Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. 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. 23 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
SHIFTER KNOB ON 03 AVIATOR BROKE OFF. THE SHIFTER WAS LOCKED IN PLACE IN DRIVE AT A GREENLIGHT. IT SEEMS THAT A VERY CHEAP PLASTIC PIECE BROKE. THE DEALER QUOTED ME $1200 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY. I AM CHECKING OTHER OPTIONS BUT SEEING THE FURTHER I LOOK THE MORE COMMON THIS PROBLEM. I AM NOT SURE HOW MANY COMPLAINTS IT TAKES BUT THIS IS A HORRIBLE SAFETY ISSUE. *KB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE WHEN THE GEAR SHIFTER BECAME STUCK IN DRIVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A CABLE HAD BECOME DISLODGED FROM THE SHIFT CABLE BRACKET. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 02V313000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE DEALER ADDED A STRAP TO THE SHIFT CABLE ADJUSTER TO PREVENT THE SHIFT CABLE FROM BECOMING DISLODGED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000. UPDATED 08/15/11 *BF UPDATED 3/05/2012 *LN
2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. ATTORNEY WRITES ON BEHALF OF CLIENT IN REGARDS TO PROBLEMS WITH HIS VEHICLE SUCH AS GEAR SHIFT, CRUISE CONTROL AND REARVIEW MIRROR FUNCTIONS *TGW THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT MOVE OUT OF PARK AT TIMES. THE ENTIRE SHIFTER MECHANISM, STOP/BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, INTERLOCK SOLENOID MECHANISM, AND ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY WERE ALL REPLACED, BUT THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE CONTINUOUSLY BECOMES DISLODGED FROM THE SHIFT CABLE BRACKETS. WHILE DRIVING THE SHIFTER WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. HE WOULD HAVE TO GO UNDER THE VEHICLE AND SNAP THE CABLES BACK TOGETHER. THERE WAS A RECALL NHTSA#02V313000; COMPONENT: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE HE WAS TOLD HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ALSO INFORMED HIM HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000. UPDATED 12/30/10 *BF THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE ACTIVATION SWITCH. THE POWER WINDOW MOTOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 01/07/11 UPDATED 04/07/11
SHIFT CABLE BECOMES DISLODGED ON MY 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR WHICH ONLY HAS 56,783 MILES AS OF 07.09.2010. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LINCOLN AVIATOR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE BROKE. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER WINDOW HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HER RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL ON THE VEHICLE BUT DID NOT PERTAIN TO THE FAILURE SHE WAS EXPERIENCING. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 130,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. WHILE SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE SHIFTER LEVER BROKE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT BUT THE CONTACT PLANNED TO HAVE IT TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP. THE FAILURE AND MILEAGE WAS 127,467.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED ABOUT RECALL 02V313000 (POWERTRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) WHICH CITED THE SAME FAILURE AS THE ONE THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 73,250. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 73,150. UPDATED 06/21/10 *BF UPDATED 06/24/10.*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK IN THE DRIVE POSITION, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ABNORMALLY ACCELERATE IN THE REVERSE POSITION WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, HE FOUND THAT THE SHIFTER CABLE WAS DISCONNECTED. HE WAS ABLE TO CONNECT THE CABLE AND PARK THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER; THE CABLE DISCONNECTED A SECOND TIME WHILE PARKING. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V313000: POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 62,000.
2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE. *NJ THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE DISLODGED FROM THE SHIFT CABLE BRACKET WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT TO SHIFT PROPERLY OR AT ALL. THE CONSUMER FOUND A RECALL FOR THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER SHE WAS INFORMED HER VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. RECALL 02V313000. *JB
2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
TRANSMISSION EITHER SHIFTS REAL SLOW OR VIOLENTLY JERKS FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER. DEALER HAS HAD IN SHOP MANY TIMES WITHOUT ANY RESOLUTION AVAILABLE. THIS CAUSES HUGE LOSS IN FUEL MILEAGE NOT TO MENTION THE HARSHNESS OF THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE. *TR
ON JUNE 07 AT 1100HRS THE GEARSHIFT KNOB AND GEARSHIFT BOOT DISENGAGED FROM THE CONSOLE OF MY 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR; THE GEARSHIFT AND THEREFORE TRANSMISSION WERE LOCKED IN THE D(RIVE) POSITION COULD NOT BE SHIFTED TO ANOTHER POSITION OR DISENGAGED. THE LINCOLN-MERCURY DEALER WAS A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE GAS STATION WHERE I WAS SO I ELECTED TO DRIVE IT THERE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. ONCE AT THE LINCOLN-MERCURY DEALER A TECHNICIAN EXAMINED THE GEARSHIFT AND INDICATED THAT AN INCIDENT LIKE MINE "HAPPENS ALL THE TIME" ... "A SCREW COMES LOOSE". WAS ADVISED TOO THAT LIKELY PARTS WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED. REPAIR TO THE AVIATOR IS ESTIMATED AT $584 SINCE THE ENTIRE "SHIFTER ASSEMBLY" HAD TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY BUT IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONENT WOULD EXPERIENCE SUCH A DEFECT THAT APPARENTLY IS OR WAS A "KNOWN PROBLEM", AND THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT THE LEVEL OF QUALITY EXPECTED IN A $45000 "LUXURY" UTILITY VEHICLE.
