2023 Lincoln Navigator El recalls & complaints

1. 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 front axle pinion may not have been heat-treated, which can cause it to fracture.

What could happen: A fractured pinion can result in a loss of 4-wheel drive and may cause the front wheels to lock up, increasng the risk of a crash.

The fix: Dealers will replace the front axle pinion gear set. If there is a broken front axle pinion, the entire axle assembly will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for thi…

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 2023 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 23V128000 (manufacturer code 23S07).
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. 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 2023 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.

3. 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 2023 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.

4. Brakes

What's wrong, in plain English: Anything that slows the car down. Treat brake recalls as urgent. The front brake lines may contact the engine air cleaner outlet pipe and become damaged, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak and reduced brake function.

What could happen: A loss of brake function increases the risk of a crash.

The fix: Dealers will inspect the front brake line and replace the brake line or air cleaner outlet pipe, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S47.

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 2023 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 25V314000 (manufacturer code 25S47).
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. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.

What could happen: A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed o…

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 2023 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 25V315000 (manufacturer code 25S49).
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.

6. Brakes

What's wrong, in plain English: Anything that slows the car down. Treat brake recalls as urgent. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

What could happen: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) i…

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 2023 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V104000 (manufacturer code 26C10).
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. Backup camera

What's wrong, in plain English: The rear camera may not show an image when reversing. The Image Processing Module A (IPMA) may experience multiple unexpected resets, resulting in loss of the rearview camera image and advanced driver assistance (ADAS) features, including pre-collision assist, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring.

What could happen: Loss of the rearview camera image and certain driver assistance features, can reduce the driver’s ability to detect hazards, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: The Image Processing Module A software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. This is a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include 2025 Aviator, 2025 Explorer, 2025 Nautilus notified owners on 4/13/2026. Phase 2 will include 2025 Navigator will notify owners on or about 4/20/2…

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 2023 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V165000 (manufacturer code 26S21).
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. Visibility (wipers / glass)

What's wrong, in plain English: You may not be able to see the road clearly. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the wipers to fail.

What could happen: Windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the wiper arms, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S24.Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHT…

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 2023 NAVIGATOR EL.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Lincoln dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V204000 (manufacturer code 26S24).
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: Body / structure (1).

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