Problems with 2001 Lincoln LS SUSPENSION

On two occasions my car suspension had failed. i am just lucky i was not on the highway or i could have been fatally wounded. i can not believe i never received any notices about the suspension recall. the first instance i was driving in my driveway and the car completely dropped down on the tires and could not move the vehicle. the second instance i was driving and the suspension fell on a regular road not a fast highway. it had cost me $250.00 to have it towed both times because it could not be moved by driving. in addition the second failure cost me $175.00 because the front tires were ruined. for the repair work on both instances cost me $125.00 each time totaling another $250.00 . so because of someone's failure to tighten nuts it cost me $675.00 , and not to mention the risk of losing my life. terrifying to say the least.

Front lower ball joints after inspetion are cracked and lose.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal crunching noise coming from the front driver and passenger side of the vehicle. the contact discovered the ball joints were not attached to the control arm. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the control arm needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not included in the recall for his vehicle model. the failure mileage was 69,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving approximately 15 mph, the steering wheel veered out of direction. the failure recurred multiple times. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the wheel bearing, hub assembly, and lower ball joints were replaced. the failure recurred. the contact was made aware of nhtsa campaign number: 00v359001 (suspension); however, the vin was not included. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 113,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 mph, the vehicle was making an abnormal popping noise or bumping noise. the failure recurred on multiple occasions. the contact believed that the failure was related to nhtsa campaign number: 00v359001 (suspension). the vehicle was taken to a dealer. the technician diagnosed that the ball joint failed. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 138,000. the vin was not available.

I got this car in july & shortly thereafter i started hearing a pop here & there in the front end. and its gradually getting worse. i was told to check to see if there may be a recall for the ball or u joints. i need to know if this car is included in a recall or not. and if so how do i go about getting it fixed. *tr

I was told today while i was getting the oil changed on my vehicle that the front lower ball joints were very loose, and that i was lucky that my front tired hadn't fallen off yet. after speaking with the manager he referred me to ford because of the recall on the suspension that he knew about. he though that my car should qualify considering the severity of the condition that they were in. after speaking with several people at ford i was informed that even though i was having the same problem as described in the recall that my car 's vin number did not qualify. i don't understand that at all. my car is the same year, make , and model, with the same dangerous situation. *tr

I was driving down the road around 11pm to pick up my husband, and the left driver side r/r ds lower ball joint in front of the car collapsed to the ground. i had traffic coming from behind and from a cross street in front of me. luckily, i was able to signal everyone by horn, arm waving and double blinkers before i was hit by anyone. i was able to prevent the accident. *tr

We own a 2001 lincoln l.s.. while making a right hand turn in a curve last night i heard a loud cracking sound come from the drivers side front suspension. instantly the drivers side front end dropped causing me to lose control of the steering. snatched the steering wheel hard to the left out of my hands causing me to cross opposing traffic into a ditch sliding into the front of a concrete pipe leading under the street. while applying the brakes in the grass car smashed into the edge of the concrete pipe. had car brought to our home. jacked up drivers side front this morning and found the lower ball joint had came out of the lower control arm it is busted as well as the tire, rim, front steel cross member that mounts the lower control arm is bent. wiped out the oil pan causing all the oil to leak out also damaging the rear lower control arm mount which is aluminum. plus busting the front bumper cover/ lower air dam. driving lights. cannot find if our car was recalled and fixed per your recall concerning improperly tightened lower ball joints. unable to find any information from ford motor company north america. now we are without a car to get to work. now we have no idea how to proceed. luckily there were no on coming cars avoiding a head on crash. this is my wife's car which my children ride in. looked at passenger side lower ball joint and it looks to be coming out of the lower control arm as well. car is in drive way with both front tires removed sitting on jack stands. *ln

I am a 66 yr old widow, owner of a 2001 ls purchased june 2001, a recall fix was to have been done before my purchase in march of 2001 to correct a problem with ball joints. i read online that many of these vehicles have the damage that was suppose to be corrected for when they get to about 67000 miles, i am at 67000 miles, took my car in for inspection and need an 1800 dollar fix to correct the issue that was suppose to be avoided by the recall. ford said, too long ago, no warranty beyond the norm for recall fixes. i can not believe with the amount of evidence that these cars all require a fix at 67000 miles that ford isn't forced to address this dangerous condition. i also don't know if it's safe to drive a while longer, i just don't know how they got away with a recall that did not provide the fix. *tr

