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2004 problems

FaultScore report

2004 Lincoln Navigator problems

Owners have filed 119 complaints about the 2004 Lincoln Navigator with NHTSA between 2004 and 2020. The largest single group is the suspension. Across this model's run it ranks 6 of 27 worst.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Lincoln Navigator All 2004 cars

FaultScore 79/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Lincoln Navigator.

How this is worked out

The numbers

119

Complaints

Crashes reported

Fires reported

Injuries reported

1 complaint reports a death.

54,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

41%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.

Complaint volume — 90: Against the median year of the Lincoln Navigator. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 65: 12.6% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 71: 41% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 2004 compares with every other Lincoln Navigator

Click any bar to open that year's report.

240 155 137 116 48 179 119 71 90 56 40 10 22 10 15 20 25 31 33 45 69 97 35 40 33 9 28 21

98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2004 Lincoln Navigator

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Suspension 25 21.0%

Median failure at 75,000 miles

Airbags 13 10.9%

2 crashes, 0 fires · median 89,000 mi

Electrical System 11 9.2%

0 crashes, 2 fires · median 1,041 mi

Body & Structure 10 8.4%

Median failure at 47,900 miles

Engine & Cooling 10 8.4%

Median failure at 63,061 miles

Brakes 7 5.9%

Median failure at 7,145 miles

Seats 6 5.0%

0 crashes, 1 fires · median 350 mi

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 6 5.0%

Median failure at 4,020 miles

Lights 6 5.0%

Median failure at 38,020 miles

Steering 5 4.2%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 34,135 mi

Equipment & Accessories 4 3.4%

Median failure at 25,650 miles

Transmission & Drivetrain 4 3.4%

Median failure at 163,000 miles

Seat Belts 3 2.5%

Median failure at 83,500 miles

Acceleration & Cruise Control 3 2.5%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 56,480 mi

Stability & Traction Control 2 1.7%

Median failure at 141,500 miles

Wheels 2 1.7%

Median failure at 660 miles

Other & Unspecified 1 0.8%

Fuel & Propulsion 1 0.8%

Median failure at 112,000 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

Under 1,000 miles 12 13.8%

1,000 – 9,999 miles 16 18.4%

10,000 – 24,999 miles 4 4.6%

25,000 – 49,999 miles 6 6.9%

50,000 – 74,999 miles 14 16.1%

75,000 – 99,999 miles 13 14.9%

100,000 – 149,999 miles 14 16.1%

150,000+ miles 8 9.2%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Feb 2004 peak 8 Nov 2020

NHTSA investigations into the 2004 Lincoln Navigator

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

DP05005 Opened 22 Sep 2005 Closed 4 Jan 2006 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD

ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A PETITION REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE SPARK PLUG EJECTION IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1997 THROUGH 2004 FORD VEHICLES WITH TRITON V-8 AND V-10 ENGINES.ODI RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 474 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHERE THE COMPLAINANT, OR THE DEALER REPAIRING THE VEHICLE, REPORTED THAT A SPARK PLUG DETACHED FROM THE CYLINDER AND/OR EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE.AS OF DECEMBER 8, 2005, ODI IS NOT AWARE OF ANY ALLEGATIONS WHERE THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, A CRASH, AN INJURY, OR A FATALITY IN A...

