MotorDeets

2000 Lincoln Continental: Recalls, Problems & MPG

Here are the deets on the 2000 Lincoln Continental: 3 recalls, 63 owner complaints and up to 18 mpg combined.

3vehicle recalls
63owner complaints
6mention a crash
18best combined mpg
2000 Lincoln Continental
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Sfoskett~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons. Representative photo of this generation; trim may differ.

Recalls

3 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer, plus 1 equipment/tire recall that can apply. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.

Seat belts Vehicle recall #99V250000 · 1999 · 25,306 vehicles

What's wrong: The seat belt retractor May have a pin shaft in the switchable elr/alr mechanism that is incorrectly formed. In some circumstances, the switching mechanism could become nonfunctional, preventing the seat belt webbing from being extracted from the retractor. It is also possible that malfunction of the mechanism could prevent the belt from being switched into the alr mode. The elr mechanism is not affected by this…

Why it matters: If the mechanism malfunctions and does not allow the webbing to be extracted, the lap and shoulder belt could not be worn by a vehicle occupant. In the event that the mechanism does not allow the alr mode to be engaged, the operator May be unable to properly install a child seat in that seating…

The fix: Dealers will inspect the lap and shoulder belt assemblies. Assemblies with julian date codes of 200 through 223 are suspect and will be replaced.

Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #01V258000 · 2001 · 1,083,000 vehicles

What's wrong: A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or ignition of the plastic cover material. Switch malfunction is most likely to occur when the intermittent setting of the wipers is being used, or when snow or ice obstructs the blades from…

Why it matters: Loss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash.

The fix: Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began August 20, 2001.

Airbags Vehicle recall #03V144000 · 2003 · 43,459 vehicles

What's wrong: On certain passenger vehicles, the driver and/or passenger side air bag could deploy as a result of underbody impacts near the sensors, such as those occurring from pieces of gravel or debris thrown from the wheels while the vehicle is being operated at moderate to high speed or being accelerated.

Why it matters:

The fix: Dealers will recalibrate the air bag sensors. Owner notification began March 31, 2003.

1 aftermarket equipment / tire recall replacement parts sold to fit this car, not the car itself
Brakes (hydraulic) Equipment recall #16E026000 · 2016 · 49,635 vehicles

What's wrong: These brake pads, manufactured October 1, 2014, to October 31, 2015 are intended for use on 2001-2007 Ford taurus, 2001-2005 Mercury sable, 1995-1999 Ford taurus sho, 1995-2002 Lincoln continental, and 1993-1998 Lincoln mark viii vehicles. The brake pad shim May shift out of position causing the shim to contact the brake disc resulting in damage to the disc.

Why it matters: A damaged or broken brake disc May reduce a vehicle's braking power, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: Bosch will instruct the owners how to have the affected brake pads replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 26, 2016.

Most-reported problems

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 3 mention a fire, 7 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.

Airbags16
Suspension12
Visibility (wipers, glass)11
Electrical9
Transmission & drivetrain7
Tires7
Brakes (hydraulic)5
Equipment5

What owners describe

The 2000 Lincoln Continental has 63 owner complaints, ranking #10 of 17 Continental model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 82). Complaints peaked in 2003 (9 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 4 years old, at a median of 86,500 miles. Neighboring years: 1999 (42 complaints, 2 recalls), 2001 (32 complaints, 1 recalls).

Engines & fuel economy (EPA)

EngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyComb.Fuel
4.6 L 8-cylAutomatic 4-spdFront-Wheel Drive152318Premium

Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.

Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2000 Lincoln Continental.

eManualOnline Download (PDF), keep forever

Closest thing to the factory manual for most years. Pay once, keep it.

Most $25–$78, one-time
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Mitchell 1 DIY Online access, factory-level data

Pro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.

From $19.99/mo · $39.99/yr
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ALLDATAdiy Online access, factory OEM info

OEM procedures, specs and recall/TSB info, the same source many shops use.

From $19.99/mo · $59.99/yr
Check 2000 Lincoln Continental manual
Haynes Print book or AllAccess online

Step-by-step photos written from a real teardown. Great for first-timers.

Books ~$30–$40 · AllAccess $34.99/mo
Check 2000 Lincoln Continental manual

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FAQ

Does the 2000 Lincoln Continental have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 vehicle recalls for the 2000 Lincoln Continental, plus 1 equipment or tire recalls that can apply. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common 2000 Lincoln Continental problems?

Owners have filed 63 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (16), suspension (12), visibility (wipers, glass) (11).

What gas mileage does the 2000 Lincoln Continental get?

EPA ratings run up to 18 mpg combined (4.6 L, Automatic 4-spd), across 1 engine and transmission combos.

Where can I get a 2000 Lincoln Continental repair manual?

eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.

Other Continental years

19901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022017201820192020