lincoln aviator Problems
lincoln aviator 2004 Complaints
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:HEATER CORE
automatic heat climate control malfunctioned. as a result cold air blows out, fogging the windows. *ak
Reported in: ROCHESTER MN || Crash: N || VIN #:
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
this vehicle was made for towing and was equipped with all the towing sockets and equipment for towing. consumer was unable to tow the vehicle because the manufacturer didn't make a rear mirror extender for this vehicle. *ak
Reported in: NIPOMO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H44Z
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
rough idling at stand still and with acceleration and decceleration with a whining noise, miss firing happened 1st time the day after we bought the car- dealer said he fixed the problem. happened again just a few weeks later. the car is six weeks old and in the shop for the second time. dealer says problem is the management processor. *ak
Reported in: POTOMAC MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H24Z
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:HEATER CORE
the climate control does not work properly in the auto mode during winter driving, causing cold air to blast out of the demister and defroster vents. the windows cannot be cleared of minor icing and the driver is thermally very uncomfortable. the temperature difference from the floor vents vs. the demisters is as much as 70 degrees colder. the demister vents have measured temperatures of 40 degrees when the floor vent reads 110 degrees. manual manipulation of the system has little effect and is highly unsafe.*ak
Reported in: EDINA MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H54Z
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM
this is a problem with all lincoln aviators, and it only manifests in cold climates. in "heat" mode, cold (ambient) air is blown on the side windows and windshield. the colder it is outside, the colder this ambient air blowing into the vehicle is. this results in very warm air blowing at your feet and cold air blowing at your face. this results in a very uncomfortable passenger compartment. in addition, in order to keep windows from fogging, one has to manually change the temperature up to 90 degrees until they are defrosted and then to try to achieve some degree of comfort, one has to then change the temperature back down. this has to be done continuously, and on longer trips (especially in poor driving conditions), this is potentially hazardous. ford says this is "normal" for this vehicle and it functions "within spec". why do all vehicles with climate control not blow frigid outside air into your vehicle then???
Reported in: ROCHESTER MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H14Z
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK
rear liftgate comes completely open while driving. this has happened 20+ times and suv has been taken to the dealer twice, and they can not duplicate this. dealer has refused to replace anything on this liftgate both times. *ak
Reported in: MONROE MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H24Z
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
when applying brakes or accelerating the vehicle driver side seat moves back and forth. *ak
Reported in: BLUE BELL PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H24Z
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
at 13,650 miles the engine destroyed itself due to a defective crankshaft. i was driving home at night in the rain when the engine light came on and a loud banging sound was coming from the engine compartment. i immediately pulled off the highway & called roadside assistance. i waited for 3 hours for a tow truck and eventually had to call ct state police who summoned a wrecker. the lower half of the engine was completely destroyed. manufacturer replaced the engine with a new engine assembly and engineers requested the old engine be sent to them for inspection as they had never seen this defect before. i was without my vehicle for 15 days. the first night i picked it up the engine light came on after less than 20 miles on my way home, again at night. it was not a dummy light. another defective part had to be replaced. this time it was the egr module. i am now experiencing occasional skips when the vehicle tries to shift to upper gears from a dead stop. i am confident this product is a lemon and have worked fruitlessly to try to get the dealer/manufacturer to provide a replacement vehicle. this vehicle is unsafe and unreliable and i have received no consideration for a replacement other than to treat the transaction as a new vehicle purchase with mine as a trade. at the time of the first event, i had only owned this car for 4 months and put roughly 6,700 miles on it as it was a dealer's demo, driven by the owner of the dealership. it had over 6000 miles at purchase and i had only made 3 car payments at the time of failure. this is ridiculous! *nm
Reported in: HIGGANUM CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H94Z
SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:SPINDLE
while turning at low speeds vehicle vibrated uncontrollably. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the rear spindle needed to be replaced, and replaced it. however, the problem recurred. *ak
Reported in: DALLAS OR || Crash: N || VIN #:
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
my main problem is that the car has an intermittent transmission problem. the car slips out of gear and the engine races. i have mentioned the problem to the service department on several occasions and they tell me it?s my problem till it does it for them. the other day i got a letter from lincoln saying that the factory had put the wrong transmission fluid in the car. the service department still does not think this is my problem. the car has been in for the ac being broken; the brake rotors have been replaced. the car makes a loud noise on start up and they told me it was normal, however i have asked other people with my molded car and the said that there car makes no abnormal noise on start up. there is a problem with my steering when the car is not in motion. other problems are minor including some small electrical problems. my main concern is that the car is dangerous to drive and they just do not care. in the mean time when i brought the car in the last time for the transmission the service department said they would keep an open order on the car. the big surprise is that they lost the order as i have requested a copy of it. please help harold bennett. *jb
Reported in: CLINTON NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 1FMYU93133K
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
my main problem is that the car has an intermittent transmission problem. the car slips out of gear and the engine races. i have mentioned the problem to the service department on several occasions and they tell me it?s my problem till it does it for them. the other day i got a letter from lincoln saying that the factory had put the wrong transmission fluid in the car. the service department still does not think this is my problem. the car has been in for the ac being broken; the brake rotors have been replaced. the car makes a loud noise on start up and they told me it was normal, however i have asked other people with my molded car and the said that there car makes no abnormal noise on start up. there is a problem with my steering when the car is not in motion. other problems are minor including some small electrical problems. my main concern is that the car is dangerous to drive and they just do not care. in the mean time when i brought the car in the last time for the transmission the service department said they would keep an open order on the car. the big surprise is that they lost the order as i have requested a copy of it. please help harold bennett. *jb
Reported in: CLINTON NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 1FMYU93133K
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
while the vehicle was parked, the driver heard a loud noise coming from the rear. the driver noticed that the rear window was broken. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic informed the driver that the rear window glass needed to be replaced. please provide further details. *jb
Reported in: MESQUITE TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H14Z
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
i purchased brand new car worth $60,000 and from day 1 the first time i put the key it showed an error on the dashboard. i been to service center 5 times, and as of today 04/20/05 the care is with the dealer for the same problem. i been calling ford motors for the same problem, but have not received any calls from ford motors. i am paying $905 + insurance for the car which is 6 months old and sitting in the repair shop. *ak
Reported in: N PLAINFIELD NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H04Z
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
dt: 2004 lincoln aviator . the consumer owned car for a year. while taking off from a stop pressed the accelerator and the car did not move. had to press the gas pedal several times, and it took at least a quarter of a mile and then it finally took off. this has happened at least 6 times, and vehicle has been in repair shop 6 times also, the dealership was unable to duplicate this problem. the vehicle is in the repair shop, and they still can indicate what is wrong with the vehicle. *ak the transmission solenoid pac was replaced per tsb 051504. *nm
Reported in: GENEVA AL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H94Z
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
dt*: the contact stated the rear brakes locked and began smoking. the dealer was contacted and repaired the brakes. this had occurred on 1 other occasion and again the dealer replaced the rotors/pads. the contact was told failure was due to rust, but no additional information. failure happened approximately 15 months after starting up the vehicle. *ak
Reported in: CADILLAC MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H34Z
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK
dt*: the contact stated the rear brakes locked and began smoking. the dealer was contacted and repaired the brakes. this had occurred on 1 other occasion and again the dealer replaced the rotors/pads. the contact was told failure was due to rust, but no additional information. failure happened approximately 15 months after starting up the vehicle. *ak
Reported in: CADILLAC MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H34Z
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
dt*: the contact stated the rear brakes locked and began smoking. the dealer was contacted and repaired the brakes. this had occurred on 1 other occasion and again the dealer replaced the rotors/pads. the contact was told failure was due to rust, but no additional information. failure happened approximately 15 months after starting up the vehicle. *ak
