Most common 2003 Lincoln LS problems
Share of the 68 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lincoln LS complaints by model year
Best LS years: 2006, 2003. Years to avoid: 2000, 2001. Compare all years →
2003 Lincoln LS recalls (1)
Wheels
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 17 inch chrome wheels, the chrome wheels were not heat-treated. These wheels May crack at the lug-nut holes, which could result in the loss of the lug-nut torque.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the wheels to make sure that all the wheels have been heat-treated. Any wheel that has not been heat-treated will be replaced. Owner notification began April 14, 2003.
What 2003 Lincoln LS owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 20 →
CEL came on, code indicated transmission issue. "e" appeared in the gear indicator, rather than the gear the transmission was in. Trans would not shift into 2nd and 5th of gears. Had the car towed to transmission shop, who told me the problem was a bad transmission case that had been destroyed as the result of servo impact over time. A bushing could have resolved the problem, had Lincoln installed one at manufacture. Tech told me this was a known problem with the Lincoln 5r55 transmission. Shop installed new transmission, with bushing, for $3700. No way a modern trans should fail at 113K miles, ESP. From something like this, so easily preventable. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Lincoln LS. While driving unknown speeds, the vehicle failed to engage into overdrive and the check transmission indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The contact called a local dealer (casey jackson Ford, 1435 e main st, royston, ga 30662) and was informed that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and did not assist. The failure mileage was 78,000.
Engine & cooling
We have owned this car for about 3 years and it has been one problem after another and see same problems on line 1) Will start over heating sometimes at idle sometimes while driving (try being in DFW rush hour traffic and deal with that 2) Wife was driving one day and a bolt on right lower control arm broke sending her across 4 lanes of traffic including on coming. 3) All of a sudden when brake pedal was depressed started hearing vacuum leak under dash, brake pedal real hard , and couldn't hardly get car to stop, traction control light started flashing. …
Car gets to hot my fill bucket for the radiator keeps getting a hole in the bottom of it or some where I have replaced it twice and again the same problem with this car. And it has over heated and goes all the way to h now because of this problem it mite now need head gaskets y can't you make this car better then it is and make it with no problems there junk I won't even tell anyone to buy this piece of junk.and it saying safe fail mode over and over like this car is problem after problem can someone fix my car for me at no cost please.
Electrical system
Car goes into fail safe each and every time it is driven. It did so 19 times today. I connected a code reader which identified the problems as being related to the throttle control and the throttle body. I purchased the car 1 1/2 months ago. Prior owner had the throttle body replaced with a new mopar unit 4 months ago/ 2000.miles ago. Don't want to replace it again since this is likely not the problem.
Took transmission for repair. Transmission shop could not load new Lincoln software on new computer module. It has been two weeks at rowlett transmission shop and now the "engine side" of the new computer installed will not clear. Says there in an engine issue now. There was no engine issue before I took it to get the transmission fixed.
2003 Lincoln LS engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 3.9L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Lincoln LS a good car?
Based on 68 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 LS rates average: 38% fewer complaints than a typical year of the LS at the same age. It is one of the best LS years by this measure. 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 2003 Lincoln LS?
The transmission & drivetrain — 20 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the engine & cooling (15) and electrical system (11).
How many recalls does the 2003 Lincoln LS have?
There is 1 recall for the 2003 Lincoln LS, the most recent from April 7, 2003 (wheels). 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 LS?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2006 and 2003. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000 and 2001. See the full Lincoln LS years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Lincoln LS problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 60,000 miles; 42% 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.