Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
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Our database holds 32 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 32 · page 1 of 2
I bought my 2020 Lincoln nautilus in February 2025 soon after I noticed a jerking from my lower gears,it has 80000 miles.i took it to the dealer I bought it from and they said the transmission is falling and will cost $10,188 to replace. They told me there was no recall and it wasn't covered under any warranty.
I bought my 2020 Lincoln nautilus in February 2025 soon after I noticed a jerking from my lower gears,it has 80000 miles.i took it to the dealer I bought it from and they said the transmission is falling and will cost $10,188 to replace. They told me there was no recall and it wasn't covered under any warranty.
My 2020 Lincoln Nautilus has an intermittent jerk during light acceleration with no diagnostic codes. This was confirmed when I had a professional mechanic drive it.
While driving low speed between 1-55 mph my car feels like it’s stuttering, jerking or about to shut down.
REAR VIEW CAMERA REPLACEMENT IF REQUIRED AFTER DEALER EVALUATION
3rd brake light not working , they have had this issue over several years such as recall on 2025 (25C39) burnt diode in the LED Driver Modules and may cause other lighting failures
1. Vehicle Purchase I purchased a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus Reserve from Carvana on February 2, 2026. The vehicle was delivered to me on February 8, 2026. The vehicle was represented as inspected and safe to drive. Within 20 days of ownership, the vehicle experienced a serious mechanical failure involving the wheel assembly. 2. Major Safety Failure While driving, the wheel assembly failed due to damaged or missing wheel studs, causing the wheel to detach/loosen from the vehicle. This created an extreme safety hazard and risk of serious injury or death. The vehicle became unsafe to operate. Evidence includes: Photographs of the wheel hub and broken/missing studs Mechanical inspection documentation 3. Inspection Findings A professional inspection revealed mechanical issues with the vehicle, including: Fuel filter failure Engine air filter failure Evidence of wheel stud damage Potential improper installation or pre-existing mechanical defect These issues indicate the vehicle was not properly inspected prior to sale, despite Carvana advertising a comprehensive inspection. 4. Warranty Claim Denied A claim was submitted to Carvana's warranty department. The claim was denied under the explanation of “outside influence.” However: The vehicle had only been in my possession 20 days There was no accident or outside event The failure appears to be due to pre-existing mechanical issues 5. Resulting Harm Because of this defect and Carvana's refusal to repair the vehicle: I am currently without reliable transportation I am still responsible for the loan payments on a defective vehicle I have experienced significant emotional distress and physical symptoms My physician has prescribed Parafon Forte (muscle relaxer) due to stress-related muscle pain. I have also experienced: Sleep disruption Anxiety about driving Financial hardship due to being unable to use the vehicle 6. Attempts to Resolve I have attempted to resolve this matter with Carvana by: Filing a warranty claim Contacting BBB
MILEAGE: 487,615 27TAWD On [XXX] at [XXX]., the weather was wet from rain. I pushed the reverse button and the car accelerated quickly forward with engine revving. The car kept moving forward while the brake pedal was not responsive for at least 10 times as the car drove through my fence and damaged my neighbor’s garage. The car finally stopped when it hit the garage. Estimate for repairs on vehicle $1485.25. Estimate for damage to wooden fence $2560, neighbor's garage $8000. Engine code scan report on Oct 10, 2025 engine code U3003-16 Battery Voltage Below Threshold. EEC test at dealer on Oct 14, 2025: "no codes in any systems..." Vehicle damage noted. No indicated warning lamps INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Our 2020 Lincoln Nautilus with 60,000 miles will require replacement of the driver's door due to a crack in the door hinge area. This failure is similar to failures found in the Ford Edge and Lincoln Corsair of the same vintage. Online research proves this is a frequent failure due to inadequate door structural design in similar vehicles with as little as 30,000 miles usage. A 5 year old vehicle should not require door replacements due to a structural design especially when the design has proven to be faulty in other vehicles manufactured by Ford. Structural failure in this area can result in improper door closure and subsequent improper door opening resulting in possible occupant injuries.
The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle jerked upon starting and shifting to drive(D) intermittently. The contact stated that the failure initially occurred after refueling the vehicle, but the failure had become consistent and was occurring erratically. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving and accelerating between 35-40 MPH, the vehicle jerked. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had added a fuel additive to the vehicle, and the failure was reduced temporarily. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The dealer was contacted and advised that there would be a charge for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
Manual Park--release cable escaped its locking position, locking front wheel brakes ON. The locked brakes resulted in the car being dragged until we noticed the problem and exited the motor home to reinstate the cable into its locking position (to re-seat the metal bead in the pocket, locking it in the override position). Dragging the locked wheels creates a fire and traffic hazard with large plumes of blue smoke, potential towed-vehicle fish-tail out of control affecting nearby/adjacent traffic lanes. This issue was confirmed by my long-time mechanic (Deckard Pham) as a design deficiency that could fail due to road vibrations, that it was intended for limited use for emergency towing. This incident has occurred four times over the past year; twice, at low speed (so tire damage was minimal). Most recently, it was discovered too late to prevent tire damage -- [XXX], while traveling at 45 mph, severe flat spot (7" long, full width of both front tires), wore tread down to the steel belts. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Hard shift stuttering when driving About 30000 miles ago Called Lincoln they said $150 to diagnose it No warning lights
Transmission complete failure. It is available at the dealer. Where I had it towed. Went out on highway. Everyone using the turnpike highway was in danger. Slowed vehicle to little more than idle speed, in road construction. Little rough being slowed from 75mph to 10 mph. One dealer diagnosed it. I had it towed to the original dealer after having it towed to the closest dealer. Warning light came on during the turnpike travel. Limited access highway. October 19, 2025
Transmission bucking and slow under 40 mph. brought to dealers attention. Car only 5 years old. Diagnostics resulted in internal fault , excessive slippage and torque converter chatter. Told that I could easily breakdown at any time if transmission not replaced.!!!! No warnings or messages. Occurring approx 2 months. Noted a class action investigation into this issue on 2020 Nautilus !
