Power Train Problems of Lincoln Navigator - part 1

The contact's wife owns a 2018 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the gear shifter independently shifted to park and other gears while driving over a railroad track. The vehicle was turned off and restarted and operated as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 139,000.

See all problems of the 2018 Lincoln Navigator 🔎.

On Saturday, June 13th, 2026, while merging on to the I-10 freeway heading east, completly without warning, my transmission dropped completely out of gear cancelling acceleration and acted like I had put the transmission in neutral (I had not). This caused my vehicle to slow down abruptly with a large vehicle bearing down on me in my lane at freeway speeds (55+). The other vehicle was able to avoid me (just barely) so no accident occurred. I moved towards the side of the road but before I could bring my vehicle to a stop the transmission re-engaged with a violent "bang" and I was able to accelerate once again. This is not the first time this has happened (transmission dropping out of gear). I have had the vehicle checked out by mechanics at a local Lincoln dealer who could not duplicate the occurrence. Until recently, I was not aware this problem was not unique to just my vehicle. I had thought it was a conflict with my speed control but at the time of this incident the speed control was not engaged. Apparently, this issue has been experienced by many 2019 Lincoln Navigator owners. It would appear a safety recall is in order so as to prevent an injury /deadly accident which could have easily happened to me and my family in this incident.

See all problems of the 2019 Lincoln Navigator 🔎.

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while driving at 70 mph, the transmission seized, and the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated during the failure. Additionally, the brake warning light was illuminated, and the message “loss of power” was displayed. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train). The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

Cdf drum failure is a known issue to Ford. They have issued a technical service bulletin (TSB 22-2428) to replace poorly designed components that have since been redesigned. The failure mode can cause violent gear shifts (from gear 10 to gear 1) at high speeds, which is a significant safety concern. While driving on the highway, the transmission would not shift between gears and the car lurched. Check engine light came on and I exited the highway immediately. I took my vehicle to be looked at, and they diagnosed the problem as cdf drum failure. Ford needs to take responsibility for their problematic design in these vehicles.

See all problems of the 2020 Lincoln Navigator 🔎.

I have experienced harsh shifting from gear 1 to 2 and as well from 2nd to 3rd gear. This results in delayed acceleration at expressway onramps and when turning into forward traffic. This is a known risk with unresolved recall 26s48 related to transmission parking system dammage and related transmission damage. As well, there is a TSB 22-2248 related to this year/make/model transmission problem.

The transmissions down shifts extremely hard, causing an abrupt wheel speed reduction. It starts doing this after you have driven the vehicle about 15 minutes. . . . Before that it operates correctly but once you hit 15 minutes of drive time, it is neck jolting! driver and passenger mirrors have a mind of their own. They will be in position, you start backing out of a spot and they start moving until they get so out of place they start popping. This is dangerous due to possibility of running over someone or possibly hitting another vehicle. You have to put the vehicle in park, reset the mirrors, then start backing out again.

On [xxx] at or about [xxx]. , I was traveling on the highway while going up hill to pass a slow moving vehicle, in the passing lane, suddenly lost total acceleration in which a wrench light appeared as if the transmission disengaged. I was able to coast to the into the driving lane, to get to the shoulder of the road in which the transmission engaged back at about 10mph. I was able to continue slowly, to my destination but at lower speeds the vehicle was shaking and shifting hard. I had just purchased this vehicle, used, only having same for about a month. I had to have the vehicle towed back to the place where I purchase same, due to transmission failure on 04/25/26. To a better way wholesale auto, 49 raytkwich road, naugatuck CT 06770 I waiting for a service report in what needs to be repaired or replaced. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving on highway on several occasions, transmission jumps out to neutral causing sudden loss of power specially when accelerating. This was rarely happening since 2022 but it started to get worse recently happening more than four times in 2026.

