4.1

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
29,000 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #3

May 042018

Aviator 8-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
The button on the gear shift lever gets stuck. It may or may not be depressed at any given time. You must have your foot depressed on the brake to allow the car to be put it into gear. The brake sensor is working. After reading many complaints online of this identical problem it sounds like it may be the plastic rod in this assembly. Why plastic would be used is baffling. The cost of repair is around $1200 dollars. Unbelievable. One man said he has replaced this part 3 times. This is a widespread problem with Ford in general. My car has 80,000 miles and has been kept in very good condition. Now this, along with the drivers side window motor going out as well. Another $4000-$600 dollar fix. Quite unhappy about this. I am 60 and cannot be stuck somewhere and not be able to get my car into gear. Thank you. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'

- Sisters, OR, USA

problem #2

Nov 012004

Aviator 8-cyl

  • miles
Multiple failures in 2003 Lincoln Aviator. Difficulty turning, starting, jerk in steering wheel, vibration in tires, gear changer loose and ect. The consumer purchased the vehicle with 18 inch rims but Ford requires 17 inch rims to be legal (oem) equipment. The consumer felt that this was maliciously dishonest sale of an automobile. The side fender had a gauge on the inside, the rear storage section leather ripped, the tire monitor system kept coming on with a warning sign from the computer of a mechanical defect, difficulty starting the vehicle, jerking in the steering wheel, noise in the steering wheel, noise in heating/vent bubbling, passenger front windows were rattling, there was motor noise upon acceleration, front end noise, rear hatch rattled and was shaking, the wheels squealed and rubbed, the doors did not automattically lock when the vehcile was engaged into drive, and the engine knock as if it were running rough. When the service tech tried to shift the gear lever out of park, the entire gear lever had come apart in pieces. The consumer stated that the vehicle was worse than ever. Currently when the brakes were applied the steering would go out of control, jerk left and right, shaked out of control and unable to steer.

- Newnan, GA, USA

problem #1

Sep 152003

Aviator

  • Automatic transmission
  • 7,000 miles
1. I was sitting at a traffic light first thing in the morning when all my warning lights on the dash came on and my car died. It said low oil pressure. I was able to get the car restarted, and have not experienced the problem again. Dealer indicated they could detect no problem. 2. paint in door jambs different color than rest of vehicle. Dealer indicated in small crash, probably at time of unloading vehicle...damage repaired and repainted. I had them repaint to make car same color. 3. other - this is my most frustrating problem. When it gets hot out (90 degrees or more), the left side passenger door moulding expands and sticks to the driver door. I cannot open the back door without forcing it, which has chipped the paint on the inside of the front door. This has also happened on the passenger door, but not to the same extent as the driver side. All mouldings have been replaced once, but the problem continues. I have had it in about another six times since for the same problem...most of the time being told there is nothing they can do or there is no problem. They are now ordering some new moulding which will hopefully correct the problem. Also, it took me three trips for them to finally fix the air conditioned seat on the passenger side which stopped working. The first time I was told the entire component was replaced...I drove off the lot, and again it wasn't working. I took it back and was pretty much told I was an idiot, it was working. I drove off the lot, it wasn't working. I took it back again, and they found a loose connection in the wiring, which they finally fixed. It now works. 4. the first time I mentioned the squealing brakes, they checked them out and said it was normal. I took the vehicle back again, because the squealing was worse, and they replaced the brakes and pads. Obviously, there was a problem!

- Corona, CA, USA