3rd generation · U326 (standard wheelbase); U418 (Navigator L) · 306 complaints, 188 with mileage
Owners filed 306 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007–2017 Lincoln Navigator, and 188 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
This generation has two distinct failure patterns rather than one, which is the most useful thing on this page. 17% of failures occur before 12,000 miles, which looks like a manufacturing defect, and a further 30% occur after 100,000, which looks like wear. Two different problems share one name in the complaint data — and an average of the two describes neither.
The most-reported areas are the electrical system (13.7% of complaints, typically around 80,500 miles), the transmission and driveline (11.1% of complaints, typically around 72,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (8.8% of complaints, typically around 71,500 miles).
9 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 42 | 13.7% | 80,500 | 57,114–102,000 |
| Power Train | 34 | 11.1% | 72,000 | 32,000–102,000 |
| Unknown Or Other | 27 | 8.8% | 71,500 | 53,986–113,412 |
| Service Brakes | 27 | 8.8% | 69,500 | 58,252–90,000 |
| Visibility | 19 | 6.2% | 86,500 | 13,000–122,000 |
| Engine | 18 | 5.9% | 75,500 | 59,000–90,500 |
| Structure | 17 | 5.6% | 78,000 | 27,000–122,000 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 16 | 5.2% | 40,000 | 10,000–72,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 | 4.2% | 102,000 | 53,986–110,000 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 11 | 3.6% | — | — |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 56 | 49 |
| 2008 | 40 | 30 |
| 2009 | 10 | 8 |
| 2010 | 22 | 13 |
| 2011 | 10 | 7 |
| 2012 | 15 | 9 |
| 2013 | 19 | 11 |
| 2014 | 25 | 18 |
| 2015 | 31 | 14 |
| 2016 | 33 | 18 |
| 2017 | 45 | 11 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 70,250 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The electrical system accounts for 13.7% of complaints (42 reports, 23 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 57,114 and 102,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 11.1% of complaints (34 reports, 23 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 72,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 32,000 and 102,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 8.8% of complaints (27 reports, 12 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 71,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 53,986 and 113,412 miles.
The brakes account for 8.8% of complaints (27 reports, 14 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 58,252 and 90,000 miles.
Visibility equipment accounts for 6.2% of complaints (19 reports, 12 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 86,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 13,000 and 122,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 5.9% of complaints (18 reports, 10 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 75,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 59,000 and 90,500 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2007 model year drew the most — 56 complaints — while 2010 drew the fewest at 22. The median year sits at 33.
The first year of the generation, 2007, sits above the median. That is a common pattern — early production of a redesigned vehicle tends to surface problems that later years do not repeat — and it is worth weighing when choosing between years.
NHTSA records 9 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the reversing camera and sensors (2), the hydraulic brake circuit (2), visibility equipment (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 306 complaints filed against this generation, 24 reported a crash; 12 reported a fire; 22 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 7.8% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, the two-peak pattern is the useful part. The early cluster — 17% of failures below 12,000 miles — will already have happened on any example you are looking at today, and either been repaired under warranty or not. Ask what was done. The late cluster, 30% above 100,000 miles, is the one still ahead of you if the car has lower mileage than that.
On inspection, the electrical system and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 72,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Two-piece spark plugs seize and break off in the aluminum heads on removal; Ford returned to one-piece plugs around the 2008-2009 build change, so the problem is concentrated in the earlier years of this generation.
Cam phaser rattle, phaser lock-up and timing chain tensioner/guide wear on the 3-valve 5.4L, producing cold-start rattle and, if ignored, chain jump.
Load-leveling air suspension continues to leak at the air springs and to overwork the compressor across this generation.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 25V572000 | 2026-01-13 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera |
| 25V270000 | 2025-10-16 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera |
| 25V236000 | 2025-09-25 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder |
| 25V091000 | 2025-03-27 | Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior |
| 22V648000 | 2023-08-04 | Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Fan/Motor |
| 22V150000 | 2022-04-29 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder |
| 16V248000 | 2016-09-16 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission |
| 12V190000 | 2012-06-11 | Exterior Lighting:Back Up Lights |
| 12V034000 | 2012-02-21 | Seats:Mid/Rear Assembly |