LINCOLN NAVIGATOR · model year

2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR

9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2011LINCOLNNAVIGATOR carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/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 2011 NAVIGATOR is electrical system with 2 filings, followed by power train (2) and vehicle speed control (1). 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.

NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2011 NAVIGATOR. 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.

9
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

9 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 - Not rated · Front: Not Rated/5 · Side: Not Rated/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
POWER TRAIN2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
SERVICE BRAKES1
ENGINE1
VISIBILITY/WIPER1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recent Complaints

20210118POWER TRAIN

JANUARY 4, 2021- WHILE CRUISING WITH MY FAMILY ON THE INTERSTATE AT A SPEED OF 75-80 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION RANDOMLY SHIFTED FROM 6TH GEAR TO 2ND OR FIRST GEAR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID OUT OF CONTROL ACROSS BOTH LANES AND SPINNING THE MOTOR AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH RPM. I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND I SHUT OFF THE KEY AND COASTED TO A STOP. WE WERE LUCKY THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES IN OUR VICINITY. I STARTED IT UP AND VERY CAUTIOUSLY DROVE HOME. THERE WERE NO ENGINE LIGHTS DURING THE INCIDENT. THE MOTOR WAS/AND STILL IS VERY LOUD IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INCIDENT. WHEN WE GOT HOME WE LOOKED INTO RECALLS AND TSB'S AND FOUND THAT OUR VEHICLE IS WITHIN THE 2011 TO 2013 RECALL YEARS. WHEN CHECKED BY THE FORD DEALER JAN 1/11/21, NO CHECK ENGINE CODES WERE FOUND. THEY CHECKED THE SOFTWARE AND REPORTED THAT THE MOST RECENT UPDATES ARE ALREADY INSTALLED IN OUR VEHICLE, BUT WE HAVE NO PROOF OF THAT. WE HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE SINCE BRINGING IT HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP. IF MY WIFE OR K

Mileage: 84,000

20181027UNKNOWN OR OTHER

ODOMETER DISCREPANCY. 07/28/14. 86,987 09/12/18. 70,447 ACTUAL MILEAGE 73,220

20180402VISIBILITY/WIPER

WHILE TRAVELING WITH A FULL LOAD AT 65 MPH ON I-95 SB IN MARYLAND THE DRIVER SIDE REAR VENT WINDOW EXPLODED INWARD INTO THE CABIN. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR, TEMP MID 40'S, NO DEFROSTERS WERE ON, NO TRAFFIC WAS PASSING US.

Mileage: 112,000

20180103ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WON'T ALWAYS GO UP AFTER PUTTING IT DOWN. WORKED BETTER, THOUGH IN VERY SMALL INCREMENTS, WHEN IN MOTION.

20170307SERVICE BRAKES

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PUT MY TRUCK IN GEAR, THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESENTED NO RESISTANCE, SUDDENLY THE E-BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, AND AN ERROR STATED LOW BRAKE FLUID. I ADDED BRAKE FLUID WHICH APPEARED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. AFTER DRIVING APPROX. 20 MILES HOME, THE BRAKE ERROR RETURNED, AND THE FLUID WAS AGAIN LOW. I MADE AN APPT WITH THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY THEY WERE OPEN, AGAIN ADDED BRAKE FLUID, AND DROVE THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER. THEY CALLED ME 2 HOURS LATER TO TELL ME THE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID HAD BEEN SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE WAS BEYOND REPAIR AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE SERVICE TECH STARTED IT TO MOVE IT A SERVICE BAY, A LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT THE EXHAUSTED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO KNOCK. THIS ALL HAPPENED IN THE COURSE OF 24 HOURS AND THE TRUCK WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN 40 MILES FROM THE FIRST ERROR NOTIFICATION TO MY BEING INFORMED THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR DUE THE BRAKE FLUID LEAK.

Mileage: 88,600

20170307ENGINE

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PUT MY TRUCK IN GEAR, THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESENTED NO RESISTANCE, SUDDENLY THE E-BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, AND AN ERROR STATED LOW BRAKE FLUID. I ADDED BRAKE FLUID WHICH APPEARED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. AFTER DRIVING APPROX. 20 MILES HOME, THE BRAKE ERROR RETURNED, AND THE FLUID WAS AGAIN LOW. I MADE AN APPT WITH THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY THEY WERE OPEN, AGAIN ADDED BRAKE FLUID, AND DROVE THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER. THEY CALLED ME 2 HOURS LATER TO TELL ME THE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID HAD BEEN SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE WAS BEYOND REPAIR AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE SERVICE TECH STARTED IT TO MOVE IT A SERVICE BAY, A LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT THE EXHAUSTED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO KNOCK. THIS ALL HAPPENED IN THE COURSE OF 24 HOURS AND THE TRUCK WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN 40 MILES FROM THE FIRST ERROR NOTIFICATION TO MY BEING INFORMED THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR DUE THE BRAKE FLUID LEAK.

Mileage: 88,600

20170301POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE WHEELS WOULD SUDDENLY LOCK WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPROGRAMMED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. ...UPDATED 05/11/17 *BF

Mileage: 150,000

20161210ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHEN THE HEATING/COOLING IS IN AUTOMATIC MODE, THE FAN STOPS WORKING IF IT CALLS FOR HIGH SPEED OF THE FAN. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES IT MAY WORK AGAIN. I HAVE FOUND THAT BY TAKING IT OFF AUTOMATIC AND CONTROLLING THE FAN SPEED MANUALLY, THE SYSTEM IS MORE RELIABLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE 2011.

Mileage: 6,000

20101229VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL*THE CONTACT RENTED A 2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 70 MPH AND WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN, IT DID NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO STOP BY PLACING IT IN LOW GEAR AND REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO GIVE HIM ANY DETAILS AS IT WAS A RENTAL VEHICLE. THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300. UPDATED 2/17/11 *CN UPDATED 04/27/11

Mileage: 300

Compare 2011LINCOLNNAVIGATOR to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR have?
The 2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR?
The 2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR?
The most-complained component for the 2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2011 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

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.