Most common 2002 Lincoln Continental problems
Share of the 33 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 →
What 2002 Lincoln Continental owners say
Speed control & acceleration
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently and without warning. The contact attempted to decelerate however, the vehicle would not respond. The contact then crashed into a wall and sustained injuries to her knee and back. There was a police report filed for the incident. The vehicle was towed to a dealer for inspection where they stated that they could not determine the cause of failure. The vehicle was not destroyed but the air bag warning light illuminated a few days after the crash. The manufacturer was notified and stated that there were no recalls for the vehicle. The failure mileage was 110,000.
The vehicle was being driven at approximately 40 MPH, was being accelerated to enter a highway. Due to traffic, there was a let off on the accelerator pedal to allow another driver to merge, and the vehicle did not respond, instead it continued to accelerate without having any driver input. Brakes were applied, and the vehicle remained at near full power, and the driver had to apply breaks hard to slow, and pull off highway. Attempts to shift the vehicle into neutral resulted in the transmission wanting to go into reverse instead of neutral. Once off the road, the engine was shut down. When restarted, it was still stuck at wide open throttle. Several attempts to unstick failed. After it remained off a short time, and the accelerator pedal operated, it returned to normal. A short time later while testing in the parking lot, the problem recurred. …
Brakes
My vehicle is a Lincoln ls. Leased new in April 2002 with 6ml. On it. Has been in for numerous repairs, the car has been gutted and put back together. Dealership claims that the airbag module was replaced. It took approx. 7 months to get Ford to buy back the car. They were undoubtedly aware they could count on my caving after making premium payments and insurance for almost a year on a car that was not fit to drive. As soon as I hired an attorney they dug their heels in farther. I settled just to get the lemon out of my driveway, and to free up my funds to get another car. Ford motor company handled my situation very unprofessionally and with no regard to my safety. At this point I would only hope that they will have to register this vehicle for resale with a record of the defects and not simply a buy back with no explanation.
After turning on the ignition and putting the car in gear, my 2002 Lincoln Continental made an extremely loud noise. I turned the car off for a few minutes and after starting it again everything seemed fine. After about a half hour of driving, the car became noisy. I took it to a mechanic who informed me that the right front coil was broken. The mechanic could not locate a used spring and had to purchase a new coil for $530.45 which seems excessive. This ended up being a $733.00 repair.
Engine & cooling
Engine compartment emits loud noise and 'steam' when in slow traffic or when idling. Trouble traced to faulty air conditioning compressor which has been replaced twice. This was the third occurance in 1 month. This time the engine overheated and left us stuck in traffic.
Oil pressure switch light came on changed oil pressure switch but light still flickers on happens when car is idleing at stop lights on city street
2002 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 2002 Lincoln Continental a good car?
Based on 33 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Continental rates better than average: 53% fewer complaints than 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 2002 Lincoln Continental?
The speed control & acceleration — 6 complaints, 18% of all complaints for this model year, most often about cruise control. Next are the brakes (5) and engine & cooling (5).
How many recalls does the 2002 Lincoln Continental have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2002 Lincoln Continental. You can still confirm with your VIN using our 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 2002 Lincoln Continental problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 66,000 miles; 39% 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.