Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. 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. 9 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.
I HAD JUST GOT HOME WITH MY VEHICLE FROM THE REPAIR SHOP, HAD A VACUUM HOSE REPLACED. I COULD NOT GET MY KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. I KEPT TRYING & WAS FINALLY SUCCESSFUL AT REMOVING THE KEY. NOW THE GEAR SHIFTER IS STUCK IN PARK AND WILL NOT GO INTO ANY OTHER GEAR. I JUST GOT IT BACK FROM THE SHOP & STILL CAN'T DRIVE IT DUE TO GETTING IT IN GEAR. THIS REALLY DOES NEED TO BE LOOKED INTO & THEY NEED TO DO A RECALL. I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE 2 MORE YEARS TO PAY IT OFF & THEN IT IS GONE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD IN THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000. UPDATED 8/23/12 *CN ALSO, THE IGNITION COILS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 09/05/12
TRANSMISSION SHIFTER BREAKS AND LOCKS IN PLACE. THE RESULT IS TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS STRANDED IN A DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEIR PERSONAL SAFETY IS AT RISK. THE PROBLEM IS A BROKEN $5 PIECE OF PLASTIC CONTAINED WITHIN THE SHIFTER KNOB. HOWEVER, FORD REFUSES TO SUPPLY THE $5 PIECE AND INSTEAD REQUIRES THE VEHICLE OWNER TO PURCHASE THE ENTIRE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY (WHICH COSTS ALMOST $1000). BASED ON THE NUMBER OF BACKORDERS FOR THIS PIECE AT ANY ONE POINT IN TIME, IT IS APPARENT THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IS NOT TAKING STEPS TO REMEDY. THE ONLY REMEDY THAT THEY OFFER IS TO FORCE THE CONSUMER TO PAY $1,000 IN ORDER FOR CONSUMERS TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE $5 PIECE OF PLASTIC. THIS HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I WAS OUT OF TOWN ON A TRIP WITH MY FAMILY. WE HAD PULLED OFF THE ROAD, BUT LEFT THE CAR RUNNING. WHEN WE WENT TO PLACE IT IN GEAR, IT REFUSED TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. WE WERE UNABLE TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OR MOVE IT IN ANY WAY BECAUSE IT WAS STUCK IN PARK. THE SUN WENT DOWN AND WE WERE STRANDED. I AM UNEMPLOYED AND WHILE I COULD AFFORD A SMALL REPAIR, I COUALD NOT AFFORD THE EXPENSIVE REPAIR (THE DEALERSHIP ALSO NEEDED TO CHARGE FOR THEIR LABOR, SO THE QUOTE WAS OVER $1500). AFTER BEING STRANDED OVERNIGHT, I CONVINCED THE DEALER TO JUST SHOW ME HOW TO SHIFT THE CAR WITHOUT REPLACING THE SHIFTER. NOW I HAVE TO KEEP THE GEAR SHIFT KNOB REMOVED (WHICH SUBJECTS THE MECHANISM TO ACCIDENTALLY HAVE THE OVERDRIVE BUTTON PUSHED). WITH THE KNOB REMOVED, I CAN LIFT THE ROD TO SHIFT INTO GEAR AND THEN MUST LOWER THE ROD (MANUALLY) TO LOCK IT INTO THE SELECTED LOCATION. FAILURE TO LOWER THE ROD ALLOWS THE SHIFTER TO MOVE FREELY AND ALSO PREVENTS THE KEYS FROM BEING REMOVED ONCE THE SHIFTER IS AGAIN IN PARK. FORDS UNWILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE AN ECONOMIC SOLUTION PROVIDES A SAFETY HAZARD TO CONSUMERS WHO TRUSTED FORD TO DO THE RIGHT THING. PLEASE HELP!