Reported in: CADILLAC MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H34Z
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
dt*: the contact stated that the front end of the vehicle vibrated, while traveling 70 mph. the service mechanic inspected the vehicle and recommended the rotors be replaced as they were warped. the manufacturer was alerted who the referred the contact back to the dealer. updated 08/14/06. *jb
Reported in: WALDORF MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H54Z
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
2004 lincoln aviator. consumer states that the liftgate cracked in the middle of the door. the crack is about as long as an index finger. upon inspection it was determined that the crack was stress and several panels had been replaced in the past. *mc *jb
Reported in: ATLANTA GA || Crash: N || VIN #:
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
engine misfire due to cylinder leakage. ford recommends replace cylinder head with tsb 06-5-13 for 2003-2004 mustang, 1999-2004 navigator, 2003-2003 blackwood, 2003-2005 aviator, 2003-2004 marauder. cylinder head replacement will be made if car is still under warranty
Reported in: DOVER MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H74Z
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. while driving 50 mph, the passenger side front tire detached from the vehicle. the vehicle swerved into the left lane and almost collided with a trailer. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who discovered a metal shaving on the tire. in addition, the lug nuts failed and were the wrong size. the engine size was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 25,339. updated 07/23/07
Reported in: DALLAS TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMCU68H842
TIRES
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. while driving 50 mph, the passenger side front tire detached from the vehicle. the vehicle swerved into the left lane and almost collided with a trailer. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who discovered a metal shaving on the tire. in addition, the lug nuts failed and were the wrong size. the engine size was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 25,339. updated 07/23/07
Reported in: DALLAS TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMCU68H842
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
the switch, attached to the brake pedal, which releases the shift lock, and activates brake lights, has failed twice. the first time, we were able to remove the switch and clean the internal contacts, and the problem was fixed for approx. six months. the second time, i was stopped in traffic by another driver to inform me that my brake lights were not working and he almost rear-ended me. i essentially went to the local dealership to purchase a new part, only to find out that ford has completely changed the design, obviously admitting a design flaw. *jb
Reported in: WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H74Z
AIR BAGS
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. the driver side air bag deployed right before backing out of a parking space. the contact's son sustained injuries to his hand and legs. the vehicle was taken to south point lincoln mercury. the dealer stated that the air bag deployed due to a previous front end crash several years earlier. the manufacturer stated that they were not responsible for the failure. the current mileage was 119,000 and failure mileage was 109,183. updated 3/4/08 *cn updated
Reported in: SIMLA CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H04Z
STEERING:COLUMN
2004 lincoln aviator with engine problems. consumer states that the dealer stated that the car would be repaired but at her expense because of her neglect. mechanic determined that there was no oil in the vehicle. *kb there was also a noise coming from the steering column when making a turn. *jb
Reported in: CORONA NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H94Z
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2004 lincoln aviator with engine problems. consumer states that the dealer stated that the car would be repaired but at her expense because of her neglect. mechanic determined that there was no oil in the vehicle. *kb there was also a noise coming from the steering column when making a turn. *jb
Reported in: CORONA NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H94Z
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
the back hatch panel cracked was fixed , the steering not right some times its hard to steer. main problem is cylinder coils going bad alot. now #8 coil went bad and has been replaced 2times, and its still in the shop they cant find out why it keeps coming up #8 still misfiring .. they think its the head now. i understand lincoln has had so many problems with this that they have allowed a 10yr. extended warranty on all the coils. is this right ? i want lincoln to do something. i am so mad right now . i will never buy another lincoln. help me.
Reported in: WILMINGTON OH || Crash: N || VIN #:
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
the back hatch panel cracked was fixed , the steering not right some times its hard to steer. main problem is cylinder coils going bad alot. now #8 coil went bad and has been replaced 2times, and its still in the shop they cant find out why it keeps coming up #8 still misfiring .. they think its the head now. i understand lincoln has had so many problems with this that they have allowed a 10yr. extended warranty on all the coils. is this right ? i want lincoln to do something. i am so mad right now . i will never buy another lincoln. help me.
Reported in: WILMINGTON OH || Crash: N || VIN #:
STEERING
the back hatch panel cracked was fixed , the steering not right some times its hard to steer. main problem is cylinder coils going bad alot. now #8 coil went bad and has been replaced 2times, and its still in the shop they cant find out why it keeps coming up #8 still misfiring .. they think its the head now. i understand lincoln has had so many problems with this that they have allowed a 10yr. extended warranty on all the coils. is this right ? i want lincoln to do something. i am so mad right now . i will never buy another lincoln. help me.
Reported in: WILMINGTON OH || Crash: N || VIN #:
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
check engine light came on 2 years ago or so. took into shop. replaced coil #8 and spark plugs. several months later, light comes on again, this time #7. 2 days later, light comes on again, must have been a defective part, replaced the replaced #7. another 2 days later, light back on. i'm told it's a cylinder head problem and they won't know what exactly the problem is until they take the cylinder heads off. or i can get a new engine.... lincoln wants no responsibility for such a catastrophic and known problem. since my mileage is over their warranty (although at the onset it wasn't). gee, i wonder why no one wants to buy an american made car!
Reported in: STERLING VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H74Z
STRUCTURE
our 2004 lincoln aviator has developed a small 6 inch crack in the plastic surrounding and below the back window. when contacting the dealer we were told that this is a known problem but ford refuses to do anything about it. we were then told to call ford directly and were told that yes they know about it but they are not offering any help to customers. in researching this problem online there are 100's if not 1,000's of forum posts discussing this defect. a primary forum would be on the edmunds car site. my issue is that this crack could not be caused by anything but a defect and therefore ford should be liable. the location is such that debris, etc. could not cause this crack. ford has quoted us over $ 1,000 to fix their problem and until we do the car is now suspect to water damage if it were to rain. thank you .
Reported in: ORANGE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H64Z
STRUCTURE:BODY
our 2004 lincoln aviator has developed a small 6 inch crack in the plastic surrounding and below the back window. when contacting the dealer we were told that this is a known problem but ford refuses to do anything about it. we were then told to call ford directly and were told that yes they know about it but they are not offering any help to customers. in researching this problem online there are 100's if not 1,000's of forum posts discussing this defect. a primary forum would be on the edmunds car site. my issue is that this crack could not be caused by anything but a defect and therefore ford should be liable. the location is such that debris, etc. could not cause this crack. ford has quoted us over $ 1,000 to fix their problem and until we do the car is now suspect to water damage if it were to rain. thank you .
Reported in: ORANGE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H64Z
STRUCTURE:BODY
liftgate glass applique damaged/cracked.
Reported in: WEST CHESTER OH || Crash: N || VIN #:
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
i purchased an 04 lincoln aviator in dec. 2006, in aug. 2007 i noticed it was not running right. it was stalling when accelerating or decelerating. it would sputter like it was out of fuel. the problem worsened for the next 6 wks. no mechanic could tell me what was wrong because the engine light had not come on. in oct. 2007, i was driving on the interstate when my car lost all power for a split second. i took it to the mechanic who could not tell me what was wrong still. then my check engine light came on and i was told it was a coil pack. i had that replaced and 2 days later, the problem started again. i went to my mechanic who told me to take the car to ford, because a car with that few miles should not be having engine trouble. i took it to ford who told me it was another coil pack. i searched the internet and found that there was a voluntary service recall issued for the coil packs on this vehicle for up to 120,000 miles. i told ford of this and the repairs were covered. i asked them to replace the remaining 6 coil packs, they said they could only do it as they went bad. they said that it would not break down, it would just run bad. 08/28/08 the engine light came on while driving and i lost all power driving 60mph down the highway. i lot my steering and breaks. it took all the strength i had to maneuver the car off the road. once the vehicle slowed, it was not stopping (on a hill), i had to use the e break to stop it. i took it to ford who replaced 2 more coil packs. i contacted the manufacture ford to make them aware of the problem and to try to work something out. i decided i did not want to be driving around a death mobile. they would do nothing for me, except replace the parts as they go bad. i still have 4 bad coil packs & 4 more chances to avoid injury over an undefined time period. ford is knowingly & willingly putting my family at risk in this vehicle, that they know could break down at any minute.
