AI Damage2017 Lincoln Continental: common problems
Owners of the 2017 Lincoln Continental filed 75 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and latches, locks, linkages. The maker issued 125 service bulletins for this year. We found 4 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 75
- involving a crash
- 1
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 125
- YouTube repair videos
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 27% of all complaints
- 2 Latches, locks, linkages 20% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 19% of all complaints
- 4 Backover prevention 15% of all complaints
- 5 Seats 5% of all complaints
- 6 Engine 4% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- Structure: 20 complaints (27% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 10.
- Latches, locks, linkages: 15 complaints (20% of all).
- Electrical system: 14 complaints (19% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 40.
- Backover prevention: 11 complaints (15% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Seats: 4 complaints (5% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 11.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.7 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- 3.7 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: AWD, FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 75 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 20 | 0 | 10 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 14 | 0 | 40 |
| Backover prevention | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| Seats | 4 | 0 | 11 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Steering | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Air bags | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
After all body repair (yes, only body was damaged), all dtc codes clear I take car for test drive, and after ~20ml of drive in city on one of sharp turn my continental steering wheel locked by itself! I almost hit incoming traffic car, then I understand why accident happens for this car in usa.
The contact stated while at various speeds, the contact noticed that there was an abnormal burning oil odor coming from the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at various speeds on several occasions, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound, unexpectedly bounced and stalled.
The vehicle is currently unsafe and dangerous to operate due to the risk of complete or partial brake failure. Lincoln/Ford have already acknowledged that there is definitely an issue with the braking system.
This failure is very similar to the symptoms described in Ford’s existing recall for defective door latches on 2017 Continental vehicles, but my VIN is not included in the recall.
My car has had 1 or all 4 of the outside door latches fail for 3-4 times now over its lifetime. Only under warranty for 10 years or 100k miles. Very expensive repair, at 1500 for 1 latch, or 5500 for all 4. This is almost the value of the whole car now.
The contact had to exit the vehicle and used the exterior door handle to open the door. The contact stated that a warning light was illuminated, but had disappeared afterwards. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired.
antifreeze mix with oil , now my motor is bad only had care for 8 months , coolant system ran hot all of a sudden , warning light of overheating stopped asap and had car towed, first appearence on 09/28
The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving 40 MPH, the wrench warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the motor mount had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 698 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 33% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Continental has 34 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 75, above average.
What to check before buying
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Backover prevention. Rear camera and parking sensors after a rear impact.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming
- NEW VEHICLE DELIVERY HOLD - Emissions Recall 25E08 – Supplement #1 Certain 2016 – 2019 Model Year Lincoln…
NEW VEHICLE DELIVERY HOLD - Emissions Recall 25E08 – Supplement #1 Certain 2016 – 2019 Model Year Lincoln MKT, 2016 Model Year MKS, and 2017 - 2020 Model Year Continental Vehicles with 3.7L Engines Powertrain Control…
- Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines…
Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation
- Some 2016-2017 Edge/MKX, 2017 Continental/Fusion/MKZ vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or 3.0L EcoBoost engine…
Some 2016-2017 Edge/MKX, 2017 Continental/Fusion/MKZ vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or 3.0L EcoBoost engine and built on 1-Apr-2016 and through 1-Jan-2017 may exhibit white or blue smoke from the exhaust, rough idle in…
- Certain 2017 - 2020 Model Year Lincoln Continental Vehicles with 3.7L Engines Powertrain Control Module…
- This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure
Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns …
- Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes…
Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in…
- This article supersedes TSB 24-2345 to update the Service Procedure
Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit an oil leak from the engine oil pan RTV seal. This may be due to a lack of RTV adhesion.
- Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement…
Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs. Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement…
- Some 2015-2017 Edge, 2016-2017 MKX, 2017 Fusion/MKZ/Continental vehicles equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost or…
Some 2015-2017 Edge, 2016-2017 MKX, 2017 Fusion/MKZ/Continental vehicles equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost or 3.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an oil leak from the engine oil pan RTV seal.
- While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal…
While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some…
- This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure
Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019…
NHTSA lists 125 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
- **Watch Before you Buy** Lincoln Continental 2017 Reserve - Door Lock Mechanism issueamount per author: 2,300 UNSPECIFIED_DOLLAR
- 2017 Lincoln Continental Front Brake Pads and Rotors
- Coolant leak diagnosis on a 2017 Lincoln Continental I love when they're this easy 
- 2017 Lincoln Continental (Bad Battery) issues. If this happens to you, get a new battery! 😇🔋
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Lincoln Continental?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, latches, locks, linkages, electrical system. Total complaints: 75. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: door locks, latches, handles (36%), warning lights, check engine (13%), rear-view camera (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2017 Lincoln Continental?
NHTSA lists 125 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2017 Lincoln Continental from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2017 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.