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Filed 11 Jul 2020 at 32,961 miles Mayaguez, PR Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE VEHICLE ENGAGED IN INVOLUNTARY ACCELERATION (IN REVERSE) FROM STATIONARY POSITION RIGHT AFTER SHIFTING GEARS FROM PARKING 'P' TO REVERSE 'R' AND DISENGAGING THE PARKING BRAKE. THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED DURING THIS GEAR CHANGE. THE CAR STARTED MOVING IN REVERSE AS SOON AS THE DRIVER LET OFF THE BRAKES. THE DRIVER THEN REAPPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INSTEAD OF BREAKING. MORE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKES BUT THAT INCREASED THE SPEED INSTEAD OF REDUCING IT. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM 0 MPH TO APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND TRAVELED ABOUT 100 FEET IN REVERSE. THE DRIVER WAS MANEUVERING THE VEHICLE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BREAKS. THE DRIVER MANAGED TO STEER THE VEHICLE UP A SMALL GRASSY HILL OF ABOUT 15 DEGREES IN SLOPE UNTIL THE VEHICLE HIT A RESIDENTIAL CONCRETE WALL WITH THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. AT THE MOMENT OF IMPACT, THE VEHICLE BOUNCED BACK AND THE ACCELERATION DISAPPEARED WITH THE ENGINE STILL ON. THE VEHICLE THEN SLOWLY ROLLED DOWN THE HILL UNTIL IT HIT A PARKED CAR. AT THAT MOMENT, THE CAR STOPPED AND REMAINED STATIONARY. THE ENGINE WAS THEN TURNED OFF. THE IMPACT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND TO THE RESIDENTIAL CONCRETE WALL. THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS ALSO DAMAGED. IT BECAME LOOSE WITH THE IMPACT AND WAS EJECTED BACKWARDS TOWARDS THE BACK SEAT WITH THE DRIVER STILL ON IT. THERE WERE NO PHYSICAL INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS OTHER THAN WHIPLASH. A FIRMWARE DEFECT OF THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM IS SUSPECTED.

NHTSA complaint #11338807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 18 Dec 2017 Marion, IN 1 killed

SEATS

ON 12-3-17 GRANT COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OFFICERS RESPONDED TO A CALL IN SWAYZEE, IN REFERENCE AN UNRESPONSIVE TODDLER. A 20 MONTH OLD WHO HAD FALLEN ASLEEP IN THE THIRD ROW OF A 2004 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE PARENTS HAD GONE TO SWEETSER TO HELP A RELATIVE MOVE. UPON ARRIVING AT SWEETSER, THE MOTHER TOLD THE FATHER SHE WAS TAKING "THE BABY" OUT TO CHANGE HER DIAPER. THE FATHER TOOK THAT TO MEAN THEIR 20 MONTH OLD; HOWEVER THE MOTHER MEANT THE 8 MONTH OLD THAT SHE WAS BABYSITTING. THE FATHER DID NOT KNOW HIS 20 MONTH OLD HAD FALLEN ASLEEP IN THE THIRD ROW SEAT. HE LOADED ITEMS IN A TRAILER AND HAD THREE OTHER ITEMS TO FIT. HE PUSHED THE BUTTONS LOCATED IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE TO FOLD DOWN THE AUTOMATIC THIRD ROW SEATS. THE SEATS FOLDED COMPLETELY DOWN AND HE LOADED THE ITEMS IN THE VEHICLE. THEY DROVE TO SWAYZEE WHERE THEY REALIZED THEIR 20 MONTH OLD WAS NOT AROUND. THE MOTHER REMEMBERED HER BEING IN THE THIRD ROW SEAT. THE FATHER REMOVED THE ITEMS AND RAISED THE SEATS WHERE HE LOCATED THE 20 MONTH OLD UNRESPONSIVE. AUTOPSY SHOWED SHE DIED OF SUFFOCATION DUE TO COMPRESSION ON THE CHEST. REENACTMENTS WERE VIDEOTAPED AND PHOTOGRAPHED USING A CPR DOLL 2 INCHES SHORTER THAN THE 20 MONTH OLD, THE SEATS FOLDED DOWN FLAT ALL THREE TIMES THESE WERE CONDUCTED. OUR CONCERN WITH THE VEHICLE IS THE FACT THERE WAS NO SENSORS THAT KEPT THE SEATS FROM COMPLETELY FOLDING WITH THE CHILD ON THE SEAT.