After 3 failed diagnoses with various vehicle repair shops that could not fix our problem, we took our 2019 Lincoln Navigator to the phil long Ford/Lincoln dealership 26 days ago. After expressing my concerns about our vehicle jerking into gear and intermittently losing accelerator power during driving, the dealership diagnosed it as a problem with the cam phasers. Upon picking up the vehicle and asking the csr if a test drive had been done multiple times beforehand, we arrived, paid our bill, and took the vehicle for less than 30 seconds before realizing the same issue was persisting. My wife and child are the primary occupants at most times, and losing power on the highway and on side roads is most concerning. As of two weeks ago today, I was called by the csr at phil long Ford to let me know that calls and reports were made to Lincoln specifically and that the general managers would be pooling money together to find a resolution and eventually fix my vehicle. The csr also said that by the following day (tues), I would know about a resolution. 2 weeks later (today), I called and requested a manager call me to discuss the situation. No call was made. I also reached out to the csr and was told that my case was still in a holding pattern. We have now had to rent a vehicle 3 times to help us get around, with no assistance from the dealership except for 2 out of the 26 days we've been without a vehicle. After doing more digging, there is a large class action lawsuit in motion that covers exactly what we are going through. As of 8 days ago, Ford's request to dismiss the suit was denied. We believe at this time there is gross negligence by Ford & Lincoln and have first hand accounts of how scary these vehicles can become while on the road. To top it off during my visit to the dealership this evening, the service manager gave me two options when asking about a possible loaner or rental vehicle: approve the repairs needed on my own dime or continue driving the vehicle.

1. Transmission shifts hard and/or seems to shift to neutral and losing forward propulsion 2. Or loud clunk followed by shuddering and no control 3. No control means unsafe driving conditions particularly if closer to other vehicles 4. Dealer quoted some mumbo/jumbo about jumping into park 5. Dealer quoted $10,000 figure for new transmission 6. After clunk event and pulling over wrench light came up with reference to differential 7. Super hard shifting or no shift life-threatening lunging and hesitation is unacceptable0.

Issues with the 10r80 transmission, specifically concerning the cdf clutch drum. Tsbs 24-2254 and 25-2429 are related to this problem.

The vehicle is a 2019 Lincoln Navigator. The component that failed is the transmission. The vehicle experienced a sudden transmission failure resulting in loss of normal drivability. The issue is currently available for inspection at the repair facility upon request. This failure created a safety concern due to loss of power, hesitation, and unreliable shifting, which can increase the risk of collision, particularly in traffic or during acceleration. The problem has been confirmed by the dealership and independent repair facilities. Multiple repair professionals indicated that this failure is consistent with a known issue addressed by a Ford technical service bulletin (TSB), suggesting this is not an isolated incident. The vehicle has been inspected by the repair facility. The manufacturer has not directly inspected the vehicle to my knowledge. There were no significant prior warning indicators that would suggest imminent failure. Any symptoms prior to failure were minimal or not clearly indicative of a major transmission issue. Based on information from repair facilities, this appears to be a known defect pattern rather than normal wear or maintenance-related failure. The use of a TSB instead of a recall raises concerns that a broader safety-related defect may not be adequately addressed. This failure occurred after proper maintenance and outside any initial waiting period for warranty coverage. The issue appears systemic and warrants further investigation.

Transmission issue: not shifting properly while on the highway and almost causing a crash by loosing power and shifted into neutral after attemting to accelerate. The next time it occured the transsmission would not down shift and I was not able to accelerate.

While driving, the vehicle repeatedly hesitated during gear changes, lost power, and then abruptly jerked back into gear. This occurred intermittently for over a month without any warning messages, creating unpredictable and unsafe driving conditions. As the issue worsened, the vehicle began losing power more frequently. The most serious event occurred at highway speed, where the vehicle suddenly lost propulsion in the middle of active traffic, nearly causing a stall. This created an immediate safety hazard for myself and surrounding drivers. After several seconds, the vehicle violently re-engaged into gear and surged forward. Only at this point did the vehicle display a warning: “powertrain malfunction / reduced power. ” I scanned the vehicle and retrieved dtc p0734 – gear 4 incorrect ratio, a code associated with internal transmission faults. A dealership inspected the vehicle and reported that the cdf drum had failed. They stated they could not guarantee that replacing the drum would resolve all issues and provided two estimates: $5,600 for a partial internal repair/$8,700 for full transmission replacement. The 10r80 transmission has a documented history of failures, including harsh shifting, slipping, unexpected gear disengagement, and internal component defects. These issues are addressed in multiple Ford technical service bulletins involving p0734, harsh/failed shifts, and failures related to the cdf clutch cylinder/drum. Many vehicles of the same make and model are covered under related recalls or service actions for similar problems; however, my VIN is not included, and Lincoln declined to honor the existing recall. This defect presents a serious safety risk due sudden loss of power while driving, including at highway speeds, unpredictable re-engagement and violent surging, loss of propulsion without warning, leading to near-stall conditions. This powertrain malfunction is a known, unsafe, repeat issue among these vehicles equipped w/this transmission.

