2017 Lincoln Continental Safety Report
2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL SAFETY REPORT
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2017 Lincoln Continental
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2017 Lincoln Continental. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | High (4) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | Moderate (69) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 1 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Latches/Locks/Linkages | Compare latches/locks/linkages issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2020 | Compare against the 2020 Lincoln Continental with 7 complaints and 2 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2019 | Check the 2019 Lincoln Continental before buying across this generation. |
Lincoln Continental Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Lincoln Continental years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Lincoln Continental | 16 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2019 Lincoln Continental | 29 | 3 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2020 Lincoln Continental | 7 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
2017 Lincoln Continental Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2017 Lincoln Continental, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Latches/Locks/Linkages
14 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Latches/Locks/Linkages issues Lincoln onlyBack Over Prevention
10 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Back Over Prevention issues Lincoln onlyStructure
8 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Structure issues Lincoln onlyUnknown Or Other
8 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Lincoln onlyElectrical System
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System issues Lincoln onlyElectrical System,Structure
3 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System,Structure issues Lincoln onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2017 Lincoln Continental
Reliability Score
The 2017 Lincoln Continental receives a reliability score of 5 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates below-average reliability. Significant issues have been reported by owners and should be carefully evaluated before purchase.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2017 Lincoln Continental
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2017 Lincoln Continental
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2017 Lincoln Continental:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latches/Locks/Linkages Issues with door latches have been reported, making it difficult to open doors from the outside, especially after several attempts. |
Medium | Occasional | 30k-60k miles |
| Back Over Prevention The sensing system for back over prevention has been found to malfunction, increasing the risk of accidents. |
Medium | Occasional | 30k-60k miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2017 Lincoln Continental:
Issues with door latches have been reported, making it difficult to open doors from the outside, especially after several attempts.
The sensing system for back over prevention has been found to malfunction, increasing the risk of accidents.
Recall Details for the 2017 Lincoln Continental
The following 4 recalls have been issued for the 2017 Lincoln Continental by NHTSA:
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2020 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and 2017-2020 Lincoln Continental vehicles equipped with the 360-degree camera system. Degradation of the camera's anit-reflective lens coating can lead to a foggy or cloudy rearview camera image.
Consequence: Lack of a clear rearview camera image can reduce the driver's visibility of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 21, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S51.
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Lincoln Continental vehicles. The door latch pawl motors may not function properly, possibly resulting in a door latch not fully engaging.
Consequence: A door latch that is not fully engaged may result in a door opening while driving, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the latch assemblies on all four doors, free of charge. The recall began October 14, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S03.
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles and 2017 Lincoln Continental vehicles. In the event of a crash, the driver's frontal air bag may not fully inflate or the air bag cushion may detach from the air bag module. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: During deployment, if the air bag does not fully inflate or the cushion detaches, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began June 16, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C02.
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2017 Lincoln Continental vehicles manufactured June 14, 2016, to September 23, 2016 and equipped with high intensity discharge (HID) headlights. The headlights may have been built with incorrect lenses, adversely affecting the turn signal visibility as well as not being properly marked. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, an...
Consequence: Reduced turn signal visibility to other drivers and pedestrians can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlights, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C15.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2017 Lincoln Continental
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2017 Lincoln Continental with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 1 reported injuries or fatalities.
The rear doors on my 2017 Lincoln Continental do not open from the outside when the exterior handle button is pressed. The doors do open from the inside. This failure is very similar to the symptoms described in Ford’s existing recall for defective door latches on 2017 Continental vehicles, but my VIN is not included in the recall. This is a safety hazard because first responders or bystanders m...
My car has had 1 or all 4 of the outside door latches fail for 3-4 times now over its lifetime. Only under warranty for 10 years or 100k miles. Very expensive repair, at 1500 for 1 latch, or 5500 for all 4. This is almost the value of the whole car now. This happens to ALL Lincoln Continentals and is very infamous & common for them & should be a lifetime recall warranty item for safety. Also, bo...
Upon startup 2 error messages appear. Driver Side Door Defaults Adaptive Cruise Control Default
The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Continental. The contact was unable to open the rear doors after several attempts. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V077000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure milea...
The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side door failed to open as intended. The contact had to exit the vehicle and used the exterior door handle to open the door. The contact stated that a warning light was illuminated, but had disappeared afterwards. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repair...
I have a 2017 Lincoln Continental that started off last year not letting me open one of my back doors from the outside (which I did take to the dealership and got a quote but was too expensive), two weeks ago, it was both back doors not opening from the outside, then last night, the front passenger door stopped opening from the outside. It does not matter if I have the doors locked or not, I cann...
Can't open the passenger side front door from the inside.
antifreeze mix with oil , now my motor is bad only had care for 8 months , coolant system ran hot all of a sudden , warning light of overheating stopped asap and had car towed, first appearence on 09/28
The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Continental. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V077000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). The contact had the trunk latch repaired under the recall. The contact stated that two years later the trunk latch failed. The trunk could be closed; however, the trunk failed to latch securely, and a rope was used to keep it securely closed. The contact stat...