Reported in: MILLTOWN IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88HX4Z
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
i purchased an 04 lincoln aviator in dec. 2006, in aug. 2007 i noticed it was not running right. it was stalling when accelerating or decelerating. it would sputter like it was out of fuel. the problem worsened for the next 6 wks. no mechanic could tell me what was wrong because the engine light had not come on. in oct. 2007, i was driving on the interstate when my car lost all power for a split second. i took it to the mechanic who could not tell me what was wrong still. then my check engine light came on and i was told it was a coil pack. i had that replaced and 2 days later, the problem started again. i went to my mechanic who told me to take the car to ford, because a car with that few miles should not be having engine trouble. i took it to ford who told me it was another coil pack. i searched the internet and found that there was a voluntary service recall issued for the coil packs on this vehicle for up to 120,000 miles. i told ford of this and the repairs were covered. i asked them to replace the remaining 6 coil packs, they said they could only do it as they went bad. they said that it would not break down, it would just run bad. 08/28/08 the engine light came on while driving and i lost all power driving 60mph down the highway. i lot my steering and breaks. it took all the strength i had to maneuver the car off the road. once the vehicle slowed, it was not stopping (on a hill), i had to use the e break to stop it. i took it to ford who replaced 2 more coil packs. i contacted the manufacture ford to make them aware of the problem and to try to work something out. i decided i did not want to be driving around a death mobile. they would do nothing for me, except replace the parts as they go bad. i still have 4 bad coil packs & 4 more chances to avoid injury over an undefined time period. ford is knowingly & willingly putting my family at risk in this vehicle, that they know could break down at any minute.
Reported in: MILLTOWN IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88HX4Z
AIR BAGS
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. while driving at any speed, the driver heard a loud roaring noise coming from the rear end of the vehicle. he took the vehicle to the dealer and they rebuilt the rear end pinion and bearings, which only remedied the failure for ten months. when the failure recurred, the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and they replaced the wheel bearings. six months later, the noise recurred and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. the mechanic test drove the vehicle, but did not hear the sound; therefore, the dealer stated that there were no failures. the contact believes that his vehicle should not experience the same defect several times. he stated that the failure appeared to be due to a manufacturer defect and that a recall should be issued. the failure mileage was 11,270 and current mileage was 27,475. the clockspring was replaced. updated 10/23/09 updated 01/28/10.
Reported in: THOMASVILLE GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H24Z
SUSPENSION:REAR
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. while driving at any speed, the driver heard a loud roaring noise coming from the rear end of the vehicle. he took the vehicle to the dealer and they rebuilt the rear end pinion and bearings, which only remedied the failure for ten months. when the failure recurred, the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and they replaced the wheel bearings. six months later, the noise recurred and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. the mechanic test drove the vehicle, but did not hear the sound; therefore, the dealer stated that there were no failures. the contact believes that his vehicle should not experience the same defect several times. he stated that the failure appeared to be due to a manufacturer defect and that a recall should be issued. the failure mileage was 11,270 and current mileage was 27,475. the clockspring was replaced. updated 10/23/09 updated 01/28/10.
Reported in: THOMASVILLE GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H24Z
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. the contact stated that the gear selectors came apart when attempting to shift gears. gear failure while driving increases the risk for vehicle crash.he took the vehicle to the dealer and was advised that the entire shift assembly needed to be replaced. however because there was not an existing recall they would not assume responsibility for the repairs. the failure mileage was 53,000. the current mileage was unknown.
Reported in: LAURINBURG NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H14Z
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
early this morning was driving on the freeway in our 2004 lincoln aviator. there was a moderate rain fall and zero natural light was available. without warning, the electrical system, including the headlights, in the vehicle shut off. i was traveling at approx. 70 mph and was carrying a total of seven people. unable to see, i drove off the road and was horrified to discover that i almost ran into the guard rail. while this situation did not result in any damage or fatalities, this could have easily been a disaster resulting in multiple deaths. i spoke to the local lincoln dealership who to my surprise, indicated that he was aware of similar behavior on a similar ford vehicle. apparently, a leak in the windshield seal can direct water into the engine compartment and into the primary electronic control computer. i am taking the vehicle to the dealership for further investigation, however, this problem is intermittent and will therefore be very difficult to diagnose. this problem occurred another time a few months back, but the electrical system came right back on so we did not attempt to diagnose the problem. i am particularly concerned about this problem because it could have been the cause of multiple fatalities and the cause could have easily been attributed to my falling asleep at the wheel. please do something about this important problem. thank you.
Reported in: TEMPLETON CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H14Z
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
the gear shift selector broke and i could not get the vehicle into a neutral position while driving. could not turn off the ignition system. updated 01/13/10.
Reported in: SAN JOSE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H84Z
STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. she stated that there was a crack on the side of the tailgate near the lincoln emblem. the vehicle was repaired at her expense; however, there is another crack in the same location. her mechanic stated that the crack is due to the cold weather. the dealer stated that she needed to have the vehicle inspected. the vehicle will be repaired again at the owners expense. the failure mileage was 30000 and the current mileage was 51525. updated 04/16/10. *lj updated 07/13/10.*jb
Reported in: MANHATTAN KS || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H04Z
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
lincoln aviator with 54,000 on it and had to fix the transmission, shop said there was some grove on some part in the transmission. very expensive problems with low miles. also had a 2004 mercury mountaineer with 64,000 miles, transmission started to make noises, about a week later it would not shift. shop said some grove in something in the transmission. had it fixed for $3,000. later found out the transmission was out at 10,000 miles before we bought it.
Reported in: FOND DU LAC WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H64Z
STRUCTURE:BODY
the liftgate on the back of my 2004 lincoln aviator cracked on one side of the lincoln symbol. took it to lincoln dealership and was told that it was from the cold because there was a weak spot there. was told that even though they knew of the weak spot, that i would have to pay to fix it. at the time i declined to fix it. i just noticed the other day that there is now a crack on the other side of the lincoln symbol. i was told if i don't have it fixed, that the back glass could fall out. so now i am going to have to pay to have a defect that lincoln is aware of fixed. this is the second lincoln that i have owned and i don't think i will be purchasing another one after this.
Reported in: ANDERSON SC || Crash: N || VIN #:
AIR BAGS
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. the contact stated as she was reversing, miles per hour was unknown ,the driver side air bag deployed. it continued to rupture as she put the gear shift in park and jumped out of the vehicle. no one was injured. the vehicle was driven to the dealer after the air bags were taped. they inform her it will cost $1000 to repair the damage. the ford manufacturer was called and stated they will give an answer within the next 15 days on their decision regarding the repairs.the vehicle was still at the dealership at the time of the complaint. there was only routine maintenance performed on the vehicle but no repair done on the air bags. the failure mileage was 70,000.
Reported in: LAKE CHARLES LA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H94Z
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE INFLATOR MODULE
vehicle was in owners drive way she put vehicle reverse moved two feet and air bag partially deployed she put the vehicle in park and exited the vehicle and the bag fully deployed.
