Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Lincoln Aviator submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THERE HAS BEEN A UNPROVOKED CRACK IN THE LIFT GATE PANEL FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW (WHICH SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL), WE HAVE NOT HAD ISSUES UNTIL THE REAR WINDOW STARTED FLYING OPEN WHILE DRIVING AT AROUND 30MPH. THE LATCH HAS MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO WATER SEEPING INTO CRACK.
THERE IS A CRACK BELOW MY BACK WINDOW THAT CAUSES LOTS OF AIR TO COME IN AND ALSO LOTS OF WATER LEAKS AND WHEN IT RAINS I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AND THE DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO WORK WITH ME TO GET THIS REPAIRED IT GETS VERY COLD IN THERE WITH ALL THE COLD AIR THAT COMES IN WITH MY SMALL CHILDREN HOPEFULLY SOMETHING CAN BE DONE FOR THE AMOUNT THAT WE PAID ON THIS VEHICLE
SHIFTER KNOB ON 03 AVIATOR BROKE OFF. THE SHIFTER WAS LOCKED IN DRIVE, HAD TO SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND BRACE THE TIRES FROM ROLLING ON AN INCLINE. WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR WITH ME. SCARY!!!!!! THE PROBLEM IS A PLASTIC PIECE BROKE IN THE SHIFTER COLUMN. HAS YET TO BE FIXED. QUOTED $900 TO FIX. ALSO THE LIFTGATE CRACKED AT THE LINCOLN EMBLEM WITCH I WAS TOLD THAT IT HOLDS THE GLASS IN PLACE AND IT SOUND LIKE A GUNSHOT WHEN IT CRACKED, SHOOK ME UP. THIS IS A FORD/LINCOLN FAILURE ON A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE HATCH IS NOT BEING ABLE TO CLOSE COMPLETELY BECAUSE OF WHERE THE CRACK IS LOCATED. THE CRACK IS LOCATED NEAR THE LINCOLN EMBLEM. WHAT IF WATER CAUSE A ELECTRICAL FIRE FROM WATER GETTING INTO THE CLOSING MECHANISM, STILL WAITING FOR A RECALL ON THIS. QUOTED $500 TO FIX 107,231 MILES.
ON MY 2003 AVIATOR THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON AT VARIOUS TIMES DURING THE DAY AND NIGHT. MY INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASH AND MY CAR ALARM GOES OFF. IT'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS, BUT HAS GOTTEN WORSE THIS YEAR 2016. MY BATTERY HAS DIED TWICE IN TWO DAYS. SO FRUSTRATED WITH THIS VEHICLE. WAS SUMMONED OVER THE INTERCOM IN A DEPARTMENT STORE AND AT WORK SAYING THAT A LINCOLN SUV'S ALARM WAS GOING OFF AND THAT THE LIGHTS WERE FLASHING. I KNEW IT WAS MINE. I HIT THE ALARM BUTTON ON THE KEY FOB WHICH CUT OFF THE ALARM FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND IT STARTED UP AGAIN. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON WHICH MAKES MY INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASH QUICKLY AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE GLARE OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTS BEING ON. THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON ANYTIME DAY OR NIGHT, STATIONARY OR WHILE DRIVING. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW. IT ONLY HAS 67,000 MILES ON IT NOW, BUT OVER THE YEARS, I'VE HAD SERIOUS ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION, HAD TO REPLACE 2 WHEEL BEARINGS, THERE'S A CRACK NEAR THE EMBLEM ON THE LIFTGATE, THE STEREO MAKES LOUD POPPING SOUNDS IN THE BACK WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A GUNSHOT, SOMETIMES CAN'T GET OUT OF PARK, THE GEAR SHIFT GETS STUCK! I'M SO FRUSTRATED WITH THIS VEHICLE. I COMPLAINED TO THE FORD COMPANY SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN THERE WERE ONLY 40,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS HAVING SERIOUS ISSUES, AND ALSO MY WATER PUMP WENT BAD. THEIR REPLY WAS: "WE'RE SORRY TO HEAR THAT, PLEASE TAKE YOUR VEHICLE TO ONE OF OUR DEALERS FOR GREAT SERVICE REPAIR". I THINK I BOUGHT A LEMON!! TOO MANY THINGS GOING WRONG WITH A VEHICLE THAT WAS PURCHASED NEW AND STILL HAVE LOW MILES!! MY WINDSHIELD SPRAYER CONTROL ON THE LEFT SIDE ON THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO STOPPED WORKING SUDDENLY ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO, I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT THAT ISSUE.
