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2002 Lincoln Continental problems

The most common problem on the 2002 Lincoln Continental is acceleration and speed control. Its complaint count is close to a typical Continental model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Year score
69/100
Owner complaints
33
Recalls
0
Service bulletins
38
Worst area
Acceleration
Fuel economy
18mpg

The worst 2002 Lincoln Continental problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Acceleration
    6
  • Brakes
    5
  • Engine
    5
  • Suspension
    5
  • Seat belts
    3

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Acceleration
    6
  • Brakes
    5
  • Engine
    5
  • Suspension
    5
  • Seat belts
    3
  • Airbags
    2
  • Transmission
    2
  • Wheels
    2
  • Electrical
    1
  • Lights
    1
  • Steering
    1
  • Tires
    1

Recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Technical service bulletins for the 2002 Lincoln Continental 38

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 38 bulletins for the 2002 Lincoln Continental

2002 Lincoln Continental fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
4.6L 8‑cylFWD152318

What 2002 Lincoln Continental owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Mar 24, 2017 · Engine · 112,786 miles · NY

Oil pressure switch light came on changed oil pressure switch but light still flickers on happens when car is idleing at stop lights on city street

Filed Aug 4, 2016 · Seat belts · IN

Seat belts in rear are all locking up and will not allow for passengers in back to be buckled properly

Filed Feb 15, 2016 · Acceleration · 75,000 miles · TX

The vehicle was being driven at approximately 40 MPH, was being accelerated to enter a highway. Due to traffic, there was a let off on the accelerator pedal to allow another driver to merge, and the vehicle did not respond, instead it continued to accelerate without having any driver input. Brakes were applied, and the vehicle remained at near full power, and the driver had to apply breaks hard to slow, and pull off highway. Attempts to shift the vehicle into neutral resulted in the transmission wanting to go into reverse instead of neutral. Once off the road, the engine was shut down. When restarted, it was still stuck at wide open throttle. Several attempts to unstick failed. After it remained off a short time, and the accelerator pedal operated, it returned to normal. A short time later while testing in the parking lot, the problem recurred. Further investigation leads me to believe it may be related to the cruise control, as the issue appeared to be electronic in nature, as the operation of the throttle cable with the vehicle off showed no evidence of any sort of stickiness or unusual resistance. Cruise control unit was unplugged, and the vehicle tested. The problem did not recur at this time. I drove it home later that night in light traffic. The vehicle will be taken to a shop to evaluate damage caused when trying to shift into neutral to avoid accident, and see if a root cause can be determined. As there are several other similar incidents of this type I beleive it may be a manufacturers defect. This is a low mileage vehicle with approximately 75,000 miles. This is an extremely dangerous condition that should be thoroughly investigated and a recall issued, regardless of age, as this could cause additional injuries or fatalities.

Filed Nov 23, 2015 · Transmission · 106,000 miles · TN · crash

The accelerator was stuck and riving up and brakes etc. Did not work. Ran into a sidewalk so iwould not hit the person in front of me.a city street going straight.

Filed Dec 28, 2014 · Brakes, Suspension · 88,165 miles · PA

After turning on the ignition and putting the car in gear, my 2002 lincoln continental made an extremely loud noise. I turned the car off for a few minutes and after starting it again everything seemed fine. After about a half hour of driving, the car became noisy. I took it to a mechanic who informed me that the right front coil was broken. The mechanic could not locate a used spring and had to purchase a new coil for $530.45 which seems excessive. This ended up being a $733.00 repair.

Filed Aug 26, 2014 · Suspension, Wheels · 140,000 miles · MD

Driver's side front coil spring broke, and punctured the front tire. I was just beginning to back out of my drive-way. I had to have the car towed to the shop. Had both front springs and the tire replaced. Luckily it did not happen while driving down the highway at 70 MPH.

Filed Oct 3, 2012 · Acceleration · 110,000 miles · NY · crash · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 lincoln continental. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently and without warning. The contact attempted to decelerate however, the vehicle would not respond. The contact then crashed into a wall and sustained injuries to her knee and back. There was a police report filed for the incident. The vehicle was towed to a dealer for inspection where they stated that they could not determine the cause of failure. The vehicle was not destroyed but the air bag warning light illuminated a few days after the crash. The manufacturer was notified and stated that there were no recalls for the vehicle. The failure mileage was 110,000.

Filed Aug 4, 2011 · Acceleration · 66,000 miles · IN

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 lincoln continental. The contact was driving approximately 65 MPH when the accelerator pedal abruptly traveled to the floorboard upon engaging and remained in a stuck position. There were numerous attempts to release the accelerator pedal which failed. The vehicle would not stop when pressure was applied to the brakes. Once the gear selector was shifted into neutral, the speed began to reduce. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road and the engine was turned off. The contact was able to release the stuck accelerator pedal and resumed normally for a brief moment and the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The technician was unable to locate the problem. The manufacturer was not made aware of the unintended acceleration. The failure mileage was 66,000. Updated 08/31/11*lj the consumer was informed the throttle body cable was no longer being manufactured. Updated 09/09/11

Filed Mar 10, 2011 · Suspension · 72,000 miles · NH

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 lincoln continental. The contact stated that the front passenger side coil springs fractured and punctured the front passenger tire. The vehicle was towed to the dealer were they confirmed the failure but the vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 72,000. Updated 04/07/11

Filed Dec 2, 2009 · Wheels · 33,300 miles · MO

I own a 2002 lincoln continental which has oem chrome wheels. The chrome plating on the inside of the wheels is delaminating and curling inward toward the brake area where the rubber lines are located. Normally a driver would not even notice this plating failure and it could result in a slicing of the rubber brake lines. The ford dealer said there is no remedy from ford motor co. This delaminting process has been going on for some time.

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Compare the 2002 Lincoln Continental

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Questions about the 2002 Lincoln Continental

Is the 2002 Lincoln Continental reliable?

Owners have filed 33 complaints about the 2002 Lincoln Continental, close to a typical Continental model year.

What is the 2002 Lincoln Continental year score?

The 2002 Lincoln Continental scores 69 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Lincoln Continental: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2002 Lincoln Continental?

Acceleration and speed control, with 6 complaints. Next is brakes (5).

How many recalls does the 2002 Lincoln Continental have?

No recalls on record.

What year does the Lincoln Continental have the most acceleration problems?

The Lincoln Continental model years with the most acceleration complaints are 1990 (14 complaints), 1998 (13 complaints) and 1994 (11 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2002 Lincoln Continental get?

Official estimates for the 2002 Lincoln Continental range from 18 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.6L 8-cyl, FWD) gets 15 city and 23 highway.

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