2003 Lincoln Navigator Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. ALSO, A "CHECK THE SUSPENSION" MESSAGE ILLUMINATED INDICATING THAT THE REAR SHOCKS FAILED TO WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO INDICATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE RUNNING BOARD SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SEVERAL TIMES; HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

NHTSA ID

10681107

Incident

Feb 5, 2008

Mileage

55,000 mi

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

MY ROOF-MOUNTED DVD PLAYER HAS NEVER WORKED BUT STILL MAKES NOISES WHEN CAR IS CRUNK UP OR SWITCHED OFF, MY BATTERY ALL OF A SUDDEN WENT DEAD (CAR WOULD NOT CRANK), HEADLIGHTS HAVE SHORTS IN THEM...AFTER REPLACING $100 BULBS, I FOUND OUT IF I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON, THE BULB WILL COME BACK ON, CHECK PARK ASSIST LIGHT AND ALARMS COME ON EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS PUT IN REVERSE, AND MY SUSPENSION WILL NOT LET THE VEHICLE UP WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10654284

Incident

Nov 3, 2014

I BOUGHT MY USED 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR IN 2008. A YEAR LATER, AIR SUSPENSION FAILURE HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. BOTH IN CITY AND ON HIGHWAY - VARIOUS SPEEDS - BUT THE SCARIEST AND MOST DANGEROUS WAS WHEN IT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAYS. CAUSED VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL SUSPENSION AND DROP EXTREMELY LOW. THE NAVI BOUNCED DANGEROUSLY AND VIOLENTLY EVEN AT VERY REDUCED SPEEDS. IT ALSO CAUSED THE NAVI TO SCRAPE THE GROUND ON A FEW OCCASIONS. HAD IT REPAIRED THREE TIMES @ $500+ AND WAS FINALLY TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE ALL FOUR @ APPX $2000+!! I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH NAVI'S. IN ORDER TO SAVE MY TIME, MONEY AND SANITY, I OPTED FOR SPRING-SUSPENSIONS AT A THIRD OF THE COST AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THOSE IN OVER 4 YEARS! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE SPRING-SUSPENSIONS AND STOP THE INSANITY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10604257

Incident

Jun 1, 2009

Mileage

80,000 mi

TOTAL AIR SUSPENSION FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10592969

Incident

Dec 11, 2013

Mileage

102,812 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, A LOUD ROARING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED UNDER THE HOOD AND DETECTED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE AIR LIFT COMPRESSOR. THE NOISE COULD ALSO BE HEARD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,319.

NHTSA ID

10545137

Incident

Sep 20, 2013

Mileage

65,319 mi

MY AIR SUSPENSION WENT OUT THE FIRST TIME IN MARCH OF 2008, IT JUST QUIT WORKING. I THEN PAID $500 TO GET IT REPLACED. THEN AGAIN IN 2011 IT WENT OUT 2 DIFFERENT TIME, IN WHICH THIS TIME I HAD THE COMPRESSOR REBUILT. AND AGAIN IT WENT OUT OF MAY OF 2012. THIS TIME I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPLACED, I ONLY DRIVE THE SUV WHEN I HAVE TO. THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR SUSPENSIONS ON THE 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR THAT FORD SHOULD MAKE THE PART GOOD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10482515

Incident

Mar 10, 2008

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE RIGHT SIDE FRONT AIRBAG RIDE SUSPENSION BAG EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10479439

Incident

Oct 6, 2012

Mileage

189,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DISENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHENEVER HE DROVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM WAS DISENGAGED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AT LEAST TEN TIMES TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE FREQUENTLY DURING COLD WEATHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ID

10440374

Incident

Mar 9, 2009

Mileage

50,000 mi

THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED IT'S ALL OVER THE INTERNET. THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM ON THESE ARE ALWAYS MESSED UP PLEASE FIX THIS. *KB

NHTSA ID

10429384

Incident

Oct 10, 2011

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND THEY STATED THE ENTIRE FUSE BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THE SUSPENSION WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND THE AIR BAGS WERE DEFLATING. THE DEALER STATED THE AIR BAG FOR THE SUSPENSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

