Lincoln Blackwood Reliability

Owners filed 6 complaints about the Blackwood: 1.2 per production run against 3.73 for the market, fewer complaints than most cars.

NHTSA owner complaints · 6 complaints · 2002–2002 · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Quick answer

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 60% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 2 complaints, typically at 13 years.

Lincoln Blackwood years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Lincoln Blackwood — complaint rate by model year
Model yearPer runComplaintsRunsEnough history?
20021.265yes
ROWS 1·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Lincoln Blackwood — age at failure
Age at failureComplaintsRunning totalWarranty
0 years120%covered
3 years140%covered
4 years160%you pay
7 years180%you pay
13 years1100%you pay
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 40% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 60% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (4 years / 50,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 33% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Lincoln Blackwood, the early trouble is Vehicle Speed Control and Air Bags — reported at around 3 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Electrical System at 13 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Lincoln Blackwood — what fails and when
SystemComplaintsTypical ageCrashFire
Electrical System213 yrs——
Power Train1———
Vehicle Speed Control13 yrs——
Air Bags14 yrs1—
Engine And Engine Cooling17 yrs——
Fuel System17 yrs——
Gasoline17 yrs——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)1———
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Blackwood's vehicle class.

FIG.05·Lincoln Blackwood — rivals in the same class
Same class as the BlackwoodComplaints on recordRecall campaignsYears built
Ford F-15018,7504661981–2026
Dodge Ram10,6321881994–2012
RAM 150010,4202012013–2026
Chevrolet Silverado15,4534451999–2026
GMC Sierra6,9074191989–2026
Ford Ranger8,5752801982–2026
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the Lincoln Blackwood reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.2 against 3.73 for the average car.

When do Blackwood problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 13 years, followed by Power Train.

Will the warranty cover Blackwood problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and only 40% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 33% of the complaints here.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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