2004 Lincoln Aviator

Routine

Owners filed 81 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › automatic transmission. No safety recall has been issued.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
71,000 milesMedian miles at failure

68 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 60,00075,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train › Automatic Transmission11
000
Structure › Body8
000
Engine and Engine Cooling8
000
Unknown or Other5
000
Electrical System5
001
Air Bags5
101
Power Train4
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine4
000
Engine4
000
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core2
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Nov 12, 2019205,000 milesNE

MY SUV MISFIRES, SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEARS, STALLS AT STOP SIGNS AND LIGHTS, ACCELERATES AT STOP LIGHTS. OCCASIONALLY WHEN THE AC IS TURNED ON, THERE IS A VERY LOUD CLUNK SOUND.

Air BagsCrash
Filed Nov 3, 2019130,000 milesNY

HIT A GUARDRAIL ON THE PARKWAY AND ONLY THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 20, 2019102,000 milesFL

BACKED UP VEHICLE STOPPED SHIFTED TRANSMISSION TO DRIVE PRESSED ACCELERATOR VEHICLE ROCKETED BACKWARD BECAUSE SHIFT CABLE DISLODGED FROM ATTACHMENT ON TRANSMISSION.

Electrical System
Filed Feb 26, 2019VA

BATTERY KEEPS GETTING DRAINED, I HAVE HAVE HAD SIX NEW BATTERY'S WITHIN TWO YEARS. ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED.

Unknown or Other
Filed Dec 26, 201783,000 milesCO

SHIFTER DOES NOT COME OUT OF PARK WITHOUT TRYING MANY MANY TIMES BEFORE IT RELEASES.

Electrical System1 injured
Filed Jun 5, 2017167,786 milesLA

THE VEHICLE DOWN SHIFT WHEN TURNING INTO THE FIRST AS IT GOES INTO SECOND MAKES IN AWFUL NOISE. WHEN I PARKED IT AND TRIED TO START IT AND IT WAS DEAD.THE MECHANIC FIGURE IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE STARTER HE GOT UNDER THE VEHICLE TO APPLIED STARTER TOLD ME TO START IT AND IT DID AND IT PINNED HIM UNDER THE VEHICLE.THEY LATER SAID THE BELT HAD POPPED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEN LEAKING A LITE FLUID THEY BELIEVED IT TO BE THE DIFFERENTIAL OIL. ITS A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. I HAD IT TOWED TO BOHN FORD 6/5/17THEY ARE CHARGING 350.00 TO REPLACE THE BELT.CITY ST. LATER PARK IT AT WALMART PARKING LOT WHERE THE PEOPLE HELPED PUSH THE VEHICLE OFF THE MECHANIC.THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL BACK WHEN PUT IN DRIVE.

Exterior Lighting
Filed May 17, 201720,000 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRING FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS FAULTY. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED.THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 08/29/17*LJ *CN

Power Train
Filed Jan 13, 2016LA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT GEARS, THE GEAR SHIFTER SEIZED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION CYLINDER. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Air Bags
Filed Jul 14, 201559,000 milesNC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THERE WAS NO CRASH INVOLVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A CRASH DETECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

Structure › Body
Filed Mar 30, 2015100,000 milesKY

THE BACK LIFT GATE WAS CRACK WITH OUT ACCIDENT, FORD SHOULD RECALL. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Feb 22, 2015129,802 milesAZ

I WAS DRIVING EAST ON THE 202 FWY IN PHOENIX AT A SPEED BETWEEN 65-68 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND BOTH SIDE AIR CURTAINS DEPLOYED. TIME: 9:30 P.M. FEB. 20, 2015. *TR

