Owners have filed 45 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the transmission, engine, and electrical. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2018Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2018 Lincoln Navigator: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/1
Engine off, key in hand0/1
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/5
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2018's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2018 checks
Worth adding to your 2018 checks
Worth adding to your 2018 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2018 Lincoln Navigator. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 18–19 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2018 Lincoln Navigator, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Transmission faults dominate. Shifts slam hard, often from first to third, and reverse slips. At highway speed the truck can flare, lurch, drop a gear with a "Manual Shifting" message, or lose power at the wheels for several seconds. Some stall at a light and won't restart. Dealers often find no codes, and reprogramming doesn't always fix it. Front differential bearings wear out, and owners report grinding from the front wheels when the front axle is engaged. A failed cooling hose connector led to overheating in the one fire-flagged report. One truck rolled away while in park.
A loud rattle or knock at cold start is the main complaint, and dealers trace it to the cam phasers. Rough idle comes with it, along with lost power when accelerating to pass or crossing an intersection. Some engines stall and won't restart. Several owners say the rattle returned after dealer software updates or phaser replacement, and one engine failed completely soon after a software-only fix and had to be replaced. Others describe waiting at the dealer because repair parts were not yet available.
Water and wiring problems lead this category. Moonroof drain hoses come loose and soak the carpet and insulation; one owner found this while tracing a liftgate that would not open. The liftgate also opens on its own while parked, even after parts are replaced. Power mirrors keep moving after startup or while driving. Water from the camera washer leaks into the LED taillight. One fire-flagged report describes a heated seat leaving burn marks on the cushion during a drive.
Clunking or metal-on-metal noises come from under the steering column when the wheel is turned, and in one case right after shutoff. One dealer traced the clunk to a faulty steering rack and replaced it at 70,000 miles. The power tilt adjuster also fails. The wheel can drop and get stuck, with grinding from the motor, and one driver says the wheel felt loose and pulled right. Several complaints filed here actually describe engine and cam phaser repairs.
Most of these reports concern a federal recall notice for the rearview camera that dealers couldn't complete because the part wasn't available. Some owners say the camera screen goes black in reverse, one at 80,000 miles. Another paid for a new camera that didn't fix the blank screen, and the truck stayed at the dealer for weeks. Expect long waits for parts and repeat diagnosis.
A belt can fire on its own. In one report, shifting into park set off a loud bang and a fireworks-like burning smell, and the belt cinched tight enough to bruise the driver's chest and neck. Another complaint describes a passenger belt that locked in place and wouldn't extend or retract, so the passenger couldn't buckle up. Both problems leave the occupant without a working restraint.
Excerpts from complaints Navigator owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
Front differential - entire system needs to be rebuilt due to bearings going bad. While the vehicle has not ceased up due to the differential bearing, it is a Safety issue and known to Ford. Note this is the second time I’ve personally had to have the front end rebuilt in this vehicle. First time at 79,000 miles and now again at 149,000. Giving me a 70,000 mile service life. How is that possible that a differential only last 70,000 miles.
Filed with NHTSA, October 2025
Vehicle experienced failed auto-start on road, resulting in vehicle inmobility from stop in traffic, causing safety hardzard to passengers other vehicles on the road. The cause is worn VCT unit, as described in TSB 23-2143. The issue is safety critical and should not be merely addressed with an already expired customer safety program, it should be a safety recall.
Filed with NHTSA, July 2024
Vehicle serviced for cam shutter. They only flashed the computer. Did not fix the mechanical problem. Engine failure shortly afterwards at 100k. Loss of power, stalled after vehicle came to rest, could not restart. Towed to nearby dealership. Complete engine failure. Entire engine replaced by Ford Dealership near Corpus Christi -- 15k.
Filed with NHTSA, July 2022
The car rattles very loudly upon starting every time it is started. I have lost acceleration power while driving through intersections. I took to dealership and it is confirmed it is the cam phasers. No lights have come on in dash.
Filed with NHTSA, November 2024
The camera with the water cleaner spray device, leaked water inside the LED taillight, this is a hazard that can make a shortcut and damaged the tail light LEDs.
Filed with NHTSA, February 2025
The back up camera will randomly black out. The steering wheel motor is broke and the steering wheel does not adjust. Needed a new air conditioner motor, timing chain, had a transmission leak, wheel axel leak. This is a safety hazard and caused a huge financial strain.
Filed with NHTSA, September 2025
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2018 ranks second for owner complaints among 8 Navigator years, about 2.1 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2018 is the first model year of the Navigator's fourth generation (2018–2024). First years of a redesign often carry teething problems that Lincoln fixes in later years, so the checks above matter more than usual.
Lincoln updated the Navigator for 2022, so a 2018 does not have those changes.
What changed for 2022 (not on a 2018)
Should you avoid the first year of a redesign? See the 45-car study.
Recall repairs are free at any Lincoln dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Risk: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the seat belt retractor date codes and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S31. Some vehicles in this recall that were previously inspected under recall 24V-099 and did not have parts replaced will need to have this new recall remedy completed.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
Risk: A brake fluid leak can cause reduced brake function and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S37. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 22V-150.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Lincoln Aviator, 2018-2021 Lincoln Navigator, 2022-2023 Ford Transit, and 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles. The rearview camera, or 360-degree view camera if equipped, may not display a rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse.
Risk: Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, and update the software and wiring as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023 to Lincoln owners. Ford vehicle owners notification letters were mailed March 4, 2024. Ford remedy parts are anticipated 2nd Quarter 2024. Ford's number for this recall is 23S48.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Expedition vehicles. The second row center seat track assemblies may be missing one or both of the J-Channel reinforcement brackets, possibly allowing the seat to move in the event of a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, a seat that moves may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row center seat for any missing J-channel reinforcement brackets, replacing the center seat frame assembly as necessary, free of charge. An interim owner notification was sent on December 21, 2018. A second letter will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S37.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Expedition, F-150, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI V6 engines. These vehicles have high pressure fuel pump assemblies with welds that can fracture, which may cause an oil or fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump and associated components, free of charge. The recall began July 17, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S17.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford F-150 and 2018 Ford Expedition and Mustang and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function.
Risk: Despite the transmission shift lever being placed in 'Park' and the instrument panel display indicating 'Park,' the vehicle may roll away after it has been exited if the parking brake has not been applied, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmission to make sure it has the roll pin, installing one if it is missing, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S09.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The second row window control modules may intermittently stop the movement of the power window. If something, such as a finger, is pinched by the window glass, the stopped window control module may prevent the window from automatically reversing. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems.".
Risk: If the window does not automatically reverse when an obstruction is found, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row window electronic control modules, and replace them as necessary based on their build date codes, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C01.
Cars shoppers compare with the Lincoln Navigator, with their own 2018 checklists.
2018 owner complaints, side by side