I was driving my car, after driving home from work (approx. 70 miles round-trip). while turning i heard a loud crunch and then felt a hard thud, my vehicle was difficult to steer, felt another crunch. i pulled into a parking stall, after parking my vehicle, another loud crunch, the driver's side wheel had fallen off and was wedged into the wheel well. on march 12th, 2012 my repair facility informed me about the items that need replaced: upper and lower left front ball joints, front outer tier rod ends, new fuel filter- damaged in the incident, two new tires & an alignment. i realized how lucky i was that this did not occur while driving down the road. i conducted google search on 2001 lincoln ls suspension problems, i was stunned on the amount of safety related hits out there (suspension related), i realized that this was not isolated to just my vehicle, there were pages-of-pages of people that experienced similar suspension problems with their 2001 lincolns. there was a suspension related recall: lincoln / ls 2000-2001, ford motor company, date: nov 01, 2000 nhtsa campaign id number: 00v359001 n/a nhtsa action number: n/a component: suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint, number of affected: 82,300 summary: vehicle description: passenger vehicles. the front suspension lower ball joints were not tightened to specifications when they were attached to the lower control arms. consequence: if the ball joint attaching nuts are not adequately tightened, they can loosen and, ultimately, result in fracture of the ball joint stud. if the ball joint fractures, control of the vehicle could be affected, increasing the risk of a crash. remedy: dealers will inspect the torque on the two ball joint attaching nuts. vehicles with loose ball joint attaching nuts will either have the fasteners tightened to specification, or if necessary, the ball joints will be replaced. *tr

We purchased a lincoln ls on 2/24/12 and a i was driving the car home i heard a loud noise that sounded as if the wheels were going to fall off especially as i went over bumps. i took the car to midas and they diagnosed that the ball joints were bad, along with the struts, and gasket cover. i did some research and i found that the car had been recalled in 2000 for the ball joints. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving approximately 25 mph over a roadbump, the contact lost slight control because the vehicle began to abnormally sway from left to right. in addition, the four wheel rims installed on the vehicle were corroded near the hub. the dealer was notified of the failure and they informed the contact that the vin was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 00v359001 (suspension: front: control arm: lower ball). there was also a manufacturer voluntary recall on the wheel rims but the vin was ineligible. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 148,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. the contact stated that he took his vehicle into the dealer who diagnosed that the lower ball joints were loose and needed to be tightened. the contact referenced nhsta campaign id number 00v359001 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint), but the vin was not a part of the recall. the failure mileage was 103,244 and the current mileage was 103,376.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the front passenger tire suddenly separated from the vehicle. he managed to get the vehicle off the roadway in which the vehicle was then towed to his home. the vehicle has yet to be inspected or diagnosed. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the failure and current mileage was approximately 170,000.

Tl* the contact owns 2001 lincoln ls. the contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. the dealer replaced the spark plugs and the failure seemed to be remedied however, the vehicle then began to backfire and drive abnormally rough. in addition, the engine would exhibit abnormal noises and an overpowering oil odor. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the contact was informed that the head gasket and coil springs would need replacing. the failure mileage was 105,000 and the current mileage was 108,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. the contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph over a manhole cover, he heard a loud screeching noise coming from the outside of the vehicle. there was a slight loss of steering control and the vehicle was cautiously maneuvered to the side of the road. the contact noticed that the front drivers side lower control arm completely fractured, which caused the tire to turn in on a 90 degree angle. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and repaired. most recently, the identical failure occurred with the front passenger side lower control arm. there was a recall associated with the failure under nhtsa campaign id number 00v359001 (suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint). the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 99,000. the vin was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while traveling 45 mph the contact noticed a clunking noise coming from the front end driver side of the vehicle and that when traveling over a bump the vehicle will begin to sway left and right. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the lower ball joints needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings and the vehicle had not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 104000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving in reverse 1 mph, the front control arm and lower ball joint suddenly fell off the vehicle. the failure caused the rim to crack. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. the contact called the dealer and was told that the vehicle was not included in recall 00v359001 (suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint). the vehicle had not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were approximately 130,000.

