Suspension complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated that the front passenger side coil springs fractured and punctured the front passenger tire. The vehicle was towed to the dealer were they confirmed the failure but the vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 72,000. Updated 04/07/11
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.
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?
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. …
My 1999 Lincoln Continental has a broken front coil spring that snapped while the car was sitting in my car port with no one near it. The broken coil spring also broke some plastic linkage part that is hanging down and punctured a brand new tire and the "air bag" light is also showing on the dashboard now. I know there was a recall for this spring problem #04s17 but Ford says that the recall does not include the Lincoln. This car only has 43K on it, thank god no one was driving it when this happened, this is obviously a safety defect. I will have to have the vehicle towed and repaired at my own expense according to the Lincoln dealer.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Lincoln Continental. The contact was driving at 45 MPH when the front driver side tire failed. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who performed a diagnostic and located the failure at the front tie rod and ball joint, the mechanic advised that the components had failed, causing the tire to wear prematurely and split in half. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 135,000.
Frequently asked questions
Which Lincoln Continental years have suspension problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1996 (13), 1999 (12), 2000 (12), 1995 (11) and 1997 (10) model years. Suspension complaints make up 27% of all complaints for the 1996.
Is there a recall for Lincoln Continental suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension 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 suspension problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 87,000 miles; 11% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front › springs › coil springs (18 mentions), followed by the front (17).
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.