Brake lines started leaking and spewing fluid everywhere leaving me with out brakes on the highway. I just put new rotors, and brake pads on and they suddenly start grinding again yet have full pads on them.
Lincoln Navigator grinding brakes problems
27 of the 1,361 owner complaints about the Lincoln Navigator describe grinding or squealing brakes, most of them for the 1999 model year.
- owner complaints
- 27
- worst model year
- 1999
- typical mileage
- 40,000
Is there a fix? There are 6 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
- 20211
- 20201
- 20182
- 20161
- 20151
- 20102
- 20082
- 20073
- 20061
- 20052
- 20034
- 19996
- 19981
Often reported together
Wipers 3Stalling 3Fire or smoke 3Jerking 2Harsh shifting 2Check engine light 2Brake failure 2Won't start 1
What owners say
I was driving driving down the road at 45 MPH, and then the rear object sensor came on the dash. Then the Check engine light and about not reading a sensor. Then the vehicle locked up all 4 wheels squealed tires and came to complete stop, and then started moving forward again. Then I got scared and stopped the vehicle, put it in park and then put it back in drive, driving slower until the sensors flashed back on, I pulled over cut the vehicle to re start it and it would not cut back on, but never shut completely off. The AC fans were still blowing full blast, but the motor was not running and we could not get it to re start. We ended up disconnecting the ECM and Plugged it back in and it started back up. We have Driven it Since with no other issues but today the sensors started flashing today.
A grinding noise was noticed during the driver memory function or when manually adjusting the power tilt or telescoping steering column. I took the car to Ford for service and was very surprised to hear that the entire steering column needs to be replaced at the cost of $1700.00. This defect is ONLY covered under the limited warranty. This is obviously a safety hazard if it requires a new motor in the steering column. Upon a quick investigation of the defect, it was learned that this is a KNOWN problem on all Navigators from 2018-2021. Ford KNOWS that this defect exists on certain vehicles and has not issued a recall to correct this. This is not a normal "wear and tear" item that should have anything to do with your warranty. Very dangerous to need a new steering column motor for something that was known by FORD and LINCOLN to have problems in certain production years. Plus $1700.00 is a huge cost for the consumer.
The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while driving 50-55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the transmission shifted into neutral(N). The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the transmission fluid was 2-quarts low after driving 100 miles. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring more increasingly. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the engine revved, but the vehicle failed to respond and jerked. The contact stated that the vehicle also experienced hard shifts while attempting to shift into gear. The contact stated that the vehicle shifted into Neutral(N) while the gear shifter was in drive(D), and the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that the transmission was making abnormal grinding sounds. The contact continued to drive to the dealer however, there was smoke coming from underneath the vehicle and the vehicle lost motive power at the dealer. The dealer diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was considering buying back the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 45,600.
The car has slip transmission issue, that can’t be fixed, the front of the car makes loud grinding noise from the front wheel area when riding on front wheel drive, with low RPM, this has been brought up multiple times with ford and linclon while they and car service provider represented by ford and Lincoln keeps denying.
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.
There are some major transmission issues with my vehicle. The gears do not change properly causing the SUV to stall on the highway while I was driving 65 MPH. I took it to the Mark Ficken Ford Lincoln dealership for repair. They stated that the torque converter needed repair along with the 3rd gear and 5th gear clutch had issues. The thumping/grinding sound I've been hearing since I purchased the car from Mark Ficken. The dealership should cover the cost of these repairs. The vehicle has 110,000 miles on it. I purchased it pre-owned from the dealership.
Started vehicle and went to adjust steering wheel I pushed the down button to lower and steering wheel dropped. Steering wheel is no longer able to adjust up or down only forward and backward. When pushing the up/down button a grinding sound occurs. When driving steering wheel feels loose and will pull to the right.
While driving on the highway the brakes were applied to slow the vehicle. When the brake pedal was depressed, a loud grinding noise and pedal shudder was felt. Brake power diminished, and the anti-skid light illuminated. Once off the pedal, the car coasted for a few seconds. The brake was applied, and the system went back to normal. Ford is unable to find an issue with the system or duplicate the event. Abs was not engaged in this situation. Gradual brake pedal pressure was applied to slow the vehicle, not come to abrupt stop. However, the car was unable to slow due to the malfunction.
The running boards of the 2010 lincoln navigator malfunctioned at 78000 miles. The automatic running boards began retracting and lowering up and down while vehicle is in motion (at speeds from to 70 MPH) and while completely stopped with engine off, making loud grinding sounds. Upon exiting the vehicle on the drivers side the running board retracted while my right foot was still on the board, locking my foot in between the running board and the lower body of the vehicle causing me to fall forward on the pavement in my driveway which is on a semi-steep incline. The running board lowered and I pulled my foot free and it began to lower and raise multiple times making a loud grinding noise. I then had to manually raise the board and shut off the auto function of the running boards to keep this issue from reoccurring. I notified this incident to the local ford dealer and was told that the only option I had was to replace the motors. I was not informed why this may have occurred nor was I given any options for medical care or concern due to my vehicle being 5 years old and not under any extended warranty.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: electric: control module
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Lincoln Navigator, F-150, Expedition, Bronco, and Ranger vehicles. The Electronic Brake Booster (EBB) module may malfunction while driving or when the driver is utilizing an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) feature, resulting in a loss of power brake assist.
- Risk
- An unexpected loss of power brake assist while driving can extend stopping distance and increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, a loss of power brake assist while ADAS features are engaged can result in the vehicle not braking as expected, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the electronic brake booster, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 26, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SD4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on December 3, 2025.
Recall number 25V823000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: electric: control module: software
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Lincoln Navigator, F-150, Expedition, Bronco, and Ranger vehicles. The Electronic Brake Booster (EBB) module may malfunction while driving or when the driver is utilizing an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) feature, resulting in a loss of power brake assist.
- Risk
- An unexpected loss of power brake assist while driving can extend stopping distance and increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, a loss of power brake assist while ADAS features are engaged can result in the vehicle not braking as expected, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- The EBB module software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S77.
Recall number 25V488000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Navigator and Expedition vehicles. The front brake lines may contact the engine air cleaner outlet pipe and become damaged, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak and reduced brake function.
- Risk
- A loss of brake function increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the front brake line and replace the brake line or air cleaner outlet pipe, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S47.
Recall number 25V314000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
- Risk
- 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 were mailed September 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S37. This recall is an expansion of the federal safety agency recall number 22V‑150.
Recall number 25V236000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and 2016-2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
- Risk
- A loss of brake fluid may result in a change in brake pedal travel, increased pedal effort and reduced front brake function, requiring greater effort and distance to stop the vehicle. These conditions can increase 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. An interim owner notification letter notifying customers of the safety defect were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed April 29, 2022. This recall is an expansion of the federal safety agency recall number 20V‑332. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S11.
Recall number 22V150000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. These vehicles may have a missing or partially installed retainer clip that holds the master cylinder push rod to the brake pedal arm.
- Risk
- Increased brake stopping distance can occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect these vehicles to see if the retainer clip was installed, and repair, if necessary.
Recall number 98V296000 · Recall details
Questions about the Lincoln Navigator grinding brakes
Which Lincoln Navigator years have grinding or squealing brakes problems?
The model years with the most reports are 1999 (6 complaints), 2003 (4 complaints) and 2007 (3 complaints).
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