NHTSA vehicle safety data

2003 Lincoln Navigator Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2003 Lincoln Navigator has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 127 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 Navigator, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2003 Lincoln Navigator owner complaints

Owners have filed 127 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Lincoln Navigator, describing incidents dated September 1, 2002 to April 21, 2026.

Most-cited components

Suspension 38 complaints
Electrical System 22 complaints
Structure 18 complaints
Air Bags 14 complaints
Engine 14 complaints
Power Train 13 complaints

Of the 127 complaints on file, 6 report a crash and 3 a fire; across all 127 complaints, owners report 15 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11732915 · Filed April 22, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 160,000. The contact reset the mileage, and the display showed 247,000. The contact had not…
ODI #11610921 · Filed August 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the residence. No warning lights were illuminated. The…
ODI #11489796 · Filed October 18, 2022
The contact owned a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that fifteen minutes after she parked and turned off the vehicle in the driveway, her brother alerted her that the driver's side front seat had caught fire. The air bags were deployed. The fire department arrived on the scene and…

Read all 127 complaints

Owner-reported

2003 Lincoln Navigator mileage at failure

91 of the 127 complaints on file for the 2003 Lincoln Navigator give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Suspension	Median 75,000 miles	Middle half 45,000–100,000 miles	Based on 30 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 Navigator in 1 investigation. 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.

Defect Petition DP05-005: SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
Closed January 4, 2006

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

FMVSS 108/AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS

NHTSA #06E064000 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA notice

Reported July 17, 2006 · TRADESONIC

Potentially affected: 4,029 vehicles

Defect description

CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Safety consequence

LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

TRADESONIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRADESONIC AT 626-934-8884.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO TRADESONIC AFTERMARKET LAMPS AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON THE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES.FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LAMP MODEL NUMBERS, CLICK ON DOCUMENT SEARCH AND VIEW DOCUMENT TITLED "LAMP MODEL NUMBERS."CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

2003 Lincoln Navigator 4 DR. w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

1 investigation

127 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Lincoln Navigator.

Electrical System

ODI #11732915

Incident: April 21, 2026 · Filed: April 22, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 160,000. The contact reset the mileage, and the display showed 247,000. The contact had not contacted any other agencies. The VIN was not available.

Engine

ODI #11610921

Incident: August 26, 2024 · Filed: August 26, 2024

The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the residence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the rocker arms, and that the engine lacked adequate compression in cylinders #2 and #3, resulting in engine damage. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 75,000.

Firerelated

ODI #11489796

Fire

Incident: October 15, 2022 · Filed: October 18, 2022

The contact owned a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that fifteen minutes after she parked and turned off the vehicle in the driveway, her brother alerted her that the driver's side front seat had caught fire. The air bags were deployed. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. The fire department determined that the cause of the fire was an electrical system failure. A fire department report was filed. The vehicle remained in the driveway and was not yet deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. Prior to the failure, the gear shifter and driver's side front seat made grinding noises, and the passenger's side front window made clicking noises while driving. The failure mileage was 120,196.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11246739

Incident: August 16, 2019 · Filed: August 27, 2019

RAIN WATER LEAK NEXT TO PASSENGER SIDE BACK REAR POWER WINDOW WHILE PARKED

Electrical System; Exterior Lighting

ODI #11191091

Incident: July 1, 2018 · Filed: March 23, 2019

TAKATA RECALL !!! I HAVE A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR THAT HAS THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE REVERSE LIGHTS SAME RECALL ISSUE AS THE 2012 NAVIGATOR ALSO THE CAR WHEN IT'S IN PARK WON'T ENGAGE WHEN THE BREAK PEDAL IS APPLIED TO UNLOCK THE GEARING TO REVERSE NUTURAL DRIVE 1ST AND 2ED GEAR IT WON'T HUGE SAFETY WITH THE REVERSE LIGHTS I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OTHER DRIVERS ARE NOT AWARE I'M REVERSING ISSUE STARTED TWO MONTHS AGO AND I STOPPED DRIVING IT BECAUSE I ALMOST GET INTO ACCIDENTS WITH OUT THE REVERSE LIGHTS WONDER IF THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY CONSENT FOR A RECALL.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11073933

Incident: February 20, 2018 · Filed: February 20, 2018

MY SUSPENSION HAS AIRBAGS THAT DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. I KNOW OTHER NAVIGATOR OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD IT LOOKED AT AND WORKED ON BUT NOTHING CHANGES.PROBLEM SOMEWHERE IN THE SYSTEM. THE AIRBAGS DO NOT RAISE THE CAR AND IT BOUNCES AROUND WHILE DRIVING. THE CAR IS HARD TO CONTROL

Engine

ODI #10874720

Incident: November 29, 2015 · Filed: June 16, 2016

COMING HOME FROM A TRIP ENGINE STARTED TO MISFIRE. COME TO FIND OUT THE # 3 SPARK PLUS EXPLODED DESTROYING THE COIL AND AND THREADS HOLDING THE SPARK PLUG IN. CAUSING THE NEED TO RE TAP THE THREADS.

Engine

ODI #10760148

Incident: July 19, 2012 · Filed: August 29, 2015

JUST DRIVING IN A 45 MPH, WHEN HEARD LOUD BANGING COMING FROM ENGINE. PULLED OVER AND HAD CAR TOWED IN FOR REPAIR. ENGINE BLEW OUT A SPARK PLUG.

Power Train

ODI #10731207

Incident: June 28, 2015 · Filed: June 30, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT INTO THE PARK POSITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER HAD TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING AWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000.

Suspension; Air Bags

ODI #10681107

Incident: February 5, 2008 · Filed: February 4, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. ALSO, A "CHECK THE SUSPENSION" MESSAGE ILLUMINATED INDICATING THAT THE REAR SHOCKS FAILED TO WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO INDICATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE RUNNING BOARD SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SEVERAL TIMES; HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

Other Lincoln Navigator model years

Check your 2003 Lincoln Navigator VIN

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

Check a Lincoln VIN