Based on 12 NHTSA recalls and 52 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.
D
48/100
The 2018 Lincoln Navigator shows high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the issues below and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.
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12
NHTSA Recalls
12 recalls on record
52
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
0
Crash Reports
3 fire reports
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All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Lincoln dealer at no charge to the owner.
🔧 Fuel System, Gasoline: Delivery: Fuel Pump
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Seats: Mid/Rear Assembly
In the event of a crash, a seat that moves may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: 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….
🔧 Power Train: Automatic Transmission
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…
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Visibility: Power Window Devices And Controls
If the window does not automatically reverse when an obstruction is found, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Equipment: Other: Owners/Service/Other Manual
Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Seat Belts: Pretensioner
Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Equipment: Other: Labels
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.
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Seat Belts: Pretensioner
Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: 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…
🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Master Cylinder
A brake fluid leak can cause reduced brake function and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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…
Showing 10 of 12 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →
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Based on 52 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.
📊
A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2018 model year is highlighted.
→ Decode a Lincoln VIN — free Lincoln VIN decoder guide: where to find the VIN and what each part means.
⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2019 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.
✅ Best model years: 2012, 2013 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.
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Is the 2018 Lincoln Navigator reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 Lincoln Navigator has 12 recall campaigns and 52 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2018 Lincoln Navigator have?
The 2018 Lincoln Navigator has 12 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Lincoln Navigator?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2018 Lincoln Navigator are: Power Train, Engine, Unknown Or Other, Steering. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2018 Lincoln Navigator safe to buy?
The 2018 Lincoln Navigator has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 12 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Lincoln Navigator should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Lincoln Navigator are: 2012, 2013. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2019.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update.
For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit
NHTSA.gov/recalls.