Lincoln LS Years to Avoid — Worst & Best Years to Buy

Q: What year LS should I avoid?

Based on NHTSA recall and complaint data, the 2000 Lincoln LS has the most documented problems with a problem score of 237 — driven by 1 recall, 215 complaints, and 1 reported death.

Q: What is the best year LS to buy?

The 2006 Lincoln LS is the best-scoring year in our analysis with a problem score of only 17, meaning 0 recalls and 13 complaints on record.

Q: Which LS has the fewest problems?

The 2006, 2005, 2003 model years have the fewest reported problems in the NHTSA database. Always verify a specific vehicle's history with a VIN report before purchasing.

Every Lincoln LS model year (2000–2006) ranked by recall count, complaint volume, deaths, and injuries. Data sourced directly from NHTSA.

Years Tracked

Total Recalls

665

Total Complaints

Reported Injuries

Reported Deaths

Lincoln LS Years to Avoid

#1 WORST

2000

1 recall · 215 complaints

7 reported injuries

1 reported death

Top issue: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

Problem score: 237

#2 WORST

2001

1 recall · 171 complaints

11 reported injuries

3 reported deaths

Top issue: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

Problem score: 211

#3 WORST

2002

0 recalls · 82 complaints

5 reported injuries

Top issue: AIR BAGS

Problem score: 92

Best Lincoln LS Years to Buy

#1 BEST

2006

0 recalls · 13 complaints

Main area: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Problem score: 17

#2 BEST

2005

1 recall · 44 complaints

Main area: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Problem score: 51

#3 BEST

2003

0 recalls · 59 complaints

Main area: POWER TRAIN

Problem score: 61

Found the right year? Verify that specific LS with a free VIN report.

Lincoln LS — Year-by-Year Problem Report

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Injuries	Deaths	Problem Score	Verdict
2006	0	13	2	—	17	Excellent
2005	1	44	2	—	51	Good
2004	0	81	4	—	89	Caution
2003	0	59	1	—	61	Good
2002	0	82	5	—	92	Caution
2001	1	171	11	3	211	Avoid
2000	1	215	7	1	237	Avoid

All 7 model years shown. Deaths and injuries from NHTSA complaint filings. Higher problem scores indicate more reported safety issues.

Lincoln LS Shopping Guide by Era

Pre-2013

Proceed with Caution

Older LS models have more accumulated wear and a larger recall history. These are higher-risk purchases without documented maintenance records and a clean VIN history report.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year LS should I avoid?+

Avoid the 2000 Lincoln LS if possible. It has 1 recall, 215 owner complaints, and 1 reported death. The overall problem score is 237 — the highest in our dataset.

What is the best year LS to buy?+

The 2006 Lincoln LS is the lowest-risk year in our analysis, with a problem score of 17. It has only 0 recalls and 13 complaints on record with NHTSA.

Which LS has the fewest problems?+

The 2006, 2005, 2003 model years have the fewest documented problems. Even for low-problem years, verifying a specific vehicle's history via its VIN is always recommended before purchase.

More Lincoln LS Research

Reliability Score

Overall reliability rating and score breakdown for the Lincoln LS.

Common Problems

Full breakdown of every reported defect for the Lincoln LS.

Check a Specific Lincoln LS VIN

Model-year rankings show statistical risk. A VIN-specific report reveals the individual vehicle's full history — accidents, odometer rollbacks, auction records, and open recall status.

Run a Free VIN Report →