See all problems of the 2021 Lincoln Navigator 🔎.

The vehicle has experienced repeated mechanical failures involving the engine, cooling system, drivetrain, and electronic systems. Documented failures include the navigation/apim module, transmission jerking and drivability issues, transmission valve body concerns, cam phaser failure, driveshaft repair, front wheel bearing/iwe failure, coolant leaks from heater core hoses, and engine vibration requiring extensive diagnostic work including a short block engine repair. The vehicle has also experienced multiple overheating incidents despite prior repairs. Overheating occurred in may 2025, December 2025, and February 2026. During these events the engine temperature rose abnormally and coolant had to be added to the reservoir. Drivetrain problems including transmission jerking, vibration, and driveshaft repair also created drivability concerns while operating the vehicle at highway speeds. These issues have been inspected and confirmed by an authorized Lincoln dealership service department. Numerous repairs and diagnostics have been performed including apim replacement, cam phaser repair, heater hose replacement, wheel bearing/iwe replacement, driveshaft repair, and engine diagnostic work approved through warranty processes. Symptoms prior to failures included overheating, vibration, excessive fan noise, whining while driving, and transmission jerking. The vehicle and components are available for inspection upon request. The repeated overheating events combined with drivetrain and engine failures raise concern that this vehicle may have an underlying safety-related defect that could result in sudden loss of power or engine failure while operating in traffic.

Faulty transmissions even after replacement. Fluid leaks and abrupt starting / stopping with it. Dealers can't seem to figure it out and have become a safety issue.

The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. Additionally, while slowing down and driving under 40 mph, the transmission experienced a rough downshift, causing the passengers inside the vehicle to lunge forward from their seats. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who flushed the transmission, but the failure persisted. The contact later received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.

Navigator transmission goes into neutral when accelerating at speeds of 50+. Trans completely overhauled. Still does it. Almost had 2 accidents when changing lanes on the freeway, trying to accelerate and instead slowing down with cars behind fast approaching . When trying to pass on a 2-lane hwy, this would be deadly.

Well, the problem is with the transmission. The transmission will lurch, and it also will go into neutral while you are driving down the road, the other thing with the suspension I had repaired. But it said the drive modes were disabled and kept on throwing. Check engine lights. Not to mention, I had to have the cam. Phasers fixed last year, that was another $5000 repair.

I purchased this car used. The local lot did not disclose this well-documented history with the Navigator's transmission. I had recall work done a few months ago at an authorized Ford dealership. No warning. The vehicle stalls and pauses during acceleration (the engine does not die). This transmission issue is both dangerous and alarming, as I am unable to complete a pass. The car coasts in neutral (with traffic approaching/oncoming) during attempts to pass other vehicles.

Transmission is having major issues with flaring and shifting. Vehicle has trouble engaging torque convertor, vehicle almost seems to stall out when accelerating with heavy traffic due to transmission engaging poorly.

Front differential - entire system needs to be rebuilt due to bearings going bad. While the vehicle has not ceased up due to the differential bearing, it is a safety issue and known to Ford. Note this is the second time I’ve personally had to have the front end rebuilt in this vehicle. First time at 79,000 miles and now again at 149,000. Giving me a 70,000 mile service life. How is that possible that a differential only last 70,000 miles.

The back up camera will randomly black out. The steering wheel motor is broke and the steering wheel does not adjust. Needed a new air conditioner motor, timing chain, had a transmission leak, wheel axel leak. This is a safety hazard and caused a huge financial strain.

