NHTSA lists 16 safety recalls and 24 owner complaints for the 2023 Lincoln Aviator. Most complaints involve electrical system (7) and back over prevention (5). The EPA rates it 19–23 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The image on the center display may flip or invert, resulting in an incorrectly displayed rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
“I bought this car in march 2026. It is a 2023 Lincoln aviator black label, it was a CPO. Within days of me having it, I noticed there were electrical issues. The interior light kept popping on for no reason. The cooling seat feature was also not working. The adaptive cruise control was also not working correctly. When you have the cruise control on the lane assist will cancel on you without warning. It also has issues maintaining the lane and wants to pull. I brought it back to Findlay Lincoln within a couple of weeks of purchasing the vehicle. They stated they fix it and that there was a corroded or melted wire that was causing the issue. Within days of picking it up, there were still issues. The lights were still coming on and the adaptive cruise control was still causing issues. Once they got me a loaner, they took the car back in. This time they had the vehicle for 26 days. He said there were no issues with the adaptive cruise control and it did not pull while he was driving it. Since July, I have been trying to get the vehicle back in. It was there last Friday for an oil change, I spoke with my service advisor then and informed him that I do not feel safe…”
“The contact owns a 2023 Lincoln Aviator. The contact stated while reversing, the rear-view camera did not function as intended. The contact stated that the rear-view camera display flipped the image to the front of the vehicle. In addition, the rear-view camera system did not alert the contact. The contact's vehicle crashed into a trailer. No injuries were sustained. No police report was filed. The contact vehicle sustained damage to the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the back hatch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact later received a recall notification, NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V368000 (Back Over Prevention) however the parts were unavailable. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.”
“2023 Lincoln Aviator was accelerating out of Toll booth to 70mph. Upon acceleration the engine hiccupped but continued to operate. Approximately 2 miles later the low oil pressure indicator and low battery indicator popped up, no prior indications existed. Vehicle stalled within 0.5 miles as I was assessing what to do and to pull off to a safe place. I had the vehicle towed to the dealer at request of my insurance company to assess damage. Dealer found low oil and metal in engine and claimed owner failed to perform maintenance despite records of three oil changes over the last year. Dealer stopped investigation upon low oil finding and performed no other inspections. I am having the vehicle taken to another independent shop for investigation. The vehicle was involved in a low speed passenger side impact the month prior. Vehicle body was repaired but no inspection or work was completed on the engine.”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aviator PHEV AWD Auto (S10), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 22 | 25 | 23 | $2,800 | 209 |
| Aviator RWD Auto (S10), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo · Rear-Wheel Drive | 18 | 26 | 21 | $3,050 | 424 |
| Aviator AWD Auto (S10), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo, SIDI · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 17 | 24 | 20 | $3,200 | 451 |
| Aviator AWD Auto (S10), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; without Stop-Start · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | 16 | 24 | 19 | $3,400 | 466 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
16 safety recalls as of Oct 27, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 24 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are electrical system (7), back over prevention (5), engine (4). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2023 Lincoln Aviator at 19–23 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (4 versions rated).
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2023 Lincoln Aviator 5 out of 5 stars overall.