Road Tests: Long-Term Test

It was an eventful month for our long-term Lincoln LS, which is in the midst of a demanding tour of duty in Michigan with Detroit Editor John Clor and his family. It sure didn't take long for the Clors to discover that the LS is a fun-to-drive, sporty sedan that delivers a delightful blend of European handling and performance. But they were also quick to learn that the little Lincoln is no family car.

It seems Clor's two teenage hockey goaltenders aren't enamored with the Lincoln's rear-seat legroom and voice plenty of complaints if asked to make space for a third rear-seat passenger in case Grandma wants to tag along for the ride. And while the trunk is roomy enough to handle basic shopping chores, it's clearly not meant to carry all the kids' gear. So the family's minivan retains the hockey-hauler job and a compact pickup takes on any grubby work chores, while the LS serves for all other family transport needs.

In the last update, we mentioned that the Lincoln was due to have its tires replaced, as tread life was nearly expired. We must admit that there's something bothersome about the need to replace modern, expensive rubber after only 25,000 miles of driving. But we also must take into account the kind of spirited driving that has been done by a variety of editors since the LS has joined Edmunds.com's long-term fleet and the fact that this car has even endured high-speed laps on a racetrack. Any auto journalist worth his salt will tell you 25,000 miles of press car-type driving is like 50,000 miles of normal use.

There's little need to "shop" for the best deal on name-brand tires in the Detroit area, as there are a couple of large tire-store chains that retail replacement tires at low-down department-store prices. Dealerships and independents can't compete with the volume price leaders, so it's pretty much a no-brainer that you'll get the guaranteed lowest price at the high-volume tire center.

With that in mind, Clor pulled in to the local Belle Tire outlet one late afternoon to inquire about replacing the LS' standard-equipment Firestone Firehawk P235/50R17 blackwalls. A quick chat with the sales rep revealed that no, he had nothing in stock at that very moment, but could have a fresh set of four ready to be installed at 9 a.m. the next day. When we asked for a price quote, a quick scan of the computer showed we could be out the door for around $600. Just as a precaution, Clor had called a tire expert friend before he set out for the tire store, and was told to expect similar 17-inch performance tires to cost about $150 apiece, so Clor knew the price was right in the ballpark.

When Clor asked the sales rep how much extra it would cost to have the Lincoln's alignment checked (a good idea when it comes time to replace tires), he was told a four-wheel alignment could be performed for $40. "Let's go for it," Clor told him. "I'll see you guys tomorrow morning."

The next day, Clor dropped off the LS at the Belle Tire service center in Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., at 9:30 a.m. He was told that the car would be ready in an hour or so, but decided to leave and return around lunchtime, when he found the LS done and waiting for him. The four Firestone Firehawk P235/50R17s cost $564, including mounting, balancing, valve stems, tire disposal fees and a 40,000-mile worry-free service warranty. The four-wheel thrust-angle alignment ran $39.90 (10 cents less than the quote) and sales tax of $33.84 was added for an out-the-door price of $637.74. Boy, tires sure ain't cheap.

But it turns out that another visit to the shop was in store for our LS -- this time because of a part failure. After taking the family out to dinner one evening, something dangerous happened when Clor pulled out of a parking lot and onto a divided highway. As he attempted to accelerate up to speed to join the flow of traffic, the gas pedal suddenly went limp beneath his foot, and the Lincoln began to roll to a stop with the engine idling. Luckily, the road behind him was clear of oncoming traffic, and Clor was able to coax the LS to the right lane and then turn into a driveway to a dentist's office parking lot to assess the situation.

Clor got out to check under the hood while his wife was looking for her AAA towing card and fumbling for her cell phone. But thanks to a trusty penlight on his keychain and the fact that he was once a mechanic back in college when gas stations actually sold service instead of just sundries, Clor quickly determined that a black plastic "click" connector between the throttle cable and the throttle body had separated. He merely snapped it back together, slammed the hood and drove back onto the highway, making sure not to apply too much pressure to the accelerator for fear the thing would come apart again.

When the same problem occurred the next morning while mom was taking the kids to school, a trip to the local Lincoln-Mercury dealership was in order. Besides, Clor wasn't satisfied with the transmission's hesitation to engage while shifting into gear, and he wanted that checked into, as well. It just so happened that some sharp-eyed readers/owners e-mailed us with a tip to have the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) reprogrammed (called a "reflash"), as outlined in the latest Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) issued to Lincoln dealers to help address the shifting problem. So Clor printed out the info about TSB #010105 and headed over to nearby Bob Maxey Lincoln-Mercury in Detroit for a visit to its service department.

Clor hadn't been to that dealership in years, since his late father had his beloved Town Car serviced there. And he seemed to recall his dad actually buying a car from that same dealer, way back when Mercury salesmen were known for their spiffy lime-green pants and white belts with matching loafers. Regardless, it was close to home and a logical choice to check out the service experience. Following the "Service" sign's arrow to the roll-up entry door, Clor gave a short beep of the horn to gain access to the write-up area and he waited less than a minute or two before being asked, "Can I help you?"

After Clor replied, "I hope so," the young service advisor took down the VIN and checked the mileage before walking over to a computer terminal to begin typing in the vehicle data. "So what can we do for you today?" he asked.

"Well, for one thing, the plastic connector that attaches the throttle cable to the throttle body pulls apart under hard acceleration, leaving the vehicle dead in traffic," Clor told him. "And for another, the transmission is slow to respond after selecting a gear, hesitating a bit before deciding to engage. I've been advised by other owners to have TSB #010105 done, which is a PCM reflash, to help solve that one."

Clor watched the computer screen as the service advisor typed, "Customer states throttle cable popping loose while driving" and then "Transmission is slipping into gear," before asking, "Will that be all?"

Being fairly certain that something was lost in the translation, Clor asked if he could show him exactly what was wrong with the throttle cable. With the hood open and the service advisor looking on, Clor then demonstrated how easily the throttle cable disconnects from the throttle body linkage with just a slight tug on the connector. The guy simply returned to the computer and added the words "See me."

"Do you want to write down this TSB number?" Clor asked in regard to the transmission repair. The guy frowned and asked a co-worker, "We get a new TSB on LS tranny slippage?" Being fairly certain that something was again lost in the translation, Clor piped in, "It doesn't actually slip -- more like hesitates." The advisor took the printout with the TSB info on it, then typed, "See me" on the second work order. With that, Clor left the car and a business card and was promised a phone call by the next afternoon.

Late the next day, the service advisor called Clor's home office to say the transmission work was performed, but that the parts department was waiting on the delivery of a new throttle cable. The car was promised to be done by the close of business the following day. Sure enough, by that next afternoon, Clor got the call that the Lincoln was ready. A stop at the cashier's window for the bill revealed the technicians' findings: Inspect throttle; broken connector; replace cable assembly, 1.30 hours. And then: EEC test; transmission failed; reprogram and retest; 1.50 hours. Both repairs were covered under warranty.

Now we're not sure if the brisk acceleration afforded by the Lincoln's peppy V8 after mashing one's right foot to the floor had helped contribute to our throttle cable problem. But we can tell you that the new connector has stayed together so far without fail in the wake of several energetic launches. And while the transmission feels only slightly less hesitant than before, we'll need some more seat time to fully assess the success of the latest TSB. We'll be sure to keep you posted on both in the next monthly update.

With spring in the air in Michigan, Clor is ready to take the LS out for a drive in the countryside and try out the sunroof. In the meantime, mom says that a distinct rattle may have developed somewhere in the glovebox-mounted CD changer. But Clor suspects that it could just be the changer's way of saying, "Please, Mrs. Clor, can't we give that Backstreet Boys CD a rest?" Stay tuned.

Current Odometer: 25,386
Best Fuel Economy: 19.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 12.9 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 17.1 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: Tire replacement $637.74 (Includes Firestone Firehawk P235/50R17 tires, mounting, balancing, valve stems and tire disposal, plus four-wheel thrust-angle alignment)
Problems: Broken throttle cable connector at throttle body (dealer replaced throttle cable); transmission hesitates before shifting (dealer performed PCM reflash, TSB #010105)