Power Train
Filed Oct 6, 2014126,000 milesVA

I TRIED TO PULL OFF AT A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION AND NOTHING. I CAME VERY CLOSE TO GETTING INTO A CRASH. I AM NOW TOLD FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE. I'VE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLE SINCE I PURCHASE MY 2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR LUX WITH 80,000 MILES ON IT AND ALWAYS HAD IT SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP. I THOUGHT I WAS MAKING A GOOD DECISION WHEN PURCHASING A LINCOLN. I'M A SINGLE PARENT AND WANTED A RELIABLE VEHICLE. WORST DECISION I EVER MADE!!! FIRST IT STARTED WITH THE GEAR SHIFT GETTING STUCK AND NEEDING REPLACED. THEN I HAD TO REPLACE ALL COIL PACKS. THE AIR CONDITION STARTED MAKING A FUNNY NOISE WHEN YOU TURN IT ON BUT HASN'T BEEN FIXED BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP CAN NEVER GET IT TO DUPLICATE BUT HAPPENS TO ME ALL THE TIME! NEXT BOTH WHEEL HUBS. THE SECOND ONE BREAKING ON THE INTERSTATE WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE PENNSYLVANIA. THANKFULLY I NOTICED A WEIRD NOISE AND PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER (I HAD TO WAIT ON FOR 2 HOURS) SAID HAD I EVEN DROVE 30 MORE FEET I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A POSSIBLE FATAL ACCIDENT WITH BOTH OF MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR AT 70 MILES/HR. LAST WEEK BOTH CONTROL ARMS 3 DAYS LATER LEAVES ME STRANDED IN TRAFFIC AT A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION WITH THE CAR BEHIND ME ONLY COMING INCHES FROM HITTING ME AFTER I RELEASE THE BREAK AND PRESS THE GAS HEAR A LOUD NOISE AND NOTHING HAPPENS! DID I MENTION THIS HAPPENED ON MY WAY TO WORK! AGAIN WAITED FOR 45 MIN FOR A TOW TRUCK. NOW I HAVE A ESTIMATED OF $485

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 8, 201497,792 milesAR

SHIFTER WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK FROM REVERSE SOMETIMES WOULD NOT UNLOCK FROM PARK POSITION. SERIOUS PROBLEM WHEN YOUR SHIFTER SHOWS IN DRIVE AND YOU END UP STILL GOING IN REVERSE. READ OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS SOUNDS LIKE A DEFECT WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. *JS

Engine
Filed May 28, 2014102,000 milesMD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

Structure
Filed Mar 11, 201471,000 milesNC

AS I WAS EXITING A STORE AND WALKING TOWARD MY VEHICLE, I NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE A BLACK STREAK ON THE BACK OF MY LIFTGATE. WHEN I WAS CLOSER, I SAW THAT IT WAS A CRACK IN THE BACK OF THE LIFT GATE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE EMBLEM OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BACK WINDOW TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LIFT GATE. THIS CRACK WAS NOT THERE WHEN I PARKED THE VEHICLE TO ENTER THE GROCERY STORE BECAUSE I HAD TO WALK AROUND THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE TO MAKE MY WAY INTO THE STORE AND ALWAYS LOOK AT THE BACK END TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAD PULLED IN FAR ENOUGH FOR OTHERS TO PASS. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE HAD BACKED INTO MY VEHICLE BUT THERE WERE NO OTHER MARKS, DENTS, SCUFFS, ETC. I WAS CURIOUS TO FIND OUT WHAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS AND FOUND THAT THIS SAME CRACK HAS OCCURRED TO MANY OTHER OWNERS OF LINCOLN AVIATORS AND WELL AS FORD EXPLORERS AND MERCURY MOUNTAINEERS. FURTHER RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT THIS FRACTURE WAS, IN FACT, A DESIGN FLAW THAT WAS NOT ADDRESSED AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURE. SO DISAPPOINTED. *TR

Structure › Body
Filed Mar 3, 201473,000 milesVA

WHY WASHING SUV NOTICED A STRESS CRACK ON MY REAR LIFT GATE. BELIEVE THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. I NOTICED THIS CRACK ON OTHER LINCOLN/FORD SUV'S. *TR

Engine
Filed Dec 2, 201372,614 milesIL

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AS A CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE. IT HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. ONCE IT EXPIRED I'VE EXPERIENCED EVERY SINGLE COMPLAINT PEOPLE HAVE STATED ONLINE ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. AS OF TODAY (12/02/13) IT STILL HAS ONLY 74,000 MILES ON IT AND THE LATEST PROBLEM IS THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHY. I AM A STAY AT HOME MOM AND WEAR-AND-TEAR ON IT IS VERY MINIMAL (GROCERY SHOPPING, TO AND FROM SCHOOL, ETC.). I HAVE NEVER HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS ON A "SO CALLED" LUXURY VEHICLE BEFORE! I'VE HAD BAD COILS IN CYLINDERS 3, 4, 5 (TWICE), AND 7 REPLACED UNDER LINCOLN'S RECALL. THE TAILGATE PANEL CRACKED (JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO OWN THIS VEHICLE AND THE MOUNTAINEERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT), BUT THEY WON'T FIX IT. IN ADDITION, A WHITE PLASTIC PIECE FELL OUT OF THE TOP HALF OF THE TAILGATE AND NOW IT WILL NOT CLOSE ANYMORE THEREFORE I CAN NO LONGER TAKE IT THROUGH CAR WASHES. THE BRACKET FOR THE SUN VISOR ON MY PASSENGER SIDE COMPLETELY DETERIORATED AND CAUSED THE VISOR TO SUDDENLY DANGLE FROM THE ROOF OF MY CAR WHILE DRIVING. NOW, I CANNOT FLIP IT UP AND IT CAUSES A BLIND SPOT. THERE IS ALSO SOMETHING FAULTY WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WHICH DRAINS MY BATTERY ON A REGULAR BASIS AND I HAVE TO HAVE MY JUMPED. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES NOW BECAUSE IT IS HAS SHORTED OUT. TO COMPLICATE MATTERS, EVERY TIME I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THESE REPAIRS, THEY INSIST ON DOING A "DIAGNOSTICS CHECK" AND EVERY TIME THEY WANT TO CH

