What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2020 Lincoln Navigator

No clear pattern

0% of complaints about the 2020 Lincoln Navigator arrived in its first year of service. That is an unusual figure for a 2020 vehicle, but with only 36 complaints on record the sample is too small to call it a pattern — the margin of error covers the range where ordinary vehicles sit. The figures below are reported without a verdict. The most-reported system is power train (18 complaints), typically at 5.8 yr or about 100,000 miles.

Complaints
36
Median age at failure
5.8 yr
Median mileage
45,600 n=6
Crash / fire / tow
8.3% of reports
Safety recalls
10 1 do not drive

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Power train
18 reports · 100,000 mi
5.8 yr
5.6%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

25V628000 2025-09-19 Do not drive
Engine

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. A short circuit within the battery junction box can cause an engine fire while driving or parked.

A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.

26V402000 2026-06-24
Power train:automatic transmission

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.

Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.

26V344000 2026-05-27
Seat belts:pretensioner

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

25V442000 2025-06-27
Back over prevention:software

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.

A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

25V197000 2025-05-23
Seat belts:pretensioner

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

25V346000 2025-05-23
Electrical system:body control module:software

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition and Navigator vehicles that were repaired incorrectly under recall 20V262. The Pre-Collision Assist features, such as forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, are not functional due to a software error.

Inoperative pre-collision assist features that fail to perform as expected can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

24V852000 2024-11-08
Equipment:other:labels

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

24V099000 2024-02-09
Seat belts:pretensioner

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently deploy and lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

23V598000 2023-08-25
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Lincoln Aviator, 2018-2021 Lincoln Navigator, 2022-2023 Ford Transit, and 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles. The rearview camera, or 360-degree view camera if equipped, may not display a rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse.

Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

23V420000 2023-06-09
Equipment:other:owners/service/other manual

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."

Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Power train mileage not reported 4.2 yr in service
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!
Power train mileage not reported 4.7 yr in service
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
Power train mileage not reported 5.8 yr in service crash / fire / tow
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.

Other Navigator model years

2020201920182006200420032001200019991998

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