Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Lincoln Town Car, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags20
- Vehicle speed control12
- Service brakes, hydraulic10
- Latches/locks/linkages4
- Suspension3
- Visibility3
- Steering3
- Electrical system3
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Tires2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 12 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 10 2002 Town Car vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2002 Lincoln Town Car failed the safety check 2.09% of the time — 4% more often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 114,897 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
2 cars built in 2002 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 6 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In New Zealand
1 2002 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 13.1 L/100 km (about 18 mpg US), CO₂ 301 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town Car · Full-size · Regular gasoline | 15.2 | 10.5 | 13.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2002 Lincoln Town Car.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Lincoln told its dealers about the 2002 Lincoln Town Car: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637811 | SUBJECT REGARDING AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATION WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE B2290 / LAMP FAULT CODE 16. *TT |
| 637798 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIPER BLADE EDGE GUARD PROTECTORS. *TT |
| 637773 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN INOPERATIVE ENGINE COOLING FAN. *TT |
| 636065 | INFORMATION REGARDING DISCHARGED BATTERY CHARGING SERVICE TIPS AND GUIDELINES. *TT |
| 636052 | INOPERATIVE OR INACURRATE SPEEDOMETER, 4X4 LAMP ILLUMINATD, AND / OR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1635 OR P1639. *TT |
| 636049 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES PROPER PROCEDURES FOR PREPARATION OF SERVICE SHEET METAL PARTS COATED WITH ELECTRO DEPOSITION PRIMER (E-COAT). *TT |
| 636045 | ON SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 4.6L ENGINE, THE FRONT END ACCESSORY DRIVE (FEAD) BELT MAY HYDROPLANE ON THE WATER PUMP PULLEY WHENTHE BELT IS SPLASHED WITH WATER. *TT |
| 635994 | ON SOME VEHICLES, THE BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK MAY BE INOPERATIVE, NOW ALLOWING THE OPERATOR TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER FROM THE PARK POSITION. STOP LAMP OPERATION MAY ALSO BE AFFECTED. *TT |
| 635990 | ILLUMINATED AIR BAG WARNING LAMP WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE B2295 WITH LIGHT FLASHING CODE 22 (DRIVER SEAT SIDE AIR BAG CIRCUIT FAULT), OR LIGHT FLASHING CODE 23 (PASSENGER SEAT SIDE AIR BAG CIRCUIT FAULT). *TT |
| 630677 | EXHBITING AN ILLUMINATED AIR BAG WARNING LAMP WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE B2295 OR LIGHT FLASHING CODE 22. *TT |
| 630658 | CONCERNS WITH AIR BAG WARNING LAMP WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE B2290/ LAMP FAULT CODE 16. *TT |
| 630560 | SOME VEHICLES MAY DEVELOP AN INOPERATIVE CLIMATE CONTROL BLOWER MOTOR. *TT |
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 630001 | SOME ENGINE ASSEMBLIES WITH ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS REPAIRED IN-VEHILE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO LEAK COOLANT AND/OR OIL FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA. *TT |
| 627927 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT VACUUM OR AIR LEAKS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND / OR ENGINE SYSTEM CAUSING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0171 AND OR P0174. *TT |
| 627774 | SOME IGNITION SWITCH LOCK CYLINDER ASSEMBLIES MAY EXHIBIT ROUGNESS AND / OR EXCESS EFFORT IN TURNING, KEY DOES NOT FULLY RETURN FROM START, A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP MAY ILLUMINATE WITH P0500, P1502 AND U1039 STORED IN POWERTRIAN CONTROL MODULE (PCM). *TT |
| 625715 | BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB |
| 624571 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A FEAD BELT JUMP-OFF TOSS. *YH |
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 623944 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC |
| 10177863 | This article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000 and newer Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. |
| 10156863 | Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition |
| 10155551 | Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition |
| 10023943 | SOME 1997-2008 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 4.6L 2V, 5.4L 2V, OR 6.8L 2V ENGINE--SPARK PLUG THREAD REPAIR PROCEDURE--NOT COVERED UNDER NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY. *NJ THIS INCLUDES F-53 MOTORHOME CHASSIS. UPDATED 2/23/10. *PE |
| 10018745 | WDS COP KIT DIAGNOSTIC TIP - COIL ON PLUG (COP) IGNITION SYSTEMS - ENGINE MISFIRE OR ROUGH RUNNING. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation