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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2003 Lincoln Aviator Recalls & Complaints

The 2003 Lincoln Aviator has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 111 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Lincoln dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2003 Lincoln Aviator owner complaints

Owners have filed 111 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Lincoln Aviator, describing incidents dated March 30, 2003 to November 18, 2022.

Most-cited components

  • Power Train 55 complaints
  • Engine 17 complaints
  • Structure 15 complaints
  • Vehicle Speed Control 11 complaints
  • Electrical System 8 complaints
  • Service Brakes 8 complaints

Of the 111 complaints on file, 5 report a crash; across all 111 complaints, owners report 7 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11494063 · Filed

    The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Aviator equipped with Cooper Tires, Tire Line: Hercules HTS-Terra-Trac, Tire Size 245/65/R17, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side front tire sidewall separated in the center. There were no warning lights…

  • ODI #11337554 · Filed

    A YEAR AGO NOTICED WHEN SHIFTING AND UP TO DATE MY SHIFTER GEAR INDICATOR NOT SHIFT TO CORRECT GEAR INDICATOR AND FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY, I BELIEVED THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE MAY BECOME DISLODGED FROM THE SHIFT CABLE BRACKET. I TAKE MY TRUCK TO AN TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED…

  • ODI #11327576 · Filed

    I'M HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT IN THAT'S CONTROL ARM. THE TRANSFER CASE. *TR

Read all 111 complaints

Owner-reported

2003 Lincoln Aviator mileage at failure

91 of the 111 complaints on file for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Power TrainMedian 65,000 milesMiddle half 30,000–110,000 milesBased on 44 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2003 Lincoln Aviator in 2 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

FORD/TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE

NHTSA #02V313000 · Power Train — Automatic Transmission · NHTSA notice

Reported November 21, 2002 · FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Potentially affected: 25 vehicles

Manufacturer campaign 02S43 · Vehicles built through November 10, 2002 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE CAN BECOME DISLODGED FROM THE SHIFT CABLE BRACKET.

Safety consequence

THIS COULD RESULT RESULTING IN INCORRECT GEAR INDICATION.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL ADD A STRAP TO THE SHIFT CABLE ADJUSTER TO PREVENT THE SHIFT CABLE FROM BECOMING DISLODGED. FORD HAS NOT YET PROVIDED AN OWNER NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

Notes

ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Other Lincoln Aviator model years

Check your 2003 Lincoln Aviator VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Lincoln Aviator at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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