The 2017 Lincoln Continental started using electronic door latches. When they fail, there is no way to open the door from the outside other than to break the window. The driver side door is the only door that has an emergency escape latch. If someone is trapped inside the car, even though the door is unlocked, it will not open if the switch is faulty. There is a notice online calling out the i...
Door default warning appears when starting the vehicle.
Rear passenger door will not open. Lincoln has active recalls on other VINs but mine is not included. I ask that mine be included. My door will occasionally pop open, but the most common problem is the handle will not engage from the outside. My Lincoln has the door handle on the trim piece. This is a common recall but my car is not included. It needs to be as not being able to open a door or it r...
Driver side rear door does not open from outside nor the inside . This is a safety concern because in an event of emergency we need to be able to exit the vehicle through all doors
The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated that the rear passenger’s side door could not be opened from outside the vehicle while using the exterior door handle. The contact stated that the rear passenger’s side door was occasionally independently unlatched and was unsecured. The failure occurred while driving and while the vehicle was parked. The cause of the failure was not ...
THE FRONT RIGHT DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE. THE DOOR SWINGS OPEN AND DOES NOT LATCH CREATING A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE PASSENGER RIDING IN THE FRONT SEAT. MY CAR IS PRESENTLY AT PLANET FORD IN HOUSTON TEXAS WHERE THEY ARE CHARGING ME $2000 FOR THE REPAIR, WHICH I FEEL IS NOT MY FAULT FOR THIS DEFECTIVE ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM DID OCCUR EARLIER BUT WE WERE ABLE TO CORRECT IT BY CLICKING THE LOCK. THAT IS NO LO...
The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking spot, the message "Driver door latch not engaging" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that all four door locks needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that all four door locks and the lock modules...
Door latch failed and will not unlock the front passenger door. Dangerous situation if the battery dies. Similar recall but Lincoln said there's nothing they can do only 2019 was recalled for that. Would not make an exception. Dealer was surprised and advised me to report.
Door warning
Recall 19V-077 was performed in 2019. On [XXX] The passenger front door was closed and is now unable to open again from the inside or outside. A message is displayed on the dash stating "passenger front door open". Called Lincoln corporate support and spoke with Elaine, she told me the recall has already been performed, and cannot be performed again under any type of warranty or extension as the r...
The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH and coming upon a red traffic light, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop, and the brake pedal went to the floorboard. The contact activated the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The contact became aware of brake fluid underneath the vehicle near the wheel and brake ...
Showing 20 of 69 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2017 Lincoln Continental
Has the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL been recalled?
Yes, the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL has 4 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL have?
The 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL has 69 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 1 involved crashes. 1 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL?
The 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL received an overall NHTSA safety rating of excellent (5/5). Frontal crash: 5/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL involve latches/locks/linkages (14 complaints), back over prevention (10 complaints), structure (8 complaints). Other affected components include unknown or other, electrical system, electrical system,structure.
How many crash reports does the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL have?
There are 1 crash reports associated with the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL out of 69 total complaints (1.4% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL have?
There are no fire reports for the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL in the NHTSA database.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL.
How many injuries are reported for the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL?
1 injury has been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL is acceptable with caveats. It has 69 complaints, 4 recalls, and a excellent (5/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL?
The components with the most failures on the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL are: 1. LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES (14 complaints), 2. BACK OVER PREVENTION (10 complaints), 3. STRUCTURE (8 complaints), 4. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (8 complaints), 5. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (6 complaints). LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES is the single most-reported problem area with 14 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL?
Be cautious of potential issues with door latches and back over prevention systems, especially if you have experienced similar problems. The 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL has 69 NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it excellent (5/5).
How reliable is the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL?
The 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL receives a reliability score of 5/100, indicating below-average reliability. This is based on 69 owner complaints, 4 recalls, and 1 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Latches/locks/linkages and Back over prevention.
What are the known issues with the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL?
Known issues with the 2017 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL include: Latches/locks/linkages, Back over prevention. These are based on patterns found across 69 NHTSA complaints. 4 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
Are there any recalls for the 2017 Lincoln Continental?
Yes, there are recalls related to latches/locks/linkages and back over prevention systems.
What should I do if I experience issues with my door latches?
Contact your dealer for inspection and repair, as these issues can be safety concerns.
Is the back over prevention system reliable?
There have been reports of malfunctions, so it's important to be aware of the potential risks.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of potential issues with door latches and back over prevention systems, especially if you have experienced similar problems.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2017 Lincoln Continental
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2017 Lincoln Continental. The data includes 69 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 4 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 1 reported crashes, 1 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2017 Lincoln Continental an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 5 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-16