NHTSA complaint #11055241 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 2 Dec 2015 Orem, UT 1 injured

AIR BAGS

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT, DRIVER WAS TEXTING. STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. NO BUMPS, NO ACCIDENTS. UPON CHANGING AIRBAG, FOUND STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG WIRING HAD CHAFED AGAINST THE HORN MOUNT RING, AND GROUNDED OUT, CAUSING THE DEPLOYMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10808075 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 29 Aug 2013 at 118,000 miles LAS Vegas, NV 1 injured

SUSPENSION

HI I OWN A 2004 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR FOR 6 MONTHS AFTER THE 3RD MONTH MY AIR SUSPENCION WENT OUT THE FRONT OF MY TRUCK IS SO LOW IT TOUCH THE TIRES WHEN I DRIVE THE TRUCK BOUNCE SO MUCH MY BACK AND HEAD HURTS I HATE TO DRIVE IT BUT IS THE ONLY CAR I HAVE AND NO MONEY TO FIX MY KIDS DONT LIKE TO DRIVE IN IT AND IM SCARE TO TAKE MY 7 MONTH OLD BABY ANY WERE BECAUSE I AM SCARED THAT SHE WILL GET HURT FROM ALL THE BOUNCING!!!! I SEEN OVER 10 NAVIGATOR WITH THE SAME PROBLEM LINCOLN NEED TO MAKE THIS A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AROUND BOUNCING AND ITS HARD TO CONTROL THE STARING WHEEL

NHTSA complaint #10537839 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 27 Jul 2012 at 132,000 miles Camden, AR 2 injured

SEAT BELTS

WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON AR HWY 9 A FEW MILES SOUTH OF MALVERN, ARKANSAS WITH MY WIFE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND MY SON IN THE SECOND ROW DIRECTLY BEHIND ME, A LOUD BANG OCCURRED. IN THE NEXT MOMENTS I REALIZED THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE, A SMELL LIKE FIREWORKS BECAME IMMEDIATELY APPARENT, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR WAS DESTROYED AND HANGING DOWN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME AT AN ANGLE. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STAY IN MY LANE OF THE TWO-LANE HIGHWAY AND SLOWED DOWN. AFTER SHORTLY REALIZING WHAT HAPPENED, I LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO PULL OVER, DID SO, AND TOOK MY POCKET KNIFE AND CUT AWAY THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS TO BE ABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE SIDE WINDOWS AND CONTINUE OUR TRIP NORTH. I FOUND THE DRIVER'S VISOR VANITY MIRROR HAD SHATTERED IN PIECES IN MY LAP AND ON THE FLOOR, ALONG WITH OTHER PARTS FROM THE VISOR WHICH NOW HUNG DOWN AT A STEEP ANGLE. BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELTS WERE DAMAGED, AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT UPPER ANCHOR WOULD NO LONGER STAY LOCKED IN POSITION, SAGGING TO ITS LOWEST POSITION BY GRAVITY. LATER THAT DAY I DISCOVERED THAT THE MAP LIGHTS AND PASSENGER SIDE VISOR VANITY MIRROR LIGHT NO LONGER WORKED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER NEAR WHERE I WAS STAYING, WHO TOLD ME THAT IT (AIR BAG SYSTEM) WAS NO LONGER COVERED BY WARRANTY. I THEN MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY HOMETOWN DEALER TO FURTHER RESOLVE THE ISSUE, AND ALSO INSTIGATED A CASE WITH THE LINCOLN CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD HELP.

NHTSA complaint #10467986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 27 Jul 2012 at 132,000 miles Camden, AR 2 injured

AIR BAGS

NHTSA complaint #10467986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Filed 14 Nov 2020 at 250,250 miles Doylestown, PA

VISIBILITY/WIPER

REAR WINDOW EXPLODED SHATTERING THE GLASS COMPLETELY. OCCURRED ONCE THE ENGINE WAS OFF WHILE PARKED.

NHTSA complaint #11374657 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.