Engine
Filed Jun 28, 2013126,225 milesCA

THE CARS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN 4-20-07 JUST OVER 50,000 MILES. WE WERE TOLD BY FORD TWO CYLINDER HEADS7 &8 HAD ISSUES AND WOULD REQUIRE A $5900.00 O.H. THEY DID OFFER US $1500.00 TOWARDS THE ENGINE. WE LEARNED LATTER, FORD HAD A INTER-OFFICE BULLETIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AS DID ALL-DATA. NOW AT 126,00 WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE ENGINE OVERHAULED. FORD SHOULD BE MANDATED TO COVER THE FULL COST OF THESE REPAIRS. THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE 2004. *TR

Engine
Filed Jun 5, 201384,000 milesOR

1 YEAR AFTER PURCHASE AT 52,000 -REPLACED COILS (RECALLED) , BRAKE SWITCH, COST JUST TO LEAD AND FIND ISSUES AFTER FULL SERVICE MAINTENANCE, $1500. 2 YRS IN, TRANSMISSION DUE TO THING THAT IS ATTACHED AND LOOKS LIKE A BRAIN PLATE TO THE TRANSMISSION, (SMS PACK)STILL OWING PLUS NOW, UPCOMING ON LATEST TRANSMISSION/COMPUTER/ AT 84,000 :( S CAR HAS TAKEN ME COMPLETELY UPSIDE DOWN AND IN THE HOLE OWING $12,000 + $3000 FOR NEWEST REPAIR. JUST GOT CAR BACK AND NOW IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS A POTENTIAL SMALL DELAY AND WANTS TO JUMP IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC WHICH I JUST EXPERIENCED YESTERDAY. WHY IS THIS CAR STILL ON THE ROAD AND NOT RECALLED. THE PROBLEMS GO ON AND ON AND ON. I EMAILED FORD AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR INTO THEIR DEALERSHIP WHERE I CAN BE ROBBED EVEN FURTHER. SAD!! THESE ARE ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF LINKS THAT ARE OUT THERE DUE TO LINCOLN HAVING KNOWN ISSUES. I SPOKE WITH A CAR SALESMAN THIS LAST WEEK AND HE HAS A 2005 AVIATOR AND JUST REPLACED THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION AT 92,000 MILES. HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2004/LINCOLN/LS/POWER_TRAIN/PROBLEM.ASPX HTTP://WWW.AUTOMOTIVEFORUMS.COM/T936173-POSSIBLE_SOLUTION_FOR_THE_COMMON_LINCOLN_LS_TRANS_PROBLEMS.HTML HTTP://VIN.CENTRALCLEARINGHOUSE.COM/CENTRAL/VIN.NSF/0/22BFF5BE198030B78825777D002F814D HTTP://REPAIRPAL.COM/SHIFT-LEVER-STUCK-IN-DRIVE- *TR

Power Train
Filed Apr 27, 2013126,000 milesNY

I HAD JUST GOTTEN ONTO THE HIGHWAY,AT ABOUT 40 MPH THE REAR WHEELS STARTED TO SKIP AND JERK ALSO THERE WAS A LOUD CLUCK FROM UNDER THE FRONT....THE MECHANIC FOUND THE TRANSFER CASE WAS DAMAGED DUE TO CHEAP FORD PARTS..... *TR

20 of 81 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20270200Routine
20263600Routine
2025161500Routine
20246800Routine
2023241600Routine
2022452110Routine
2021392810Routine
20201083010Routine
200551000Routine
2004 — this page81010Routine
2003111100Routine

Compare every Aviator year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.