2023 Lincoln Nautilus Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
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What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2023 Lincoln Nautilus, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance333.3%
- Electrical333.3%
- Brakes111.1%
- Engine111.1%
- Steering111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
During an emergency break, when applying full force to the break, and the vehicle is traveling at 20 or less mph, the vehicle cannot come to a full stop. Automatic Emergency Braking and pre-collision warning failed to engage. When pressing the break with full force, loud noise of all the break pads grinding can be heard. Under the same condition, pre-collision warning would sometimes be activated and sometimes doesn't. When using the car's auto parking feature, multiple sensors would have delayed warnings, and the car will not break when getting dangerously close to objects. The vehicle has been examed multiple times by the dealer regarding increased break distance and occasion grinding noise when breaking (regardless of the speed), no problem was found and the vehicle is therefore determined to be safe to drive.
The backup camera freezes to a single still frame and does not show the accurate view of the rear of the vehicle while backing. Since the camera is frozen to a still frame, any moving object that moves to the rear of the backing vehicle would not be visible in the image that the driver sees on screen. This is extremely dangerous in parking lots where both pedestrian and vehicle traffic are present. This vehicle's rear back up camera can not be trusted in the mall or school parking lot. The entire infotainment screen, where many of the safety features can be found, also goes blank with a black or blue screen. This has been to the Lincoln dealership multiple time and no fix has been found. This is a KNOWN DANGER that has not been addressed and now in the NHTSA hands.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
When vehicle is started, intermittently, rear view camera does not come on for approximately 45-60 seconds later. The screen remains completely black then appears to reboot The camera issue happens about once every two weeks
Purchased vehicle 7/29/23 While driving 8/19, vehicle auto-shifted from drive into neutral and the check engine light appeared. I was in the process of accelerating from the on ramp & moving to the left lane. Attempts to return the vehicle to drive were unsuccessful & I coasted to the right shoulder of the highway. The brakes were functional. Once stopped, the vehicle functioned as if it were in accessory mode (radio & power windows working). I was unable to move the vehicle out of neutral to park gear. More lights & error messages flashed on the driver display (I have a video). The on/off button & the light at the neutral gear were flashing. I was able to engage the parking brake & remained in the vehicle on the narrow shoulder on the side of the highway. Tow operator arrived & was able to engage the park gear; however, it would not move back into neutral for him to begin the process to move it onto the rollback for the tow. Attempts were made to disconnect/reconnect the battery & to use the vehicle procedures for a low battery which were unsuccessful. There is an emergency release up under the dash; however, to reach the compartment it's in, the driver's door must be completely open & the operator must be on or near the ground. Due to the speed of the vehicles passing (est 60-70mph, most did not move over to the other lane), it was not safe for him to get into the position necessary to get to the compartment. He therefore had to pull the vehicle up on the rollback without being able to get the vehicle into neutral. At times during his attempts, the engine made a clicking noise and smelled as if something was burning. Fortunately, he was able to deliver it to the dealer where service staff were able to release the emergency cord to move the vehicle to neutral to get it off the rollback. As it was being moved, the engine started clicking again. The dealer's service team plans to look at it 8/21/23.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
During an emergency break, when applying full force to the break, and the vehicle is traveling at 20 or less mph, the vehicle cannot come to a full stop. Automatic Emergency Braking and pre-collision warning failed to engage. When pressing the break with full force, loud noise of all the break pads grinding can be heard. Under the same condition, pre-collision warning would sometimes be activated and sometimes doesn't. When using the car's auto parking feature, multiple sensors would have delayed warnings, and the car will not break when getting dangerously close to objects. The vehicle has been examed multiple times by the dealer regarding increased break distance and occasion grinding noise when breaking (regardless of the speed), no problem was found and the vehicle is therefore determined to be safe to drive.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
Purchased vehicle 7/29/23 While driving 8/19, vehicle auto-shifted from drive into neutral and the check engine light appeared. I was in the process of accelerating from the on ramp & moving to the left lane. Attempts to return the vehicle to drive were unsuccessful & I coasted to the right shoulder of the highway. The brakes were functional. Once stopped, the vehicle functioned as if it were in accessory mode (radio & power windows working). I was unable to move the vehicle out of neutral to park gear. More lights & error messages flashed on the driver display (I have a video). The on/off button & the light at the neutral gear were flashing. I was able to engage the parking brake & remained in the vehicle on the narrow shoulder on the side of the highway. Tow operator arrived & was able to engage the park gear; however, it would not move back into neutral for him to begin the process to move it onto the rollback for the tow. Attempts were made to disconnect/reconnect the battery & to use the vehicle procedures for a low battery which were unsuccessful. There is an emergency release up under the dash; however, to reach the compartment it's in, the driver's door must be completely open & the operator must be on or near the ground. Due to the speed of the vehicles passing (est 60-70mph, most did not move over to the other lane), it was not safe for him to get into the position necessary to get to the compartment. He therefore had to pull the vehicle up on the rollback without being able to get the vehicle into neutral. At times during his attempts, the engine made a clicking noise and smelled as if something was burning. Fortunately, he was able to deliver it to the dealer where service staff were able to release the emergency cord to move the vehicle to neutral to get it off the rollback. As it was being moved, the engine started clicking again. The dealer's service team plans to look at it 8/21/23.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
My 2023 Nautilus is currently at the dealership I purchased from.Shults Lincoln. Steering column, tilt and telescopic adjustments. While driving vehicle the tilt and telescopic moves on its on. This has happened mulitudes of times. The most danderous event occured while my wife was driving and the telescopic feature pinned my wife in the seat. She had no control of steering the vehicle when the this happened. She was in a S turn and it could of been a bad accident, thank God there was no oncoming traffic. She had no control of steering when it telescoped all the way out. She came ever so close of rolling the vehicle. Yesterday 8/16/2023 it happened at the dealership with the salesman and service manager driving the vehicle. This was at the dealership where I purchsed. On 8/14/23 it had a new top steering column cover replaced at Family Ford/Lincoln dealership. They are in Marietta Ohio. I purchased at Shults Lincoln in Wexford PA.. There is no warning lights or caution before this steering column moves on its own. This has been going on sine July 20, 2023. Within the last week the battery has drained completely on 3 different times. 1500 miles registered and I had to jump start the vehicle. Shults Lincoln picked up the vehicle yesterday. This problem is going to get someone seriouly hurt. Its happened well over a dozen times. Its done it twice in one drive.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .