Power Train Problems of Lincoln Navigator - part 1

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.

See all problems of the 2018 Lincoln Navigator 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2021 Lincoln Navigator 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2020 Lincoln Navigator 🔎.

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.

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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.

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.

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I bought new 2024 Lincoln Navigator in March 2025. From day 1, the vehicle rattles and vibrates above 40mph. The vibrations are high pitched and lead to whole car shimmering. I had all four tires and wheels replaced by the dealership. The vibrations are significantly intense when compared to normal road feedback. The vibrations lead to excessive fatigue and tiredness over long distances travel. Lincoln has issued service bulletin and no fix has been found so far.

See all problems of the 2024 Lincoln Navigator 🔎.

The vehicle has a vibration at interstate speeds 70-85 mph. The dealership has rebalanced the tires that came on the car, installed new tires and road forced balanced, replaced transfer case, rear drive shaft, but different size tires on car, and done another road force balance on the 2nd set of new tires that were put on car. Fse told dealership to give the car back to us and there was noting else they will do even though vibration still remains. Dealership put in it's service notes that the condition still remains, but was told to give customer back the vehicle. We have put less than 700 miles on the car and dealership has put close to 1100 or so miles on it test driving after repairs each time. This vibration could cause bearings, gears, and drive train failure that could result in potential death at highway speeds. Upon investigating this problem I found this to be a issue with the 2024 Lincoln Navigator throughout the us. I have requested Lincoln buy the vehicle back and was told they would not. My case number with the Lincoln customer service is [xxx] . Teresa 888-214-2155 ext. 77992 is the representative. I would ask the NHTSA to investigate this problem for us consumers out here. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle lunged forward. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was shifting roughly. The contact stated that the vehicle would redline. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that a transmission flush was needed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

Transmission shutting.

Was on interstate when there was a loud bang, the transmission shifted harshly and I lost power where the vehicle would not go faster when I hit the pedal. I was basically pumping the gas for about 3-5 seconds before transmission re engaged. It was a dangerous situation in that I was at highways speeds about 65-70mph and I had no throttle control for several seconds. There was no warning when it happened and it re engaged and I was able to drive the vehicle home. Ford did replace the cdf drum under warranty but there should be a recall on this transmission. The the same thing happened in my other truck, an f150 which uses the same tranmission and engine combo.

Powertrain malfunction/reduced power while on the highway! low boost power malfunction causing excessive fuel and oil consumption, spinning/timing misfire, and reduced speed! check engine light and powertrain malfunction lights later indicated p0365 and p0369 error codes. Dealership says I need a new timing chain and vct selenoid. I found out this is a known issue with 2018-2020 Lincoln Navigators and that Lincoln has issued TSB bulletins regarding these very issues! I am experiencing all of the symptoms - rattling when starting from a cold start, excessive oil consumption, spinning/misfiring when changing gears, crazy slow acceleration, low fuel economy. Initially the light came on in October with the Lincoln app telling me incorrect oil so I went and had my oil changed 10/30. It didn't help at all. I had the car diagnosed locally before calling to have it scheduled to be fixed at the dealership. The auto place wouldn't even give me a quote!! I have attached their diagnostic. The dealership stated the cost would be $5400 for vct selenoid and timing chain. Dealership also stated this is a known issue and he had the same vehicle of the same year for the same reason he's working on right now! I looked it up and Lincoln knows! they know about this issue!! I contacted Lincoln and they refused to help!!! I believe Lincoln should extend grace and help with the cost of repair because they have know about this ongoing issue. Instead of helping their customers by issuing a recall or optional service help, they're putting the bill on the customer or their known issue.

Driving down freeway and vehicle suddenly downshifted and the wrench light came on along with the airbag light, the blind spot detection sensors indicated not working, and more. Had to stop car and restart. Happened several times. Found out it is a problem with the 6r80 transmission lead frame which has a recall with Ford f-150s but not on Lincoln.

See all problems of the 2017 Lincoln Navigator 🔎.

Dealership responsible: ted britt Ford of chantilly dealership address: 4175 auto park cir, chantilly, va 20151 complaint details: I purchased a 2018 Lincoln Navigator l black label, and since then, I have experienced multiple serious mechanical failures due to an improperly performed cam phaser repair by ted britt Ford of chantilly in 2020. The dealership’s service department performed a faulty installation, which resulted •missing and broken screws in the cam phaser system •jerking, rattling, and acceleration issues •significant engine damage requiring a complete short block replacement as a result of this in negligent repair, in 2024 I had to replace the cam phaser again, along with replacing the short block of the engine due to the extensive damage caused by the dealership’s poor workmanship. In addition to this issue, I have faced multiple other failures, including: •valve body replacement •wastegate failure •rear heat stopped working •steering column failure these problems have caused frequent breakdowns and safety concerns, making the vehicle unreliable. The constant need for repairs raises serious questions about the quality of Lincoln’s engineering and service network. This issue is not an isolated incident, and I strongly urge NHTSA to investigate potential defects in the 2018 Lincoln Navigator and to hold dealerships accountable for performing unsafe and defective repairs. Requested action: I request an investigation into the faulty cam phaser repair process and whether similar issues are being reported by other 2018 Lincoln Navigator owners. This could indicate a larger systemic defect or a trend of poor-quality repairs in Ford/Lincoln service centers.

