RoadVitals

2003 Lincoln Navigator Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Nov 12, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 127 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Lincoln Navigator 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.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceSteeringSuspension
Filed Nov 12, 2014

THIS IS THE FIFTH (5TH) TIME IN 6 YEARS I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR REPAIR OF THE AIR SUSPENSION (COMPRESSOR, RIDE HEIGHT) , ALL BUT ONE OF THOSE TIMES WAS TO THE FORD LINCOLN DEALERSHIP. IT IS CLEAR THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS THERE ARE 10 SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE 2003 AIR SUSPENSION ALONE, AS WELL AS HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET (SEE COMPLAINTS ON EDMUNDS, EVEN FORDS WEBSITE AND SEVERAL CAR FORUMS. THESE ARE OF THE LINCOLN NAVIGATOR ONLY, NOT ITS EQUIVALENT FORD EXPEDITION, WHICH ALSO HAS HOSTS OF COMPLAINTS.) MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS STATE, MUCH LIKE MY EXPERIENCE, THAT THE DEALER CANNOT EVEN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE TO YOU THE DANGER INVOLVED WHEN THE SUSPENSION FAILS, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CAR BOUNCES VIOLENTLY AND BECOMES TOTALLY UNCONTROLLABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10654505
Incident
Feb 14, 2009
Mileage
45,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 13, 2012
Fire reported

LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID, LEAKED THROUGH TO CRUISE DEACTIVATION SWITCH INTO CRUISE SYSTEMS AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS CAUSING CORROSION WHICH CAUSED A SHORT. HAD TROUBLE WITH CRUISE CONTROL WORKING OVER TIME LEAD TO HIGHER FLOW OF CURRENT THAT OVERHEATED AND CAUSED FIRE AT SWITCH UNDER HOOD. FORD SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH FIRE. THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE AREA WHERE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH IS LOCATED (LEFT REAR CORNER OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT THE MASTER CYLINDER. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH FAILURE PRIOR TO THE FIRE INCLUDING INOPERABLE SPEED CONTROL, REPEATED DIFFICULTY SHIFTING OUT OF PARK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10451552
Incident
Aug 25, 2011
Mileage
199,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 9, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL REMAINED STUCK TO THE FLOOR. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ACCELERATOR CABLE WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,300. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10439168
Incident
Dec 3, 2011
Mileage
90,300 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceSuspension
Filed Sep 29, 2011
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT A CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF MY 2003 NAVIGATOR AS I HIT THE BRAKES I FELT MY SUV DROP FROM THE FRONT. THE TIRE SKIDDED AND I HIT THE CAR THAT WAS PULLING OUT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT MY TRUCK WAS NEVER THE SAME .IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY SAID THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER IT.I HAVE A 40000 DOLLAR TRUCK JUST PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS I KNOW MECHANICS THAT CAN CONVERT IT TO TO SPRINGS SUSPENSION FOR ABOUT 400 DOLLARS BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT I PAID TOP DOLLAR FOR A PIECE OF YOU KNOW WHAT.I DRIVE A 2000 NISSAN WITH 170000 MILES ON IT AND HAVEN'T SPEND A DIME ON IT BESIDES TIRES *TT

NHTSA ID
10427948
Incident
Feb 3, 2008
Mileage
76,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Dec 22, 2010

MY 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR HAS SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 6 WEEKS. TWO OF THE OCCASIONS HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH, THE THIRD INSTANCE HAPPENED IN MY SUBDIVISION DRIVING LESS THAN 30 MPH. AFTER PULLING THE TRUCK OVER TO THE SIDE FOR SAFETY THE TRUCK WILL NOT START IMMEDIATELY BUT WILL START AFTER RESTING ABOUT 7 MINUTES. WHEN THE TRUCK SHUTS DOWN SEVERAL LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD LIGHT UP. I EXPLAINED THE ISSUE AS WELL AS I COULD TO MY LOCAL FORD / LINCOLN DEALERSHIP IN MADISON, TN BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY ISSUES WITH IT SAYING THAT NO CODES WERE SHOWING. I ALSO TOOK THE TRUCK TO A GOODYEAR SERVICE REPAIR IN BRENTWOOD, TN BUT THEY ALSO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. AFTER SEARCHING FOR THIS TYPE OF ISSUE ON THE INTERNET I FOUND NUMEROUS CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE, SOME SAYING THAT THE ISSUE IS RELATED TO THE "FAIL SAFE" SECURITY OPTION KICKING IN WHILE A PERSON IS DRIVING. THE ISSUE OF HAVING MY TRUCK SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY ON THE INTERSTATE IS DANGEROUS AND I WOULD APPRECIATE HELP ON GETTING THE ISSUE RESOLVED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

