2018 Lincoln Navigator El recalls & complaints

1. Fuel system

What's wrong, in plain English: Fuel lines, tank or pump. Fuel problems usually mean a leak, and leaks mean fire risk. 5L GTDI V6 engines. These vehicles have high pressure fuel pump assemblies with welds that can fracture, which may cause an oil or fuel leak.

What could happen: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of a fire.

The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump and associated components, free of charge. The recall began July 17, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S17.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V392000 (manufacturer code 18S17).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

2. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. The second row center seat track assemblies may be missing one or both of the J-Channel reinforcement brackets, possibly allowing the seat to move in the event of a crash.

What could happen: In the event of a crash, a seat that moves may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury.

The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row center seat for any missing J-channel reinforcement brackets, replacing the center seat frame assembly as necessary, free of charge. An interim owner notification was sent on December 21, 2018. A second letter will be mailed once the remedy is availab…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V805000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

3. Transmission / drivetrain

What's wrong, in plain English: The parts that send engine power to the wheels. Failure can mean a sudden loss of power or the car rolling away. A roll pin may not have been installed in the transmission, potentially causing a loss of the "Park" function.

What could happen: Despite the transmission shift lever being placed in 'Park' and the instrument panel display indicating 'Park,' the vehicle may roll away after it has been exited if the parking brake has not been applied, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.

The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmission to make sure it has the roll pin, installing one if it is missing, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S09.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V213000 (manufacturer code 18S09).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

4. Equipment

What's wrong, in plain English: A part or accessory supplied with the vehicle. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."

What could happen: Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

The fix: Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C20.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 23V420000 (manufacturer code 23C20).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

5. Backup camera

What's wrong, in plain English: The rear camera may not show an image when reversing. The rearview camera, or 360-degree view camera if equipped, may not display a rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse.

What could happen: Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, and update the software and wiring as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023 to Lincoln owners. Ford vehicle owners notification letters were mailed March 4, 2024. Ford remedy parts are anticipated 2nd Quarter 2024. Ford's number f…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 23V598000 (manufacturer code 23S48).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

6. Seat belts

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat belts may not hold you in a crash. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently deploy and lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

What could happen: Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

The fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors, as necessary. Additionally, dealers will install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 24V099000 (manufacturer code 24S06).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

7. Equipment

What's wrong, in plain English: A part or accessory supplied with the vehicle. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

What could happen: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

The fix: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 24V852000 (manufacturer code 24C39).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

8. Seat belts

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat belts may not hold you in a crash. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

What could happen: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

The fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S31. Some vehicles in this recall that were previously inspected under recall 24V-099 and…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 25V197000 (manufacturer code 25S31).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

9. Brakes

What's wrong, in plain English: Anything that slows the car down. Treat brake recalls as urgent. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.

What could happen: A brake fluid leak can cause reduced brake function and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 25V236000 (manufacturer code 25S37).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

10. Seat belts

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat belts may not hold you in a crash. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

What could happen: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 8, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. F…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V344000 (manufacturer code 26S34).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

11. Transmission / drivetrain

What's wrong, in plain English: The parts that send engine power to the wheels. Failure can mean a sudden loss of power or the car rolling away. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.

What could happen: Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in April 2027.…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V402000 (manufacturer code 26S48).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

12. Visibility (wipers / glass)

What's wrong, in plain English: You may not be able to see the road clearly. The second row window control modules may intermittently stop the movement of the power window. If something, such as a finger, is pinched by the window glass, the stopped window control module may prevent the window from automatically reversing. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."

What could happen: If the window does not automatically reverse when an obstruction is found, it can increase the risk of injury.

The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row window electronic control modules, and replace them as necessary based on their build date codes, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C01.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V058000 (manufacturer code 18C01).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-866-436-7332.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most complained-about parts: Transmission / drivetrain (2).

Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.