Lincoln Navigator · model year

2012 Lincoln Navigator

15 NHTSA complaints, and 3 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

4 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

Complaints
15
Recalls
3

The verdict

The 2012 Lincoln Navigator pairs top-quartile complaint standing with a strong NHTSA safety rating.

Top 14%
fewest complaints, own model years
4/5
NHTSA overall rating
3
recall campaigns

The 2012LincolnNavigator carries 15 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 4/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2012 Navigator is power train with 5 filings, followed by unknown or other (3) and suspension (2). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2012 Navigator. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

15
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
2012 Lincoln Navigator - NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2012 Lincoln Navigator. Overall composite: 4.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 4.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 4.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.
B
PlainCars Safety Score
72/100
2012 Lincoln Navigator

PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.

NHTSA Overall Rating A-
4/5 ★
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash A-
4/5 ★
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash A+
5/5 ★
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance A-
4/5 ★
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk F
19.8%
Lower than 13% of 2,516 rated model-years.

Total Complaints

15 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: 4/5 - Strong NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN5
UNKNOWN OR OTHER3
SUSPENSION2
SEAT BELTS1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
SERVICE BRAKES1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
TIRES:TREAD/BELT1

Recalls (3)

16V24800027/04/2016

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford F-150 trucks, 2012 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Mustang vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with an automatic transmission that may unexpectedly downshift to first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.

12V19000003/05/2012

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 FORD F-150, 2012 EXPEDITION AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, AND 2012-2013 MUSTANG VEHICLES, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NOS. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRA

12V03400002/02/2012

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 EXPEDITION AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 19, 2011, THROUGH DECEMBER 2, 2011, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 202, "HEAD RESTRAINTS." THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE INADEQUATE W

Recent Complaints

20240830TIRES:TREAD/BELT

Belts dislodged on all tires. Tires have 70% tread left. My mechanic said it is manufacturing defect of Tires. SUV started shaking badly on highway

20220801UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Vehicle randomly downshifts at speed causing sudden and jarring loss of speed. Vehicle will eventually and intermittently flash a service wrench error, speedometer stops working, and displays "000 Miles to Empty" message. Diagnosed at the dealer as a failing Molded Lead Frame. There was extended warranty coverage to 150,000 miles due to this being a know faulty part but my vehicle was over the mileage. I learned from the dealer servicing the vehicle that a software update--rather than replacement of the faulty part--under TSB 13-6-8 was performed by another dealership that I purchased the vehicle from. This "software update" was not disclosed to me nor did it show up on carfax or any service records for the vehicle. The software update merely masked the problem until the problem gets worse. Thankfully, I didn't experience violent downshifting at highway speeds that others have reported but have had the violent downshifting at 45mph and below, which still is a major safety issue. When

20210402POWER TRAIN

GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY MY TRANSMISSION ON MY 2012 NAVIGATOR AUTOMATICALLY DOWN SHIFTED TO 1ST GEAR. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. WHEN I TRIED TO START IT THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF. AFTER I SHUT THE CAT DOWN AGAIN I TRIED RESTARTING THE CAR AND IT STARTED NORMAL BUT IT WOULD NOT GO OUT OF 1ST GEAR. I DROVE HOME AND CALLED PORTSMOUTH FORD IN PORTSMOUTH NH TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE MALFUNCTION EVALUATED WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE ON 4/1/2021 TO TAKE IT TO THE GARAGE THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO HAVE RESET ITSELF AND THE TRANSMISSION WORKED CORRECTLY. ONCE AT THE GARAGE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A MOLDED LEAD IN THE TRANSMISSION COVERED BY RECALL 19N01 (RECALL# 16V248000 POWERTRAIN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) AND WOULD BE FIXED UNDER THE WARRANTY. ONCE I GOT HOME I GOT A CALL FROM THE GARAGE THAT LINCOLN WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CODE. I CALLED LINCOLN MYSELF AND THEY TOLD ME IN SO MANY WORDS 'NO CODE NO FIX" I STATED

Mileage: 6

20200623POWER TRAIN

MY 2012 NAVIGATOR STARTED TO ACT WEIRD THE WRENCH SIGNAL APPEARED,MY SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING,THE RPM WENT VERY HIGH,NO POWER ON MY SUV,MAYBE 5MPH THE MOST,AND THE INFORMATION SCREEN SHOWS NO GAS,WHILE I HAVE 1/2 TANK,CHECKED AMD RECALLS AND SHOWS NOTHING,BUT A MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE IS A TBS RECALL FOR THIS TRANSMISSION MODELS,HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU THANKS. *TR

