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Vehicle safety record

2000 Lincoln Continental Problems, complaints & recalls

Owners have filed 63 complaints about the 2000 Lincoln Continental with NHTSA, most often about the airbags (15) and the suspension (12). Those complaints describe 6 crashes, 3 fires and 7 injuries. It is covered by 4 recalls, the latest in April 2016 for the pads. For comparison, the 1999 has 42 and the 2001 has 32.

NHTSA data checked

FFar more problems than a typical Continental year, for its age

#112 most complained-about 2000 vehicle

Complaints
63
Recalls
4
Crashes
6
Fires
3
Injuries
7
Deaths
0

Most common 2000 Lincoln Continental problems

Share of all 63 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.

2000 Lincoln Continental recalls 4

Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do

Service brakes: pads

16E02600049,635 vehicles affected

The problem
Bosch Brake Components LLC (Bosch) is recalling certain aftermarket replacement front brake pads, models Bosch QuietCast BC598 and BP765, Bosch Blue BE598 and BE598H, Prostop PD598 and PD765M, Duralast Gold DG598, Duralast MKD598, Stop Master ST598, UltraStop ULT598, UltraLife MX598 and MX765, BrakeBest MKD765, and Prostop Platinum PGD598. These brake pads, manufactured October 1, 2014, to October 31, 2015 are intended for use on 2001-2007 Ford Taurus, 2001-2005 Mercury Sable, 1995-1999 Ford Taurus SHO, 1995-2002 Lincoln Continental, and 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII vehicles. The brake pad shim may shift out of position causing the shim to contact the brake disc resulting in damage to the disc.
The risk
A damaged or broken brake disc may reduce a vehicle's braking power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix
Bosch will instruct the owners how to have the affected brake pads replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 26, 2016. Owners may contact Bosch customer service at 1-888-715-3616.

Air bags: frontal

03V14400043,459 vehicles affected

The problem
On certain passenger vehicles, the driver and/or passenger side air bag could deploy as a result of underbody impacts near the sensors, such as those occurring from pieces of gravel or debris thrown from the wheels while the vehicle is being operated at moderate to high speed or being accelerated.
The fix
Dealers will recalibrate the air bag sensors. Owner notification began march 31, 2003. Owners may contact lincoln at 1-800-521-4140.

Visibility: motor

01V2580001,083,000 vehicles affected

The problem
Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or ignition of the plastic cover material. Switch malfunction is most likely to occur when the intermittent setting of the wipers is being used, or when snow or ice obstructs the blades from returning to the "parked" position at the bottom of the windshield. These vehicles were built at the following assembly plants: atlanta plant from 2/11/00 through 7/31/00; chicago plant from 2/14/00 through 8/4/00; kansas city plant from 2/26/00 to 9/4/00; kentucky truck plant from 2/18/00 to 8/31/00; michigan truck plant from 2/23/00 through 8/3/00; norfolk plant from 2/21/00 through 7/27/00; wayne stamping and assembly plant from 2/25/00 through 8/15/00; and wixom plant from 2/15/00 through 8/8/00.
The risk
Loss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash.
The fix
Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began august 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Seat belts: anchorage

99V25000025,306 vehicles affected

The problem
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The seat belt retractor may have a pin shaft in the switchable elr/alr mechanism that is incorrectly formed. In some circumstances, the switching mechanism could become nonfunctional, preventing the seat belt webbing from being extracted from the retractor. It is also possible that malfunction of the mechanism could prevent the belt from being switched into the alr mode. The elr mechanism is not affected by this condition.
The risk
If the mechanism malfunctions and does not allow the webbing to be extracted, the lap and shoulder belt could not be worn by a vehicle occupant. In the event that the mechanism does not allow the alr mode to be engaged, the operator may be unable to properly install a child seat in that seating position.
The fix
Dealers will inspect the lap and shoulder belt assemblies. Assemblies with julian date codes of 200 through 223 are suspect and will be replaced.

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63 complaints about the 2000 Lincoln Continental

Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 3.

Electrical systemFire

The contact owns a 1979 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and turned off, there was smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the rear end near the driver's side of the vehicle had caught on fire. The vehicle was extinguished by the Fire Department. A fire report was filed, and a fire report number was provided; however, the cause for the failure was not yet determined. A Police report was not filed. No injuries were sustained. The dealer was not contacted. The...

