The 2000 Lincoln Continental has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Front coil spring fracture.” Lincoln uses Ford's Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor: it tracks how the vehicle is actually driven and calls for oil service when needed — up to 10,000 miles or 12 months on normal duty, much sooner with towing or repeated short trips. EcoBoost-powered Aviators and Nautilus models are turbocharged: heat is their maintenance story, so oil quality and cooling-system health matter more than on the old naturally aspirated V8s. Traditional V8 Navigators and Town Cars are long-interval machines — 100,000-mile plugs — that mostly reward fluid discipline.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2000 Lincoln Continental.
SUSPENSION
7 NHTSA complaints · 2005-03 → 2012-03
“I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN THE LEFT FRONT SPRING BROKE WHICH WAS LIKE AN EXPLOSION”
“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”
“THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER COIL SPRING FRACTURED AND HAD PUNCTURED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE”
TIRES
3 NHTSA complaints · 2000-09 → 2003-06
“CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE THEN A "THUNK" AND THE CAR SEEMED TO FALL, CONSUMER NOTICED IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR THAT THE ENTIRE TREAD OF MICHELIN TIRE HAD COME OFF THE TIRE AND WAS ROLLING ACROSS THE HIGHWAY”
“LEFT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL”
“THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION”
VISIBILITY
3 NHTSA complaints · 2001-04 → 2003-06
“GLARE OFF THE WINDSHIELD MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE SPEEDOMETER, ALSO HORN IS TOO HARD TO PUSH”
“THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM - CANT SEE DASHBOARD COMPONENTS WHEN SUNNY”
“THE INSTRUMENT PANEL COULD NOT BE SEEN BY THE DRIVER BECAUSE OF THE SUNS REFLECTION ON THE DASHBOARD”
AIR BAGS
5 NHTSA complaints · 1999-12 → 2012-09
“I WAS ENTERING THE VEHICLE FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEN THE AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPOLOYED, STRIKING ME IN THE FACE & ARM”
“WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED FROM THE REAR SEAT WITHOUT PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE”
“WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40MPH WHEN AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY WARNING”
AIR BAGS
4 NHTSA complaints · 2002-05 → 2005-08
“CONSUMER STATES AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS LIT. VEHICLE REPAIRED BY DLR WHO REPLACED THE ENTIRE HARNESS ASSEMBLY”
“AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND DEALER STATED THAT AIRBAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT OR MAY DEPLOY ON THEIR OWN”
“DT: CONTACT STATES THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEALER REPAIRED THE PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME BACK ON”
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
3 NHTSA complaints · 2010-08 → 2014-03
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE TO 90 MPH”
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED EXCESSIVELY AS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING”
“WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON IT,S OWN AND WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THEY WOULDN'T WORK”
POWER TRAIN
4 NHTSA complaints · 2000-04 → 2006-02
“WHILE TRAVELING ON THE STREET AT 25-30 MPH VEHICLE LOST POWER DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE”
“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”
“CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE SHIFT PARKING GEAR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE NON DRIVABLE”
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
4 NHTSA complaints · 2001-04 → 2001-12
“CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSING THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT, AIR BAG LIGHT,CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT, AND PARKING BRAKE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE”
“WHILE DRIVING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM EXPERIENCED SEVERE FAILURE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE POWER BRAKES, POWER STEERING, TURN SIGNALS AND INSTRUMENTS ON THE DASHBOARD, THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT LOCATED THE FAILURE”
“WHILE STARTING VEHICLE DASHBOARD INDICATION LIGHTS/ AIR CONDITIONER/ RADIO, AND POWER WINDOWS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Change when the Oil-Life Monitor calls it — up to 10,000 miles or 12 months. EcoBoost engines (Aviator 3.0T): use the specified synthetic and don't stretch the monitor; turbos cook marginal oil.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate every 7,500 miles. Heavy Navigators shift a lot of weight — even wear is a ride-quality item, not just a tire-budget item.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect pads, rotors, and parking brake at every oil service. Town Car livery duty and Navigator towing both count as severe service for brakes.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Ford schedules the 10-speed (10R80) and 6-speed automatics at 150,000 miles normal duty — but 60,000 miles with towing or livery use, which describes many Lincolns. Mercon ULV / the specified Mercon type only.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
V8 Navigator and Town Car: 100,000-mile plugs. EcoBoost V6 (Aviator, Nautilus 2.7T): commonly around 60,000 miles — check your year's guide; turbo engines run shorter plug lives.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Replace every 30,000 miles per Ford's schedule; sooner in dusty climates.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Navigator, Aviator RWD, and Town Car: replace rear axle fluid around 60,000 miles with towing or livery duty (150,000 normal per Ford). Limited-slip axles need the friction modifier.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$150–$195
Shop
~$105–$135
DIY
~$20–$50
Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.
Inspect from 60,000 miles; replace on cracking. The 5.4L Navigator's belt also drives the cooling fan clutch on some years — a failure overheats fast.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$195–$235
Shop
~$135–$165
DIY
~$20–$50
DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replace every 20,000 miles where equipped. (2004-era Town Cars predate cabin filters; modern Lincolns locate it behind the glovebox.)
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Motorcraft Orange (OAT) on modern models: first change around 10 years / 200,000 miles per Ford, though shops commonly refresh by 100,000. Older green-coolant V8s: every 5 years. Never mix chemistries.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Test annually after year 3. Feature-heavy Lincolns (air suspension compressors, power everything) expose weak batteries as electrical gremlins first.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$225–$390
Shop
~$160–$280
DIY
~$130–$250
Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
63 crashes 1990–2024
How the 63 occupant deaths break down
41
driver deaths
22
passenger deaths
63
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2000 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.
Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.
Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.
IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
6
complaints mentioning a crash
3
complaints mentioning a fire
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2000 Lincoln Continental reflects Lincoln's published service intervals and the Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.