Most common 2002 Lincoln Town Car problems
Share of the 65 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lincoln Town Car complaints by model year
Best Town Car years: 2009, 2011, 2010. Years to avoid: 1997, 1996, 2003, 1998, 2001. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2002 Lincoln Town Car:
Inadvertent side air bag deployment
Odi has identified 173 complaints alleging inadvertent or non-crash deployment of side air bags on model year (my) 1999-2003 Lincoln town cars.most of the complaints allege that one of the side air bags deployed while driving without any impact.analysis showed that my 2001 through early my 2003 town cars have much higher complaint and warranty claim rates (138 complaints and 120 warranty claims) than the remaining…
Inadvertent side air bag deployment
This investigation identified a total of 182 reports alleging inadvertent or non-crash deployment of the side air bags.the data examined during the investigation suggest that the side air bag crash sensing system's algorithm May recognize certain non-crash incidents as deployable events.odi has not, however, identified any failed component that relates to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles.also, odi has not…
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
What 2002 Lincoln Town Car owners say
Air bags all 20 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the steering wheel suddenly became loose as the vehicle became uncontrollable without warning. The vehicle also went airborne, rolled over and spun three times before coming to a stop. The front windshield was fractured and the rear windshield became detached from the vehicle. None of the air bags deployed. Three occupants and a pet dog were severely injured and were transported to the hospital for treatment. A police report was filed of the incident. The vehicle was destroyed and was inspected for the cause of the steering or air bag failures. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 129,000. Updated 08/06/13 the consumer stated the vehicle was inspected by herndon and associates egineering firm. The report was sent to Ford, which Ford dissmissed in four (4) days. …
On 01/12/2019 I was traveling straight down a level country road with 1 passenger in the front passenger seat at about 45 MPH when for no reason the passenger side air bag deployed without any warning. After regaining control of the vehicle we pulled to the side of the road and took a few minutes to calm down and figure out what just happened and clear all the smoke from the interior of the vehicle from the air bag. My friend in the passenger seat was sore but not injured and both our ears were ringing. It sounded like a gun fired in the Car. I call Lincoln customer service and was told there was not any recalls on the vehicle and due to its age they would not provide any assistance to get it repaired. The side of the passenger seat is all tore apart.
Speed control & acceleration
Tl contact owns a 2002 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated that the vehicle lunged forward and crashed into the rear of another vehicle. She was unable to stop the vehicle until one minute later. The mechanic and dealer were unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The current and failure mileages were 49,000.
After hearing c. The recent sudden acceleration with Toyota vehicles, I am prompted to write you again regarding the sudden acceleration with my 2002 Lincoln towncar. While attempting to drive up my driveway, and park in my garage, traveling c. 5 MPH, the Car suddenly sounded as if were revving and lurched forward. The agent sent from my insurance company, recorded 35 feet of skid marks. Brakes did not work and my vehicle and I crashed into my den. I did report this incident to Ford and to you at the time. My cousin, in illinois, had the same make and year automobile, and had the incident occur three times. It is a frightening occurrence and one feels totally helpless. What can be done to eliminate this from our driving experience?
Brakes
Re 2002 Lincoln tc cartier l. The most useless and dangerous accessory on this auto is the adjustable brake & accelerator pedal. There doesn't appear that there is any way one May adjust either/or as they adjust simultaneously. Recently this "accessory" cost me $1000.00. My wife was stopped, waiting on the light to change and had her foot partially on the brake pedal and when she push on the brake pedal, she also pushed on the accelerator causing her to rear-end the vehicle in front of her. Once the brake pads wear, the brake pedal and accelerator is at the same level. This is no joke. This has happen to me twice, fortunately in both instances there were no people or vehicle (s) in front of me.- ( no excuses, just facts). I would like to know how many others have had the same experience (reported to you)? Thank you. Please investigate this issue. Ezra rachal.
Takata recall I've change the brake switch on my Car over four times and it went out again. Mt Car will not chage gier when this happens. I would like to know if there has been a recall with this problem. This happens after the vehicle is park.
2002 Lincoln Town Car engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Lincoln Town Car a good car?
Based on 65 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Town Car rates average: 38% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Town Car 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 Town Car?
The air bags — 20 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the speed control & acceleration (12) and brakes (11).
How many recalls does the 2002 Lincoln Town Car have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2002 Lincoln Town Car. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lincoln Town Car?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2011 and 2010. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1997, 1996, 2003, 1998 and 2001. See the full Lincoln Town Car years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Lincoln Town Car problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 49,000 miles; 53% 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.