NHTSA ID
10372802
Incident
Nov 15, 2010
Mileage
108,000 mi
Body & structureDriver assistanceElectrical+2 more
Filed Feb 11, 2010

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AT MARSHALL BROS IN NEW ORLEANS, VEHICLE WAS SOLD AS A CERTIFIED VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAD TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION INSTALLED 2 MONTHS AFTER VEHICLE PURCHASED. VEHICLE WAS SOLD WITH THE PROBLEM KNOWN TO DEALERSHIP. WORKER AT LOCATION STATED THEY KNEW IT AND WHEN WE PURCHASED VEHICLE, THEY INSISTED ON US BUYING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY SINCE IT WAS USED. INSISTED TO THE POINT OF GIVING POLICY AT COST, THIS WAS DUE TO KNOWN PROBLEM, TRANSMISSION CASE AND UNIT WAS SO BADLY DAMAGED THAT IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MISSED. PREVIOUS OWNER CONTACTED AND STATED THEY TOLD DEALERSHIP OF PROBLEM. ALSO SINCE VEHICLE WAS OWNED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS GONE HAYWIRE, BATTERY NOT CHARGING PERIODICALLY, ALARM AND LIGHTS OPERATING ON THEIR OWN,LIGHTS STAYING ON, COMING ON AT NIGHT, RADIO STAYING ON DEALERSHIP STATED THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WHEN BROUGHT IN FOR ISSUES, THEY KEPT VEHICLE FOR THREE DAYS. HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIMES, SAME STATEMENT BY DEALER. I RESEARCHED PROBLEM ON INTERNET AND DISCOVERED TSB'S ON SAME PROBLEMS, BUT NO RECALL. BUT TSBS HAVE EXISTED SINCE 2004, DEALER KNEW WINDSHIELD LEAKS INTO COMPUTER AND MOONROOF CAN LEAK CAUSING SAME PROBLEM, DEALERSHIP DIDN'T FIX ANYTHING, THEN WHEN OUT OF WARRANTY DEALERSHIP STATES KNOWN ISSUE AND FUSE PANEL NEEDS REPLACING AT COST OF $4,000 . THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AFTER MY RESEARCH AND SINCE THE DEALERSHIPS ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN INCLUDING LYING AND SELLING VEHICLES WITH KNOWN PROBLEMS. BBB WAS CONTACTED AND IN PROCESS OF HAVING PRESS INVOLVED. PLEASE LOOK AT ALL COMPLAINTS ON ISSUE AND MAKE A RECALL NECESSARY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM, VEHICLES WRECKING, PUTTING DRIVERS IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10308848
Incident
Sep 10, 2006
Mileage
55,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 13, 2005

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE; CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 70 MPH; ENGINE REVVED TO FULL SPEED AND COULD NOT BE DISENGAGED BY THE OFF OR BY CHANGING SPEED OF CRUISE; BRAKING WOULD SLOW THE VEHICLE TEMPORARILY; WAS ONLY ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY BRAKING WHICH DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE BUT SLOWED IT SOMEWHAT AND THEN I PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN UNTIL IT WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DISCONNECTED. IT WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. ALSO SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. *NM

NHTSA ID
10139576
Incident
Oct 10, 2005
Driver assistance
Filed May 14, 2004

WHILE REVERSING PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR, AND VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
10073629
Mileage
6,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Feb 19, 2004
Crash reported

WHEN BACKING UP IN DRIVEWAY, 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR ACCELERATED EXTREMELY WITH WHEELS "PEELING" AND CAR WOULD NOT BRAKE. CAR CAME TO REST AFTER GLANCING OFF A TREE AND PLOUGHING OVER COLUMNS IN FRONT OF HOME. CAR WOULD NOT START SUBSEQUENTLY.

NHTSA ID
10058480
Incident
Feb 18, 2004
Mileage
13,211 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .