2004 Lincoln Town Car

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

70/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Lincoln Town Car, and it carries no recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Vehicle speed control	16	19%
Steering	14	17%
Structure	9	11%
Service brakes	7	8%
Electrical system	4	5%
Electrical system	3	4%
Unknown or other	3	4%
Tires	3	4%
Wheels	3	4%
Engine and engine cooling	3	4%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

My car has the same lcm control module issues as cars from the same years ad models, but when I enter my VIN it is not showing. +4 PO#3 1998-2000 Lincoln Town Car Lighting Control Module YW1T ... Yes, a recall exist
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

Bought a 2004 Linc Tow as a gift to my grandson. Drove it a couple of times and had no issues. After it had sat for about 2-3 weeks, I drove it to town to let it run after sitting. On my way home I was turning on to the
NHTSA complaint: Steering

The steering is binding really bad. Noticed it yesterday while taking hubby to docs. Much worse today. Unable to pull into parking spaces, did not dare to try to pull up to pumps. Cornering was a challenge in either dire
NHTSA complaint: Steering

VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE DURING RAIN SHOWERS AND WATER ACCUMULATED INSIDE THE REAR PASSENGER FOOT AREA 1ST AND OVERFLOWED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER'S FOOT AREA.
NHTSA complaint: Structure

MY STEERING IS HARD TO TURN. VERY STIFF. BOUGHT IT USED AND I SEE THEY REPAIRED THE UPPER AND LOWER POWER STEERING SHAFT., ALL OTHER MODELS WERE BEING RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. WHY NOT THIS YEAR? IT ONLY HAS 65,500 MILE
NHTSA complaint: Steering

I HAVE ONLY 20,118 ORIGINAL MILES ON MY 2004 LINCOLN TOWN CAR ULTIMATE. THE STEERING COLUMN UNDER THE HOOD IS TERRIBLY RUSTED. THE CORROSION LOOKS SCARY. I WANTED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM TELL ME IF I NEEDED
NHTSA complaint: Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE BATTERY DRAINED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIGHT CONT
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

OPERATOR EXPERIENCED STUCK SPEED CONTROL BUTTON AND ACCELERATED COULDN�T STOP THE SPEED ACCELERATION WITH STEERING WHEEL SO OPERATOR HIT BREAKS. LOUD BANG SOUND FOLLOWED BY DRASTIC REDUCED SPEEDS. COULD CAUSE LOSS
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control

The seven scores

Reliability raw	84	excellent
Longevity est.	78	good
Maintenance	76	good
Depreciation	52	average
Performance	69	good
Efficiency	35	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 52% of midsize & large cars
Longevity: better than 56% of midsize & large cars
Running costs: better than 54% of midsize & large cars
Value retention: better than 22% of midsize & large cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 84: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 78: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2004 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 76: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2004 Lincoln Town Car?

Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and vehicle speed control is the most reported area with 16 of them (19%). No recalls are on record for it.

Is the 2004 Lincoln Town Car reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 84/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 2004 Lincoln Town Car last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 78/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2004 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2004 Lincoln Town Car?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 70/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.