2003 Lincoln Navigator Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the residence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the rocker arms, and that the engine lacked adequate compression in cylinders #2 and #3, resulting in engine damage. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 75,000.

NHTSA ID

11610921

Incident

Aug 26, 2024

Mileage

75,000 mi

COMING HOME FROM A TRIP ENGINE STARTED TO MISFIRE. COME TO FIND OUT THE # 3 SPARK PLUS EXPLODED DESTROYING THE COIL AND AND THREADS HOLDING THE SPARK PLUG IN. CAUSING THE NEED TO RE TAP THE THREADS.

NHTSA ID

10874720

Incident

Nov 29, 2015

Mileage

107,000 mi

JUST DRIVING IN A 45 MPH, WHEN HEARD LOUD BANGING COMING FROM ENGINE. PULLED OVER AND HAD CAR TOWED IN FOR REPAIR. ENGINE BLEW OUT A SPARK PLUG.

NHTSA ID

10760148

Incident

Jul 19, 2012

Mileage

79,000 mi

WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH, WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP AND CLANKING NOISE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT ENGINE AREA. I WAS DRIVING WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY IN THE SUV. WE WERE ABLE TO STILL DRIVE IT TO A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT AS A "BLOWN-OUT SPARK PLUG". HE SAID THE SPARK PLUG HAD COME OUT OF THE ENGINE BLOCK. HE SAID IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THAT ENGINE AND THERE WAS A SPARK PLUG KIT FOR IT. HE USED THE KIT, AND IT ONLY HELD FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS. IT NOW HAS LOST POWER, SHAKES, AND POOR GAS MILEAGE. THE REPAIR KIT OBVIOUSLY IS NOT AMPLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10668927

Incident

Nov 5, 2014

Mileage

159,000 mi

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

I OWN A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR WITH THE 5.4 LITER ENGINE AND I HAVE AN OIL LEAK COMING FROM BOTH BACK CORNERS ON EACH OF THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS. MY MECHANIC SHOP DID RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT DURING THIS YEAR OF 2003 THE GASKETS COULD OF BEEN DAMAGED DURING INSTALLATION AT THE MANUFACTURING PLANT. I FEEL LIKE THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND FOR FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS MATTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10373394

Incident

Dec 28, 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

2003 NAVIGATOR, 99,000MILES - SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT - ENGINE LOST POWER, GAS SPILLING OUT OF ENGINE, DURING THE TRANSPORT OF 1 ADULT AND 4 CHILDREN. 1. ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE TRUCK WAS GIVEN A FULL SERVICE FOR 100K MILES, LESS THEN 1000 MILES LATER, THE CAR IS RENDERED INOPERABLE, AND THE DEALER OFFERED TO GIVE $2500 ON TRADE (THE AMOUNT OF THE 100K SERVICE) OR REPAIR THE ENGINE FOR $5500. 2. CAR DOES NOT RUN 3. NOTHING IS FIXED YET, FORD WILL NOT ADMIT A PROBLEM AND WILL NOT ASSIST THE DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10334261

Incident

May 27, 2010

Mileage

99,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD BUT THEN AFTER A FEW SECONDS, SUDDENLY TAKE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A VACUUM LEAK. THE COILS AND SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED A DAY LATER. THE FAILURE REOCCURRED TWICE BUT HAD NOT OCCURRED SINCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 118,000.

NHTSA ID

10330274

Incident

Jul 4, 2009

Mileage

105,000 mi

I BOUGHT A USED 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR WITH A BIG 5.4-LITER V-8 ENGINE FROM WITTMEIER FORD IN CHICO, CA. IN 2004. THE NAVIGATOR LOOKED LIKE A GREAT DEAL. THE PRICE WAS $43,000. THE NAVIGATOR HAD ONLY 23,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. BUT THE GREAT DEAL BLEW UP IN MY FACE WHEN THE USED LINCOLN NAVIGATOR SPIT A SPARK PLUG AT 81,000 MILES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS THE TRUCK BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. AS WE DROVE THE CAR IT CONTINUED TO BACK FIRE. THE IGNITION PACK FOR THAT PLUG WAS SHREDDED. I CALLED WITTMEIER SERVICE AND THEY SAID THEY KNEW NOTHING OF THE PROBLEM. THE THREADS IN THE NUMBER 3 SPARK PLUG HOLE IN THE NAVIGATOR WERE STRIPPED. WE NEEDED TO RE-THREAD THE NUMBER 3 SPARK PLUG HOLE AND REPLACE THE IGNITION PACK. I READ ON THE INTERNET WHERE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND IT WILL LIKELY HAPPEN AGAIN. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10229013

Incident

May 16, 2008

Mileage

81,000 mi

MY 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR ULTIMATE @ 84,000 MILES BLEW 2 SPARK PLUGS THROUGH THE ALUMINUM HEAD OF THE 5.4 LITER TRITON ENGINE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS ALUMINUM HEAD HAS BEEN REDESIGNED BY FORD AND THAT THERE IS ALSO AN AFTER-MARKET FIX TO THIS INCREASING PROBLEM THAT RE-THREADS THE SPARK PLUGS, BUT THAT SAID FIX ALSO GETS FORCED THROUGH SAID INADEQUATELY ENGINEERED ALUMINUM HEAD. FOR REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF SAID HEAD AND SAID REPAIR IS ESTIMATED IN THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. I REPLACED THE MELTED COIL AND BARELY WAS ABLE TO THREAD NEW PLUGS INTO PLACE, BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT BEING STRANDED SOMEWHERE IN MY CAR. I THINK THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE TO RECALL ALL OF THESE ENGINES AND REPLACE THE OLD HEADS WITH NEW, BETTER ENGINEERED HEADS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10160387

Incident

Jun 21, 2006

Mileage

84,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. *NM THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. THE SERVICE DEALER TRIED VARIOUS FIXES BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINED THE SAME. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10109614

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED FOUR TIMES ON THE HIGHWAY. ALSO, VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS WITH GETTING THE GEAR OUT OF PARK. CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10103718

Incident

Aug 19, 2004

Mileage

25,000 mi

WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED. *AK WHEN IDLING THE VEHICLE MADE A PRESSURE LIKE NOISE THAT WOULD GET LOUDER, THE LOW OIL INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON, THE VALVES HAD A TAPPING SOUND THAT WAS ABNORMAL, THERE WAS A METAL SCRAPING SOUND WHICH AS IF THE BOTTOM WAS GOING TO DROP OUT, THERE WERE EXHAUST NOISES ALONG WITH A POPPING SOUND, AND THERE WAS CONTINUOUS STALLING. *SC THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS AN ONGOING DISPUTE REGARDING THE ODOMETER READING. ALSO THE BRAKES AND DOOR LOCKED NEVER WORKED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10050274

Incident

Oct 12, 2003

Mileage

17,562 mi