CRACKS IN REAR HATCH PANEL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LIFTGATE GLASS WAS CRACKED ALONG THE BASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE LIFTGATE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR HATCH NEAR THE EMBLEM WAS CRACKED. THE HATCH WAS NEVER USED AND THERE WAS NEVER A CRASH THAT OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THERE ARE NO RECALLS AND THE DEFECT WAS STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. THE REPAIR COST WILL BE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,104.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HINGES ON THE REAR WERE NOT HOLDING THE REAR GLASS PROPERLY. THE REAR PANEL ALSO BEGAN TO CRACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
THE BACK LIFT COMPONENT HAS A CRACK ON EACH SIDE OF THE LINCOLN EMBLEM. THE BODY SHOP NEAR WHERE I WORK TOLD ME THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH THE AVIATORS, AND THAT HE HAS REPLACED MANY OF THEM. IT IS A MANUFACTURING ERROR AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY FORD/LINCOLN. I HAVE PURPOSELY LOOKED AT OTHER AVIATORS AND FOUND THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME CRACKS IN THE SAME PLACE BY THE EMBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY THE FORD DEALERSHIP HERE THAT THE COMPANY WOULD NOT FIX IT. MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER IN WARRANTY. IT NOW HAS ABOUT 66,000 MILES, BUT I NOTICED THE CRACKS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, SO AT THAT TIME, IT HAD 50,000+ MILES. *TR
OWNER OF 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR (ACQUIRED EARLY 2004). SINCE THAT TIME, WHILE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY, ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, A CRACK HAS APPEARED NEAR THE EMBLEM ON THE REAR LIFTGATE. ON ALL FOUR OCCASIONS, THE ENTIRE LIFTGATE PORTION WHICH CONTAINS THE WINDOW AND THE EMBLEM HAS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NOW, IN NOVEMBER 2008, A CRACK HAS APPEARED FOR THE 5TH TIME, BUT THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE DEALERSHIP STATES THAT FORD/LINCOLN WILL NOT STAND BEHIND ITS VEHICLE. ALSO, LATELY THE BATTERY HAS WEAKENED AND DIED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. IT SEEMS THAT THE CRACKED LIFTBACK MAY NOT BE CLOSED SECURELY. *TR
THE LIFTGATE CRACKED AT THE LINCOLN EMBLEM ON MY 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THIS CONDITIONS APPEARS TO BE SIMILAR TO THE SERVICE BULLETIN NHTSA #: 0485. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HATCH HAS A HUGE VERTICAL CRACK. SHE DOES NOT KNOW HOW THE CRACK APPEARED. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, SHE DISCOVERED MANY AVIATORS THAT WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THE FAILURE MAY BE DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE BATTERY CONTINUED TO FAIL AND SHE IS UNSURE IF IT IS A RESULT OF THE HATCH NOT BEING ABLE TO CLOSE COMPLETELY BECAUSE OF WHERE THE CRACK IS LOCATED. THE CRACK IS LOCATED NEAR THE LINCOLN EMBLEM. LINCOLN REFERRED HER TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,500. UPDATED 01/17/08 *BF UPDATED 01/17/08 *TR
MOLDY ODOR COMING FROM A/C UNIT. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED MOLD SPOTS WERE GROWING ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE ROOF PANEL. *JB
MULTIPLE FAILURES IN 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. DIFFICULTY TURNING , STARTING, JERK IN STEERING WHEEL, VIBRATION IN TIRES, GEAR CHANGER LOOSE AND ECT. *BF THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH 18 INCH RIMS BUT FORD REQUIRES 17 INCH RIMS TO BE LEGAL (OEM) EQUIPMENT. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THIS WAS MALICIOUSLY DISHONEST SALE OF AN AUTOMOBILE. THE SIDE FENDER HAD A GAUGE ON THE INSIDE, THE REAR STORAGE SECTION LEATHER RIPPED, THE TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM KEPT COMING ON WITH A WARNING SIGN FROM THE COMPUTER OF A MECHANICAL DEFECT, DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE, JERKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL, NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL, NOISE IN HEATING/VENT BUBBLING, PASSENGER FRONT WINDOWS WERE RATTLING, THERE WAS MOTOR NOISE UPON ACCELERATION, FRONT END NOISE, REAR HATCH RATTLED AND WAS SHAKING, THE WHEELS SQUEALED AND RUBBED, THE DOORS DID NOT AUTOMATTICALLY LOCK WHEN THE VEHCILE WAS ENGAGED INTO DRIVE, AND THE ENGINE KNOCK AS IF IT WERE RUNNING ROUGH. WHEN THE SERVICE TECH TRIED TO SHIFT THE GEAR LEVER OUT OF PARK, THE ENTIRE GEAR LEVER HAD COME APART IN PIECES. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORSE THAN EVER. CURRENTLY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE STEERING WOULD GO OUT OF CONTROL, JERK LEFT AND RIGHT, SHAKED OUT OF CONTROL AND UNABLE TO STEER. *SC
CONSUMER STATES THAT DEALER PUT AFTERMARKET RIMS TIRES ON VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING; DIFFICULTY TURNING THE VEHICLE, HEATER BUBBLING MAKING NOISES, DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE, JERKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL, NOISE IN THE STEERING, NOISE IN THE HEATING/VENT BUBBLING, PULSATING IN THE STEERING WHEEL, VIBRATION OF THE TIRES, THE TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM HAD TO BE CUT OFF RECONNECTED AND ADJUSTED, THE PASSENGER FRONT WINDOWS RATTLED, MOTOR MADE LOUD NOISES WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, FRONT END NOISES, REAR HATCH RATTLED AND WOULD SHAKE, THE WHEELS SQUEALED AND RUBBED, THE WHEEL JERKED WHEN TAKING OFF, THE GEAR CHANGER LEVER WAS LOOSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE AND VIBRATED WHEN IN MOTION, AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS KNOCKING OR RUNNING ROUGH. *SC
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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