes were applied, the engine had run rough, the driver window has become inoperative, the windshield wipers left too many streaks, the left rear window had become inoperative, the rear brakes would grind when applied at 50 MPH, the steering felt loose at 30 MPH and the consumer had to constantly adjust, the brakes would not work at times(2 accidents occurred as a result), and the air bag did not deploy upon impact.
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. …
Windows, wipers & sunroof
When the consumer applied the brakes, the brake pedal became hard, and consequently the consumer hit another vehicle. The vehicle pulled to the left which happened when the brakes were applied, the engine had run rough, the driver window has become inoperative, the windshield wipers left too many streaks, the left rear window had become inoperative, the rear brakes would grind when applied at 50 MPH, the steering felt loose at 30 MPH and the consumer had to constantly adjust, the brakes would not work at times(2 accidents occurred as a result), and the air bag did not deploy upon impact.
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.
2000 Lincoln Continental engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 15 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2000 Lincoln Continental a good car?
Based on 63 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2000 Continental rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Continental at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2000 Lincoln Continental?
The air bags — 16 complaints, 25% of all complaints for this model year, most often about side/window. Next are the suspension (12) and windows, wipers & sunroof (11).
How many recalls does the 2000 Lincoln Continental have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2000 Lincoln Continental, the most recent from April 9, 2003 (frontal). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lincoln Continental?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2018 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2017 and 1997. See the full Lincoln Continental years comparison.
At what mileage do 2000 Lincoln Continental problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 87,000 miles; 24% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.