Reported in: LAKE CHARLES LA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 5LME468H94Z
STEERING
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. while the contact was driving approximately 55 mph smoke circulated through the vents inside of the vehicle; and the vehicle was driven to the side of the road. the contact stated the smoke originated from the engine compartment. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the technician advised that the front end differential had deteriorated. the vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense. after the service repair the vehicle was test driven and the failure recurred. the technician performed further diagnosis and repaired the vehicle. the failure continued to occur on four separate occasions which was repaired at the owner's expense. the manufacturer was notified of the front end differential failures and they accepted liability for the radio and steering column repairs that failed to function correctly due to the differential failures. in addition, the contact stated that the front tires were replaced in march of 2009; and five months later the tires had worn to the metal in result of the defective front end differential. the tires were replaced. an independent mechanic informed the problem originated from inexpensive korean parts in the transfer case. the transfer case and u joint were replaced in the vehicle. the contact expressed anyone driving the vehicle life was in danger because of the safety defect. the failure mileage was 80,000. the vin was unavailable. also, there was a crack under the rear liftgate. there was recall on the rearlift. however, the consumers vin was not included. the entire shifting mechanism had to be replaced, the steering wheel would vibrate while making a turn. updated 12/17/10
Reported in: FAIRFILED CA || Crash: N || VIN #:
TIRES
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. while the contact was driving approximately 55 mph smoke circulated through the vents inside of the vehicle; and the vehicle was driven to the side of the road. the contact stated the smoke originated from the engine compartment. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the technician advised that the front end differential had deteriorated. the vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense. after the service repair the vehicle was test driven and the failure recurred. the technician performed further diagnosis and repaired the vehicle. the failure continued to occur on four separate occasions which was repaired at the owner's expense. the manufacturer was notified of the front end differential failures and they accepted liability for the radio and steering column repairs that failed to function correctly due to the differential failures. in addition, the contact stated that the front tires were replaced in march of 2009; and five months later the tires had worn to the metal in result of the defective front end differential. the tires were replaced. an independent mechanic informed the problem originated from inexpensive korean parts in the transfer case. the transfer case and u joint were replaced in the vehicle. the contact expressed anyone driving the vehicle life was in danger because of the safety defect. the failure mileage was 80,000. the vin was unavailable. also, there was a crack under the rear liftgate. there was recall on the rearlift. however, the consumers vin was not included. the entire shifting mechanism had to be replaced, the steering wheel would vibrate while making a turn. updated 12/17/10
Reported in: FAIRFILED CA || Crash: N || VIN #:
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. while the contact was driving approximately 55 mph smoke circulated through the vents inside of the vehicle; and the vehicle was driven to the side of the road. the contact stated the smoke originated from the engine compartment. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the technician advised that the front end differential had deteriorated. the vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense. after the service repair the vehicle was test driven and the failure recurred. the technician performed further diagnosis and repaired the vehicle. the failure continued to occur on four separate occasions which was repaired at the owner's expense. the manufacturer was notified of the front end differential failures and they accepted liability for the radio and steering column repairs that failed to function correctly due to the differential failures. in addition, the contact stated that the front tires were replaced in march of 2009; and five months later the tires had worn to the metal in result of the defective front end differential. the tires were replaced. an independent mechanic informed the problem originated from inexpensive korean parts in the transfer case. the transfer case and u joint were replaced in the vehicle. the contact expressed anyone driving the vehicle life was in danger because of the safety defect. the failure mileage was 80,000. the vin was unavailable. also, there was a crack under the rear liftgate. there was recall on the rearlift. however, the consumers vin was not included. the entire shifting mechanism had to be replaced, the steering wheel would vibrate while making a turn. updated 12/17/10
Reported in: FAIRFILED CA || Crash: N || VIN #:
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. while the contact was driving approximately 55 mph smoke circulated through the vents inside of the vehicle; and the vehicle was driven to the side of the road. the contact stated the smoke originated from the engine compartment. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the technician advised that the front end differential had deteriorated. the vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense. after the service repair the vehicle was test driven and the failure recurred. the technician performed further diagnosis and repaired the vehicle. the failure continued to occur on four separate occasions which was repaired at the owner's expense. the manufacturer was notified of the front end differential failures and they accepted liability for the radio and steering column repairs that failed to function correctly due to the differential failures. in addition, the contact stated that the front tires were replaced in march of 2009; and five months later the tires had worn to the metal in result of the defective front end differential. the tires were replaced. an independent mechanic informed the problem originated from inexpensive korean parts in the transfer case. the transfer case and u joint were replaced in the vehicle. the contact expressed anyone driving the vehicle life was in danger because of the safety defect. the failure mileage was 80,000. the vin was unavailable. also, there was a crack under the rear liftgate. there was recall on the rearlift. however, the consumers vin was not included. the entire shifting mechanism had to be replaced, the steering wheel would vibrate while making a turn. updated 12/17/10
Reported in: FAIRFILED CA || Crash: N || VIN #:
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. while the contact was driving approximately 55 mph smoke circulated through the vents inside of the vehicle; and the vehicle was driven to the side of the road. the contact stated the smoke originated from the engine compartment. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the technician advised that the front end differential had deteriorated. the vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense. after the service repair the vehicle was test driven and the failure recurred. the technician performed further diagnosis and repaired the vehicle. the failure continued to occur on four separate occasions which was repaired at the owner's expense. the manufacturer was notified of the front end differential failures and they accepted liability for the radio and steering column repairs that failed to function correctly due to the differential failures. in addition, the contact stated that the front tires were replaced in march of 2009; and five months later the tires had worn to the metal in result of the defective front end differential. the tires were replaced. an independent mechanic informed the problem originated from inexpensive korean parts in the transfer case. the transfer case and u joint were replaced in the vehicle. the contact expressed anyone driving the vehicle life was in danger because of the safety defect. the failure mileage was 80,000. the vin was unavailable. also, there was a crack under the rear liftgate. there was recall on the rearlift. however, the consumers vin was not included. the entire shifting mechanism had to be replaced, the steering wheel would vibrate while making a turn. updated 12/17/10
Reported in: FAIRFILED CA || Crash: N || VIN #:
SUSPENSION
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. while the contact was driving approximately 55 mph smoke circulated through the vents inside of the vehicle; and the vehicle was driven to the side of the road. the contact stated the smoke originated from the engine compartment. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the technician advised that the front end differential had deteriorated. the vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense. after the service repair the vehicle was test driven and the failure recurred. the technician performed further diagnosis and repaired the vehicle. the failure continued to occur on four separate occasions which was repaired at the owner's expense. the manufacturer was notified of the front end differential failures and they accepted liability for the radio and steering column repairs that failed to function correctly due to the differential failures. in addition, the contact stated that the front tires were replaced in march of 2009; and five months later the tires had worn to the metal in result of the defective front end differential. the tires were replaced. an independent mechanic informed the problem originated from inexpensive korean parts in the transfer case. the transfer case and u joint were replaced in the vehicle. the contact expressed anyone driving the vehicle life was in danger because of the safety defect. the failure mileage was 80,000. the vin was unavailable. also, there was a crack under the rear liftgate. there was recall on the rearlift. however, the consumers vin was not included. the entire shifting mechanism had to be replaced, the steering wheel would vibrate while making a turn. updated 12/17/10
Reported in: FAIRFILED CA || Crash: N || VIN #:
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
tl* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. while driving at approximately 55 mph, the check engine light illuminated on the dashboard. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed the ignition coil needed to be replaced. the ignition coil was replaced. approximately 4 months later the failure recurred. the vehicle was again taken to an authorized dealer where the ignition coil was replaced. the failure continued to recur on several other ignition coils, and the contact replaced them himself. the contact stated that the failure continues to recur. the failure mileage was 21,000 and the current mileage was 144,000.