My 2015 Lincoln Navigator suddenly down shifts when driving. I was on the highway driving 65 mph when I had to pull off onto the edge of the highway at night in chicago. This is very scary and a significant safety issue. Ford knows of the defects with the transmission in this model. They have issued recalls for the same transmission in other models, just not the Navigator yet. This needs a recall immediately for the models that have transmissions with the same defects just as other Ford models such as the f150.

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Vehicle experienced failed auto-start on road, resulting in vehicle inmobility from stop in traffic, causing safety hardzard to passengers other vehicles on the road. The cause is worn vct unit, as described in TSB 23-2143. The issue is safety critical and should not be merely addressed with an already expired customer safety program, it should be a safety recall.

Transmission hard shifting when shifting down 3-1 and up 1-3 I see there is a recall for 2020-2024 Navigator but mine doesnt show recalls when I looked for it.

As per Ford customer satisfaction programs 19b05 and 19n01 down shift and molded lead frame. My truck was brought into the dealership to verify the problem. Codes revealed that the molded lead frame and output sped sensor went bad. My 2013 Navigator has 62,000 miles. It was determined that my vehicle was 60 something days over the time limit for the repair and I would have to pay the $1500 to cover the repair! now I see Ford is issuing a recall! I had the vehicle at the dealer waiting for weeks to get the part. I took the vehicle back as the service advisor told me they did not know when the parts would arrive. I was driving the vehicle several days after picking it up and the rear wheels locked up doing 45 mph. The vehicle behind me hit the back right of my vehicle causing $1900 worth of damage!.

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No warning light on dash. Issues engaging in gears. Avoided a few accidents by throwing on hazards when car wouldn't accelerate on road. When turning into oncoming traffic it wouldn't engage in gear but thankfully they braked to avoid hitting me. After that I would only drive in the neighborhood to take kids to school. When reading Ford knows this issue but still put this 10 speed transmission in vehicles. Mechanic diagnosed and had to rebuild transmission.

I have had this issue happen 3 times the last couple of months. This last time I was driving in traffic and all of a sudden, the motor started humming like it was in neutral. In just a second or two I thought maybe I hit the gear shift, but I had not. I pulled over and turned the car off. Waited a couple of minutes, then started it again. As I pulled onto a busy street, I pushed the gas to go and it happened again. This time I am in traffic where I cannot pull over, pressed the gas again hoping it would go as traffic was coming behind me. The car then jumped and started to act like it was getting to much gas. So I let off the gas again, it then was rolling and I barely pressed on the gas and it seemed to be normal. I drove it to my mechanic and he kept it for a week drove everywhere, no problem. I pick it up and it did the same thing sounding like it was in neutral, then was ok.

Driving vehicle for an approximately 70 miles highway trip, the vehicle was experiencing some hard shifts/poor shift quality prior to overheating. Temperature in vehicle for the transmission was reading 237 degree fahrenheit when we stopped at a light after exiting the highway. We noted smoke and saw oil on the exhaust, which is a concern for fire. We noted a burning smell as well. Rear hatch of vehicle was sprayed with fluid, which we think is transmission fluid, causing a visibility concern out the rear windshield. The transmission had been previously rebuilt and a prior complaint filed. There were no error messages displayed in the vehicle. I have attempted to contact the dealership but they are closed on 1/1/24. I reached out to Lincoln concierge and filed a complaint.

The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while driving 50-55 mph and depressing the accelerator pedal, the transmission shifted into neutral (n). The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the transmission fluid was two quarts low after 100 miles. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring increasingly. The contact stated while driving 75 mph and depressing the accelerator pedal, the engine revved, but the vehicle failed to respond and jerked. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced hard shifts while attempting to shift into gears. The contact stated that the vehicle shifted into neutral (n) while the gear shifter was in drive (d) , and the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that the transmission was making abnormal grinding sounds. The contact continued to drive to the dealer, however, there was smoke coming from underneath the vehicle and the vehicle lost motive power at the dealer. The dealer diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was considering buying back the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 45,600.

The transmission doesn't respond several times and could not picking up speed up hill. There were twice the transmission stopped working, the car could not move and stopped in intersection at traffic light. The problem was first reported to Lincoln during 6 years/70,000 miles powertrain warranty Lincoln did the reprogramming but didn't solve the problem and then refused to repair when the problem recur at 6 year and one month, even my car has extended warranty. Lincoln issued several tsbs and knows the cdf drum failure but reluctant to fix the issue. It is not safe to drive when the transmission could not work after a stop at red light or pickup speed at ramp.