I purchased this 2021 Lincoln Navigator l black label used on March 22, 2024 with approximately 42,726mi. Beginning around sept. 2025 (approximately 70,000-75,000 miles), the vehicle developed intermittent transmission failures that have progressively worsened. This is our primary family vehicle and routinely transports our three young children. The transmission hesitates, slips, skips gears, bangs into gear, and frequently delays engagement before suddenly surging forward. Engine rpm increases without corresponding acceleration. Occupants are abruptly thrown forward and backward during normal driving. Several times each month, a yellow wrench/powertrain warning appears instructing the driver to see the owner’s manual. When this occurs, the vehicle loses normal acceleration and throttle response becomes significantly delayed. The defect is intermittent and unpredictable. The condition creates dangerous situations when merging, entering intersections, accelerating from traffic lights, and in stop-and-go traffic. On one occasion, after stopping on an incline, the vehicle would not accelerate and effectively became disabled in traffic. We activated our hazard flashers while vehicles drove around us. The hesitation followed by sudden engagement also creates a rear-end collision risk. I first brought the vehicle to an independent repair shop, but the concern was dismissed. On 6/22/2026, herb chambers Lincoln of norwood road tested the vehicle, confirmed the complaint, and documented that the “transmission is skipping and banging into gears” and recommended complete transmission replacement. The estimated repair cost was approximately $12,560. The vehicle remains unsafe to drive due to repeated loss of propulsion, delayed acceleration, violent shifting, and dealer-confirmed transmission failure. I respectfully request NHTSA investigate whether this represents a broader safety defect affecting Ford/Lincoln vehicles equipped with the 10-speed automatic transmission.

Car stalls often. Was not able to go through intersection. Held up traffic. Another incident was I was almost rear ended when car lost power. This is dangerous and not just an inconvenience.

To whom it may concern, I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious and costly transmission issue with my 2019 Lincoln Navigator. At approximately 114,000 miles, the vehicle’s transmission failed and required a full rebuild. The total repair cost was around $8,000, which I had to pay out of pocket. When I brought the vehicle to the dealership for diagnosis and repair, the technicians expressed surprise that no recall had been issued, noting that they have seen this same transmission issue in other 2019 Lincoln Navigators. They acknowledged that this appears to be a known and recurring problem among vehicles of this make and model. Before the transmission failed completely, I experienced slipping gears, hesitation, and delayed acceleration, which posed a serious safety risk while driving. These symptoms could have easily caused loss of power or unexpected shifting at highway speeds or during traffic maneuvers, putting myself, my passengers, and others on the road in danger. Sudden power loss or gear malfunction in such situations could lead to an accident or loss of control. The repair process also left me without a vehicle for over three weeks, creating significant inconvenience and hardship. Given the high repair cost, the time without transportation, and the well-documented pattern of similar failures among this model, I believe this issue points to a defect in the transmission’s design or manufacturing. I respectfully request that the NHTSA investigate this matter further to determine whether a recall or manufacturer reimbursement should be issued for affected owners. A recall or refund program would help address the substantial financial burden and potential safety hazards caused by this widespread transmission problem. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Had transmission problems before this final issue. With that said the dealership ended up replacing the transmission as it was under warranty. Not even 2000 miles later we are coming back from vacation and I lost total power of the vehicle but since I was going around 70 mph we made it to the shoulder of the highway. Once there the vehicle was already smoking so we all got out of the vehicle and that’s when I saw the fire, and not even 3 minutes later it was totally in gulfed in flames.

Category: power train -> automatic transmission subject: 2020 Lincoln Navigator – repeated missed warranty repairs – transmission neutral-out & violent downshift at highway speed description: on July 8, 2025, while traveling at approximately 70 mph on I-71, my 2020 Lincoln Navigator suddenly downshifted, free-wheeled into neutral, then violently re-engaged into a lower gear, chirping the rear tires and nearly causing a collision. The vehicle displayed a "shift system fault" warning. This defect matches TSB 23-2120 (momentary neutral-out) and TSB 24-2101 (harsh/delayed engagement) for the Ford/Lincoln 10r80 transmission used in the Navigator. TSB 23-2123 (harsh/delayed engagement/shift) also applies to my model year and transmission. I purchased this vehicle in December 2023 from performance Lexus rivercenter (covington, ky) with the original Lincoln 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty still in effect. According to carfax, the vehicle was owned by airport Ford, a Ford/Lincoln dealer, for six months prior. No transmission-related repairs were performed during that period despite applicable tsbs. In March 2024, I reported abnormal shifting to Lincoln of cincinnati. The concern was dismissed without inspection or repair, even though the tsbs applied to my VIN at that time. The July 8, 2025 incident is the direct result of two separate failures by Lincoln/Ford dealerships to act on a known defect while the vehicle was under warranty. This is a serious safety hazard that can cause sudden loss of power and traction at highway speeds. Vehicle details: - year: 2020 - make: Lincoln - model: Navigator - transmission: 10-speed automatic (10r80) - mileage at incident: 48000 - VIN: 5lmjj2lt2lel07737 - date of incident: July 8, 2025 - dealers involved: airport Ford (prior owner), Lincoln of cincinnati (service visit March 2024) the dealer is working on the car currently will send any repair items when they are in hand.