2001 lincoln ls, lower ball joint failure while driving!!!, there is a recall related to this issue 00s39, but my vehicle according to ford, by vin did not fall under the current recall? my real question is why? some back ground on my incident i was driving on the freeway at 65 mph, heard and felt a change in the steering, pulled over and as i was coming to a stop the right lower ball joint stud broke in half, if this would have happened 30 seconds sooner (going 65 mph) i could have easily lost control of the vehicle at freeway speeds, i had the vehicle towed to my shop, i am a owner of a repair facility for the last 10 years, and am a ase certified master technician, with over 23yrs of experience working on vehicles. i inspected the vehicle and found the holes (both right and left sides) in the aluminum lower control arms over sized from the ball joint stud being loose and moving inside the lower control arm. this is an obviously dangerous engineering/manufacturing error, steel ball joint studs passing through a aluminum control arm without a steel reinforced sleeve in the control arm? with the constant movement and dissimilar metals, keeping a proper torque on the ball joint stud is almost impossible. they have a nylock/self locking nut on the ball joint stud so it won't back off all the way, but coming loose/losing torque and moving inside the lower control arm until it snaps off is inevitable. my professional opinion from my years of experience is the current recall needs to be expanded before someone gets killed or seriously injured. to repeat after performing my own inspection and as a professional in the automotive industry, this is a serious safety defect that needs to be recalled and repaired by ford. please take this report seriously as i feel my life was in real danger and i know others are in danger as well... jim oldham, owner automotive solutions, ase master technician. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving 45 mph, there was a loud, abnormal noise coming from the front end. within seconds, the entire front end dropped to the ground and the contact was unable to maintain control of the vehicle. the contact crashed into a row of bushes. he was not injured. the contact discovered that the front ball lower joints were fractured. the vehicle was towed to a local repair facility. the mechanic confirmed that the ball lower joints were fractured and had also damaged the radiator. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 112,000.

The ball joints to my lincoln ls v8 have on the safety recall since 2000. i have register my vehicle with ford since i purchased it. i have been contacted by ford since last year. why hasn't anybody made contact with me. i'm afraid to drive my car long distance, expect to my doctor's appt at the va hospital and my work area since i was released from the hospital in fort lewis, wa. madigan army medical center ofr injuries that i received in iraq. please help with this matter, please i need your help. i don't know were else to go from here. i am contacting before a major incident/accident occur? [xxx] p.s. i have bad dreams about this, not knowing the unknown just being over seas again. help me please. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. the contact stated that the vehicle began to squeak at any speed. the contact looked under the vehicle and noticed that the lower ball joints in the front were defective. the contact referenced recall nhtsa campaign id number: 00v359001, component: suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint. he checked with the dealer and they stated that his vin was not included in the recall. the failure and current mileage is approximately 90,000. the vin was unavailable at the time of the complaint.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. the contact stated when attempting a turn in either direction, there was an unusual squeaking coming from under the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where the mechanic advised that the drivers side ball joints would need to be replaced. the manufacturer informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in recall: 00v359001 (suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint) and would not provide any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 99,000 and the current mileage was 101,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. the contact stated while driving at approximately 3 mph and approaching a driveway, the lower ball joints fractured from the vehicle causing the front passengers side tire to collapse outward. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where repairs were made accordingly. the manufacturer advised there were no recalls or complaints pertaining to this issue. the failure mileage was 89,300 and the current mileage was 89,400.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving approximately 35 mph making a turn, she heard a loud noise coming from the front end of the vehicle which made the steering wheel non responsive. she had to turn the steering wheel continuously in order to keep the vehicle centered. she has had to make adjustments in order to steer the vehicle because of the failure. the vehicle was taken to dealer. the dealer repaired the vehicle but the contact was not sure what was done. whatever the dealer repaired caused the vehicle to function normally for a limited time. she stated that the failure with the steering had recurred. she referenced recall 00v359001, suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint and was advised by the manufacturer that her vehicle was not a part of the recall. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 102,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving 35 mph, the drivers side lower ball joint broke while making a turn and the vehicle began making a squeaking noise. the contact spoke with ford and was advised that his vehicle was not a part any related recalls. the contact stated that his vehicle demonstrated the same traits listed in another recall. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileages were not available.

