The 2002 Lincoln LS has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Chrome wheel cracking and lug nut damage.” 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 2002 Lincoln LS.
WHEELS
7 NHTSA complaints · 2003-10 → 2010-06
“ALL FOUR 17 INCH CHROME WHEELS ARE CRACKED AT THE LUG NUTS ON MY 2002 LINCOLN LS (STRANGELY SIMILAR TO RECALL NOTICE 03V136000)”
“THE LUG NUTS ON MY 2002 LINCOLN LS HAVE SWELLED ON THE LUG POSTS AND MAKE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE”
“AFTER INITIAL INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THE STAINLESS STEEL JACKET OF ALL OF THE LUG NUTS ON THE VEHICLE WERE DISTORTED”
POWER TRAIN
6 NHTSA complaints · 2005-12 → 2016-12
“THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AFTER IT GETS TO 40 MPH FROM 5TH GEAR TO 4TH GEAR”
“WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM FOURTH GEAR TO FIFTH GEAR”
“MY TRANSMISSION HAS A DELAY START/HARSH ENGAGEMENT AND SLIPS WHEN ACCELERATING CAR IS A 2002 LINCOLN LS V8”
SUSPENSION
17 NHTSA complaints · 2003-10 → 2022-03
“BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE LOWER BALL JOINTS HAVE FRACTURED, BEEN REPLACED AND HAVE FRACTURED AGAIN”
“WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT FRACTURED”
“STEERING LOSS DUE TO BALL JOINT AND CONTROL ARM FAILURE FOR THE SECOND TIME”
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
12 NHTSA complaints · 2003-03 → 2018-03
“2002 LS, UNDER SLOW SPEEDS AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN, INCLUDING POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES”
“ENGINE STALLS WHEN SLOWING TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN”
“WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE WILL STALL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING”
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
12 NHTSA complaints · 2003-05 → 2022-10
“WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED”
“WHILE DECELERATING FROM APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD WITH FOOT COMPLETELY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL”
“WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY”
AIR BAGS
10 NHTSA complaints · 2006-09 → 2019-10
“2002 LINCOLN LS , AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON”
“WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHED 6 TO 7 TIMES BEFORE REMAINING ILLUMINATED”
“PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON”
AIR BAGS
6 NHTSA complaints · 2003-09 → 2019-05
“POTENTIAL TOTALED CAR WITH HEAVY FRONT END DAMAGE YET THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED”
“THERE WAS MAJOR DAMAGE THE FRONT OF MY CAR AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED”
“UPON IMPACT, SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY”
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
6 NHTSA complaints · 2003-03 → 2020-02
“WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH THE VEHICLES BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH IN WHICH THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY”
“IN PAST MONTH LINCOLN LS 2002 VIN [XXX] EXPERIENCED TWO LOW-SPEED (LESS THAN 10 MPH) BRAKE FAILURES”
“THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER BRAKED SUDDENLY AND WHEN MY DAUGHTER PUSHED ON THE BRAKE IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND SHE HAD NO BRAKES”
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)
117 crashes 1990–2024
How the 117 occupant deaths break down
83
driver deaths
34
passenger deaths
117
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2002 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.
21
complaints mentioning a crash
0
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 2002 Lincoln LS 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.