2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR WARNING LIGHT "EMISSION". FOUND OUT IT IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WE CONTACTED NHTSA AND FOUND OUT THERE IS A RECALL. OUR VIN # IS NOT IN THIS RECALL. FORD/LINCOLN WILL ONLY GIVE US $850.00 OFF ON A $3000.00. THIS CAR HAS 72,000 MILES ON IT. FOUND OUT THIS IS WHEN THESE TRANSMISSIONS GO. WHEN WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THERE WAS ANOTHER THERE WITH 45,000 MILES SAME PROBLEM. THE WARRANTY ON THE 2003 IS 4 YEARS 50,000 MILES. THE DIAGNOSE IS GEAR 2 RATIO, GEAR 5 RATIO AND SOLENOID B. *NM
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
'03 AVIATOR, SINCE PURCHASE FELT SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT WITH THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION. CAR SEEMED TO HESITATE SHIFTING INTO NEXT GEAR I.E. STAYING IN GEAR TOO LONG. ALSO AT TIMES DURING STARTUP CAR CAN BE EXTREMELY LOUD, MAKING TRANSMISSION ISSUE MORE PRONOUNCED. CONCERNS MENTIONED DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE APPOINTMENTS BUT WAS ALWAYS TOLD THE CAR WAS FUNCTIONING NORMAL. WINTER '06 CAR BEGAN TO IDLE VERY ROUGH DURING STOPS AND IN NEUTRAL/PARK. 3/3/06 CAR SERVICED FOR ROUGH IDLE -GARAGE FOUND SSM 17478 WHICH SAID THE PCM NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. CAR STILL WASN'T RUNNING SMOOTHLY. 4/3/06 CAR BACK IN GARAGE FOR MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEM. #8 CYLINDER HEAD WAS REPLACED. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSING SOME OF THE ISSUES I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT. WAS ALSO TOLD THEY HAD MULTIPLE '03 AVIATORS COME IN WITH THE SAME MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEM. OF COURSE CAR STILL DID NOT FEEL RIGHT. 5/8/06 AND ONLY 2,000 MILES TO GO ON MY WARRANTY THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY WENT. PULLED OUT FROM A RED LIGHT WHEN CAR WOULDN'T SHIFT AND BUCKED INTO NEXT GEAR. ENGINE LIGHT AND TRANSMISSION LIGHT WENT ON AND OVERDRIVE OFF LIGHT WAS FLASHING. TRANSMISSION SOLENOID REPLACED ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PARTS. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE CAR'S BEEN DRIVEN 2 OR 3 TIMES SINCE WE'VE PICKED IT UP FROM THE GARAGE AND IT IS STILL NOT RIGHT. CAR IS GOING BACK INTO THE GARAGE FOR SHIFTING PROBLEM AND EXCESSIVE LOUD ENGINE NOISE DURING STARTUP THAT DOESN'T DISSIPATE. TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. HAD CARS BEHIND ME BEEPING AND FLASHING THEIR LIGHTS AT ME BECAUSE I COULDN'T ACCELERATE THE CAR FAST ENOUGH. WITH COMPUTERS IN CARS MAKES ME WONDER WHERE THE VOICE OF THE CONSUMER HAS GONE. FELT AS THOUGH MY CONCERNS DIDN'T MATTER BECAUSE THE COMPUTER DIDN'T REGISTER ANYTHING WRONG. NOW WITH ONLY MILES FROM MY WARRANTY ENDING I'M FACED WITH ALL THESE MAJOR PROBLEMS OCCURRING WITH MY CAR. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY LOST POWER. THE ENGINE REVVED, BUT THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT ENGAGE. THE CONTACT MOVED INTO THE SLOW LANE UNTIL THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION, WHICH TOOK ONLY A MINUTE OR TWO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR INSPECTION SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK UPDATED 1/25/2006. THE CONSUMER RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND TRADED IT FOR A 2005 MODEL. *NM
THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE FORWARD. THE CONSUMER SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED. *AK RECALL CAMPAIGN# 02V313000. *SC *JB
