Lincoln Aviator Reliability and Common Problems

The Lincoln Aviator is a reliable luxury midsize SUV that’s all about elegance, spacious interiors, and performance. Despite its reliability and user-friendly features, it has a pretty steep 5-year depreciation rate of 50%, according to CarEdge.com. This means that assuming a selling price of $74,000, the Aviator’s resale value will go down to less than $40,000 in five years. 

Are Lincoln Aviators Reliable?

Lincoln Aviators are fairly reliable midsize SUVs. As of writing, RepairPal.com doesn’t have sufficient data on the Lincoln Aviator to publish a specific reliability rating for the vehicle. But based on the data the site has, the Aviator’s rating is 3.5 out of 5.0, which is an average score for its segment. 

British marketing research firm J.D. Power gave the 2020-2021 Aviator an average reliability score of 7.7 out of 10. Meanwhile, the vehicle information website Edmunds.com gave 2003-2005 Lincoln Aviators above-average ratings (4.4 out of 5.0 stars) while the 2020-2022 Aviators received average scores (7.7 out of 10).

According to CarEdge.com, the maintenance cost of a Lincoln Aviator is around $12,000 for its first 10 years of service. There’s also a 33% chance that this model will require repairs during that time. According to 2003-2005 Aviator owners on RepairPal.com, their SUVs lasted them at least 200,000 miles with proper care and maintenance. 

Top Lincoln Aviator Problems

Despite its good reliability scores, the Lincoln Aviator has some problems that you should note. Below are some of the most common Lincoln Aviator problems:

Faulty Infotainment System and Radio

The most common 2020 Lincoln Aviator problem listed on the CarComplaints website is an accessories issue, particularly the infotainment system. According to an affected owner, at seemingly random times their vehicle’s infotainment system or radio would boost or distort the sound of whatever’s playing without increasing the actual volume. This owner said that the problem went away on its own after a few minutes. While this issue doesn’t seem to affect the Aviator drivability, it’s very annoying and can startle the driver and passengers. 

According to another Aviator owner, they would hear regular, pulsating static noises whenever they tuned their radio to AM stations. This owner reported the issue to their dealership, but the service manager told him that they had yet to find a solution to the problem. Both infotainment system issues happened within the first 4,000 miles of ownership. 

There are currently no recalls for these problems for the 2020 Aviator. However, Lincoln issued a technical service bulletin (TSB) for another radio-related issue. TSB #SSM49092 was released in August 2020 to address a software problem for 2020 Aviators that caused an inaccurate number of radio stations to be displayed on the front display interface module (FDIM).

Cracked Rear Panel 

The worst Lincoln Aviator problem is a cracked rear panel. This is the most widely reported issue for the 2003, 2004, and 2005 Lincoln Aviators. The problem also seems to be rampant in other Ford vehicles, such as the 2002-2005 Ford Explorer and the Mercury Mountaineer. According to the affected owners, a vertical crack suddenly formed in the rear hatch assembly where the Lincoln insignia is located. The owners have reported that this issue is a known defect, but Ford allegedly refuses to address the issue. 

Owners have filed several tailgate crack lawsuits against Ford Motor Co. According to these lawsuits and several consumer reports, Ford allegedly concealed the tailgate crack defect in 2003-2005 Aviators as well as other Ford models. As of 2014, three Ford tailgate crack class action lawsuits have been consolidated into one nationwide class action lawsuit. You can find out more about the details of these lawsuits on the Top Class Actions website. As of writing, there are no recalls, TSBs, or investigations for this particular issue.

Tailgate Glass Cracked

This 2005 Lincoln Aviator problem is somewhat related to the tailgate crack issue. According to the Lincoln Aviator owners who encountered this issue, after they had their cracked rear plastic panels fixed, the glass lift gate cracked as well. One owner encountered this problem at approximately 75,000 miles. Fortunately, Lincoln issued TSB #0485 to address this cracked glass issue in January 2005. However, as of writing, there is no available copy of the document on CarComplaints.com. You can, however, request for a copy of this TSB from your local Lincoln dealer’s service department. 

Engine Shutting Off While Driving

A few owners of 2004 Lincoln Aviators had problems with their engine shutting off while driving. The reports on CarComplaints.com are similar in that the affected owners were all driving when their vehicle suddenly stopped working. One owner has even reported that despite having their vehicle checked at different shops, the technicians and mechanics weren’t able to find any trouble codes. Another owner had a similar experience and has reported that even the mechanics at Ford didn’t know what the problem was. 

According to another owner, they had their vehicle brought in for service and the dealership replaced two sensors. While the check engine light had already gone out, their vehicle still stalled frequently after the repair. These owners have reported that they experienced this problem at around 130,000 miles and it cost them at least $300 to fix. 

There are no active recalls for the 2004 Aviator, but there are a lot of engine and diagnostic trouble code (DTC)-related TSBs for this particular model year on CarComplaints.com.

Broken Shifter Rod

One of the most serious 2003 Lincoln Aviator problems is a broken shifter rod. Aside from the cracked rear panel, this is the most reported issue for this model year. The problem, according to an owner, was that the shifter stopped working as they were shifting out of park. 

Another affected owner has reported that before encountering this issue, they had already replaced their transmission, lower control arms, brake lines, rear windows, and dashboard. One owner said that they encountered this issue at approximately 69,000 miles, which is an unusually low mileage to encounter a transmission-related issue. On average, the affected owners encountered this problem at approximately 98,000 miles and it cost them at least $1,000 to fix. 

On November 21, 2002, 25 units of 2003 Lincoln Aviators were recalled due to a faulty transmission shift cable. According to the Lincoln Recall #02S43, this issue with the transmission shift cable can result in incorrect gear indication. There are also quite a few transmission-related TSBs for the 2003 Aviator, some of which are listed on the CarComplaints website.

Rear Wheel Bearing Failure

Wheel bearings are important because they help facilitate the proper function of the wheel hub, tire, and wheel assemblies. They allow the wheel hub assembly to move freely and enable the tire and wheel to rotate smoothly. Driving with bad wheel bearings can make you lose control of your vehicle or cause you to have brake problems. Unfortunately, rear wheel bearing failure is a common problem of the 2003 Lincoln Aviator. 

According to an affected owner, they noticed an unusual noise coming from their wheels and upon inspection, they found out that their wheel bearings had become very worn down. The weird part, according to the owner, was that they encountered this issue at around 76,000 miles. According to the reports on CarComplaints.com, affected owners encountered this problem at around 94,000 miles and it cost them at least $500 to fix. 

Lincoln issued TSB #051710 to address the 2003 Aviator’s wheel bearing noise back in October 2005, but the document has yet to be made available online as of writing. If you do own this particular model year, you can ask your dealership for a copy of the TSB. 

Despite being a reliable ride, the Aviator still has a few rather inconvenient problems, many of which are related to its interior and accessories. Before purchasing a new or used unit, make sure to do your research, especially on the model year you plan on buying. Also, before sealing the deal, make sure you clear everything up with the seller, including the specific Lincoln Aviator’s repair history, TSBs, and recalls.

How Much Does a Lincoln Aviator Cost?

A Lincoln Aviator costs around $53,300 to $80,800 in 2024. It comes in different trims, including the Premiere (base model), Reserve, and Black Label. 

2024 Lincoln Aviator Pros and Cons

Like any vehicle, the 2024 remodel of the Lincoln Aviator has its ups and downs. Here’s a quick summary of the Aviator’s pros and cons.

Pros

• Nice interior
• Comfortable ride quality
• High-quality design
• Quick acceleration
• Advanced features

Cons

• Not much headroom
• Disappointing fuel economy
• Subpar front and rear visibility
• Soft handling

Maintain Your Lincoln Aviator With OE-Grade Components

If you want to keep your Lincoln Aviator as elegant, powerful, and reliable as ever, you’ll need to keep it well-maintained. After accruing some mileage, some components will wear out and need replacement. Some of these parts might include control arms and brake lines, which are critical components in the Aviator’s suspension and braking systems. You shouldn’t ignore faulty components because they can compromise your safety.

Good thing CarParts.com has a wide selection of control arms and brake lines that are sourced from the most trusted manufacturers in the industry. CarParts.com also guarantees fast shipping for selected parts, so you can get back on the road as soon as possible. Order your components by midnight ET, and you can expect your package to arrive in as fast as two business days.

Don’t wait until other critical systems fail before you start replacing defective parts. Check out our catalog of brake lines, control arms, and other Lincoln Aviator components at CarParts.com today!