Electrical complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the "No Key Detected" warning light was illuminated and the vehicle would not start. The contact stated that whenever the sign was off, the vehicle would start up right away. The contact stated that the vehicle would start normally while at his residence. The contact stated that he thought that there was an electrical interference that prevented the vehicle from starting and was worried that the failure occurred from another electrical source. The contact had towed the vehicle to a local dealer who could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the battery was in good condition and was not the cause of the failure. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
This vehicle has been repeatedly getting a "Door Fault Service Required" alert on the dashboard. I have even had the burglar alarm (horn honking and lights flashing) go off for no reason in my garage with my garage door shut. This is the exact problem that was covered with safety recall 19S03. For some reason, my vehicle was not included as part of this recall, even though it was built at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant where the other problematic vehicles came from. The build dates that were included in the recall were from November 30, 2015 through November 14, 2018. My vehicle was apparently outside of this range, but the problem continues. The cutoff date ranges for this recall was obviously too narrow because the problem persists. Now, because the applicable range was too narrow, I am left to have to pay for a factory mistake. Please expand the affected dates on recall 19S03. …
The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the battery charge drained unexpectedly. The headlights and warning lights were flashing on and off with the horn honking unintendedly. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with electrical failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 67,000.
Vehicle door handles are prone to failure and unresponsive for the lock/unlock. Potential safety concern for customers like myself which should be brought to Lincoln's attention. Driver side door handle and other door handles known to be unresponsive when locking/unlocking with keys or pressing button behind door handle.
Date of Incident: [redacted] Location: [redacted] Vehicle Speed: 0 Description: The right front and right rear doors on my 2017 Lincoln Continental (VIN: [redacted]) became completely inoperable from the outside - the exact same safety defect addressed under recall 19S03. The recall repair was previously performed by an authorized Ford/Lincoln dealer, however that repair has since failed, leaving me with the same dangerous condition the recall was issued to correct. A door that cannot be opened from the outside while driving creates a serious safety risk to both the driver and passengers. I was forced to hire a locksmith just to access my vehicle and subsequently paid $1,142 out of pocket for professional diagnosis and parts. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate the adequacy of the recall 19S03 repair, as it has clearly failed to permanently resolve the defect. …
I have a 2017 Lincoln Continental that started off last year not letting me open one of my back doors from the outside (which I did take to the dealership and got a quote but was too expensive), two weeks ago, it was both back doors not opening from the outside, then last night, the front passenger door stopped opening from the outside. It does not matter if I have the doors locked or not, I cannot open the three doors from the outside. There is a recall for this condition, but not on my VIN. I am worried that I am not going to be able to get into my car at all soon, and this is concerning since I do take my husband and pets with me sometimes. My husband has had triple bypass surgery and if something happened and I could not get to him, this would be a major safety issue.
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 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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Lincoln Continental years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2017 (14), 2000 (9), 1995 (7), 1997 (7) and 1998 (7) model years. Electrical complaints make up 19% of all complaints for the 2017.
Is there a recall for Lincoln Continental electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for any Lincoln Continental model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Lincoln Continental electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 98,000 miles; 32% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the wiring › interior/under dash (6 mentions), followed by the ignition (6).
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.