Lincoln ls 2001 lower ball joint were not tightened to specifications. *tr

Ford issued a recall on the front suspension (recall id # 00v359001 - suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint) on the 2001 lincoln ls. however, ford recall web site and dealers do not acknowledge the recall. ford is not honoring recalls for all vins even though its the identical vehicle--2001 lincoln ls. our lincoln ls has the same problem described. *tr

tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving approximately 5 mph on normal road conditions proceeding to make a left turn. there was a loud sound outside of the vehicle. suddenly the front end of the vehicle collapse and fell to the ground. the front driver side tire turned in at a 78 degree angle. roadside assistance was called to the scene. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for inspection. the technician stated the failure was contributed to a fracture in the ball joint stud. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number 00v359001 (suspension;front,control arm; lower ball joint). the contact experienced the identical failure as mentioned in the recall. however, the vin number was excluded from the recall defect. the vehicle was repaired for the failure. the failure and current mileages were 130686 bl updated 09/23/09 *bf upated 09/30/09. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. after making a left turn from a stop sign. the vehicle started to shake and wobble. he pulled the vehicle over and he noticed that the front passenger side wheel was turned in the opposite direction that it should have been. he also noticed that the bolt joints have completely sheered off. he left the vehicle on the side of the road. he found a recall for the same defect ( manufacturer: ford motor company mfr's report date: nov 01, 2000 nhtsa campaign id number: 00v359001 n/a nhtsa action number: n/a component: suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint ) he contacted the manufacture and they stated that the failure on his vehicle had been repaired bythe previous owner. he states that the failure was not repaired correctly and should be repaired under the recall again. the vehicle is still in the location in which it failed. the current and failure mileage was 140,000. bl

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving 45 mph, the vehicle began to smoke, a loud noise was heard, and the front passenger side of the vehicle fell to the ground. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop and the mechanic stated that the front lower control arm bolt failed. the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 00v359001 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint); therefore, they would not assist. the contact will have the vehicle repaired. the current and failure mileages were 66,700. updated 08/28/09 *bf updated 08/31/09.*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving 20 mph, the contact heard a screeching noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. upon further inspection, he noticed that the rear driver's side wheel subframe was rusted, which caused the lower control arm to fail. the vehicle was towed and the tow driver observed that the opposite rear frame also failed. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the subframe was rusted out. the vehicle has not been repaired. the contact would not provide compensation because the warranty was expired. the failure mileage was 76,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while making a turn at approximately 5 mph, there was an unexpected loss of power steering ability. the driver experienced extreme difficulty maneuvering the vehicle. the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road with caution. roadside assistance was called to the scene and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for inspection. the technician stated that the failure was contributed to the lower ball joint. the vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id number 00v359001 (suspension: front:control arm:lower ball joint), although the failures were identical. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 100,000.

1. driving down the highway. 2. nut attached to lower front left ball joint became loose causing a fracture in ball joint stud. left front tire came completely detached from vehicle causing extreme high danger while trying to maneuver the vehicle off the highway and avoiding other vehicles. 3. this happened once on left front side, was repaired and now joint on right front is coming loose. recall 00v359001: ball joint stud fractures was put in effect to rectify this issue and was referencing specific vehicles based on vin numbers. our vin number is not included in this recall and should be. this is exactly the issue that we are having. *tr