Reported in: MANOR TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H74Z
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
this is the 3rd time that my 2004 lincoln aviator has shut down while driving it... with kids in the car. no steering, no breaks, and 60 mph down the highway. this car is sure to be the death of me... i have been lucky 3 times now, but what about the next time??? voluntary service recall... manufacturing defect of the coil packs... issued by epa.gov (found after digging), replacement of the coil packs are covered until 120,000 miles. ford will only replace one at a time, not all of them, so each time one is replaced.. i still have the risk of another going bad. had four replaced so far, another tomorrow. i cannot believe that ford can get away with this knowing that they are putting people's lives in danger. a car completely shutting down while driving at 60mph because of a defect during the manufacturing process doesn't cause concern for a recall... but a car speeding out of control does? what happens when i am on the interstate next time during rush hour and i have no steering or brakes????
Reported in: MILLTOWN IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88HX4Z
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
this is the 3rd time that my 2004 lincoln aviator has shut down while driving it... with kids in the car. no steering, no breaks, and 60 mph down the highway. this car is sure to be the death of me... i have been lucky 3 times now, but what about the next time??? voluntary service recall... manufacturing defect of the coil packs... issued by epa.gov (found after digging), replacement of the coil packs are covered until 120,000 miles. ford will only replace one at a time, not all of them, so each time one is replaced.. i still have the risk of another going bad. had four replaced so far, another tomorrow. i cannot believe that ford can get away with this knowing that they are putting people's lives in danger. a car completely shutting down while driving at 60mph because of a defect during the manufacturing process doesn't cause concern for a recall... but a car speeding out of control does? what happens when i am on the interstate next time during rush hour and i have no steering or brakes????
Reported in: MILLTOWN IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88HX4Z
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
this is the 3rd time that my 2004 lincoln aviator has shut down while driving it... with kids in the car. no steering, no breaks, and 60 mph down the highway. this car is sure to be the death of me... i have been lucky 3 times now, but what about the next time??? voluntary service recall... manufacturing defect of the coil packs... issued by epa.gov (found after digging), replacement of the coil packs are covered until 120,000 miles. ford will only replace one at a time, not all of them, so each time one is replaced.. i still have the risk of another going bad. had four replaced so far, another tomorrow. i cannot believe that ford can get away with this knowing that they are putting people's lives in danger. a car completely shutting down while driving at 60mph because of a defect during the manufacturing process doesn't cause concern for a recall... but a car speeding out of control does? what happens when i am on the interstate next time during rush hour and i have no steering or brakes????
Reported in: MILLTOWN IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88HX4Z
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK
tl* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. the contact was driving approximately 30 mph, approaching a complete stop. while the brakes were engaged the vehicle accelerated toward the oncoming traffic. the brakes were applied repeatedly allowing the vehicle to come to a complete stop. the contact was able to continue normal operation. the failure occurred on three different occasions. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on three separate occasions for the identical failure and the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. also, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic on two different occasions for the acceleration failure which there was no resolutions. in addition, there were intermittent failures with the engine misfiring and revving without warning. also, the engine stalled when at a complete stop on numerous occasions; and a loud clunking noise would occur during the activation of the air conditioner. recently, the anti-lock brake system warning light illuminated intermittently. the total repairs on the vehicle consisted of the cylinoid joints replacement; and an update of the computerized system software. the technician informed the contact that the transmission was defective. there had been no additional repairs performed on the vehicle at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was 8,000.
Reported in: APOPKA FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H44Z
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:AIR CONDITIONER
tl* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. the contact was driving approximately 30 mph, approaching a complete stop. while the brakes were engaged the vehicle accelerated toward the oncoming traffic. the brakes were applied repeatedly allowing the vehicle to come to a complete stop. the contact was able to continue normal operation. the failure occurred on three different occasions. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on three separate occasions for the identical failure and the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. also, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic on two different occasions for the acceleration failure which there was no resolutions. in addition, there were intermittent failures with the engine misfiring and revving without warning. also, the engine stalled when at a complete stop on numerous occasions; and a loud clunking noise would occur during the activation of the air conditioner. recently, the anti-lock brake system warning light illuminated intermittently. the total repairs on the vehicle consisted of the cylinoid joints replacement; and an update of the computerized system software. the technician informed the contact that the transmission was defective. there had been no additional repairs performed on the vehicle at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was 8,000.
Reported in: APOPKA FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H44Z
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
tl* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. the contact was driving approximately 30 mph, approaching a complete stop. while the brakes were engaged the vehicle accelerated toward the oncoming traffic. the brakes were applied repeatedly allowing the vehicle to come to a complete stop. the contact was able to continue normal operation. the failure occurred on three different occasions. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on three separate occasions for the identical failure and the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. also, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic on two different occasions for the acceleration failure which there was no resolutions. in addition, there were intermittent failures with the engine misfiring and revving without warning. also, the engine stalled when at a complete stop on numerous occasions; and a loud clunking noise would occur during the activation of the air conditioner. recently, the anti-lock brake system warning light illuminated intermittently. the total repairs on the vehicle consisted of the cylinoid joints replacement; and an update of the computerized system software. the technician informed the contact that the transmission was defective. there had been no additional repairs performed on the vehicle at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was 8,000.
Reported in: APOPKA FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H44Z
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
when i turn on my 2004 lincoln aviator to warm up in the morning the smell of the gas is so strong. when i am at a red light or stop sign the car shakes so much that i have to put it the car in neutral to avoid the car from turning off. when i am driving the car jerks and stalls i feel scared when driving on the freeway because my car sometimes doesn't go as fast as the other cars because it stalls. the car drives rough and makes a whining noise all the time. everytime i turn on the ac it makes a loud popping sound. i have not had my vehicle fixed or looked at due to my financial circumstance. my vehicle does not have warranty. i fear for the safety of me, my family and the public when i drive this vehicle.
Reported in: ANAHEIM CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H34Z
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
i recently purchased a 2004 lincoln aviator. about a month after i purchased this vehicle it started to develop problems. the rear bearing seal failed and oil is leaking out. the gear shifter on the console is starting to stick and not go into gear. i understand the aviator is having a lot of problems in these areas. the vehicle only had 79000 miles on it when i purchased it. ford must have used inferior materials to make the aviator. please look into this and if so force ford to recall the aviator and replace the inferior parts with parts that are safe and reliable.
Reported in: GARDENDALE AL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H14Z
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2004 lincoln aviator 74,000 miles. while attempting to merge onto interstate 95 s the vehicle shuddered and lost power unable to accelerate. final determination by a mechanic determined the #8 cylinder was not holding pressure because the valve was not sealing correctly. the 4.6l v8 ford engine's valve's are powder coated and this caused the value to stick and overtime warped the valve's components due to excessive heat. this is an engine design defect and the engine and will require a complete valve job to replace the head, head gasket and faulty valve stem. ford has issued a technical bulletin on the subject but will not perform a voluntary recall. this is a serious safety issue and could cause serious injury or death if the vehicle losses power while merging with or evading oncoming traffic.
Reported in: WALPOLE MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H24Z
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
shifting from drive to reverse or vice versa with no response. power train - gear shift cable disconnects causing loss of control of what gear the car is in. selector then gives wrong information as to what gear you are in. only some 2003 aviators have been recalled; i have a 2004. website complaints show that all aviators 2002 to 2008 are affected. i told the lincoln dealer about nhtsa and she said 'don't listen to them, they don't know what they are talking about." they are charging me $400 to fix the problem including the towing.