I OWN A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR, STILL UNDER WARRANTY. SINCE AROUND NOVEMBER OF 2004 I HAVE BEEN HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEM IS THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED, ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR SLOWING DOWN AND THEN ACCELERATING. THIS IS VERY HAZARDOUS WHEN TRYING TO MERGE ONTO A HIGHWAY OR TURN INTO TRAFFIC AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE. THE PROBLEM EXISTS IN ALL GEARS, HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT DO IT ALL THE TIME. IT HAS CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. EACH TIME THE DEALERSHIP HAS TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ON APRIL 15TH 2005 AS I WAS LEAVING MY OFFICE PARKING LOT THE TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING UP. IT WAS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR IN ALL GEARS. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALER. ON THE 21ST OF APRIL ALMOST A WEEK AFTER I DROPPED IT OFF I WAS TOLD AGAIN THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ON THE SAME DAY, 21 APRIL 05 I WENT TO PICK UP MY VEHICLE AND THE HEAD MECHANIC HAD IT OUT FOR A TEST DRIVE. HE STATED UPON RETURN THAT THE VEHICLE ACTED UP. MY VEHICLE STAYED WITH THE DEALER FOR THE NEXT 15 DAYS WHILE THEY TOOK APART THE TRANSMISSION, ORDERED PARTS, ETC. A FEW DAYS AFTER I RECEIVED THE VEHICLE BACK THE DEALERSHIP CALLED TO SEE HOW THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING. I EXPLAINED THAT IT STILL DIDNT FEEL RIGHT BUT I WOULD CONTINUE DRIVING IT AND NOTE ANY PROBLEMS I ENCOUNTER. AS OF TODAY, 23 MAY 05, THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ALWAYS SHIFT SMOOTHLY AND I HAVE HAD THREE OCCASIONS WERE THE TRANSMISSION TOOK A VERY LONG TIME TO SHIFT FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER. THIS TO ME IS JUST A SIGN AND THE BEGINNING OF MORE PROBLEMS. DURING THE COURSE OF MY MANY VISITS TO THE DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT PROBLEMS EXIST WITH MY MAKE OF TRANSMISSION, NOT ONLY IN THE AVIATOR BUT WITH THE EXPLORER AND THE MERCURY SUVS. WHAT I DONT UNDERSTAND, IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHY HASNT FORD/LINCOLN ACTED ON IT AND PUT OUT A BULLETIN OR RECALL. SINCERELY LORI BELL
AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE GEARS WOULD STICK WHEN SHIFTING TO DRIVE/REVERSE. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
SHIFT CABLE EITHER BECOMES STUCK,OR DISLODGED FROM SHIFT CABLE BRACKET.WHICH LEAVES ME FEELING VERY UNSAFE ,AS I DO ALOT OF TRAVELING WITH MY CHILDREN,AND THIS CAN,AS IT HAS HAPPENED AT ANY PLACE OR ANY TIME.*AK
TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE BECAME DISLODGED FROM THE CABLE BRACKET. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO SWITCH GEARS. *AK
MY 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR LOST POWER STEERING CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR ON A COUNTY ROAD AND MISSING DEATH BY GOD'S LOVE LAST TUESDAY,2/22/05. I STRUGGLED AND MANAGED TO DRAG THE CAR OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE BUSH AND AVOIDED HEATING AN ONCOMING CAR AND BEING CRUSHED BY A SEMI-TRAILER THAT WAS BEHIND ME. THE CAR WAS TOWED(FLAT-BEDDED) TO THE LOCAL LINCOLN-MERCURY DEALERSHIP. THE HEAD MECHANIC TOLD ME LATER THAT MY CAR HAD SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC BIRTH DEFECT FROM THE FACTORY BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS IMPROPERLY MOUNTED AT THE TIME MANUFACTURED, AS A CONSEQUENCE THE HOSE FELL OFF THE MOUNTING/ATTACHMENT AND WAS CUT BY THE AIR CONDITION FAN. HE TOLD ME NEW HOSE HAS BEEN INSTALLED AND MOUNTED PROPERLY UNDER THE FACTORY WARRANTY. I HAVE TAKEN POSSESSION OF THE CAR, BUT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT FOR ANY DISTANCE. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE YOUR OFFICE TO FORCE FORD LINCOLN,THE MANUFACTURER OF THE LINCOLN AVIATOR SUV, TO SEND AN IMMEDIATE ALERT TO THE PUBLIC THAT THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL PROBLEM IS POSSIBLE IN THE AVIATOR BRAND OF THEIR SUV. IF I DIED IN THE ACCIDENT,MY FAMILY WOULD NEVER KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. WE DO NOT WANT ANY BODY TO BE HURT OR KILLED IN THE LINCOLN AVIATOR. SECOND, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT MY COURSE OF ACTION SHOULD BE: GET A BRAND NEW REPLACEMENT CAR OR FEEL UNSAFE IN A LINCOLN AVIATOR FOR A EVER? THIRD DOES YOUR OFFICE HAVE A RECORD OF THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH THIS LINE OF VEHICLE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUICK RESPONSE AND ASSISTANCE. UNYIME O. NSEYO. *NM
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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