NHTSA ID

10408572

Incident

Jun 15, 2009

Mileage

76,000 mi

SUSPENSION SYSTEM RISES AND FALLS WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED. THE FIRST INCIDENT THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE WOULD NOT RAISE UP AND MADE DRIVING HAZARDOUS. THIS LAST INCIDENT THE REAR WENT UP AND WILL NOT COME DOWN. THE VEHICLE CAN HARDLY BE HELD IN THE ROAD WHEN THIS HAPPENS. SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM HAVE BEEN LISTED ON THE INTERNET. *TR

NHTSA ID

10373563

Incident

Dec 19, 2003

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BOUNCE ABNORMALLY. WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL HE COULD FEEL THE BODY OF THE TRUCK TOUCH THE TIRE. THE ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRED IN APRIL 2008 AND HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED FOR THE CURRENT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000. UPDATED 5/9/11 *CN

NHTSA ID

10368497

Incident

Sep 3, 2008

Mileage

140,000 mi

SUSPENSION RELAY FAILS THEN COMPRESSOR FAILS NOW IT STILL WILL NOT FILL AND HOLD AS IT SHOULD RIGHT FRONT DIPS DANGEROUSLY LOW NO REAL FIX OR RELIEF IN SIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10368246

Incident

Nov 28, 2009

Mileage

112,000 mi

SUSPENSION PROBLEMS IN MY 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10365684

Incident

Sep 27, 2010

Mileage

98,000 mi

AIR SUSPENSION MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED AT AROUND 100,0000 MILES. ALSO AIR BAGS LEAK AND ARE SLOW TO AIR UP IN COLD WEATHER. MECHANIC SAID NEED TO REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10360339

Incident

Mar 11, 2010

Mileage

102,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR RISE SYSTEM ON THE VEHICLE FAILED AND WAS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BOUNCE ABNORMALLY WHEN DRIVING OVER ANY TYPE OF ROAD BUMP OR UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE. THE AIR RISE SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENTIRE AIR RISE SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 157,000.

NHTSA ID

10359079

Incident

Jul 6, 2010

Mileage

150,000 mi

I OWN A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS MY TRUCK HAS PRIMARILY SAT IN THE GARAGE, THE SUSPENSION WENT OUT TWO YEARS AGO, WE WERE TOLD THE COMPRESSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WE DID THIS TO THE TUNE OF $599.00, AFTER THE COMPRESSOR WAS REPLACED MY TRUCK RAN OKAY, IT NEVER SEEMED QUITE THE SAME, AFTER ALMOST 5 MONTHS THE COMPRESSOR WENT OUT AGAIN, THIS TIME WE WERE TOLD IT NEEDED A NEW COMPRESSOR AND AIR BAGS AND WOULD COST APROX. $1,300.00 AND COULD COST MORE IF OTHER SUSPENSION ISSUES WERE DISCOVERED, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE REPAIRS DONE DUE TO SEVERAL REASONS FINANCIALLY, THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND IT CANNOT BE DRIVEN, THE BODY OF THE TRUCK SITS SO LOW, WE'VE BEEN TOLD IT LOOKS LIKE WE MAY HAVE AXEL DAMAGE FROM THE IMPROPER DISTRIBUTION OF BODY WEIGHT ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SUSPENSION BEING OUT. OUR LOCAL LINCOLN DEALER (APROX. 20 MILES AWAY) SAID WE NEED TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THEM TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT?, OUR TRUCK IS NOT DRIVABLE, I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND GOT ABOUT 2.5 BLOCKS FROM OUR HOME AND HAD TO TURN AROUND AND GO BACK HOME, THE VIOLENT BOUNCING AND ROCKING GIVES A WHIPPING MOVEMENT THAT CAUSED MY HEAD TO CONTINUOUSLY HIT THE HEAD REST VERY HARD, THIS CAUSING GREAT BACK AND NECK PAIN, NOT TO MENTION CAUSE FOR ALARM ON WHAT THIS UNSAFE DRIVING IS DOING TO THE VEHICLE...I AM SO DISAPPOINTED, I AM MAKING $500.00 A MONTH PAYMENTS ON A VEHICLE I CANNOT AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. WHAT'S EVEN MORE TROUBLING I CANNOT FIND ANY RECALLS ON THE SUSPENSION AND I HAVE BEEN READING HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM ONLINE, WHAT IS FORD DOING ABOUT THIS? CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME IF THEY ARE WORKING ON MAKING THIS RIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10318175

