VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE
Lincoln LS2000–2006
Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.
Best Years to Buy a Lincoln LS
Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.
Lincoln LS Years to Avoid
0 recalls · 215 complaints
7 reported injuries
Top issue: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
0 recalls · 171 complaints
11 reported injuries
Top issue: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
0 recalls · 82 complaints
5 reported injuries
Top issue: AIR BAGS
Lincoln LS — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 0 | 13 | 2 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Excellent |
| 2005 | 0 | 44 | 2 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Good |
| 2004 | 0 | 81 | 4 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Caution |
| 2003 | 1 | 59 | 1 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Good |
| 2002 | 0 | 82 | 5 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Caution |
| 2001 | 0 | 171 | 11 | 3 | 57 | 39 | 51 | Avoid |
| 2000 | 0 | 215 | 7 | 1 | 57 | 39 | 51 | Avoid |
Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.
Known Lincoln LS Problems
Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.
Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.
Shopping by Era
How each generation of the LS compares — best year within each era shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year LS to buy?+
The 2003 Lincoln LS scores highest on our Buyer Score (51/100) — combining a reliability score of 57/100 with a value score of 39/100. It has 1 recall and 59 NHTSA complaints on record.
Which LS years have the most problems?+
The 2000, 2001, 2002 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2000 LS leads with 0 recalls and 215 owner complaints.
What is the Buyer Score?+
The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.
What are the most common LS problems?+
The most frequently reported Lincoln LS issues involve: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, AIR BAGS, SUSPENSION, SUSPENSION:FRONT. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.
Deep-Dive Research
A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.