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A WHINING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SALES/SERVICE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE RIGHT REAR AXLE AND PINION WERE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE C B SHAFT ASSEMBLY AND GEAR AND PINION LOCKING PIN. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THE REAR END WAS REPLACED IN A TWO YEAR PERIOD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND A TECHNICIAN WAS SENT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE.*AK THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT, THE DOOR LOCK SWITCH WAS INOPERATIVE, THE REAR SHOCK WAS LEAKING OIL, THE E POWER STEERING HOSE WAS REPLACED, THERE WAS A TICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE TIMING CHAIN AND GASKET WERE REPLACED. THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT CAME ON AFTER ALL THE DOORS WERE CLOSED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SHIFTING OF THE GEARS WERE HARSH, THE DEALER REPLACED VARIOUS COMPONETS IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT BULB WAS REPLACED, THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THE FRONT SEAT CLIMATE CONTROL WAS NOT COOLING. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE WAS STICKING. UPDATED 12/05/06. *JB
EXPERIENCED CONTINUOUS MALFUNCTIONING WHILE DRIVING, COMPLETE POWER OUTAGES CAUSING POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKE & OTHER FAILURE. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT HAS PROVEN TO BE UNDETECTABLE THROUGH CUSTOMARY SERVICE TEST.*JB
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER REPLACED THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THREE TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK
1. I WAS SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING WHEN ALL MY WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON AND MY CAR DIED. IT SAID LOW OIL PRESSURE. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR RESTARTED, AND HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM AGAIN. DEALER INDICATED THEY COULD DETECT NO PROBLEM. 2. PAINT IN DOOR JAMBS DIFFERENT COLOR THAN REST OF VEHICLE. DEALER INDICATED IN SMALL CRASH, PROBABLY AT TIME OF UNLOADING VEHICLE...DAMAGE REPAIRED AND REPAINTED. I HAD THEM REPAINT TO MAKE CAR SAME COLOR. 3. OTHER - THIS IS MY MOST FRUSTRATING PROBLEM. WHEN IT GETS HOT OUT (90 DEGREES OR MORE), THE LEFT SIDE PASSENGER DOOR MOULDING EXPANDS AND STICKS TO THE DRIVER DOOR. I CANNOT OPEN THE BACK DOOR WITHOUT FORCING IT, WHICH HAS CHIPPED THE PAINT ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT DOOR. THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED ON THE PASSENGER DOOR, BUT NOT TO THE SAME EXTENT AS THE DRIVER SIDE. ALL MOULDINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. I HAVE HAD IT IN ABOUT ANOTHER SIX TIMES SINCE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM...MOST OF THE TIME BEING TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO OR THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THEY ARE NOW ORDERING SOME NEW MOULDING WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ALSO, IT TOOK ME THREE TRIPS FOR THEM TO FINALLY FIX THE AIR CONDITIONED SEAT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH STOPPED WORKING. THE FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD THE ENTIRE COMPONENT WAS REPLACED...I DROVE OFF THE LOT, AND AGAIN IT WASN'T WORKING. I TOOK IT BACK AND WAS PRETTY MUCH TOLD I WAS AN IDIOT, IT WAS WORKING. I DROVE OFF THE LOT, IT WASN'T WORKING. I TOOK IT BACK AGAIN, AND THEY FOUND A LOOSE CONNECTION IN THE WIRING, WHICH THEY FINALLY FIXED. IT NOW WORKS. 4. THE FIRST TIME I MENTIONED THE SQUEALING BRAKES, THEY CHECKED THEM OUT AND SAID IT WAS NORMAL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK AGAIN, BECAUSE THE SQUEALING WAS WORSE, AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKES AND PADS. OBVIOUSLY, THERE WAS A PROBLEM!
THERE IS A HIGH FREQUENCY SOUND EMANATING FROM ALL 4 SPEAKERS. THIS NOISE IS CONSTANT AND CAN BE OVERHEARD WITH THE VOLUME UP AND THE RADIO PLAYING. LEITH LINCOLN (RALEIGH,NC) DENIED THE PROBLEM. FORD DISPATCHED AN ENGINEER AND THEIR EAST COAST CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. ALL CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT "DUPLICATE" THE PROBLEM. I THEN CONFRONTED LEITH WITH A VIDEO TAPE OF THE NOISE AND GOT A CONFIRMATION THAT THE NOISE IS AT LEAST A NUISANCE. I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH FORD AND THEY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. FINALLY I BROUGHT THE AVIATOR TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP (MICHAEL JORDAN LINCOLN IN DURHAM) AND THEY "DUPLICATED" THE CONCERN. I ASKED THE TECHNITION WHAT HE SUSPECTED MIGHT BE AND HE SAID HE DID NOT KNOW. I ASKED IF HEY WAS WILLING TO LOOK INTO IT BUT HE SAID HE WAS INSTRUCTED BY FORD NOT TO FURTHER INVISTIGATE THE PROBLEM ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE NOISE IS A "FEATURE" OF ALL AVIATORS. I HAVE VIDEO OF THE SISTER CAR AT LEITH THAT SHOWS THAT THE NOISE IS NOT PRESENT IN THAT CAR (JUST LIKE AT THE TIME I BOUGHT MINE). I SPOKE TO A LOCAL AUDIO CENTER AND THEY SAID IT IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM LIKELY DUE TO A FAULTY GROUND WIRE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MY STORY, VISIT HTTP://WWW.BRUNNERS.WS/LINCOLN-LEMON/. *AK
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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