Car jerks/ shifts hard up to 35 miles per hour.
2/4/25 purchased 2020 Nautilus from Dick Hannah Jeep Vancouver, WA 3/12/25 I noticed some issues developing with uneven revving. Inconsistent in cruise control, feeling like the road is bumpy. Also revving up to 3,000 RPM when breaking to stop. 3/28/25 Kendall Ford did software update issues still happening, they said it's adaptive learning and needs time to adjust to my style of driving. Made appointment for Courtesy Lincoln. 4/8/25 - 4/26/25 Courtesy Lincoln let me know on the 10th transmission needed to be replaced, so they ordered parts which arrived 4/14. Time passed and I finally had to check in 4/22 to be told it was in the shop now. When I asked if there had been a delay, they said the transmission technician quit. Things happen, but communication goes a very long way when rentals and/or loaners are coming out of my pocket. I picked up finally 4/26, and immediately noticed it still had the same issues. 4/26/25 Immediately noticed the issues were not fixed. 5/19/25 Finally got back in for a recheck. They did some software/transmission updates and explained adaptive learning, so give it time to re-learn. 6/4/25 Began trying to get it back to the shop, as nothing was changed or better 6/25/25 Finally got it back in to be diagnosed with a bad torque converter 7/28/25 Picked up with the same issues 8/28/25 Finally back to shop to be told there is nothing wrong with it. It is normal for it to rev so high it is battling me braking at stop lights/signs. I am going back next week to have them check the EVAP, as there is also an issue with putting gas in. It stops the pump after a couple of dollars. I have to continue to rearrange the nozzle until it is happy, so I am hoping that may also have something to do with the uneven revving and down shifting. I may call to speak with another Lincoln service manager to possibly get a 2nd opinion. I have asked for the last 2 service records a few times, but have not gotten them.
When taking my car in for diagnostics, I was informed of a transmission failure. My VIN was not included in a transmission recall but has the same issue . Mileage on my 2020 Lincoln Natilus is 94,000. The same type of transmission is in my car that was recalled in 2021. There is discrepancies with who is allowed to get the transmission. The problem I was having was with the Auto Hold not working at all times. My car has been stalling after stopping at a traffic light or sign and trying to accelerate . The vehicle service report showed no issues, warnings, or service needs. There was no engine warning light, nor code. Lincoln denied responsibility for fixing it. My extended warranty company sent an adjuster and verified it needs a transmission. The computer monitoring smart system failed to detect this issue. The dealership notified me six months earlier to have the service department see why my fluid level was low. The service department was notified. I was put off and told they were backed up and would contact me when I hey had a slot available and a loaner. The failed to contact me. Six months later, reached out again only to have to find another Ford Lincoln Dealership. I have had all service done at the dealership, yet the did no inspect my car at the first anomaly. I believe my car should be included in the transmission recall.
The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds in stop-and-go traffic, the vehicle jerked abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated while driving downhill at 55 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle failed to maintain the set speed and accelerated to 70-75 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the vehicle had standard cruise control; not adaptive cruise control that could automatically apply the brakes while driving and maintain the set speed. The vehicle was then taken to Ellsworth Ford, Inc. (424 Industrial Rd, Ellsworth, WI 54011), where an unknown repair was performed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.
When I took the vehicle in for service, I had to replace all 20 lug nuts as the dealer service department reported they were "swollen" and they were unable to complete the tire rotation. This also poses a safety risk as if I had a flat tire, I could not get them off to change a tire. They could also break causing stress on others and cause a wheel to come off of the vehicle. I was advised that this is a common problem with Ford/Lincoln vehicles, however there didn't seem to be any warranty coverage or safety recalls. If this is a common problem or some type of defect, it seems that I should not have had to spend $240 to replace them.
When taking off from stop light or stop sign between the speed of 35-45 the car feels like it’s seizing!
High mount brake light failure (2nd occurrence) November 2023 at 13,400 miles. Vehicle was repaired under warranty. This occurrence appears to be a repeated faulty part. Failure of high mount brake light creates rear collision potential in low visibility scenarios. The part (13613A High Mount Stop Lamp Assembly) appears to be a known faulty part by manufacturer or vehicle design. There are no warning lamps or messages to warn driver that failure has occurred. Problem could go unnoticed for an extended time.
The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the Hollywood Destination E Rack Bicycle Carrier had detached and fell onto the roadway. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E085000 (Equipment) as the cause for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 16,000. The contact requesting the complaint be closed with a satisfactory outcome.
High mount brake light (or third brake light) failure occurred September 2022 at 8,000 miles. Vehicle was repaired under warranty. Failure of high mount brake light creates rear collision potential in low visibility scenarios. The part (13613A High Mount Stop Lamp Assembly) appears to be faulty by manufacturer or vehicle design. There are no warning lamps or messages to warn driver that failure has occurred. Problem could go unnoticed for an extended time.
The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that while his wife was reversing in the rain, the back-up camera image was distorted. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the failure might be due to a leak. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 40,009.
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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