2002 Lincoln Town Car: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2002 Lincoln Town Car
On the 2002 Lincoln Town Car, the failure owners report most often is other speed control problem, with 9 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 50,000 miles. Overall it scores 75 out of 100, severe risk for a 2002.
Severe risk for a 2002 — 39th riskiest of the 328 2002 vehicles we can rate. 71 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2002 Lincoln Town Car
Owners have reported 25 named failure modes on the 2002 Lincoln Town Car, and the three most-reported carry 28% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other speed control problem leads with 9 reports and about 107 per 1,000 vehicles.
Other brake problem follows with 6 reports, median 45,000 miles.
Other body or interior problem follows with 5 reports, median 10,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into brakes (13), adas (10) and airbag (10).
The mileage the reports cluster at
38 of the reports on the 2002 Lincoln Town Car came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 50,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 53% by 50,000 miles, 79% by 100,000 miles and 95% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 16% of the dated reports.
37% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 25. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 12 mention a crash, 1 a fire and 4 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 6.69, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other speed control problem at $250–$2,000, other brake problem at $300–$1,800, other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000 and airbag failed to deploy in a crash at $1,000–$5,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
6% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other speed control problem | adas | 9 | 2 | — | 28k | — | 107.1 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 6 | 2 | — | 43k | — | 71.4 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 5 | 3 | — | 11k | — | 59.5 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 4 | 3 | — | 35k | — | 47.6 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 35.7 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 35.7 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 23.8 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 2 | 1 | — | 2k | — | 23.8 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Airbag deployed without a crash | airbag | 2 | 1 | — | 22k | — | 23.8 | $2,500–$8,000 | Critical |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 2 | 2 | — | 97k | — | 23.8 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Other engine problem | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 111k | — | 23.8 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 2 | 2 | — | 87k | — | 23.8 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 2 | 2 | — | 14k | — | 23.8 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 21k | — | 11.9 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 11.9 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 11.9 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 1 | 1 | — | 48k | — | 11.9 | $200–$900 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 1 | 1 | — | 22k | — | 11.9 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 55k | — | 11.9 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 1 | 1 | — | 77k | — | 11.9 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 1 | 1 | — | 99k | — | 11.9 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 100k | — | 11.9 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other seat belt problem | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 11.9 | $200–$900 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 11.9 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 11.9 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 15 | 11 | 48k | 70k | 135k | 178.6 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2002 Lincoln Town Car draws about 845 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 99th percentile of complaint rates among 2002 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 84 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2002 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other speed control problem
The vehicle accelerated without warning. The manufacturer attached a recorder to the computer and it showed no defects. *jb the vehicle accelerated at full throttle when first starting and would be extremely hard to stop. *sc
Tl*the 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.
Other brake problem
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 lincoln town car. Whenever the contact depresses the brake pedal, the accelerator pedal is depressed instead. This causes the vehicle to unexpectedly speed up. The failure recently occurred while driving 15 MPH. He has taken the vehicle to the dealer numerous times, but they stated that nothing could be done. The dealer advised him to be more careful when depressing the brake pedal and stated that the failure may be because an adjustable brake pedal was installed in his vehicle. He believes that there should be some sort of repair or solution to this failure. The contact feels unsafe driving the vehicle because he could mistakenly depress the accelerator pedal and cause a crash. The failure mileage was 30,000. Updated 11/07/08. *lj updated 11/07/08. *jb
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. *tr
Other body or interior problem
Upon starting and putting vehicle into drive, the automatic door locks engaged and locked all 4 doors. Upon stopping and putting vehicle into park automatic doors locked, only unlocked front doors. Rear doors had to be unlocked manually by the driver. *ak *jb
I have a 2002 lincoln towncar at 51200 mile I discovered that the door hing on the drivers door caused the door to make noise when you opened and closed it.I discovered the the door hing was defective. I fear that the door may come open if I hit a bump. The car has never been wrecked or mistreated. This is clearly a factory defect and lincoln said they will do nothing about it.
Recalls on the 2002 model year
NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 2002 Lincoln Town Car, affecting an estimated 84 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover steering. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
STEERING
1,767 vehicles 2015-10-06- Defect
- Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain model Dorman Steering Shafts, part number 425-359, Solutions Steering Shafts, part number 7-0359, and OE Solutions Steering Shafts, part number 425-359, manufactured April 17, 2014, to September 28, 2015. These aftermarket replacement steering shafts are sold for use in 1995-2002 Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car vehicles. These steering shafts may separate during operation if the integral fastener is loose or missing and if the interfacing vehicle shaft is compressed in length.
- Consequence
- If the shafts separate during vehicle operation, a loss of steering control would result, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dorman will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering shaft, free of charge. The recall began on October 28, 2015. Owners may contact Dorman customer service at 1-800-523-2492, option 5.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2002 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
Severe risk for a 2002 — 39th riskiest of the 328 2002 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 14 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1999 comes out best at 62 and 2002 worst at 75, with 2002 itself at 75.
If the model year is negotiable, 1999, 1998, 2010, 2001, 2003, 2000, 2004, 1996, 1997, 2008, 2005, 2006 and 2007 score lower than 2002 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 1996–2002 generation specifically, 1999 is the strongest year at 62 and 2002 the weakest at 75.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 1996-2002 generation, 1999 Lincoln Town Car scores best at 62 and 2002 Lincoln Town Car worst at 75.
The limits of complaint data
71 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 71 reports, 38 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 54% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Lincoln Town Car?
The most-reported failures are other speed control problem (9 reports, median 30,000 miles), other brake problem (6 reports, median 45,000 miles) and other body or interior problem (5 reports, median 10,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2002 Lincoln Town Car reliable?
It scores 75 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 39th riskiest of the 328 2002 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2002 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Lincoln Town Car is best?
Within the 1996–2002 generation, 1999 scores best at 62 out of 100 and 2002 worst at 75. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed