2003 Lincoln Navigator Problems, Recalls & Reliability
179 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2003 Lincoln Navigator, alongside 1 recall campaign and 1 defect investigation. It scores 59/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Suspension leads the reports, typically around 76,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2003 Lincoln Navigator sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2002, 2007–2008, 2015–2018, 2020–2022.
Avoid
Where 2003 sits among all Navigator years
What owners report
“Dt: while making a right turn off on an exit, the vehicle went out of control, the front driver's tire rolled off, then the tie rod snapped and the consumer was trapped. The consumer hit a guard rail. No other vehicles or people were involved. The consumer stated that tire or tie rod was so hot…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Navigator
“Takata recall !!! I have a 2003 lincoln navigator that has the same issue with the reverse lights same recall issue as the 2012 navigator also the car when it's in park won't engage when the break pedal is applied to unlock the gearing to reverse nutural drive 1st and 2ed gear it won't huge safety…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Navigator
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 123 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 67,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 35,000 and 108,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108,…
Fix: TRADESONIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRADESONIC AT 626-934-8884.
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
150 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2003 Lincoln Navigator. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2003 Navigator TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2003 Lincoln Navigator reliable?
The 2003 Lincoln Navigator drew 179 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 59/100, scored against the model's worst year (1998).
What are the most common 2003 Lincoln Navigator problems?
The top reported problems for the 2003 Lincoln Navigator are suspension (39 complaints), electrical (26), and body & structure (18).
At what mileage do 2003 Lincoln Navigator problems show up?
Owners most often report 2003 Lincoln Navigator problems around 67,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 35,000 and 108,000 miles.
Does the 2003 Lincoln Navigator have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2003 Lincoln Navigator. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.