2018 Lincoln Navigator problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (17) · Engine (7) · Steering (5)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Lincoln Navigator model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
20 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (12)
Power Train:automatic Transmission 2026-06-24 · campaign 26V402000 · 741,195 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
Risk: Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in April 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable
Seat Belts:pretensioner 2026-05-27 · campaign 26V344000 · 419,967 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Risk: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 8, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S34. This recall replaces and expands previous NHTSA recalls 24V099 and 25V197. Vehicles previously inspected or repaired under the prior recalls w
Seat Belts:pretensioner 2025-05-23 · campaign 25V197000 · 112,951 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Risk: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S31. Some vehicles in this recall that were previously inspected under recall 24V-099 and did not have parts replaced will need to have this new recall remedy completed.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder 2025-04-11 · campaign 25V236000 · 123,611 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
Risk: A brake fluid leak can cause reduced brake function and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S37. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 22V-150.
Equipment:other:labels 2024-11-08 · campaign 24V852000 · 27,678 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
Seat Belts:pretensioner 2024-02-09 · campaign 24V099000 · 77,574 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently deploy and lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Risk: Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors, as necessary. Additionally, dealers will install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S06.
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera 2023-08-25 · campaign 23V598000 · 177,402 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Lincoln Aviator, 2018-2021 Lincoln Navigator, 2022-2023 Ford Transit, and 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles. The rearview camera, or 360-degree view camera if equipped, may not display a rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse.
Risk: Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, and update the software and wiring as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023 to Lincoln owners. Ford vehicle owners notification letters were mailed March 4, 2024. Ford remedy parts are anticipated 2nd Quarter 2024. Ford's number for this recall is 23S48.
Equipment:other:owners/Service/Other Manual 2023-06-09 · campaign 23V420000 · 691,133 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."
Risk: Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C20.
Seats:mid/Rear Assembly 2018-11-14 · campaign 18V805000 · 34,946 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Expedition vehicles. The second row center seat track assemblies may be missing one or both of the J-Channel reinforcement brackets, possibly allowing the seat to move in the event of a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, a seat that moves may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row center seat for any missing J-channel reinforcement brackets, replacing the center seat frame assembly as necessary, free of charge. An interim owner notification was sent on December 21, 2018. A second letter will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S37
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump 2018-06-12 · campaign 18V392000 · 5,645 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Expedition, F-150, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI V6 engines. These vehicles have high pressure fuel pump assemblies with welds that can fracture, which may cause an oil or fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump and associated components, free of charge. The recall began July 17, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S17.
Power Train:automatic Transmission 2018-04-04 · campaign 18V213000 · 142 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford F-150 and 2018 Ford Expedition and Mustang and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function.
Risk: Despite the transmission shift lever being placed in 'Park' and the instrument panel display indicating 'Park,' the vehicle may roll away after it has been exited if the parking brake has not been applied, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmission to make sure it has the roll pin, installing one if it is missing, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S09.
Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls 2018-01-16 · campaign 18V058000 · 361 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The second row window control modules may intermittently stop the movement of the power window. If something, such as a finger, is pinched by the window glass, the stopped window control module may prevent the window from automatically reversing. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Syste
Risk: If the window does not automatically reverse when an obstruction is found, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row window electronic control modules, and replace them as necessary based on their build date codes, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C01.
Service bulletins (165)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-10-07 · SSM 55226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
for 2020-2026 aviator/corsair and 2018-2026 navigator vehicles, if diagnostics in workshop manual (wsm) section 501-10a > front seats > diagnosis and testing lead to the replacement of the front seat cushion extension adjuster, a lower-level part is now available (14c720). it is not necessary to rep
Unknown Or Other 2026-07-24 · SSM 55037 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2018-2024 expedition and 2018-2027 navigator vehicles equipped with a rear seat entertainment system/lincoln play may experience various system concerns. rear seat entertainment systems are not on a controller area network (can) and are not supported by the ford diagnostic and repair system (fd
Unknown Or Other 2026-02-06 · TSB 26-2001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some of the vehicles listed in the model statement above may exhibit a broken floor console armrest latch.
