2025 Lincoln Aviator problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Service Brakes (4) · Seats (3) · Steering (2)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Lincoln Aviator model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (15)
Seats:front Assembly:power Adjust 2026-07-21 · campaign 26V470000 · 76,748 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2027 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. An unoccupied driver's seat may recline unintentionally during certain scenarios, such as remote unlock or remote start.
Risk: Unexpected movement of the driver’s seat back may trap a second-row occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will disable the driver seat module (DSM) feature until parts are available. Once available, the motor will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S53.
Seats:mid/Rear Assembly 2026-07-14 · campaign 26V451000 · 387,911 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly.
Risk: A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters explaining the safety risk were mailed August 19, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Lincoln Aviator owner notification letters were mailed August 21, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7
Back Over Prevention:software 2026-03-18 · campaign 26V165000 · 254,640 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Lincoln Navigator, 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2025 Lincoln Aviator and Explorer vehicles. The Image Processing Module A (IPMA) may experience multiple unexpected resets, resulting in loss of the rearview camera image and advanced driver assistance (ADAS) features, including pre-collision assist, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring.
Risk: Loss of the rearview camera image and certain driver assistance features, can reduce the driver’s ability to detect hazards, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: The Image Processing Module A software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. This is a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include 2025 Aviator, 2025 Explorer, 2025 Nautilus notified owners on 4/13/2026. Phase 2 will include 2025 Navigator will notify owners on or about 4/20/2026. Phase 3 will include 2022-2024 Navigator will notify owners on or about 6/8/2026. Phase 4 will include 2024 Nautilus will notify owners on or about 6/22/2026. Owner notificatio
Seat Belts 2026-03-17 · campaign 26V159000 · 561 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.
Risk: A loose seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the second-row outer seat belt lower anchor bolts and replace or repair them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C18. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 19, 2026.
Visibility:windshield 2025-10-24 · campaign 25V730000 · 56,841 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Lincoln Corsair, Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The windshield glass may have visible air bubbles, which can obscure the driver's visibility. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 205, "Glazing Materials."
Risk: Reduced visibility while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the windshield as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 6, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C60. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 27, 2025.
Trailer Hitches 2025-10-10 · campaign 25V687000 · 1,412 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Explorer and 2024-2026 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly bolts may be loose.
Risk: While towing a trailer, loose trailer hitch bolts can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, or cause the trailer to detach. Either of these conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and tighten the trailer hitch bolts, or replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA3. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
Exterior Lighting:tail Lights 2025-08-22 · campaign 25V543000 · 213,121 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. When towing a trailer, the tail lights on the trailer may fail to illuminate due to an improperly manufactured body control module. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Trailer tail lights that do not illuminate as intended can reduce visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the body control module C on vehicles with less than 9,000 miles. For vehicles over 9,000 miles, dealers will perform a functional check on the body control module C and replace it as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Aviator 2025 owner notification letters were mailed October 13, 2025. Explorer 2025 owner letters were mailed November 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C42.
Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls 2025-07-25 · campaign 25V484000 · 23,111 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. When closing the windows with the global closing feature, the side rear windows may exert excessive force when encountering an object, before they automatically reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."
Risk: A closing window that does not reverse direction as expected can pinch a passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will update the Body Control Module (BCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C33.
Seats:mid/Rear Assembly 2025-06-13 · campaign 25V393000 · 304,662 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, folding, or sliding unexpectedly while driving.
Risk: A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the second-row seat switch, and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S67.
Structure:body 2025-06-13 · campaign 25V407000 · 132,914 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Aviator vehicles. The rear door window bars and C-pillar trim may have insufficient adhesive bonding, which can allow the trim to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: Detached trim may cause a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will repair or replace C-pillar appliques and window division bars, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S66.
Structure:frame And Members 2025-05-09 · campaign 25V316000 · 206 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. A mounting bolt for the front subframe may have been tightened improperly.
Risk: A loose subframe bolt may reduce the vehicle's performance in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and tighten the subframe bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Owner notification letters were mailed May 21, 2025. Ford's number for this recall is 25S43.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:fluid/Lubricant:valves/Valve Body 2025-03-14 · campaign 25V164000 · 269 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, 2024 Ranger, 2025 Mustang, Explorer, and Aviator vehicles. The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse gear failure, or unexpected forward movement in reverse or neutral gear.
Risk: Unexpected vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the transmission main control valve body, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S19.
Structure:frame And Members 2025-01-17 · campaign 25V020000 · 259 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The transmission may be improperly secured due to loose cross member bolts.
Risk: An improperly secured transmission can result in a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission cross member bolts as necessary, free of charge. If the cross member bolts are missing, dealers will replace the cross member and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S03.