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vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,070. The VIN was invalid.

Filed Incident Electrical systemNHTSA 11617441
Airbags

TAKATA RECALL

Filed Incident Air bagsNHTSA 11150166
SuspensionElectrical system

A neighbor pointed out that the automobile was sitting several inches lower than normal closer to ground while parked in driveway. I began to check on this every time I went to use the car. Sometimes vehicle was normal height, sometimes lower. I noticed that, sometimes, when I turned the ignition key there was sound heard like a fan operating. I asked questions of people who had owned similar models and was told that there was a problem in this model showing up 4 to 8 years after manufacture. This model has a...

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ride control which involves three "ride control" settings. As cars age there are air bags under the car which control the feel of car (plush, normal, firm) and they adjust accordingly. Before I start the car, if it sits low, turning the ignition key causes the ride mechanism to raise the car frame a few inches above the tires. Sometimes in cold weather this does not seem to operate and a message shows "check ride control". The store that does routine service regularly tells me that this is a problem in lincoln/fords and that repairs often cost $2000 or more. The car now has about 114,000 miles on it and this problem occurs more often. I believe this has become a safety issue, and I have been told that I am not the only owner having this problem. The car was purchased from another owner, whom I know, in about 2008. He had purchased it from a ford dealer as a "program car" I believe in 2001. *Tr

Filed Incident Suspension · Electrical systemNHTSA 10576042
Acceleration & cruise control

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 lincoln continental. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the engine rpms increased excessively as the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was diagnosed that the control valve needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 165,000.

Filed Incident Vehicle speed controlNHTSA 10573692
Engine & coolingFire

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 lincoln continental. The contact stated that smoke emitted from under the hood while the vehicle was parked. The contact attempted to open the hood to inspect the vehicle and found that the engine was on fire. The fire department was called to assist. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not inspected to determine the cause of the failure. The vin was not available. The approximate failure and current mileage was 106,000.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 10509661
Airbags

I was entering the vehicle from the driver's side when the airbag spontaneously depoloyed, striking me in the face & arm. *Tr

Filed Incident Air bagsNHTSA 10475259
Acceleration & cruise controlCrash1 injury

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 lincoln continental. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal became stuck and caused the vehicle to rapidly accelerate to 90 mph. The contact was attempting to exit a highway off-ramp but was unable to slow the speed of the vehicle. The brakes were applied but the vehicle was unresponsive and crashed into a tree. The contact did not recall the details of the crash. The contact sustained injuries to the neck, back and received burns to the face. The vehicle was not inspected to determine the cause of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 106,000. Updated 07/05/12*lj

Filed Incident Vehicle speed controlNHTSA 10457026
Suspension

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 lincoln continental. The contact stated that while driving 25 mph, there was a loud popping noise. The contact then noticed that the front passenger coil spring fractured and had punctured the front passenger side tire. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where the manufacturer was contacted but did not acknowledge the failure. The vehicle was neither diagnosed nor repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 90,000.

Filed Incident SuspensionNHTSA 10453490
Seats & seat belts

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 lincoln continental. The contact stated that the middle rear seat belt failed to unlock and remained in the locked position. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was contacted. The manufacturer confirmed that the vin did not qualify for repairs under nhtsa campaign id number:99v250000 (seat belts:front:anchorage). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 137,100. Updated 11/10/11*lj

Filed Incident Seat beltsNHTSA 10430212
Equipment & accessories

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 lincoln continental. The contact stated that the air conditioner was malfunctioning and he was unable to adjust the temperature when the blower was set to high. Whenever the air conditioner was turned off, hot air would blow from the vents, making it unbearable to drive. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who diagnosed that the blending gate in the air conditioner needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 42,000 and the current mileage was 61,000. The vin was not available.

Filed Incident EquipmentNHTSA 10418594
SuspensionEngine & coolingTransmission & drivetrainVisibility & wipersSeats & seat beltsAcceleration & cruise controlEquipment & accessories

While driving on the highway the car started to accelerate on it,s own and when I applied the brakes they wouldn't work. I had to get off the next exit because I didn't want anyone to get in front of me because it went all the way up to 90 mph.Once I got off it still was accelerating so I drove up on the sidewalk to keep from hitting traffic at the light and got into the grass and it still was going fast and the brakes still not working I prayed and put it into neutral or I would have went right back into the...