Power Train 2025-11-12 · SSM 54366 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2015-2021 ford and lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated mil with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0011, p0012, p0014, p0015, p0016, p0017, p0018, p0019, p0021, p0022, p0024 and/or p0025. pinpoint test hk in the powertrain control and emissions diagnosis (pc/ed) or in section 303-14 of th
Power Train 2025-10-30 · TSB 25-2476 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin supersedes tsb 25-2132. reason for update: update the part list description and labor times description some of the vehicles listed in the model statement above may exhibit at least one of the following conditions: * harsh engagement * delayed engagement * harsh shift * delayed shift *
Unknown Or Other 2025-04-24 · SSM 53661 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2018-2024 expedition/navigator vehicles equipped with 22 inch wheels, may exhibit an increased level of vibrations which can be felt while driving on a smooth road at speeds at or above 75 mph (120 km/h). pinpoint test g located in workshop manual (wsm), section 204-04 has been developed to ass
Showing the 6 most recent of 165 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-08-20 · Power Train · 139,000 mi“the contact's wife owns a 2018 lincoln navigator. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the gear shifter independently shifted to park and other gears while driving over a railroad track. the vehicle was turned off and restarted and operated as intended. a dealer was contacted. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independ…”
2026-08-19 · Power Train“i have experienced harsh shifting from gear 1 to 2 and as well from 2nd to 3rd gear. this results in delayed acceleration at expressway onramps and when turning into forward traffic. this is a known risk with unresolved recall 26s48 related to transmission parking system dammage and related transmission damage. as well, there is a tsb 22-2248 relat…”
2026-07-17 · Engine“we purchased a 2018 lincoln navigator l in 2022 with 29,489 miles, and it has been great. we are at 64,351 miles, and it is making the cold-start rattling noise. we have called lincoln for assistance, and they are refusing to help. they stated that there is no help. i took it to duval ford, and with other issues such as the water pump and leaks…”
2026-07-13 · Unknown Or Other“the other weekend, we were unloading the back of the lincoln when all of a sudden the liftgate came down on us. fortunately, we were able to back away in time... later that weekend, my son was unloading the back and it came down and hit him in the head to the point it made him cry (and he is a tough kid at 13)... i have brought up this concern with…”
2026-06-30 · Power Train · 170,000 mi“the contact owns a 2018 lincoln navigator. the contact stated that while driving at 70 mph, the transmission seized, and the vehicle failed to accelerate. the contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated during the failure. additionally, the brake warning light was illuminated, and the message “loss of power” was displayed. t…”
2026-06-12 · Seats“seat will randomly fold while sitting in them third time this has happened while people have been in them happened approx 3 more times with people not in the seats ( back seats) captain chairs …”
2026-04-08 · Power Train“1. transmission shifts hard and/or seems to shift to neutral and losing forward propulsion 2. or loud clunk followed by shuddering and no control 3. no control means unsafe driving conditions particularly if closer to other vehicles 4. dealer quoted some mumbo/jumbo about jumping into park 5. dealer quoted $10,000 figure for new transmission 6. af…”
2026-03-09 · Power Train“the vehicle has experienced repeated mechanical failures involving the engine, cooling system, drivetrain, and electronic systems. documented failures include the navigation/apim module, transmission jerking and drivability issues, transmission valve body concerns, cam phaser failure, driveshaft repair, front wheel bearing/iwe failure, coolant leak…”
2025-12-19 · Steering“vehicle: 2018 lincoln navigator vin: [xxx] component: steering mileage: 103899 complaint narrative: i recently purchased a 2018 lincoln navigator and took delivery on december 10, 2025. within days of delivery, i observed a metallic contact noise originating from beneath the steering column. the noise occurs consistently when the vehicle is tur…”
2025-11-12 · Power Train · 72,000 mi“the contact owns a 2018 lincoln navigator. the contact received notifications of nhtsa campaign numbers: 23v598000 (back over prevention) and 25e070000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair on the power train was not yet available. the contact stated while driving 60 mph, the steering wheel vibrated, and the vehicle failed to acc…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.