Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 9 safety complaints
about the 2011 Lincoln Navigator with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash and no death is recorded. No recall campaign has been matched to this year, make and model.
The most complained-about system is the electrical system,
named in 2 complaints, 22% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 86,300 miles,
the median across the 6
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers December 2010 to June 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
9 complaints on file
9
Complaints
1
Describe a crash
0
Mention fire
0
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not
the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production
ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 · 22%
2 22%
POWER TRAIN 2 · 22%
2 22%
SERVICE BRAKES 2 · 22%
2 22%
ENGINE 1 · 11%
1 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 · 11%
1 11%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 · 11%
1 11%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 · 11%
1 11%
048
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 9.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2018 at 3.
4 3 2 1
102010162016172017182018212021262026
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2010 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2011 Lincoln NAVIGATOR, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
SUV 4x2
SUV 4x4
Overall
Not rated
Not rated
Frontal crash
Not rated
Not rated
Frontal, driver
Not rated
Not rated
Frontal, passenger
Not rated
Not rated
Side crash
Not rated
Not rated
Side barrier
Not rated
Not rated
Side pole
Not rated
Not rated
Rollover
Chance of rollover
21.2%
19.1%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed.
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
Defect investigations
1 on file
An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A
preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering
analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.
Unexpected Transmission Downshift
RQ17010
Closed recall query · opened December 25, 2017 · closed October 22, 2019 · led to recall 19V075000
the power train
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of transmissions unexpectedly downshifting to a lower gear without input from the driver on model year (MY) 2011-2013 Ford F-150, Expedition and Navigator vehicles. ODI has received 455 unique reports related to the alleged problem that were not covered under a previous recall for this issue (16V-248).Expedition and Navigator complaint rates are lower than F-150 complaints. Of those 455 reports, 34.7% claimed that the rear wheels locked up when the transmission downshifted. There were 4 accident claims with no injuries. There are many instances where drivers report leaving their lane or the road because of this issue.In response to ODI's Information Request (IR) letter, Ford Motor Company (Ford) responded with 783 unique reports related to the alleged problem. There were 6 accident claims with 3 injuries. Ford also submitted 1206 warranty claims related to transmission downshifting failures. The failure can occur at any time, but typically at higher speed, and include symptoms such as sudden transmission downshifting, loss of speedometer, erratic shifting of transmission, and transmission stuck in one gear. The failures typically occur without warning and may result in the rear wheels momentarily locking up. The driver often had to fully stop the vehicle and restart it to get the vehicle to shift properly.On February 2nd, 2019 Ford notified ODI that it would conduct a safety recall (19V-075) to remedy transmission downshifting failures on all 2011-2013 F-150 vehicles. Ford will also offer extended warranties to 2011-2013 Expedition and Navigator vehicles with the same issue. Per Ford, some vehicles may experience an intermittent loss of Transmission Output Speed Sensor (OSS) signal to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), potentially resulting in a temporary unintended downshift into first gear. Ford will reprogram the PCM with software that will prevent an unintended downshift into first gear and illuminate the Malfunction Indicator Light in the event of an intermittent OSS signal loss.The recall action initiated by the manufacturer appears to address the safety risks of concern to ODI.Accordingly, the investigation is closed.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the identification (ODI) numbers found in the attached list.
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
SERVICE BRAKES
crash · towed
On [XXX] during sunny, dry weather conditions I was travelling north bound on [XXX] at 25 mph, 4 to 5 car lengths behind the next driver. Driver ahead stopped for a crosswalk, I immediately braked and the anti-lock brake system erroneously engaged which did not allow the navigator to appropriately stop which caused a collision. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint 11746145. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
84,000 miles
JANUARY 4, 2021- WHILE CRUISING WITH MY FAMILY ON THE INTERSTATE AT A SPEED OF 75-80 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION RANDOMLY SHIFTED FROM 6TH GEAR TO 2ND OR FIRST GEAR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID OUT OF CONTROL ACROSS BOTH LANES AND SPINNING THE MOTOR AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH RPM. I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND I SHUT OFF THE KEY AND COASTED TO A STOP. WE WERE LUCKY THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES IN OUR VICINITY. I STARTED IT UP AND VERY CAUTIOUSLY DROVE HOME. THERE WERE NO ENGINE LIGHTS DURING THE INCIDENT. THE MOTOR WAS/AND STILL IS VERY LOUD IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INCIDENT. WHEN WE GOT HOME WE LOOKED INTO RECALLS AND TSB'S AND FOUND THAT OUR VEHICLE IS WITHIN THE 2011 TO 2013 RECALL YEARS. WHEN CHECKED BY …
NHTSA complaint 11388755, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ODOMETER DISCREPANCY. 07/28/14. 86,987 09/12/18. 70,447 ACTUAL MILEAGE 73,220
NHTSA complaint 11143343. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
112,000 miles
WHILE TRAVELING WITH A FULL LOAD AT 65 MPH ON I-95 SB IN MARYLAND THE DRIVER SIDE REAR VENT WINDOW EXPLODED INWARD INTO THE CABIN. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR, TEMP MID 40'S, NO DEFROSTERS WERE ON, NO TRAFFIC WAS PASSING US.
NHTSA complaint 11082436. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WON'T ALWAYS GO UP AFTER PUTTING IT DOWN. WORKED BETTER, THOUGH IN VERY SMALL INCREMENTS, WHEN IN MOTION.
NHTSA complaint 11058407. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES
88,600 miles
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PUT MY TRUCK IN GEAR, THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESENTED NO RESISTANCE, SUDDENLY THE E-BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, AND AN ERROR STATED LOW BRAKE FLUID. I ADDED BRAKE FLUID WHICH APPEARED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. AFTER DRIVING APPROX. 20 MILES HOME, THE BRAKE ERROR RETURNED, AND THE FLUID WAS AGAIN LOW. I MADE AN APPT WITH THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY THEY WERE OPEN, AGAIN ADDED BRAKE FLUID, AND DROVE THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER. THEY CALLED ME 2 HOURS LATER TO TELL ME THE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID HAD BEEN SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE WAS BEYOND REPAIR AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE SERVICE TECH STARTED IT TO MOVE IT A SERVICE BAY, A LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT THE EXHAUSTED AND THE …
NHTSA complaint 10959122, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, no campaign on file for this vehicle.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst