FreeFaller said:
Most problems with the LS have are factory defects and have already been put out on TSB's.
Alot of the problems with the transmission are due to the drivers inability to treat it with respect. Constant floorboard treatment and burnouts will reak havoc on any transmission. But even if you baby it...there's always a few bad eggs. But overall the LS is on hell of a solidly built car.
Factory defects and occassional infant mortality is not unusual. But, A car built to be a sport sedan should be able to handle floor boarding(rolling start) treatment, this ain't your daddy's Hyundai. To not be able to handle regular enthusiatic driving is ridiculous and not the norm of the rest of the enthusiast drving world. Tell a Corvette, Mustang, BMW, or Sporty driver of any other brand that he has to not floor it and I believe you will get a laugh in your face.
I had a 96 Chevy Impala SS, a heavier car than the LS by the way. I floor boarded it every day I drove it. Loved to get up to freeway speed right away. That car ran for 90,000 miles before the tranny gave me trouble. That mileage was typical for that model tranny and not dependent on whether Ricky Racer or Granny drove it. Remember the Impala was essentially a Caprice dressed in drag. The Carpice is a granny car and they still had the same tranny issues at 90K so it wasn't me abusing the tranny. I was on the SS forum and most members got around 90,000K on the tranny or much more before any problems. In other words my mileage was typical for enthusiats and grannies.
Had a 79 Trans Am, loved to floor it, nothing like cruising at 120 for an hour with AC on, yes stupid, but I was young then. Never a lick of tranny trouble upto when I sold it.
In my opinion and plenty of others, an average tranny should last about 100K or more before needing significant work. No tranny(of any kind) I ever drove failed sooner than about 80K except for the LS and one other tranny where I let the fluid get too low, thru lack of paying attention. I have never been a gentle driver but then I also don't burn rubber, slam shift it, manual shift it, or otherwise abuse the tranny. I did cook one tranny at 80K because I liked to manually shift, but I was a stupid teen then.
Could just be a bad batch, but it seems like the LS tranny is far more likley to have tranny problems than most other cars. I think the LS is a fine car, and maybe I got some problems leftover from the previous owner. But I also read more than usual tales of woe on this site, of course only the bad issues get posted, so the statistics are most likely tilted.
My 2004 LS had a minor overhaul at about 15,000 miles, done under warranty. That mileage is ridiculous. I bought it at 14,000, it was making funny shifts then. I am fearful that at 20,000 miles, it is starting to act a little funny again. I am starting to become uneasy about the tranny on this car. I have never been uneasy with any other car I have owned since 1973. I hope I am just being paranoid.
If Lincoln wants to be a world class sport sedan, they had better be able to handle a bit of enthusiastic driving. None of this granny driving. The LS is aimed at the middle age crowd, so they better be able to handle the driving style. But then I guess the question is moot since Ford is killing the model. Guess too many people prefered buying some other marque that didn't need the drivers to drive with kid gloves on.
Once I get to maybe 50,000 miles, we'll see if the LS lives up to my high expectations.
Just my disgruntled opinion as my LS is starting to make occasional sloppy shifts at 20,000 miles.
Jim Henderson