1.spouse complained of significant controllability (loss of steering) 2. car examined by frame shop to find lower passenger ball joint loose (securing nut) 3. nut tightened by shop and controllability restored 4. spouse starts on trip and significant loss of steering returns within 30 miles 5. gave vin to woody anderson ford approx may/jul of 2009 and again mar 2010; no outstanding campaigns noted. 6. research reflects safety campaign for ball joints but my vehicle not included via ford. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving 65 mph uphill, the front passenger side tire detached from the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop and the lower control arm on the passenger side was repaired. six months later, while making a left turn, the front end of the vehicle dropped to the ground on the driver's side. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop and the knuckle on the driver side was replaced. the contact was advised to have the bushes on the lower control arm replaced as well. the vin was not included in any recalls. the current mileage was 141,600 and failure mileage was 141,560.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. on march 31, 2009, while driving approximately 25 mph, the contact noticed that the steering and alignment were faulty. she then heard a noise on the driver's side of the vehicle and it appeared to be fish-tailing while the front end remained steady. when driving over bumps, the vehicle felt as if it were uncontrollable. goodyear stated that the ball joint was extremely loose and the lower driver's side control arm needed to be replaced. in addition, the sway bars were bent on both sides of the vehicle, which caused the faulty alignment. the tie rod also needed to be replaced. the current and failure mileages were 79,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. whenever the contact drove the vehicle and began to decelerate, the front end of the vehicle pulled to the left which was followed by a grinding sound. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the front wheel hub/axle bearing and hub assembly needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 65000. updated 5/12/10 *cn the left window regulator was replaced. updated 05/14/10.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. the vehicle was taken in for a wheel alignment and the mechanic stated that the lower ball joints were faulty. the contact discovered a recall online and took the vehicle to the dealer. he was informed that the vin was not included in the recall. the contact feels that the vehicle is not safe to drive because the wheels are not balanced. the vehicle has not been repaired. the current mileage was 64,000 and failure mileage was 63,860.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while the vehicle was at the dealer for regular maintenance, it was discovered that the ball joints needed to be replaced. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 00v359001 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint), although the failures were identical. the failure and current mileages were less than 120,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving 65 mph, the vehicle yanked to the left as if the contact had lost control. the dealer stated that the ball joints were defective and the control arm and knuckle needed to be replaced. an independent mechanic made the necessary repairs and stated that he was in danger of the wheel actually detaching if the repairs were not made. the failure and current mileages were less than 80,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. the contact took the vehicle to the repair shop to have the front passenger side lower ball joint replaced. the mechanic informed him of nhtsa campaign id number 00v359001 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint); however, the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in the recall. the failure mileage was 73,400. updated 12/15/08. *lj updated 12/15/08. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while the vehicle was undergoing an oil change, the mechanic stated that the front passenger side ball joints needed to be replaced. the contact discovered nhtsa campaign id number 00v359001 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint) online, but was informed by the manufacturer that his vin was excluded from the recall. the contact would be responsible for the repairs. he believes that the vehicle should be included in the recall. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 69,000. updated 03/18/09. *lj updated 03/19/09. *jb

3 of 4 wheel bearings have failed in a 2001 lincoln ls with approximately 26,000 on the vehicle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving 30 mph or greater, the vehicle would pull to the right hard when going on a bump. as a result, the failure has caused damage to the tread on the two front tires. the current and failure mileages were 79,200. the purchase date was 05/20/2008.

When i was aware of the recall on my car i took it to the dealer in 2006 for repair i was told that the ball joint was previously inspected and that was all that would be done. since the inspection both ball joints failed and almost cause a accident . my complaint is that ford motor co. should be responsible for replacing the ball joints. *tr

Air bag light on won't go off/front suspension making noise (ball joints) horn won't work and window motor broke in 2007 we replaced front driver now we have to replace front passenger. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving approximately 40 mph on normal road conditions, the contact experienced difficulty steering and used great effort to turn the steering wheel. unexpectedly, the vehicle pulled to the left without assistance. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing and the technician stated that the failure was related to the lower ball joint. the vehicle was repaired. the vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id number 00v359001 (suspension,front,control arm,lower ball joint), although the failures were identical. the failure mileage was 65,000 and current mileage was 78,000. updated 3/19/09 *cn updated 03/25/09.*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. while driving 25 mph, the driver side wheel disengaged. the contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer and there were unable to determine the cause of the failure. they recommended that driver and passenger side lower ball joints be replaced. as of april 29, 2008, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle. there is a recall for the suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint (nhtsa campaign id 00v359001) however, the dealer and the manufacturer stated that his vin was not included. the failure and current mileages were 146,000.