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.
Back Over Prevention:software 2024-10-25 · campaign 24V801000 · 391 vehicles
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The rearview camera image may fail when the vehicle speed reaches 10 MPH or greater. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: The loss of the rearview camera image while in reverse can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated through an over-the-air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C34.
Service bulletins (142)
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 2026-10-24 · SSM 55279 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
2025-2027 explorer/police interceptor utility non-hybrid vehicles built on or after 05-mar-2025 and 2025-2027 aviator vehicles built on or after 24-apr-2025 are no longer equipped with the passenger side underbody air deflector. the vehicle is not misbuilt. do not submit a claim for this condition.
Unknown Or Other 2026-10-16 · SSM 55256 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2024-2026 nautilus and 2025-2027 explorer/aviator vehicles equipped with power folding mirrors may exhibit concerns with the auto folding mirror functionality not matching the status selected by the switch in the center display screen menu. examples include mirror auto folding not operating whe
Unknown Or Other 2026-10-12 · SSM 55241 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2025-2027 aviator vehicles may exhibit a "door fault service required", "transmission not in park" and/or "hill start assist not available" message in the instrument panel cluster (ipc) with diagnostic trouble code (dtc) b1262:92 stored in multiple door latch control modules (dcme, dcmf, dcmg,
Unknown Or Other 2026-10-08 · SSM 55228 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2020-2026 aviator/explorer/f-150/bronco/ranger vehicles equipped with a 2.7l or 3.0l (non-diesel) engine may need the front engine cover removed and reinstalled for various reasons. the workshop manual (wsm), section 303-01 engine > removal and installation > engine front cover service procedur
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 2026-10-06 · SSM 55220 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2024-2026 nautilus and 2025-2026 explorer/aviator/expedition/navigator vehicles may experience android auto connection or general bluetooth pairing concerns for both android and ios after an apim software update. this may be due to the apim software. to temporarily correct the issue:<br /><br /
Showing the 6 most recent of 142 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-15 · Steering“unpredictable steering and potential loss of vehicle control my 2025 lincoln aviator is experiencing a serious and ongoing steering malfunction that makes it extremely difficult to maintain control of the vehicle. while driving, the steering unexpectedly pulls aggressively to one side, almost as though the lane-keeping assistance system is attempt…”
2026-10-15 · Service Brakes“my 2025 lincoln aviator is experiencing a serious and dangerous malfunction involving the forward collision detection and automatic emergency braking system. the vehicle falsely detects an object or obstruction in front of it when the roadway is completely clear and then unexpectedly slams on the brakes without any driver input. this is not simply…”
2026-09-15 · Visibility/Wiper“this has now occurred on 2021 lincoln aviator and then mark mclarty ford lincoln tricked me into buying a second lincoln 2025 aviator claiming the problem was a one-off incident. our 2021 was traded for new 2025 aviator and both have the exact problem, and we have since learned this affects another ford lincoln models including ford explorer 2024.…”
2026-09-15 · Fuel/Propulsion System“multiple loss of power, misfires, rough running and abnormal shifting. these events have put my family and i at risk as well as posing a significant risk to other drivers sharing the road due to the sudden loss of power while on the highway. lincoln is dismissive and not taking this seriously. the problem continues and it is currently in the shop f…”
2026-08-18 · Visibility · 86,000 mi“the contact owns a 2025 lincoln aviator. the contact stated that the front passenger's side window failed to roll up or down as needed. the contact stated that the front driver's side window motor was previously replaced due to the same failure. the vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. the manufac…”
2026-07-02 · Visibility:sun/Moon Roof Assembly · 9,000 mi“the contact owns a 2025 lincoln aviator. the contact stated that while driving at 70 mph, the sunroof glass exploded. the contact stated it sounded like a shotgun when the sunroof glass exploded. there was no warning light illuminated. the dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of t…”
2026-06-07 · Service Brakes“everytime i start my vehicle the parking brake fault service now light comes on. …”
2026-05-22 · Service Brakes“the vehicle experienced a sudden unprovoked, catastrophic, and total electronic and mechanical failure of the primary braking and adas. driving at expressway speeds, the vehicle immediately lost all power brake assistance, threw immediate multi-system critical alerts on the instrument cluster, and became instantly undrivable. the vehicle is availab…”
2026-05-04 · Seats“the second row seat is moving or reclining while i’m driving. the car seat motor has a sound while it reclines. …”
2026-04-27 · Vehicle Speed Control“on 12/4/25, i visited corley's lincoln and reported several issues. one issue was that the vehicle would accelerate or decelerate while using cruise control. there were several other issues, but the following two issues are safety issues. i visited again on 3/5/26 with several of the same issues, although the speed issue was not listed on the work …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.