Reported in: CORAL SPRINGS FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H24Z
VISIBILITY
the plastic bracket that attaches the sun visors to the ceiling in my 2004 lincoln aviator have degraded and shattered with the visor falling out of the ceiling into my face as i was driving. the same cracks are apparent on the passenger side visor bracket but are holding at this time. this failure occurred in august '09 while on a trip to virginia. when i went to the local ford dealership for assistance i was advised that they had the same failure in another aviator a few days earlier. they did not have the part or a new visor. the bracket is attached directly to the visor arm and cannot be purchased separately. working with a local ford dealership they tried to locate a replacement at a local junk yard, but when it was received the bracket exhibited the same cracking. i feel this is definitely a defective part since it is protected from sunlight that might deteriorate it. since it is located in the ceiling of the vehicle it could certainly be affected by the extreme heat that develops from the sun. the failure is also a safety concern as the visor can fall in you face as mine did blocking your view as you drive. now with the missing visor your view is impaired when driving into the sun as you have nothing to block the sun. i believe the failure would be recorded at lincoln as sun visor failures rather than bracket failures since it is attached to the visor arm and has to be purchased as a whole visor. i have tried to resolve this matter with lincoln/ford as a product defect by contacting the main office in detroit , but they have disallowed the claim.
Reported in: VILLA RICA GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H44Z
STRUCTURE:BODY
without impact the tailgate applique of my 2004 lincoln aviator cracked. i understand this is common among ford explorers merc. mountaineers and aviators as reported by my local ford dealer and various bodyshops and thousands on the internet with similar defects. ford wont fix if its out of warranty . the broken tailgate section can dislodge and cause damage to pedestrians or motorists. please advise as this is a widespread manufactures defect. thank you
Reported in: WEST NYACK NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H34Z
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
gear shift not changing smoothly, gear difficult to get out of "park" from time to time. the transmission shift cable finally become dislodged from the shift cable bracket and the vehicle is unable to move at all (not even able to push vehicle while gear in neutral). needing to replace shift cable and gear lever.
Reported in: LAWRENCEVILLE GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H04Z
STRUCTURE:BODY
my 2004 lincoln aviator, rear window panel developed a crack, which i paid for repair. now at 52,000 miles with a premium extended warranty it has developed another crack. my local lincoln dealer told me it was a design flaw related to weather conditions and yet lincoln will not pay for this repair. if the crack continues it could become a pedestrian hazard and quite dangerous. this is my 5th. lincoln and my last unless lincoln stands behind their product.
Reported in: WINTER HAVEN FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68HX4Z
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
my 2004 lincoln aviator engine has a burnt valve with less than 90k miles on it. rich morton lincoln dealership in glen burnie, md says my repair will be $5,400 if i want to fix it, which they do not recommend. i see online that many others have the very same problem with this vehicle. i have also had to tow in my car as several times the gearshift stuck in park and could not be shifted to drive. i spoke with other owners who had the same problem. also, my tailgate window randomly flies up while driving, just like other owners have reported. my main issue is that my vehicle, an expensive one, is now not drivable and needs the $5,400 repair because of a defect in manufacture that ford will not acknowledge. help, please.
Reported in: PASADENA MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88HX4Z
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
the back lift component has a crack on each side of the lincoln emblem. the body shop near where i work told me that this is very common with the aviators, and that he has replaced many of them. it is a manufacturing error and should be replaced by ford/lincoln. i have purposely looked at other aviators and found that they have the same cracks in the same place by the emblem. i was told by the ford dealership here that the company would not fix it. my vehicle is no longer in warranty. it now has about 51,000 miles. cracks have been there over a year and still no one will help me!.
Reported in: NEW BRAUNFELS TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68HX4Z
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
my 2004 lincoln aviator started making a loud whining noise.
Reported in: REDONDO BEACH CA || Crash: N || VIN #:
STRUCTURE:BODY
the panel below the back window on the hatch has cracked around the emblem. i have been researching this and have found that there are a lot of aviator's that have the same problem as mine. we paid good money for this car when we bought it new and have kept it in very good condition. according to lincoln, this is only covered under the original warranty. i feel this hatch was not engineered correctly and lincoln should fix it.
Reported in: LAKE WALES FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H64Z
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
i own a 2004 lincoln aviation. on 6 may 2011, while driving down the road, i heard a loud sound in the back of my vehicle (as if something hit it). i pulled over and found a large crack on the vehicle panel (middle, to the right of the ford logo), underneath my back window. i have no idea how or why it cracked. on monday, 9 may 2011, i watched a local news story on wavy tv 10 (virginia) about this happening on other ford vehicles from 2002-2005. the story showed five other ford vehicles found in our area with the same issue. the story said ford was contacted, but said there is no an issue/recall about this.
Reported in: CHESAPEAKE VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H94Z
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. the contact stated that when trying to move the gear shift from park to drive, it suddenly fractured. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who advised him that the gear needed to be replaced due to a plastic component. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 73,000. updated 07/06/12 *bf
Reported in: MIDLOTHIAN VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU8HH24Z
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
engine began idling roughly, and eventually the engine warning light came on. the problem was diagnosed as a crack in the cylinder head for number 8 cylinder. talking to lincoln mechanics and checking various discussion groups on the web showed that a large number of other lincoln aviators, and other vehicles with the same engine were experiencing this same failure. the rough idle can be alleviated by increasing the idle speed or taking the car out of gear while idling. both of these actions are dangerous and can lead to accidents.
Reported in: AUSTIN TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68HX4Z
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2004 lincoln aviator gears were slipping and would not shift; had it checked and was told the transmission was failing. 2 days later we had to have it towed to the shop because it was stuck in "neutral". had to replace the transmission at only 63,000 miles. never had a transmission fail with only 63k miles, all preventative maintenance is kept up on our vehicle. loud noise at startup and a/c does not work, i believe it is the clutch. no help from ford even though there are multiple complaints of transmission/power train problems. also, read that the explorer was recalled for the same problem and that the explorer and aviator are built with many of the same parts, however, no recall on the aviator?
Reported in: BEAUFORT SC || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H84Z
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
vehicle shut off suddenly after a beeping sound and a low oil pressure light and battery light came on. this happened three times the same day and after seen this incident reported by other customers, quite dangerous considering that one could be hit by a vehicle driving behind if the driver is not keep safe distance and can stop. the steering becomes stiff and the brakes and accelerator pedals get locked into place. the vehicle is able to be restarted but the occurrence is quite dangerous and puts ones life at risk.
Reported in: BELLAIRE TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H04Z
SEATS
the lever (an "l" shaped lever) on the middle seat is defective. while pressing down on the lever, the lever swung over and hit my thumb with such force that it fractured my thumb. it appears that the coil/spring action in the seat is defective and dangerous. updated 11/25/11 *bf updated 11/30/11
Reported in: MERRICK NY || Crash: N || VIN #:
SUSPENSION
tl* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln navigator. the contact stated that the air suspension system dropped the vehicle down upon starting. as a result, the vehicle would bounce and drive low to the ground. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who stated that the air suspension system needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 80,000.
Reported in: LOS ANGELES CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMFU27R54L
POWER TRAIN
tl* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. the contact stated that the gear shifter failed while trying to shift into reverse. the contact stated that she depressed the brake pedal and tried to change gears but the vehicle would not respond. she then attempted to remove the key from the ignition but the key could not be removed. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection and the contact was advised that the gear shift assembly needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 80,291.
Reported in: CHESTER PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H54Z
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
my lincoln aviator started making a horrible noise in the rear of the vehicle on the morning of september 4, 2011. my wife took the aviator to the aaa car care center to find and repair the issue. the aaa certified technician placed the aviator on the lift and discovered the entire differential unit was hanging freely and literally swinging under the vehicle. after further inspection, the welding that holds the mount to which the differential until is bolted, broke from the frame. this issue of a differential mount weld breaking free has never been seen by the aaa certified technician or the aaa service manager with over 30 years of experience. furthermore, the mount was only welded on one side (side closest to the rear of the vehicle). i visited the local lincoln dealership and explained the issue with my aviator?s differential mount only being welded on one side and asked to see an aviator or explorer that would have the same differential mounting system. this lincoln dealership had an explorer up on the lift and showed me that the differential mount on all aviators and explorers do indeed have the differential mount welded on both sides to the frame. the potential damage from the differential unit falling off the vehicle and the drive shaft becoming dislodged is exceedingly high and could pose a fatal scenario. i am asking for lincoln to investigate this potentially fatal error of only having one weld seam holding the differential unit mount to the frame and inspect for any further damages as a result, in addition to inspecting for other areas of faulty craftsmanship. this manufacturing defect is in no way the error of the consumer or driving behavior. this issue points directly to the craftsmanship and integrity of the weld and quality control of lincoln.
Reported in: SIMPSONVILLE SC || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88HX4Z
POWER TRAIN
my lincoln aviator started making a horrible noise in the rear of the vehicle on the morning of september 4, 2011. my wife took the aviator to the aaa car care center to find and repair the issue. the aaa certified technician placed the aviator on the lift and discovered the entire differential unit was hanging freely and literally swinging under the vehicle. after further inspection, the welding that holds the mount to which the differential until is bolted, broke from the frame. this issue of a differential mount weld breaking free has never been seen by the aaa certified technician or the aaa service manager with over 30 years of experience. furthermore, the mount was only welded on one side (side closest to the rear of the vehicle). i visited the local lincoln dealership and explained the issue with my aviator?s differential mount only being welded on one side and asked to see an aviator or explorer that would have the same differential mounting system. this lincoln dealership had an explorer up on the lift and showed me that the differential mount on all aviators and explorers do indeed have the differential mount welded on both sides to the frame. the potential damage from the differential unit falling off the vehicle and the drive shaft becoming dislodged is exceedingly high and could pose a fatal scenario. i am asking for lincoln to investigate this potentially fatal error of only having one weld seam holding the differential unit mount to the frame and inspect for any further damages as a result, in addition to inspecting for other areas of faulty craftsmanship. this manufacturing defect is in no way the error of the consumer or driving behavior. this issue points directly to the craftsmanship and integrity of the weld and quality control of lincoln.
Reported in: SIMPSONVILLE SC || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88HX4Z
SUSPENSION
i purchased my truck used in december 2011 and it has been nothing but constant problems. first, the door locks would randomly engage/disengage on their own. or if button pushed nothing at all would happen. while the heater works, it emits a death rattle before blowing air. my ac doesn't work at all and was told that i would need to replace the compressor. the most dangerous and expensive repair has been replacing the front differential mounting and wheel baring. i was told that it was only mounted on one side and was leaking and this was a common problem with this model car. the mechanic was actually able to shake my wheels with his bare hands. the front end stuff actually dropped from under the vehicle as i as driving. luckily i was able to safely pull over and had to be towed on a flat bed because the front end was so damaged. repair costs $1400. and i was advised that it would probably happen again! prior to this i also had to replace the wheel bearing and ball joints. ford does not stand by their product!
Reported in: INDIANAPOLIS IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H04Z
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
i purchased my truck used in december 2011 and it has been nothing but constant problems. first, the door locks would randomly engage/disengage on their own. or if button pushed nothing at all would happen. while the heater works, it emits a death rattle before blowing air. my ac doesn't work at all and was told that i would need to replace the compressor. the most dangerous and expensive repair has been replacing the front differential mounting and wheel baring. i was told that it was only mounted on one side and was leaking and this was a common problem with this model car. the mechanic was actually able to shake my wheels with his bare hands. the front end stuff actually dropped from under the vehicle as i as driving. luckily i was able to safely pull over and had to be towed on a flat bed because the front end was so damaged. repair costs $1400. and i was advised that it would probably happen again! prior to this i also had to replace the wheel bearing and ball joints. ford does not stand by their product!
Reported in: INDIANAPOLIS IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H04Z
STEERING
i purchased my truck used in december 2011 and it has been nothing but constant problems. first, the door locks would randomly engage/disengage on their own. or if button pushed nothing at all would happen. while the heater works, it emits a death rattle before blowing air. my ac doesn't work at all and was told that i would need to replace the compressor. the most dangerous and expensive repair has been replacing the front differential mounting and wheel baring. i was told that it was only mounted on one side and was leaking and this was a common problem with this model car. the mechanic was actually able to shake my wheels with his bare hands. the front end stuff actually dropped from under the vehicle as i as driving. luckily i was able to safely pull over and had to be towed on a flat bed because the front end was so damaged. repair costs $1400. and i was advised that it would probably happen again! prior to this i also had to replace the wheel bearing and ball joints. ford does not stand by their product!
Reported in: INDIANAPOLIS IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H04Z
POWER TRAIN
i had just gotten onto the highway,at about 40 mph the rear wheels started to skip and jerk also there was a loud cluck from under the front....the mechanic found the transfer case was damaged due to cheap ford parts.....
Reported in: BRONX NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H14Z
STEERING
i had just gotten onto the highway,at about 40 mph the rear wheels started to skip and jerk also there was a loud cluck from under the front....the mechanic found the transfer case was damaged due to cheap ford parts.....
Reported in: BRONX NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H14Z
POWER TRAIN
1 year after purchase at 52,000 -replaced coils (recalled) , brake switch, cost just to lead and find issues after full service maintenane, $1500. 2 yrs in, transmission due to thing that is attached and looks like a brain plate to the transmission, (sms pack)still owing plus now, upcoming on latest transmission/computer/ at 84,000 :( s car has taken me completely upside down and in the hole owing $12,000 + $3000 for newest repair. just got car back and now it feels like there is a potential small delay and wants to jump in the middle of traffic which i just experienced yesterday. why is this car still on the road and not recalled. the problems go on and on and on. i emailed ford and was basically told to take the car into their dealership where i can be robbed even further. sad!! these are only a small fraction of links that are out there due to lincoln having known issues. i spoke with a car salesman this last week and he has a 2005 aviator and just replaced the whole transmission at 92,000 miles. http://www.arfc.org/complaints/2004/lincoln/ls/power_train/problem.aspx http://www.automotiveforums.com/t936173-possible_solution_for_the_common_lincoln_ls_trans_problems.html http://vin.centralclearinghouse.com/central/vin.nsf/0/22bff5be198030b78825777d002f814d http://repairpal.com/shift-lever-stuck-in-drive-
Reported in: ALBANY OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H04Z
ENGINE
1 year after purchase at 52,000 -replaced coils (recalled) , brake switch, cost just to lead and find issues after full service maintenane, $1500. 2 yrs in, transmission due to thing that is attached and looks like a brain plate to the transmission, (sms pack)still owing plus now, upcoming on latest transmission/computer/ at 84,000 :( s car has taken me completely upside down and in the hole owing $12,000 + $3000 for newest repair. just got car back and now it feels like there is a potential small delay and wants to jump in the middle of traffic which i just experienced yesterday. why is this car still on the road and not recalled. the problems go on and on and on. i emailed ford and was basically told to take the car into their dealership where i can be robbed even further. sad!! these are only a small fraction of links that are out there due to lincoln having known issues. i spoke with a car salesman this last week and he has a 2005 aviator and just replaced the whole transmission at 92,000 miles. http://www.arfc.org/complaints/2004/lincoln/ls/power_train/problem.aspx http://www.automotiveforums.com/t936173-possible_solution_for_the_common_lincoln_ls_trans_problems.html http://vin.centralclearinghouse.com/central/vin.nsf/0/22bff5be198030b78825777d002f814d http://repairpal.com/shift-lever-stuck-in-drive-
Reported in: ALBANY OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H04Z
ENGINE
the cars check engine light came on in 4-20-07 just over 50,000 miles. we were told by ford two cylinder heads7 &8 had issues and would require a $5900.00 o.h. they did offer us $1500.00 towards the engine. we learned latter, ford had a inter-office bulletin about this problem as did all-data. now at 126,00 we will have to have the engine overhauled. ford should be mandated to cover the full cost of these repairs. they have known about this issue since 2004.
Reported in: L.A. CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H84Z
VISIBILITY/WIPER
i purchased this vehicle as a certified used vehicle. it had an extended warranty. once it expired i've experienced every single complaint people have stated online about this vehicle. as of today (12/02/13) it still has only 74,000 miles on it and the latest problem is the transmission needs to be replaced but they don't know why. i am a stay at home mom and wear-and-tear on it is very minimal (grocery shopping, to and from school, etc.). i have never had so many problems on a "so called" luxury vehicle before! i've had bad coils in cylinders 3, 4, 5 (twice), and 7 replaced under lincoln's recall. the tailgate panel cracked (just like all the other people who own this vehicle and the mountaineers have complained about), but they won't fix it. in addition, a white plastic piece fell out of the top half of the tailgate and now it will not close anymore therefore i can no longer take it through car washes. the bracket for the sun visor on my passenger side completely deteriorated and caused the visor to suddenly dangle from the roof of my car while driving. now, i cannot flip it up and it causes a blind spot. there is also something faulty with the brake light switch which drains my battery on a regular basis and i have to have my jumped. the brake light switch has been replaced 3 times now because it is has shorted out. to complicate matters, every time i take the car to the dealership for these repairs, they insist on doing a "diagnostics check" and every time they want to charge a fee for this service. every time the price is different...some times its $50, sometimes its $100. this vehicle is a lemon and i will never buy a ford/lincoln/mercury again.
Reported in: DOWNERS GROVE IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H94Z
POWER TRAIN
i purchased this vehicle as a certified used vehicle. it had an extended warranty. once it expired i've experienced every single complaint people have stated online about this vehicle. as of today (12/02/13) it still has only 74,000 miles on it and the latest problem is the transmission needs to be replaced but they don't know why. i am a stay at home mom and wear-and-tear on it is very minimal (grocery shopping, to and from school, etc.). i have never had so many problems on a "so called" luxury vehicle before! i've had bad coils in cylinders 3, 4, 5 (twice), and 7 replaced under lincoln's recall. the tailgate panel cracked (just like all the other people who own this vehicle and the mountaineers have complained about), but they won't fix it. in addition, a white plastic piece fell out of the top half of the tailgate and now it will not close anymore therefore i can no longer take it through car washes. the bracket for the sun visor on my passenger side completely deteriorated and caused the visor to suddenly dangle from the roof of my car while driving. now, i cannot flip it up and it causes a blind spot. there is also something faulty with the brake light switch which drains my battery on a regular basis and i have to have my jumped. the brake light switch has been replaced 3 times now because it is has shorted out. to complicate matters, every time i take the car to the dealership for these repairs, they insist on doing a "diagnostics check" and every time they want to charge a fee for this service. every time the price is different...some times its $50, sometimes its $100. this vehicle is a lemon and i will never buy a ford/lincoln/mercury again.
Reported in: DOWNERS GROVE IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H94Z
ENGINE
i purchased this vehicle as a certified used vehicle. it had an extended warranty. once it expired i've experienced every single complaint people have stated online about this vehicle. as of today (12/02/13) it still has only 74,000 miles on it and the latest problem is the transmission needs to be replaced but they don't know why. i am a stay at home mom and wear-and-tear on it is very minimal (grocery shopping, to and from school, etc.). i have never had so many problems on a "so called" luxury vehicle before! i've had bad coils in cylinders 3, 4, 5 (twice), and 7 replaced under lincoln's recall. the tailgate panel cracked (just like all the other people who own this vehicle and the mountaineers have complained about), but they won't fix it. in addition, a white plastic piece fell out of the top half of the tailgate and now it will not close anymore therefore i can no longer take it through car washes. the bracket for the sun visor on my passenger side completely deteriorated and caused the visor to suddenly dangle from the roof of my car while driving. now, i cannot flip it up and it causes a blind spot. there is also something faulty with the brake light switch which drains my battery on a regular basis and i have to have my jumped. the brake light switch has been replaced 3 times now because it is has shorted out. to complicate matters, every time i take the car to the dealership for these repairs, they insist on doing a "diagnostics check" and every time they want to charge a fee for this service. every time the price is different...some times its $50, sometimes its $100. this vehicle is a lemon and i will never buy a ford/lincoln/mercury again.
Reported in: DOWNERS GROVE IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H94Z
STRUCTURE:BODY
i purchased this vehicle as a certified used vehicle. it had an extended warranty. once it expired i've experienced every single complaint people have stated online about this vehicle. as of today (12/02/13) it still has only 74,000 miles on it and the latest problem is the transmission needs to be replaced but they don't know why. i am a stay at home mom and wear-and-tear on it is very minimal (grocery shopping, to and from school, etc.). i have never had so many problems on a "so called" luxury vehicle before! i've had bad coils in cylinders 3, 4, 5 (twice), and 7 replaced under lincoln's recall. the tailgate panel cracked (just like all the other people who own this vehicle and the mountaineers have complained about), but they won't fix it. in addition, a white plastic piece fell out of the top half of the tailgate and now it will not close anymore therefore i can no longer take it through car washes. the bracket for the sun visor on my passenger side completely deteriorated and caused the visor to suddenly dangle from the roof of my car while driving. now, i cannot flip it up and it causes a blind spot. there is also something faulty with the brake light switch which drains my battery on a regular basis and i have to have my jumped. the brake light switch has been replaced 3 times now because it is has shorted out. to complicate matters, every time i take the car to the dealership for these repairs, they insist on doing a "diagnostics check" and every time they want to charge a fee for this service. every time the price is different...some times its $50, sometimes its $100. this vehicle is a lemon and i will never buy a ford/lincoln/mercury again.
Reported in: DOWNERS GROVE IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H94Z
STRUCTURE:BODY
why washing suv noticed a stress crack on my rear lift gate. believe this to be a manufacturer defect. i noticed this crack on other lincoln/ford suv's.
Reported in: CHESAPEAKE VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H64Z
STRUCTURE
as i was exiting a store and walking toward my vehicle, i noticed what looked like a black streak on the back of my liftgate. when i was closer, i saw that it was a crack in the back of the lift gate on the right side of the emblem of the vehicle from the bottom of the back window to the bottom of the lift gate. this crack was not there when i parked the vehicle to enter the grocery store because i had to walk around the back of the vehicle to make my way into the store and always look at the back end to make sure that i had pulled in far enough for others to pass. at first, i thought that someone had backed into my vehicle but there were no other marks, dents, scuffs, etc. i was curious to find out what would have caused this and found that this same crack has occurred to many other owners of lincoln aviators and well as ford explorers and mercury mountaineers. further research has indicated that this fracture was, in fact, a design flaw that was not addressed at the time of manufacture. so disappointed.
Reported in: HICKORY NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88HX4Z
ENGINE
tl* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln aviator. the contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the vehicle stalled as all of the warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 102,000.
Reported in: COLUMBIA MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU68H74Z
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
shifter would not go into park from reverse sometimes would not unlock from park position. serious problem when your shifter shows in drive and you end up still going in reverse. read other complaints from owners sounds like a defect which could cause serious injury or death.
Reported in: LITTLE ROCK AR || Crash: N || VIN #: 5LMEU88H14Z