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traffic. Once I put it in neutral it stopped and then I put it in park and turned it off. I then turned it back on and it was idling so high and loud I turned it back off and called a tow truck. Once they arrived he stated that the linkage to the accelerator was stuck and that's is why the brakes weren't responding. He then called the dealership who stated he wasn't sure if the could look at the car or if he did when he would be able to work on it. Since then it has been sitting and I found out about all these other recalls and complaints for the very other things we been having problems with on this car. The tower also stated that he thought there was a recall for this acceleration if so I need to know this because this car needs to be fixed on the other recalls. This is the first time it did the acceleration but the foggy winshield,the seatbelts locking up on using the front seats, the suspension and brakes have been like this for a while and we were never notified about these recall so we could get them corrected. Others and myself could have been seriously hurt on that highway if I didn't stay calm through out the whole ordeal. I would like some response to what I need to do next and if this is a recall like the others can I take to the dealership and have it corrected. Right now it can be driven at all. *Tr

Filed Incident Suspension · Engine and engine cooling · Power train · Visibility · Seat belts · Vehicle speed control · EquipmentNHTSA 10350153
Wheels & tiresEquipment & accessories

2 Tire valve failure, both at highway speed. Tires mounted 02/08 at a goodyear shop in marysville, ohio 1st failure 06/12/09, and the 2nd 06/28/09. I went back to the shop, and was told that since "i drove on the flat to get to the side of the road" I ruined the tire. I was not informed that there was a bunch of bad chinese made valves. *Tr

Filed Incident Tires · EquipmentNHTSA 10277031
Body, doors & structure

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 lincoln continental. Since march of 2009, the doors have failed to lock and set the alarm off on the vehicle. The vehicle has been repaired once, but the failure still persists. The contact feels this is a safety issue because the doors need to be locked. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

Filed Incident Latches / locks / linkagesNHTSA 10261579
Suspension

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 lincoln continental. While attempting to drive in reverse, the contact heard a loud noise. He inspected the vehicle and noticed that the driver's side suspension system failed. The vehicle was towed and a technician repaired the driver's side strut, spring, and tire. One year later, the front passenger side suspension system failed while driving in reverse. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and the front passenger side sway bar, spring, strut, and tire were repaired at the cost of...

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over $1,000. The contact has supporting documentation of the vehicle's repair history. The failure mileage was 97,000 and current mileage was 113,881. Updated 09/23/08 *bf the left air bag air suspension had blown. The second time the failure happened, the consumer was backing out of a parking space and heard a noise. The consumer discovered the left front suspension spring had broken just like the first failure. Updated 09/25/08. *Jb

Filed Incident SuspensionNHTSA 10238715
Wheels & tires

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 lincoln continental. While driving approximately 35 mph, the contact felt the tire becoming flat. She drove the vehicle to a service station and they replaced the tire with her donut. The contact then took the vehicle to sears and was informed that the valve stem failed. The current mileage was 70,000 and failure mileage was 68,701.

Filed Incident TiresNHTSA 10234769
Suspension

I was driving on the interstate highway when the left front spring broke which was like an explosion. This caused lots of other damage to the car as well as the tire. *Tr

Filed Incident SuspensionNHTSA 10220873
Engine & cooling

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 lincoln continental. While approaching a stop at various speeds, the vehicle completely stalled without warning. The vehicle has not been inspected to determine the cause of the failure, and the manufacturer has not been notified. The powertrain was unknown. The failure mileage was 90,000 and current mileage was 100,000. Updated 04/16/08 *bf updated 04/16/08 *tr

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 10219727
BrakesElectrical systemBody, doors & structureLights

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 lincoln continental. The power door locks engage and unlock on their own without warning. The doors normally lock automatically when shifting out of park. The interior lights also illuminated without warning after the vehicle was parked, which prevented the alarm system from engaging. The failure occurred february 5, 2008. The door is ajar warning indicator light indicated had illuminated; however, the door was secure. The abs warning light illuminated the week of january 28, 2008...