The transmission system failed, causing jerking during acceleration. The original transmission was replaced by the dealer, so it may be available for inspection if retained by the dealer or returned to Ford/Lincoln. Jerking during acceleration can create safety risks including: unpredictable vehicle behavior during merging or passing, potential loss of control in traffic situations, and compromised ability to maintain consistent speed or smoothly accelerate away from hazards. Yes - the dealer confirmed the problem and determined the transmission required replacement, indicating they reproduced and verified the issue. Ted britt Ford Lincoln, chantilly, va inspected the vehicle. No dashboard lights.

Is all on google this particular vehicle Lincoln Navigator 2019 l have problems on the transmission gear malfunctioning…I barely purchase this exactly model a few days ago and I have this issues concern safety so dealer said is purchase with no warranty but this vehicle have 75000 miles only … we should have the attention on this matter because is safety and costly to repair.

Have had Navigator in shop (at dealership) six times for drive train/transmission/seat belt recall and it is not repaired. Last repair has not even been driven 200 miles after dealership having vehicle for 5 weeks.

The contact owns a 2024 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph on several occasions, the transmission independently shifted into neutral(n). The contact stated that during each failure, the drive(d) button was pressed without depressing the brake pedal first. The contact stated that an undisclosed message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on three occasions; however, the dealers were unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,700.

See all problems of the 2024 Lincoln Navigator 🔎.

About 5 weeks ago, our Navigator's transmission had a mild slip, like it was accidentally put in neutral. Since there was no visible warning sign, check engine light, or clear indicator of transmission issues, we thought it may just be a fluke. Within weeks, the transmission slipping escalated from mild to extreme, causing major safety concerns. When in drive, it would struggle to accelerate, get stuck in the wrong gear, then overcompensate, violently jerking into the correct gear 20+ seconds after it should have. A few times, we narrowly avoided getting rear-ended or rear-ending others. Lincoln service confirmed the 10-speed automatic transmission in the 2019 Navigator is problematic and will likely need a full rebuild, yet there is no transmission recall. They also stated their service department was backed up 4-5 weeks due to transmission repairs. Over the last 2 weeks, we've had a full vehicle diagnostic and repair. The mechanic replaced both leaky transmission coolant lines and completely rebuilt the transmission. He confirmed the check engine light never activated and diagnostic trouble codes never generated. That is an extreme safety problem. According to Lincoln, with leaks and transmission slipping, dtcs should be generated, and check engine lights should come on, but it didn't happen in either case. Please investigate both the transmission failures and the trouble code generation!.

The same problem that is currently being reported by the NHTSA for the Ford f-150 has been happening to my Lincoln Navigator for the past few years. During higher-speeds (50 mpg and over) the auto will lurch forward as if trying to shift gears and has, on more than one occasion, actually downshifted into a lower gear while driving on expressways, forcing me to pull-over, stop the engine and restart in order to get the auto back into normal operation. When this downshifting occurs, a graphic appears on the dashboard. This graphic shows a stick-shift icon and also includes the words "manual shifting". However, the exact words cannot be verified since the graphic only stays visible for a split-second. Since I'm a bit shocked when this happens, my concentration is on safety and not on the specifics of a dashboard graphic. When I have taken the auto into service and mentioned these occurrences, the service persons have always stated that the computer system has been updated and the problem is marked solved. I have a warranty of 100,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated while driving 60 mph, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to a lower gear, and the vehicle decelerated to 25 mph within 4-5 seconds. The power train warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that upon restarting the vehicle, the warning light was no longer illuminated, and the vehicle responded as needed while driving. The vehicle was taken to firestone, where dtc: p0722 was retrieved, and the vehicle was diagnosed with output shaft speed sensor failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a related recall. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the failure was not related to a recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

See all problems of the 2014 Lincoln Navigator 🔎.