Most common 2003 Lincoln Town Car problems
Share of the 201 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 →
2003 Lincoln Town Car recalls (1)
Suspension › Rear
Certain police, commercial, and passenger vehicles sold to fleets typically input higher loads into the vehicle chassis overloading the wheel bearings and axles.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear wheel bearings, seals,and axle shafts. The recall began on July 15, 2004. Owners should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2003 Lincoln Town Car:
Rear axle fracture
This pe was opened after odi became aware of two allegations concerning rear axle fracture and partial wheel separation involving my 2003 Ford crown victoria police interceptors (cvpi).initially, the pe's scope involved all my 2003 grand marquis, crown victoria, and Lincoln town cars (I.e., panther platform) produced through January 2003.while gathering information about this issue, it became evident that the…
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 2003 Lincoln Town Car owners say
Suspension all 81 →
The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Town Car. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V328000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, vibration sounds were heard coming from the rear of the vehicle. The local dealer, All American Ford of Paramus (375 NJ-17, Paramus, NJ 07652) and Mahwah Ford (55 Franklin Turnpike, Mahwah, NJ 07430) were made aware of the recall however, all three dealers informed the contact that the parts were obsolete. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to several dealers. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000. Consumer stated safety recall for a fracture in the rear axle and bearing states can cause crash still isn't resolved.
The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated while his son was driving on the highway, the accelerator pedal was slightly released; however, the vehicle stopped instantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to drive to his destination safely. The vehicle was towed to the contact's workplace. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The tow truck operator stated that the rear axle was fractured. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.
Transmission & drivetrain all 27 →
Been trying for about a year to get this safety recall called 4 local ford dealer ships first one said my cars to old they won't fix the safety recall other don't give call back I can hear like vibrating in the back where this recall would fix it hopfully it don't break on me
I have had to replace wheel bearing and axle every few months because of premature wear and causing driving to be a safety concern. Once it wears thin, the car shakes and wobbles and the tire almost snapped off twice.
Speed control & acceleration
Rear end started a sudden howell and shaking and grinding and the Abs and traction control light came on and brakes and suspension did not want to function properly while driving in traffic as quick as I could I pulled over and it looked like one tire was sticking out of the axel way far So I just pulled over and called for my AAA to to and got towed home thats it
While driving normally, the accelerator stuck open causing the Car to gain an excess amount of speed in traffic. The Car would not turn off and the breaks would not hold it or slow it down. In the end the Car was totaled after hitting 2 trees and a wall.
2003 Lincoln Town Car engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Lincoln Town Car a good car?
Based on 201 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Town Car rates use caution: 1.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Town Car at the same age. It is one of the Town Car years we suggest avoiding. 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 Town Car?
The suspension — 81 complaints, 40% of all complaints for this model year, most often about rear. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (27) and speed control & acceleration (18).
How many recalls does the 2003 Lincoln Town Car have?
There is 1 recall for the 2003 Lincoln Town Car, the most recent from July 7, 2004 (rear). 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 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 2003 Lincoln Town Car problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 69,000 miles; 34% 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.