When driving, if the accelerator pedal is depressed to merge into the highway or overtake other vehicles, the vehicle abruptly stops accelerating, and the rpm reaches max revs. The vehicle quickly loses momentum until it abruptly slams back into gear, causing a loud bang and startling the driver. This vehicle had a TSB for similar issues that was repaired by our dealer 2 times previously. We have experienced this 2 times since the repair (a total of 4 times). One time, while attempting to accelerate onto a merge lane into traffic, the car stopped accelerating, causing a large 18 wheeler to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting us as we were running out of onramp space. The dealer performed a transmission rebuild after the 3rd time this occurred. The day after we got the car back from service, it happened again. We have video footage of the transmission slipping after the event. The dealer is unable to replicate the condition, and therefore, don't have anything they can fix without a code or system fault- apparently not even the over-revs triggered a fault. I don't trust this vehicle to be safe for my family or other motorists. I have asked for a completely new transmission and other components but am told that without their ability reproduce the issues, there is no repair. They are unable to guarantee the car's safety, but expect for me to take it back. This puts me in an impossible situation - I'm being forced to drive a car that I know is unpredictably unsafe, and am unable to ethically/morally dispose of the vehicle knowing it will be back on the road and driven by someone else. Lincoln needs to do the right thing for their customers, other motorists, and my family. Their solution was to give me an extended warranty - a nice gesture, but clearly not addressing the safety issue at hand. Note: I am unable to upload the email chain with Lincoln because the upload button below does not work. I'm happy to share any communication you need.

Vehicle set on adaptive cruise control, car accelerated to get back up to set speed and had a hard "clunk" sound. Driver turned off cruise control and attempted to accelerate vehicle. Vehicle tachometer revved up, transmission didn't shift properly, still shifting hard or not shifting at all. Once stopped, driver of vehicle found the back of the car covered in what appeared to be atf and what appeared to be atf leaking under the car. Took car to dealership for inspection, transmission rebuilt. Per tech that rebuilt transmission, it overheated. No warning lights came on, the transmission temperature displayed on the vehicle was 215 degrees fahrenheit at time of incident.

Frequently while traveling at 35 mph to highway speeds, while needing to accelerate slightly to avoid traffic, change lanes, pass, etc. The Navigator needs to downshift. It drops out of gear and seems to fail to find a lower gear resulting in a neutral like gear, loss of power, engine revving sometimes to redline. This was happening frequently during a family thanksgiving trip in 2023. It is very scary when this happens, especially at interstate speeds in traffic. It is very unsafe!.

The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated while at a complete stop, the vehicle shut off inadvertently. The contact stated that the vehicle restarted upon pressing the push to start button. The contact stated upon depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked, was sluggish, and made an abnormal crackling sound. The vehicle then responded as needed and the contact continued driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal to come to a stop, the vehicle shut off inadvertently. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The dealer test-drove the vehicle and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Our 2015 Lincoln Navigator suddenly down shifts when driving which is a significant safety issue. Ford knows of the defects with the transmission in this model. They have issued recalls for the same transmission in other models, just not yet in the Navigator. They do not want to damage reputation to there Lincoln/navigator line. Long lewis Ford dealership in muscle shoals, al, has inspected it and verified that the "molded lead frame" is defective and must be replaced in order for the vehicle to be road worthy. They are telling us to replace it along with other internal components that are defective. Please help protect the public by forcing them to issue a recall immediately for the models that have transmissions with such defects just as they have done for this transmission in other models.

Connector for cooling hoses blew out causing engine to overheat and stand my family on the highway. This appears to be a common problem that someone did a youtube video on it. I have put the video link below. Please have them recall before someone gets hurt. Ford Lincoln does not respond. Https://youtu. Be/i_ej_ohwzr4?si=jvslru2d7cszxx78.

Transmission just revs & does not shift gears when try to take off from traffic lights or merge on highway. Shifts gears aggressively at speeds of 30-40 mph. Herky jerky and causes whiplash Lincoln reports fixing issue but I don’t think they did safety issue.

While going approximately 55 mph, the speedometer dropped out to zero. After a moment, the transmission dropped into first gear (it felt like) and the rear tires made loud screeching noises as if they locked up for about one second. The speedometer remained at zero and the whole thing happened again in a few seconds. I was barely able to maintain directional control and if this condition would have persisted for longer, directional control would probably have been impossible to maintain. This happened on an interstate in a middle lane with a lot of traffic and within a construction zone with no good option for maneuvering. Upon further research, I found that this has been a common problem with the Ford 6r80 transmission (which is in this vehicle) and that at least one recall has been sent out, but for a different model vehicle (the Ford f-150, I believe). I cannot believe that the same known defect in a transmission which just happens to be in a different model vehicle is a acceptable situation for safety in any case. I called the Lincoln factory hotline and they could not help me in any way. I was told to go to a dealer. I went to a dealer and they couldn't help me, either. All for a known issue with that transmission. The dealer told me to have it fixed at my own cost, even though they knew of this problem. I have since had it fixed, but I have two questions: 1. How can a manufacturer be allowed to leave a known safety hazard to persist and 2. How can the NHTSA ignore this problem?.

See all problems of the 2016 Lincoln Navigator 🔎.