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

Mileage

93,000 mi

A YEAR AND AHALF AGO, THE NAVIGATOR BEGAN TO MAKE STRANGE GROWLING NOISES WHEN IT WAS PARKED UNDER THE GARAGE. SOME DAYS WHEN I WOULD TRY TO GET INTO THE CAR, IT WAS HIGH OFF THE GROUND, OTHER DAYS IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY LOW. THE ENTIRE SUSPENSION WENT OUT ON OUR 2003 NAVIGATOR. IT COST ME OVER $700 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THIS IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION, SO I HAD TO BORROW A CAR FOR A WEEK TO GET TO WORK. NOW, IT IS OUT AGAIN! BECAUSE OF THE LAST EXPERIENCE, I HAD BEEN DOING A SYSTEM CHECK PERIODICALLY. THE CHECK ALWAYS SAID, "SUSPENSION OK". WELL, TWO WEEKS AGO, I BEGAN TO NOTICE THE CAR SEEMED TO LEAN TO THE RIGHT OR LEAN FORWARD WHEN PARKED. FINALLY, LAST WEEK MY HUSBAND SAID, THE CAR WAS RIDING LIKE A BOUNCING BUGGY - THE SUSPENSION IS GONE AGAIN! THIS IS THE SECOND TIME AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. IT IS THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION WE HAVE FOR GETTING TO WORK. AND I'M STILL PAYING ON A CAR THAT I CANNOT RIDE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10310436

Incident

Feb 9, 2010

FRONT AIR SUSPENSION ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOES NOT WORK IN COLD WEATHER, AND ONLY WORKS HALF OF THE TIME IN WARM WEATHER. TRUCK IS VERY WELL TAKEN CARE THRU THE DEALERSHIP AND HAS ONLY 76,000 MILES AND BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE SUSPENSION AND RIGHT RUNNING BOARD. SEE ALL OVER THE INTERNET NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING, THIS IS CLEARLY A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MODEL (2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR). THE TRUCK HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN 2 MONTHS BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE AT THE DEALER TO REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10306225

Incident

Dec 15, 2009

Mileage

76,000 mi

THE SUSPENSION IN MY 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR HAS GONE COMPLETELY OUT. THE ESTIMATE TO GET IT FIXED IS OVER $1000, BUT CANNOT REPAIR BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN LAID OFF FOR OVER A YEAR. BEING AS HOW THIS DEFECT IS SO WIDELY AFFECTS THIS MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE, IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS A POSSIBLE RECALL. A TYPICAL CAR DRIVER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE EXPECTED TO PAY FOR AN OBVIOUS ENGINEERING DEFECT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILING WITH ONE COMPONENT GOING OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10303560

Incident

Oct 10, 2009

Mileage

116,000 mi

2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR TRAVELING 65 MILES AN HOUR AND SUSPENSION WENT OUT REAR ONE THIS TIME TRUCK BOUNCED SO HARD HIT MY HEAD AND TRUCK WAS UNCONTROLLABLE WE NEED TO SUE LINCOLN. BOUGHT MINE IN STATEN ISLAND DANA MOTORS WAS IN SHOP 21 TIMES FOR THE SUSPENSION THEY FIXED AND 3 MONTHS LATER OUT AGAIN LAST TIME OCTOBER COST ME 1100 DOLLARS . VERY BAD TRUCK STUCK WITH PAYMENT OF A DEATH TRAP! *TR

NHTSA ID

10295700

Incident

Dec 13, 2009

Mileage

60,000 mi

2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR AIR SUSPENSION SENSOR FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CAUSED VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL SUSPENSION AND DROP AS LOW AS IT WOULD GO, PROVIDING NO SUSPENSION. TRUCK BOUNCED DANGEROUSLY OVER THE ROAD WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DECREASE SPEED AND REMAIN WITHIN LANE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292306

Incident

Feb 5, 2008

Mileage

146,500 mi

I HAVE A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR .I BOUGHT IT IN STATEN ISLAND NY DANA MOTORS 2 YEARS AGO I HAVE HAD IT IN THERE SHOP FOR SUSPENSION CENSORS AND BAGS OVER 10 TIMES MY WARRANTY EXPIRED 30 DAYS AGO AND GUESS WHAT MY REAR SUSPENSION WENT OUT .I CONTACTED FORD OVER 10 TIMES AND I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS HAS TO BE THE WORST TRUCK AND COMPANY I HAVE EVER HAD TO DEAL WITH FORD FOUND ON ROAD DEAD GO GM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10288789

Incident

Oct 3, 2009

Mileage

40,000 mi