2018 Lincoln Navigator problems

“The contact's wife owns a 2018 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the gear shifter independently shifted to park and other gears while driving over a railroad track. The vehicle was turned off and restarted and operated as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 139,000.”

“We purchased a 2018 Lincoln Navigator L in 2022 with 29,489 miles, and it has been great. We are at 64,351 miles, and it is making the cold-start rattling noise. We have called Lincoln for assistance, and they are refusing to help. They stated that there is no help. I took it to Duval Ford, and with other issues such as the water pump and leaks, they quoted 12,000 to fix this truck. They did say they had a payment plan to fix the vehicle. When the soft pull was opened in 2022, our truck did not make noise at that time. I believe Ford should stand by their product, and there are so many videos on YouTube addressing this vehicle.”

“The vehicle has experienced repeated mechanical failures involving the engine, cooling system, drivetrain, and electronic systems. Documented failures include the navigation/APIM module, transmission jerking and drivability issues, transmission valve body concerns, cam phaser failure, driveshaft repair, front wheel bearing/IWE failure, coolant leaks from heater core hoses, and engine vibration requiring extensive diagnostic work including a short block engine repair. The vehicle has also experienced multiple overheating incidents despite prior repairs. Overheating occurred in May 2025, December 2025, and February 2026. During these events the engine temperature rose abnormally and coolant had to be added to the reservoir. Drivetrain problems including transmission jerking, vibration, and driveshaft repair also created drivability concerns while operating the vehicle at highway speeds. These issues have been inspected and confirmed by an authorized Lincoln dealership service department. Numerous repairs and diagnostics have been performed including APIM replacement, cam phaser repair, heater hose replacement, wheel bearing/IWE replacement, driveshaft repair, and…”

“Vehicle: 2018 Lincoln Navigator VIN: [XXX] Component: Steering Mileage: 103899 Complaint Narrative: I recently purchased a 2018 Lincoln Navigator and took delivery on December 10, 2025. Within days of delivery, I observed a metallic contact noise originating from beneath the steering column. The noise occurs consistently when the vehicle is turned off, within one to three seconds after ignition off, and intermittently while driving during steering input, particularly while making turns. The sound is best described as metal on metal contact, not an electronic relay or normal operational noise. The condition appears load dependent and reproducible. The steering response remains functional at this time, and no warning indicators are present. However, because the noise occurs during active steering, I am concerned about possible mechanical interference, wear, or binding within the steering column or related steering components, which could worsen over time and affect steering control. The vehicle has a prior manufacturer buyback history from 2021, and I am documenting this concern to ensure that any steering-related condition is evaluated and tracked as a potential…”

“The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln Navigator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V598000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that on three occasions while in reverse, the back over prevention camera went black. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 80,000. Parts distribution disconnect.”

“Seat will randomly fold while sitting in them Third time this has happened while people have been in them Happened approx 3 more times with people not in the seats ( back seats) captain chairs”