2005 Lincoln Town CAR: common problems

Owners of the 2005 Lincoln Town CAR filed 119 complaints with NHTSA, most often about vehicle speed control and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 119
involving a crash: 17

What fails most often

1 Vehicle speed control 29% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 20% of all complaints
3 Air bags 18% of all complaints
4 Seat belts 9% of all complaints
5 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
6 Steering 7% of all complaints
7 Structure 7% of all complaints
8 Engine 6% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Vehicle speed control: 34 complaints (29% of all), 9 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 24 complaints (20% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 22 complaints (18% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Seat belts: 11 complaints (9% of all).
Electrical system: 8 complaints (7% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

4.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 119 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

airbag warning light16 · 13%
seat belts12 · 10%
warning lights, check engine8 · 7%
unintended acceleration6 · 5%
brake failure5 · 4%
smoke, burning smell, fire5 · 4%
headlights and tail lights4 · 3%
knocking, grinding or other noise4 · 3%
A/C or heater3 · 3%
jerking, harsh shifts3 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Vehicle speed control	34	9
Service brakes	24	6
Air bags	22	2
Seat belts	11	0
Electrical system	8	0
Steering	8	0
Structure	8	0
Engine	7	0
Powertrain	7	1
Exterior lighting	3	0
Fuel/propulsion system	3	0
Tires	3	1
Visibility	3	0
Wheels	3	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The contact called in regards to having a brake failure. The contact stated while approaching a red light and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to stop causing the vehicle to hit a truck and the curb. The vehicle was able to stop after depressing the brake pedal multiple times.
Service brakes · crash · 2020-07-28 · NHTSA complaint #11341849
The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained severe head injuries. The contact was taken from the scene my paramedics. A police report was filed. The contact was treated for brain damage, intermittent amnesia and was paralyzed from the waist down. The vehicle was destroyed.
Air bags · crash · 2014-06-27 · NHTSA complaint #10606442
After being parked in parking lot - engine turned off, no radio playing, etc. We started the vehicle up, backed up, braked, put in drive and accelerated at which time the vehicle immediately accelerated out of control. Brakes would not stop the car. The car continued to accelerate faster and faster.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2011-11-20 · NHTSA complaint #10436477
However,on april 8, 2010 I was waiting in line at the same car wash in exactly the same spot.I tapped the accelerator slightly to move up in line and my car lurched forward out of control. Despite pressing hard on the brake pedal my car still accelerated into the car in line in front of me.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2010-04-10 · NHTSA complaint #10324853
I was driving a 05 lincoln towncar when the right rear sidewall blew out. It totaled the car, my husband broke his arm and has two plates, 12 screws and a bone graft. He is still under a dr.'s care. I have spoken to several people that have had the same thing happen but with no damage or anyone being hurt.
Tires · crash · 2008-10-17 · NHTSA complaint #10245804
My nephew has a 2005 ford diesel pickup and I am told that he was backing up to a dock and hit the accelerator along with the brake and slammed into the dock breaking his tail light.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2006-04-06 · NHTSA complaint #10154688
The occupants were wearing seat belts, but sustained minor injuries. The police were on the scene and a report was taken. The vehicle was towed from the scene to await inspection by the insurance agency. Updated 5/10/2006 -
Seats · crash · 2006-03-27 · NHTSA complaint #10153792
There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
Visibility · 2022-12-05 · NHTSA complaint #11496036

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

200511
20068
20073
20089
20093
20109
20116
20126
20137
201414
201510
201611
20175
20185
20197
20202
20222
20231

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,153 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Town CAR has 95 complaints (35 years in the data). This year has 119, above average.

What to check before buying

Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Lincoln Town CAR?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: vehicle speed control, service brakes, air bags. Total complaints: 119. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (13%), seat belts (10%), warning lights, check engine (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 Lincoln Town CAR?

NHTSA lists 0 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 2005 Lincoln Town CAR 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 2005 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 2026-11-05.