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when there was snow present and dimmed immediately after the contact reached his destination. The dealer had not yet diagnosed the failure. The current and failure mileages were 93,000.

Filed Incident Service brakes, hydraulic · Electrical system · Latches / locks / linkages · Interior lightingNHTSA 10218317
Wheels & tiresCrash

2000 Lincoln continental's left tire failed while driving. *Ts when the tire failed the vehicle drove off the left side of the road and struck a cement divider. There was damage to the left front tire, left front bumper, left front fender, and left front rim. No injuries were sustained. *Nm b.F. Goodrich control plus tires. *Nm

Filed Incident TiresNHTSA 10176421
Seats & seat belts

Tl* - the contact stated that both rear seat belts didn't retract. The contact found recall 99s26, but the dealer would not honor the recall for the rear seats. The contact stated that the passengers used the seat belts, and when they tried to reuse them one failed to retract and the other would not release. *Ak

Filed Incident Seat beltsNHTSA 10177523
Airbags1 injury

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 3 mph in a driveway the passenger side side air bag deployed without warning. The passenger sustained injuries to the arm. The dealer was not contacted.

Filed Incident Air bagsNHTSA 10165064
Suspension

Ltr fm (pa) reporting coil spring broke in his model year 2000 ford lincoln continental defective vehicle. *Ts *nm

Filed Incident SuspensionNHTSA 10158382
Suspension

While driving at approx. 10 Mph I heard a loud bang on the morning of 4-24-06. I came to a stop thinking I had hit something in the road. I looked around the back of the car and noticed part of the coil spring on the ground. I knew exactly what it was because the passenger side broke on 4-6-06. If at either time I would have been driving at any substantial speed it could have caused a major accident. *Nm

Filed Incident SuspensionNHTSA 10156006
Suspension

Dt*: the contact stated while putting air in the front driver side tire, it was noticed, the front coil springs had broken and punctured the tire. Although the manufacturer was alerted, no appointment for inspection was made. Updated 5/2/2006 - *nm

Filed Incident SuspensionNHTSA 10154731
Transmission & drivetrain

Recently purchased this car(2000 lincoln continental) used, me and a friend decided to go to the beach, on the way, on the highway at about 45-65 mph while the accelerator was constant the gear shifting became sporadic/shuddering between the gears, almost every single time after the shudder stopped the rpm on the tachometer would significantly drop and speed would significantly drop as well and even when applying full acceleration to the pedal the car acted as if it were in neutral but the engine was not revving up...

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either, if this happened while trying to switch lanes on the highway in traffic with a significant drop in speed and control over the speed of the vehicle an accident could have occurred. Several service bulletins on the nhtsa web site indicate this similar defects in the transmission for this vehicle. *Jb

Filed Incident Power trainNHTSA 10150071

Lincoln Continental: every year compared

YearComplaintsRecallsCrashesFiresTop problemGrade
200233140Acceleration & cruise controlC
200132210SuspensionC
200063463AirbagsF
199942362SuspensionD
199872282Engine & coolingF
199796253Visibility & wipersF
199648330SuspensionD
All Continental years

2000 Lincoln Continental vs rivals

VehicleComplaintsRecallsCrashesGrade
2000 Lincoln Continental6346F
2000 Lincoln LS354118FCompare
2000 Lincoln Navigator133711FCompare
2000 Lincoln Town Car132913DCompare
2000 Lincoln Mark Viii100ACompare

More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.

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Questions about the 2000 Lincoln Continental

Does the 2000 Lincoln Continental have any recalls?

Yes - NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2000 Lincoln Continental: pads (April 2016); frontal (April 2003); motor (August 2001); anchorage (September 1999). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.

What are the most common problems with the 2000 Lincoln Continental?

By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the airbags (15), suspension (12), visibility & wipers (11).

How many complaints has the 2000 Lincoln Continental had?

63 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on December 10, 1999 and the latest on October 1, 2024. Of these, 6 describe a crash and 3 a fire, and together they report 7 injuries and 0 deaths.

Is the 2000 Lincoln Continental a reliable vehicle?

Its Safety Index is 21 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Lincoln Continental year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.

Which Lincoln Continental years have the most complaints?
What should I do if my 2000 Lincoln Continental has a problem?

If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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