Problems · NHTSA complaints

2017 Lincoln Navigator problems

Owners filed 32 complaints about the 2017 Lincoln Navigator with NHTSA between Dec 2017 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is service brakes (5).

Complaints
32
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes5
  2. Back over prevention5
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic5
  4. Electrical system4
  5. Visibility4
  6. Air bags3
  7. Fuel/propulsion system3
  8. Exterior lighting2
  9. Structure2
  10. Suspension2
  11. Vehicle speed control1
  12. Lane departure1
  13. Steering1
  14. Engine1

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
20171
20180
20191
20201
20211
20225
20234
20244
20259
20266

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

Service brakes

5 reports1 crash
“The vehicle has a severe brake fluid leak. There is a recall for the issue. I called the local Lincoln dealership Ford Mill Lincoln SC and they said there was nothing they could do. I explained to them that there was a safety recall. They refused to fix the vehicle under the recall. The car is very unsafe to drive and the manufacturer is not offering any assistance to fix the defect.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 13, 2026Service brakesODI 11724124

Back over prevention

5 reports1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Navigator. The contact previously received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available, and the rearview camera intermittently displayed a blank or distorted image. The contact stated that when the part for the recall repair became available, the vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, after the dealer inspected the rearview camera, no failure was found. The rearview camera was not replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the rearview camera would be replaced as necessary. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2026Back over preventionODI 11723581

Service brakes, hydraulic

5 reports2 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle, it was discovered that there was an unknown fluid leaking from the rear of the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V236000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 58,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 6, 2025Service brakes, hydraulicODI 11678745

Electrical system

4 reports1 fire
“the rearview camera does not always come on when the vehicle is put in reverse. It appears to be the same issue as the newer Lincoln navigators and other fords for which a recall was just issued. The recall number for Ford is 25S49. The recall needs to include the 2017 navigator as well. You can not see behind the vehicle when the camera malfunctions The vehicle has not been to the dealer for the issue yet when the camera does not work there is a error message”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 30, 2025Electrical system, Unknown or other, Back over preventionODI 11663863

Visibility

4 reports2 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Navigator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V091000 (Visibility); and the remedy was available, and the vehicle was scheduled for the repair. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed that the contact that the recall remedy called for the dealer to disconnect the LED light wires. The contact expressed dissatisfaction with the recall remedy, stating that she believed simply disconnecting the LED light wires did not constitute a repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed the recall remedy. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 22, 2025VisibilityODI 11656186

Air bags

3 reports2 crashes
“The contact owned a 2017 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while traveling at 40 MPH, the vehicle struck the front passenger side of another vehicle that made an illegal U-turn at a higher rate of speed. The vehicle spun out and came to a stop after crashing into a bus occupied by children. No air bags deployed, and the contact believed the air bags should have deployed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. Two individuals were injured. The contact was driving and sustained injuries to the head, neck, shoulders, knees, legs, chest, right elbow, right arm, and internal bruising from the seat belt. The other person sustained unknown injuries. Medical attention was required for the injuries sustained. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 1, 2026Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11761435
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.