Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Lincoln Navigator problems

Owners filed 32 complaints about the 2002 Lincoln Navigator with NHTSA between May 2002 and Aug 2016. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (7).

Complaints
32
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Vehicle speed control7
  2. Air bags7
  3. Engine and engine cooling7
  4. Electrical system6
  5. Steering3
  6. Engine2
  7. Fuel/propulsion system2
  8. Structure2
  9. Power train2
  10. Fuel system, gasoline2
  11. Exterior lighting1
  12. Seat belts1
  13. Equipment1
  14. Fuel system, other1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20027
20031
20041
20051
20062
20072
20083
20091
20106
20114
20121
20130
20142
20150
20161

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Vehicle speed control

7 reports2 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FUEL GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE THE ACCURATE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE HAZARD LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE PROPERLY AND THE SPEED CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 8, 2016Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10894146

Air bags

7 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 25, 2014Air bagsODI 10639044

Engine and engine cooling

7 reports2 fires
“I HAD THE SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT OF THE HOLE CAUSED CAR TO RUN ON LESS COMPRESSION AND IT IS VERY COSTLY TO FIX MECHANIC INFORMED THIS VEHICLE IS KNOWN FOR THIS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 25, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10445192

Electrical system

6 reports1 fire
“ON 12/03/11 WHEN MY HUSBAND STARTED OUR 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR A LOUD BANG HAPPENED, MY SEAT BELT TIGHTENED ACROSS MY CHEST SO TIGHT IT HURT AND I COULDN'T BREATHE, THE CAR STARTED SMOKING SO BAD THAT MY OLDEST DAUGHTER JUMPED OUT OF THE TRUCK BECAUSE IT SCARED HER SO BAD. THE SEAT BELT WAS SO TIGHT IT WOULDN'T COME OFF AT FIRST WHICH SCARED ME BECAUSE THE SMOKE WAS BY THE SIDE OF MY HEAD! NOW THE SEAT BELT WON'T WORK AND I DON'T WANT TO USE MY CAR WITHOUT IT. IN THE PAST YEAR, 2011, MY TRUCK KEEPS BLOWING FUSES ON THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTS AND AIR BAG FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE. I KEEP REPLACING THE FUSE BUT THEY ONLY LAST ABOUT A WEEK AND THEN THEY BLOW OUT. ONCE THE FUSE IS REPLACED THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTS WORK, THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES OFF. BUT, NO SOONER DO I CHANGE IT, IT BLOWS AGAIN. SO, I HAVEN'T REPLACED IT. IN FEBRUARY I HAVE TO GO FOR EMISSIONS AND I WON'T PASS WITH THIS LIGHT ON. IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS, MY BRIGHT LIGHTS HAVE TURNED ON BY THEMSELVES. I THOUGHT IT ONLY HAPPENED WHEN WE USE THE TURN SIGNALS, BUT MY HUSBAND TOLD ME IT DOES IT ALL THE TIME. I DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM UNTIL THREE DAYS AGO WHEN I HIT A BUMP AND THEY WENT ON. THEN, YESTERDAY I WAS SITTING IN OUR…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 3, 2011Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Seat beltsODI 10438466

Steering

3 reports
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 75 MPH THE DRIVER'S SIDE TIE ROD SNAPPED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TIE ROD WAS LOOSE. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 15, 2006SteeringODI 10165502

Engine

2 reports
“MY 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR EJECTED A SPARK PLUG CAUSING A SUBSTANTIAL REPAIR BILL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 25, 2014Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10628210
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.