RoadVitals

2011 Lincoln Navigator Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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 Jun 24, 2026
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
1
Reports on file since Dec 29, 2010

What this page shows

Our database holds 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Lincoln Navigator. 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.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–9 of 9

Brakes
Filed Jun 24, 2026
Crash reported

On [XXX] during sunny, dry weather conditions I was travelling north bound on [XXX] at 25 mph, 4 to 5 car lengths behind the next driver. Driver ahead stopped for a crosswalk, I immediately braked and the anti-lock brake system erroneously engaged which did not allow the navigator to appropriately stop which caused a collision. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11746145
Incident
Jun 10, 2026
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 18, 2021

JANUARY 4, 2021- WHILE CRUISING WITH MY FAMILY ON THE INTERSTATE AT A SPEED OF 75-80 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION RANDOMLY SHIFTED FROM 6TH GEAR TO 2ND OR FIRST GEAR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID OUT OF CONTROL ACROSS BOTH LANES AND SPINNING THE MOTOR AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH RPM. I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND I SHUT OFF THE KEY AND COASTED TO A STOP. WE WERE LUCKY THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES IN OUR VICINITY. I STARTED IT UP AND VERY CAUTIOUSLY DROVE HOME. THERE WERE NO ENGINE LIGHTS DURING THE INCIDENT. THE MOTOR WAS/AND STILL IS VERY LOUD IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INCIDENT. WHEN WE GOT HOME WE LOOKED INTO RECALLS AND TSB'S AND FOUND THAT OUR VEHICLE IS WITHIN THE 2011 TO 2013 RECALL YEARS. WHEN CHECKED BY THE FORD DEALER JAN 1/11/21, NO CHECK ENGINE CODES WERE FOUND. THEY CHECKED THE SOFTWARE AND REPORTED THAT THE MOST RECENT UPDATES ARE ALREADY INSTALLED IN OUR VEHICLE, BUT WE HAVE NO PROOF OF THAT. WE HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE SINCE BRINGING IT HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP. IF MY WIFE OR KIDS WERE DRIVING WE WOULD ALL BE DEAD. THIS QUOTE IS FROM NHTSA WEBSITE. "THE MOST RECENT UPDATE FROM FEBRUARY 2, 2019 OFFICE OF DEFECTS AND INVESTIGATIONS (ODI) WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (19V-075000) TO REMEDY THE DOWNSHIFT FAILURES ON ALL 2011-2013, F-150'S, EXPEDITIONS, AND NAVIGATORS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THE VEHICLE MAY EXPERIENCE AN UNINTENDED LOSS OF TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SPEED CENSOR SIGNAL TO THE PCM POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A TEMPORARY UNINTENDED DOWNSHIFT TO FIRST GEAR. FORD WILL REPROGRAM THE PCM WITH SOFTWARE THAT WILL PREVENT AN UNINTENDED DOWNSHIFT TO FIRST GEAR AND ILLUMINATE THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT IN THE EVENT OF AN INTERMITTENT OUTPUT SPEED CENSOR SIGNAL LOSS". WE CANNOT VERIFY THAT THESE UPDATES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN OUR VEHICLE (PUR AUG 2020) AS THE EVENT HAPPENED AND WE DID NOT GET ANY CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS OR CODES. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE!

NHTSA ID
11388755
Incident
Jan 4, 2021
Mileage
84,000 mi
Filed Oct 27, 2018

ODOMETER DISCREPANCY. 07/28/14. 86,987 09/12/18. 70,447 ACTUAL MILEAGE 73,220

NHTSA ID
11143343
Incident
Oct 21, 2018
Visibility
Filed Apr 2, 2018

WHILE TRAVELING WITH A FULL LOAD AT 65 MPH ON I-95 SB IN MARYLAND THE DRIVER SIDE REAR VENT WINDOW EXPLODED INWARD INTO THE CABIN. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR, TEMP MID 40'S, NO DEFROSTERS WERE ON, NO TRAFFIC WAS PASSING US.

NHTSA ID
11082436
Incident
Mar 28, 2018
Mileage
112,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 3, 2018

DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WON'T ALWAYS GO UP AFTER PUTTING IT DOWN. WORKED BETTER, THOUGH IN VERY SMALL INCREMENTS, WHEN IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID
11058407
Incident
Dec 20, 1917
BrakesEngine
Filed Mar 7, 2017

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PUT MY TRUCK IN GEAR, THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESENTED NO RESISTANCE, SUDDENLY THE E-BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, AND AN ERROR STATED LOW BRAKE FLUID. I ADDED BRAKE FLUID WHICH APPEARED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. AFTER DRIVING APPROX. 20 MILES HOME, THE BRAKE ERROR RETURNED, AND THE FLUID WAS AGAIN LOW. I MADE AN APPT WITH THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY THEY WERE OPEN, AGAIN ADDED BRAKE FLUID, AND DROVE THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER. THEY CALLED ME 2 HOURS LATER TO TELL ME THE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID HAD BEEN SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE WAS BEYOND REPAIR AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE SERVICE TECH STARTED IT TO MOVE IT A SERVICE BAY, A LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT THE EXHAUSTED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO KNOCK. THIS ALL HAPPENED IN THE COURSE OF 24 HOURS AND THE TRUCK WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN 40 MILES FROM THE FIRST ERROR NOTIFICATION TO MY BEING INFORMED THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR DUE THE BRAKE FLUID LEAK.

NHTSA ID
10959122
Incident
Feb 20, 2017
Mileage
88,600 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Mar 1, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE WHEELS WOULD SUDDENLY LOCK WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPROGRAMMED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. ...UPDATED 05/11/17 *BF

NHTSA ID
10957797
Incident
Jun 1, 2012
Mileage
150,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 10, 2016

WHEN THE HEATING/COOLING IS IN AUTOMATIC MODE, THE FAN STOPS WORKING IF IT CALLS FOR HIGH SPEED OF THE FAN. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES IT MAY WORK AGAIN. I HAVE FOUND THAT BY TAKING IT OFF AUTOMATIC AND CONTROLLING THE FAN SPEED MANUALLY, THE SYSTEM IS MORE RELIABLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE 2011.

NHTSA ID
10934386
Incident
Dec 1, 2011
Mileage
6,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 29, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT RENTED A 2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 70 MPH AND WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN, IT DID NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO STOP BY PLACING IT IN LOW GEAR AND REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO GIVE HIM ANY DETAILS AS IT WAS A RENTAL VEHICLE. THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300. UPDATED 2/17/11 *CN UPDATED 04/27/11

NHTSA ID
10373229
Incident
Dec 28, 2010
Mileage
300 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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .