2020 Lincoln Navigator EL

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/31/2023· POWER TRAIN

  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.

• 11/30/2021· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS

  The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the passenger’s side seat would move forward and backward without warning. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and suggested that the vehicle be taken to an authorized dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 500.

• 09/02/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  The collision warning doesn't warn sometimes. Nothing goes off when Im approaching and or have slammed on my breaks to avoid a collision. Sometimes it goes off at a great distance when it doesn't make sense to go off. I just bought the car used and have noticed this a lot. Also sometimes lane departure corrects and sometimes it doesn't. Something is off.

• 08/29/2025· ENGINE

  Catastrophic engine failure on 2020 Lincoln Navigator at 93,000 miles. Oil contamination in cylinder 6 caused complete compression loss due to piston ring failure. The engine suffers from failed cam phases and excessive carbon build up which are known failure points of this engine. Ford Technical Service Bulletins 20-2423 and 23-2143 document this as a known manufacturing defect for vehicles in my build timeframe, proving Ford was aware of this problem before production. This is premature engine failure requiring complete engine replacement on a 5-year-old vehicle. The failure pattern matches ongoing class-action lawsuits against Ford for EcoBoost engine defects. Safety concern: Catastrophic engine failure without warning while driving creates risk of sudden loss of power and potential accidents. Lincoln customer service has admitted these vehicles have this issue but refused escalation despite documented manufacturing defect and broken multiple callback promises. Request NHTSA investigation into 2020 Lincoln Navigator 3.5L EcoBoost engines for premature piston ring/compression failures related to carbon buildup and failed cam phasers as documented in Ford's own service bulletins.

• 08/21/2026· SEAT BELTS

  On August 20, 2026, I was driving my 2020 Lincoln Navigator and came to a complete stop at a traffic light. While I was sitting stationary at the light, with no collision, impact, sudden braking, or other event, I suddenly heard a very loud noise that sounded like a gunshot. At the same time, the driver-side seat belt violently tightened and pulled me back into the seat. The seat belt tightened with enough force to leave marks across my chest and stomach. I was able to get myself out of the seat belt, but afterward the seat belt remained extremely tight and locked in place and could no longer be used normally. My vehicle had previously been identified as being affected by a Lincoln/Ford recall involving the seat belt pretensioner. Several months ago, I received notification instructing me to bring the vehicle to a Lincoln dealership to have the recall addressed. I scheduled the repair and brought the vehicle to the dealership approximately two weeks later. At that time, I was informed that the recall had been paused and that the dealership could not perform the repair because Lincoln did not have an available remedy/replacement part. I continued driving the vehicle because Lincoln had not provided a repair or instructed me that the vehicle should not be driven. The seat belt pretensioner has now unexpectedly deployed while the vehicle was completely stationary and without any accident or impact. The Lincoln dealership has informed me that they expect it may take approximately one month to obtain the replacement part needed to repair the vehicle. I have also contacted Lincoln Customer Support, and a case has been opened regarding this incident. I am reporting this because this was a serious and frightening safety failure. The seat belt pretensioner deployed without a collision or other apparent reason and tightened with enough force to cause visible marks on my body. I am concerned that this defect could cause more serious injuries if it occurs to other drivers

• 08/21/2023· ENGINE

  Vehicle will abruptly lose power when accelerating to pass. Typically when travelling between 40 and 60 miles an hour and while accelerating to merge or pass. Vehicle basically stalls. Creates extremely dangerous situation.

• 08/20/2026· POWER TRAIN

  On August 20, 2026, while traveling about 45 MPH, I accelerated to merge onto a highway while passing a slow-moving semi, with traffic approaching from behind. The transmission unexpectedly disengaged and the vehicle completely lost propulsion. The gear indicator showed Neutral. The engine rapidly increased RPM/redlined but the vehicle would not accelerate. I pressed the Drive selector to re-engage the transmission. The vehicle lurched/slammed before Drive engaged and propulsion returned. This created a serious collision risk while merging into highway traffic. This is not an isolated incident. For approximately four years the vehicle has intermittently exhibited rough/abnormal shifting or slipping during acceleration, progressively worsening. During a previous loss-of-propulsion incident on a two-lane highway, the failure occurred while passing a semi with oncoming traffic, creating a risk of a head-on collision. We repeatedly discussed the transmission problem with dealership personnel. Because it was intermittent, the dealer said diagnosis required leaving our primary family vehicle for several weeks, without a loaner. The selling dealer, about six hours away, later offered to retrieve the vehicle and provide a loaner, but canceled because no loaner was available. The defect was therefore never successfully diagnosed or repaired. After the August 20 incident, dealer-provided connected-vehicle diagnostics recorded a Powertrain System Fault and TCM codes P27B5 (Transmission Gear Ratio Control Performance), P2796 and P07E6. The vehicle is parked and available for inspection because I consider it unsafe to drive. It is also subject to open NHTSA Recall 26V402/Ford 26S48 involving the transmission/parking system; no remedy is currently available.

• 08/08/2025· POWER TRAIN

  Category: Power Train -> Automatic Transmission Subject: 2020 Lincoln Navigator – Repeated Missed Warranty Repairs – Transmission Neutral-Out & Violent Downshift at Highway Speed Description: On [XXX], while traveling at approximately 70 mph on [XXX], 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 [XXX] 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: [XXX] - Date of Incident: [XXX] - 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 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 07/28/2025· POWER TRAINFire

  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.

• 07/27/2023· UNKNOWN OR OTHERCrashFire

  On June 28, 2023 I was driving my 2020 Lincoln Navigator Black Label and pull over due to smoke coming out from under my car. I turned the car off and went to open up the hook and seen black smoking pouring out of my car. I immediately called 911 and reported my car on fire. My car burned to the ground and Lincoln says there was not recalls. I have loss a significant amount of money on this car that I purchased only 1 year & 3 months ago and my insurance company is only paying me what the most current sales are. I hope something can be done since other Navigators has been recalled due to fires. I would greatly appreciate hearing your thoughts. Thank You, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 07/21/2026· SEAT BELTS

  The contact owns 2020 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, occupied with his wife in the vehicle, he heard a loud explosion noise coming from inside the vehicle, and as his wife leaning forward the seat belt deployed on his front passenger side of the vehicle causing his wife to sustain whiplash and brushing to her chest. A dealer or An Independent mechanic was not contacted. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for dignanoses. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure mileage was 124,000. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number:25V197000(SEATBELTS) However, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 55, 884.

• 07/15/2025· POWER TRAIN

  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.

• 07/14/2024· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  My car has an unknown electrical issue that causes the car battery to completely drain and the car unable to turn on. It first started in August 2023 and after months of time at the dealership, Lincoln has never determined the cause or been able to fix it and it continues to happen. This is unsafe because it leaves me and my family stranded with no operable car.

• 06/30/2025· SEAT BELTS

  The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Navigator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V197000 (Seat Belts); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

• 06/05/2024· POWER TRAIN

  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

• 05/20/2026· POWER TRAIN

  CDF Drum Failure is a known issue to Ford. They have issued a technical service bulletin (TSB 22-2428) to replace poorly designed components that have since been redesigned. The failure mode can cause violent gear shifts (from gear 10 to gear 1) at high speeds, which is a significant safety concern. While driving on the highway, the transmission would not shift between gears and the car lurched. Check engine light came on and I exited the highway immediately. I took my vehicle to be looked at, and they diagnosed the problem as CDF Drum failure. Ford needs to take responsibility for their problematic design in these vehicles.

• 05/11/2026· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  Both front headlight and rear headlight seals are faulty resulting in a water leak, causing headlight and taillights to become inoperable at 60k miles.

• 05/10/2024· POWER TRAIN

  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 continue 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.

• 05/04/2026· POWER TRAIN

  2020 Lincoln Navigator, 10R80 transmission. Following two full transmission replacements, torque converter replacement, valve body replacement, and transmission pump repair, vehicle continues to exhibit hesitation under acceleration, harsh and delayed shifting, loss of power, shaking beginning at approximately 28-30 mph felt through the floorboard, and abnormal fuel consumption. Independent tire shop ruled out tires as cause. Safety Recall O1 for PCM reprogramming remains incomplete on this VIN despite multiple service visits. Vehicle has been at dealership since early-March with no confirmed repair date or Ford engineer visit scheduled

• 05/02/2023· TIRES

  These tires have become uncontrollable in the rain. At 45 mph in light rain the vehicle slides all over the place. Traction control is going off and the vehicle is near impossible to stop and it slid sideways. I have been driving for 40 years including in the rain with a motorcycle even. I have never experienced anything like this. I asked other lincoln owners on facebook and quickly got a lot of comments on how dangerous they are. Tires came from the Lincoln factory and have 29,000 miles on them with good tread. I dont beleive its a tread depth issue - possibly a tire compound issue. Very dangerous and people will die. This issue is with all 4 tires.

• 05/01/2022· VISIBILITY/WIPERCrash

  All windows will fog up when the outside air temperature is below 29 degrees Fahrenheit. The dealer says that it is a known condition, but they are not sure how to resolve it.

• 04/25/2026· POWER TRAIN

  On [XXX] at or about [XXX]., I was traveling on the highway while going up hill to pass a slow moving vehicle, in the passing lane, suddenly lost total acceleration in which a wrench light appeared as if the transmission disengaged. I was able to coast to the into the driving lane, to get to the shoulder of the road in which the transmission engaged back at about 10mph. I was able to continue slowly, to my destination but at lower speeds the vehicle was shaking and shifting hard. I had just purchased this vehicle, used, only having same for about a month. I had to have the vehicle towed back to the place where I purchase same, due to transmission failure on 04/25/26. To A Better Way Wholesale Auto, 49 Raytkwich Road, Naugatuck CT 06770 I waiting for a service report in what needs to be repaired or replaced. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

• 03/12/2026· POWER TRAIN

  Transmission issue: Not shifting properly while on the highway and almost causing a crash by loosing power and shifted into neutral after attemting to accelerate. The next time it occured the transsmission would not down shift and I was not able to accelerate.

• 02/11/2026· ENGINE

  Regularly maintained 2020 Lincoln Navigator at 78,000 miles experienced engine failure with no warning. No check engine light until we experienced power issues and engine shuttering. We took the vehicle directly to the mechanic within an hour of check engine light. They changed the oil and said to go to the dealer. Dealer assessed the vehicle as follows: Bottom end failure of the short block which caused a knocking noise. Confirmed metal debris in the engine oil. Seals failed and leakage occurred. Recommend complete engine replacement. This is the same issue occurring in newer models. Recalls and class action lawsuits filed due to this exact issue. This is premature engine failure requiring complete engine replacement on a 5-year-old vehicle. Major safety concern since the engine can seize up at any time. Imagine going 70 miles per hour down the highway and your engine seizes up with semi trucks around you, and your entire family is in the vehicle. This is beyond unacceptable. Now Lincoln expects us to pay $15,000+ for a new engine. Federal and state oversight organizations are created and funded by our taxpayer dollars to stop these problems and hold these manufacturers accountable. Please do something about this failure.

• 02/03/2026· POWER TRAIN

  Faulty Transmissions even after replacement. Fluid leaks and abrupt starting / stopping with it. Dealers can't seem to figure it out and have become a safety issue

• 01/25/2025· POWER TRAIN

  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.

• 01/24/2024· POWER TRAIN

  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 2-quarts low after driving 100 miles. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring more 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 also experienced hard shifts while attempting to shift into gear. 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.

• 01/18/2021· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WE'VE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR A LITTLE LESS THAN TWO MONTHS. THE APP STARTED SENDING NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT THE CAR GOING INTO DEEP SLEEP AND NEEDING TO CONSERVE BATTERY WITHIN A WEEK AFTER PURCHASE. WE WERE UNABLE TO USE REMOTE UNLOCK OR START. JAN 10, IT WAS DEAD AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT AND NEEDED TO BE JUMP STARTED. AFTER THAT, THE RUNNING BOARDS WERE STUCK ONE UP AND ONE DOWN ALL DAY. THE NEXT DAY IT NEEDED TO BE JUMPED AGAIN BUT AFTER THAT TIME, ALL WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON, RUNNING BOARDS DID NOT WORK AT ALL. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG BUT CHARGED IT UP. WHEN WE CAME TO RETRIEVE IT, IT WOULDN'T START. IT'S BEEN SEVEN DAYS AND THEY ARE STILL UNABLE TO FIND AN ACTUAL ISSUE.

• 01/09/2024· POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  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.

• 01/06/2024· POWER TRAIN

  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!

• 01/01/2024· POWER TRAIN

  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.