2018 Lincoln Navigator Complaints

ENGINE — Filed 07/07/2026

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, they quoted 12,000 to fix this truck. They did say they had a payment plan to fix the vehicle. When the soft pull was opened in 2022, our truck did not make noise at that time. I believe Ford should stand by their product, and there are so many videos on YouTube addressing this vehicle.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 07/05/2026

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 Lincoln at least 3 or 4 times, and they said it has been fixed, but clearly there is still a safety concern here. The last fix was a new harness they had to install. I have had so many issues with this vehicle, I feel like they dont want to fix it anymore... This has happened at least a dozen times or more where we are unloading the back, just standing behind the bumper and the automatic liftgate activates and comes down.

POWER TRAIN — Filed 06/01/2026

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. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train). The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

SEATS — Filed 06/12/2026

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

POWER TRAIN — Filed 04/04/2026

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. after clunk event and pulling over wrench light came up with reference to differential 7. super hard shifting or no shift life-threatening lunging and hesitation is unacceptable0

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — Filed 02/01/2026

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 leaks from heater core hoses, and engine vibration requiring extensive diagnostic work including a short block engine repair. The vehicle has also experienced multiple overheating incidents despite prior repairs. Overheating occurred in May 2025, December 2025, and February 2026. During these events the engine temperature rose abnormally and coolant had to be added to the reservoir. Drivetrain problems including transmission jerking, vibration, and driveshaft repair also created drivability concerns while operating the vehicle at highway speeds. These issues have been inspected and confirmed by an authorized Lincoln dealership service department. Numerous repairs and diagnostics have been performed including APIM replacement, cam phaser repair, heater hose replacement, wheel bearing/IWE replacement, driveshaft repair, and engine diagnostic work approved through warranty processes. Symptoms prior to failures included overheating, vibration, excessive fan noise, whining while driving, and transmission jerking. The vehicle and components are available for inspection upon request. The repeated overheating events combined with drivetrain and engine failures raise concern that this vehicle may have an underlying safety-related defect that could result in sudden loss of power or engine failure while operating in traffic.

STEERING — Filed 12/16/2025

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 turned off, within one to three seconds after ignition off, and intermittently while driving during steering input, particularly while making turns. The sound is best described as metal on metal contact, not an electronic relay or normal operational noise. The condition appears load dependent and reproducible. The steering response remains functional at this time, and no warning indicators are present. However, because the noise occurs during active steering, I am concerned about possible mechanical interference, wear, or binding within the steering column or related steering components, which could worsen over time and affect steering control. The vehicle has a prior manufacturer buyback history from 2021, and I am documenting this concern to ensure that any steering-related condition is evaluated and tracked as a potential safety issue. I have scheduled a service appointment for diagnostic evaluation. This complaint is submitted to document a steering system concern identified immediately after purchase and delivery, involving noise during active steering operation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

POWER TRAIN — Filed 12/12/2024

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 accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact exited the freeway and when the vehicle stopped at a traffic light the vehicle stalled. After several attempts the vehicle failed to restart. The transmission warning light and the service indicator light were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission had failed. The transmission was replaced. After three weeks, the failure reoccurred. The transmission warning light and the service indicator light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic who diagnosed that the spark plugs, and transmission had failed. The spark plugs were replaced and some unknown part on the transmission was repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure milage was approximately 72,000.

POWER TRAIN — Filed 10/01/2025

Transmission is having major issues with flaring and shifting. Vehicle has trouble engaging torque convertor, vehicle almost seems to stall out when accelerating with heavy traffic due to transmission engaging poorly.

POWER TRAIN — Filed 10/01/2025

Front differential - entire system needs to be rebuilt due to bearings going bad. While the vehicle has not ceased up due to the differential bearing, it is a Safety issue and known to Ford. Note this is the second time I’ve personally had to have the front end rebuilt in this vehicle. First time at 79,000 miles and now again at 149,000. Giving me a 70,000 mile service life. How is that possible that a differential only last 70,000 miles.