Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 160,000. The contact reset the mileage, and the display showed 247,000. The contact had not contacted any other agencies. The VIN was not available.
The worst 2003 Lincoln Navigator problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Suspension38
- Electrical22
- Body18
- Airbags14
- Engine14
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Suspension38
- Electrical22
- Body18
- Airbags14
- Engine14
- Transmission13
- Visibility13
- Acceleration7
- Brakes7
- Lights3
- Steering3
- Tires3
- Driver assistance2
- Locks2
- Seats2
- Wheels2
- Seat belts1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Defect investigations
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi?s analysis showed, it is possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi?s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect is very low.in view of the foregoing, it is unlikely that the federal safety agency would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize the federal safety agency?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency?s safety mission, the petition is denied.
DP05005
Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Lincoln Navigator 150
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This article supersedes TSB 22-2219 to update the Parts List and Service Procedure to clarify applicable...
- For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to
- Grinding/clicking/ratcheting noise from the front wheel area
- Grinding/clicking/ratcheting noise from the front wheel area
- This article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected
- Corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust
- Ford: some vehicles may exhibit oil separation from the internal lube found in the unitized cartridge seal
- Parking aid system is inoperative - DTC C1983
- High intensity discharge (HID) headlamps
- Air suspension performance - height sensor linkage arm disengaging
2003 Lincoln Navigator fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.4L 8‑cyl | RWD | 11 | 15 | 13 |
What 2003 Lincoln Navigator owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the residence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the rocker arms, and that the engine lacked adequate compression in cylinders #2 and #3, resulting in engine damage. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 75,000.
The contact owned a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that fifteen minutes after she parked and turned off the vehicle in the driveway, her brother alerted her that the driver's side front seat had caught fire. The air bags were deployed. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. The fire department determined that the cause of the fire was an electrical system failure. A fire department report was filed. The vehicle remained in the driveway and was not yet deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the federal safety agency Hotline. Prior to the failure, the gear shifter and driver's side front seat made grinding noises, and the passenger's side front window made clicking noises while driving. The failure mileage was 120,196.
Rain water leak next to passenger side back rear power window while parked
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 with the reverse lights I almost had an accident because other drivers are not aware I'm reversing issue started two months ago and I stopped driving it because I almost get into accidents with out the reverse lights wonder if this is a common safety consent for a recall.
My suspension has airbags that do not work properly. I know other navigator owners that have the same problem. I have had it looked at and worked on but nothing changes.problem somewhere in the system. The airbags do not raise the car and it bounces around while driving. The car is hard to control
Coming home from a trip engine started to misfire. Come to find out the # 3 spark plus exploded destroying the coil and and threads holding the spark plug in. Causing the need to re tap the threads.
Just driving in a 45 MPH, when heard loud banging coming from engine. Pulled over and had car towed in for repair. Engine blew out a spark plug.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 lincoln navigator. While attempting to shift, the transmission failed to shift into the park position. The contact stated that the driver had to engage the emergency brake in order to prevent the vehicle from rolling away. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 158,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 lincoln navigator. The contact stated that the air bag warning lamp illuminated. Also, a "check the suspension" message illuminated indicating that the rear shocks failed to work. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who indicated that the passenger side running board switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to an authorized dealer several times; however, the technician was not able to replicate and diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.
Compare the 2003 Lincoln Navigator
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Questions about the 2003 Lincoln Navigator
Is the 2003 Lincoln Navigator reliable?
Owners have filed 127 complaints about the 2003 Lincoln Navigator, 4.0 times a typical Navigator model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.
What is the 2003 Lincoln Navigator year score?
The 2003 Lincoln Navigator scores 25 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Lincoln Navigator: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Lincoln Navigator?
Suspension, with 38 complaints, typically around 76,000 miles. Next is electrical (22).
How many recalls does the 2003 Lincoln Navigator have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Lincoln Navigator have bad suspension?
The Lincoln Navigator model years with the most suspension complaints are 2003 (38 complaints), 1998 (25 complaints) and 2004 (24 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2003 Lincoln Navigator get?
Official estimates for the 2003 Lincoln Navigator range from 13 mpg combined. The most efficient version (5.4L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 11 city and 15 highway.
VIN decoder
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