Total Complaints
35 filings
LINCOLN NAUTILUS · model year
35 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
New Car Assessment Program
The 2020LINCOLNNAUTILUS carries 35 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 5/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 NAUTILUS is power train with 12 filings, followed by service brakes (3) and electrical system (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 4 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2020 NAUTILUS, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
35 filings
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 12 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| ENGINE | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 |
| WHEELS | 2 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION: CAMERA SYSTEM | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or dist
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
Ford Motor Company, Inc. (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2019-2020 Nautilus vehicles equipped with 16-way electric tilt seats. The seat cushion frame edge may contact the wire harness when the seat occupant uses the tilt function of the seat, potentially damaging one or more w
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Edge, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair and Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. An inadequate amount of lubricant in the rear drive unit may cause seizure of the rear drive axle.
MILEAGE: 487,615 27TAWD On [XXX] at [XXX]., the weather was wet from rain. I pushed the reverse button and the car accelerated quickly forward with engine revving. The car kept moving forward while the brake pedal was not responsive for at least 10 times as the car drove through my fence and damaged my neighborâs garage. The car finally stopped when it hit the garage. Estimate for repairs on vehicle $1485.25. Estimate for damage to wooden fence $2560, neighbor's garage $8000. Engine code scan report on Oct 10, 2025 engine code U3003-16 Battery Voltage Below Threshold. EEC test at dealer on Oct 14, 2025: "no codes in any systems..." Vehicle damage noted. No indicated warning lamps INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
MILEAGE: 487,615 27TAWD On [XXX] at [XXX]., the weather was wet from rain. I pushed the reverse button and the car accelerated quickly forward with engine revving. The car kept moving forward while the brake pedal was not responsive for at least 10 times as the car drove through my fence and damaged my neighborâs garage. The car finally stopped when it hit the garage. Estimate for repairs on vehicle $1485.25. Estimate for damage to wooden fence $2560, neighbor's garage $8000. Engine code scan report on Oct 10, 2025 engine code U3003-16 Battery Voltage Below Threshold. EEC test at dealer on Oct 14, 2025: "no codes in any systems..." Vehicle damage noted. No indicated warning lamps INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
MILEAGE: 487,615 27TAWD On [XXX] at [XXX]., the weather was wet from rain. I pushed the reverse button and the car accelerated quickly forward with engine revving. The car kept moving forward while the brake pedal was not responsive for at least 10 times as the car drove through my fence and damaged my neighborâs garage. The car finally stopped when it hit the garage. Estimate for repairs on vehicle $1485.25. Estimate for damage to wooden fence $2560, neighbor's garage $8000. Engine code scan report on Oct 10, 2025 engine code U3003-16 Battery Voltage Below Threshold. EEC test at dealer on Oct 14, 2025: "no codes in any systems..." Vehicle damage noted. No indicated warning lamps INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Our 2020 Lincoln Nautilus with 60,000 miles will require replacement of the driver's door due to a crack in the door hinge area. This failure is similar to failures found in the Ford Edge and Lincoln Corsair of the same vintage. Online research proves this is a frequent failure due to inadequate door structural design in similar vehicles with as little as 30,000 miles usage. A 5 year old vehicle should not require door replacements due to a structural design especially when the design has proven to be faulty in other vehicles manufactured by Ford. Structural failure in this area can result in improper door closure and subsequent improper door opening resulting in possible occupant injuries.
The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle jerked upon starting and shifting to drive(D) intermittently. The contact stated that the failure initially occurred after refueling the vehicle, but the failure had become consistent and was occurring erratically. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving and accelerating between 35-40 MPH, the vehicle jerked. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had added a fuel additive to the vehicle, and the failure was reduced temporarily. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The dealer was contacted and advised that there would be a charge for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
Mileage: 85,000
The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle jerked upon starting and shifting to drive(D) intermittently. The contact stated that the failure initially occurred after refueling the vehicle, but the failure had become consistent and was occurring erratically. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving and accelerating between 35-40 MPH, the vehicle jerked. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had added a fuel additive to the vehicle, and the failure was reduced temporarily. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The dealer was contacted and advised that there would be a charge for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
Mileage: 85,000
Manual Park--release cable escaped its locking position, locking front wheel brakes ON. The locked brakes resulted in the car being dragged until we noticed the problem and exited the motor home to reinstate the cable into its locking position (to re-seat the metal bead in the pocket, locking it in the override position). Dragging the locked wheels creates a fire and traffic hazard with large plumes of blue smoke, potential towed-vehicle fish-tail out of control affecting nearby/adjacent traffic lanes. This issue was confirmed by my long-time mechanic (Deckard Pham) as a design deficiency that could fail due to road vibrations, that it was intended for limited use for emergency towing. This incident has occurred four times over the past year; twice, at low speed (so tire damage was minimal). Most recently, it was discovered too late to prevent tire damage -- [XXX], while traveling at 45 mph, severe flat spot (7" long, full width of both front tires), wore tread down to the stee
Manual Park--release cable escaped its locking position, locking front wheel brakes ON. The locked brakes resulted in the car being dragged until we noticed the problem and exited the motor home to reinstate the cable into its locking position (to re-seat the metal bead in the pocket, locking it in the override position). Dragging the locked wheels creates a fire and traffic hazard with large plumes of blue smoke, potential towed-vehicle fish-tail out of control affecting nearby/adjacent traffic lanes. This issue was confirmed by my long-time mechanic (Deckard Pham) as a design deficiency that could fail due to road vibrations, that it was intended for limited use for emergency towing. This incident has occurred four times over the past year; twice, at low speed (so tire damage was minimal). Most recently, it was discovered too late to prevent tire damage -- [XXX], while traveling at 45 mph, severe flat spot (7" long, full width of both front tires), wore tread down to the stee
Hard shift stuttering when driving About 30000 miles ago Called Lincoln they said $150 to diagnose it No warning lights
Transmission complete failure. It is available at the dealer. Where I had it towed. Went out on highway. Everyone using the turnpike highway was in danger. Slowed vehicle to little more than idle speed, in road construction. Little rough being slowed from 75mph to 10 mph. One dealer diagnosed it. I had it towed to the original dealer after having it towed to the closest dealer. Warning light came on during the turnpike travel. Limited access highway. October 19, 2025
Transmission bucking and slow under 40 mph. brought to dealers attention. Car only 5 years old. Diagnostics resulted in internal fault , excessive slippage and torque converter chatter. Told that I could easily breakdown at any time if transmission not replaced.!!!! No warnings or messages. Occurring approx 2 months. Noted a class action investigation into this issue on 2020 Nautilus !
Car jerks/ shifts hard up to 35 miles per hour.
2/4/25 purchased 2020 Nautilus from Dick Hannah Jeep Vancouver, WA 3/12/25 I noticed some issues developing with uneven revving. Inconsistent in cruise control, feeling like the road is bumpy. Also revving up to 3,000 RPM when breaking to stop. 3/28/25 Kendall Ford did software update issues still happening, they said it's adaptive learning and needs time to adjust to my style of driving. Made appointment for Courtesy Lincoln. 4/8/25 - 4/26/25 Courtesy Lincoln let me know on the 10th transmission needed to be replaced, so they ordered parts which arrived 4/14. Time passed and I finally had to check in 4/22 to be told it was in the shop now. When I asked if there had been a delay, they said the transmission technician quit. Things happen, but communication goes a very long way when rentals and/or loaners are coming out of my pocket. I picked up finally 4/26, and immediately noticed it still had the same issues. 4/26/25 Immediately noticed the issues were not fixed. 5/19/25 Finall
When taking my car in for diagnostics, I was informed of a transmission failure. My VIN was not included in a transmission recall but has the same issue . Mileage on my 2020 Lincoln Natilus is 94,000. The same type of transmission is in my car that was recalled in 2021. There is discrepancies with who is allowed to get the transmission. The problem I was having was with the Auto Hold not working at all times. My car has been stalling after stopping at a traffic light or sign and trying to accelerate . The vehicle service report showed no issues, warnings, or service needs. There was no engine warning light, nor code. Lincoln denied responsibility for fixing it. My extended warranty company sent an adjuster and verified it needs a transmission. The computer monitoring smart system failed to detect this issue. The dealership notified me six months earlier to have the service department see why my fluid level was low. The service department was notified. I was put off and t
The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds in stop-and-go traffic, the vehicle jerked abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
Mileage: 75,000
The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated while driving downhill at 55 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle failed to maintain the set speed and accelerated to 70-75 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the vehicle had standard cruise control; not adaptive cruise control that could automatically apply the brakes while driving and maintain the set speed. The vehicle was then taken to Ellsworth Ford, Inc. (424 Industrial Rd, Ellsworth, WI 54011), where an unknown repair was performed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.
Mileage: 24,000
When I took the vehicle in for service, I had to replace all 20 lug nuts as the dealer service department reported they were "swollen" and they were unable to complete the tire rotation. This also poses a safety risk as if I had a flat tire, I could not get them off to change a tire. They could also break causing stress on others and cause a wheel to come off of the vehicle. I was advised that this is a common problem with Ford/Lincoln vehicles, however there didn't seem to be any warranty coverage or safety recalls. If this is a common problem or some type of defect, it seems that I should not have had to spend $240 to replace them.
When I took the vehicle in for service, I had to replace all 20 lug nuts as the dealer service department reported they were "swollen" and they were unable to complete the tire rotation. This also poses a safety risk as if I had a flat tire, I could not get them off to change a tire. They could also break causing stress on others and cause a wheel to come off of the vehicle. I was advised that this is a common problem with Ford/Lincoln vehicles, however there didn't seem to be any warranty coverage or safety recalls. If this is a common problem or some type of defect, it seems that I should not have had to spend $240 to replace them.
When taking off from stop light or stop sign between the speed of 35-45 the car feels like itâs seizing!
When taking off from stop light or stop sign between the speed of 35-45 the car feels like itâs seizing!
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.