Mileage: 103,000

20200623VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

MY 2012 NAVIGATOR STARTED TO ACT WEIRD THE WRENCH SIGNAL APPEARED,MY SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING,THE RPM WENT VERY HIGH,NO POWER ON MY SUV,MAYBE 5MPH THE MOST,AND THE INFORMATION SCREEN SHOWS NO GAS,WHILE I HAVE 1/2 TANK,CHECKED AMD RECALLS AND SHOWS NOTHING,BUT A MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE IS A TBS RECALL FOR THIS TRANSMISSION MODELS,HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU THANKS. *TR

Mileage: 103,000

20180604SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER NO GOOD. BRAKE FLUID COSTENTLY DISAPPEARING, NO LEAKS UNDER TRUCK BUT ONCE EMPTY OR CLOSE TO LOW LINE HAVE TO PRESS BREAKS TO THE FLOOR JUST TO TRY AND SLOW DOWN TO STOP... BOTH IN CITY AND HIGHWAY, IN MOTION AND WHILE PARKED

20180604UNKNOWN OR OTHER

BRAKE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER NO GOOD. BRAKE FLUID COSTENTLY DISAPPEARING, NO LEAKS UNDER TRUCK BUT ONCE EMPTY OR CLOSE TO LOW LINE HAVE TO PRESS BREAKS TO THE FLOOR JUST TO TRY AND SLOW DOWN TO STOP... BOTH IN CITY AND HIGHWAY, IN MOTION AND WHILE PARKED

20180221UNKNOWN OR OTHER

SINCE PURCHASE OF CAR I HAVE FEELING NAUSEOUS, TIRED, HEADACHES, AND ON SOME OCCASIONS DIZZINESS ALWAYS WHEN I'M IN CAR AND THE CAR IS ON. ALSO MY DAUGHTER ALWAYS THROWS UP WHEN SHE IS IN CAR LONGER THAN 15 MINS

20180109POWER TRAIN

RECALL# 16V248000 POWERTRAIN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. MY 2012 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR WAS TAKEN TO CHAMPION FORD IN KATY, TX FOR SERVICE DUE TO INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION ISSUE WHERE WE EXPERIENCED A DOWNSHIFT AT SPEED, SPEEDOMETER FAILURE, ODOMETER AND MPG ERROR AND TIRE PRESSURE WARNING. THE SYMPTOMS CORRECT UPON RESTART. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO OUTPUT SHAFT SPEED SENSOR FAILURE THAT WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF LEAD FRAME UNIT AT A COST OF $1,366. I ASKED TO HAVE THE REPLACEMENT COMPLETED UNDER RECALL 16V248000 BECAUSE THE REPAIR INVOLVES THE SAME SYMPTOMS, REPAIR PROCEDURE, AND IS THE SAME YEAR, MAKE, MODEL, AND TRANSMISSION OUTLINED IN THE RECALL BUT WAS DECLINED BECAUSE MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL BECAUSE THE BUILD DATE DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE RECALL DATES. FORD NEEDS TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF RECALL 16V248000 TO INCLUDE ALL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THAT TRANSMISSION AS MY VEHICLE IS EVIDENCE THAT THE PROBLEM IS EFFECTING VEHICLES OUTSIDE THEIR SPECIF

Mileage: 114,000

20170918ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED FROM SECOND TO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ROBERT HUDSON FORD LINCOLN MERCURY (2316 1ST AVE SE, MOULTRIE, GA 31788, (229) 985-6603) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PCM NEEDED RECALIBARATION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE SOFTWARE UPDATE FAILED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO THE DRIVE GEAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED AGAIN FOR BOTH FAILURES. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, INTERIOR LIGHTING, AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: CAS-13124389. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

Mileage: 30,000

20170918POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED FROM SECOND TO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ROBERT HUDSON FORD LINCOLN MERCURY (2316 1ST AVE SE, MOULTRIE, GA 31788, (229) 985-6603) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PCM NEEDED RECALIBARATION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE SOFTWARE UPDATE FAILED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO THE DRIVE GEAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED AGAIN FOR BOTH FAILURES. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, INTERIOR LIGHTING, AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: CAS-13124389. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

Mileage: 30,000

20170908SUSPENSION

THE REAR SUSPENSION ISSUED A WARNING TO CHECK REAR SUSPENSION. THE CAR BOTTOMED OUT MULTIPLE TIMES, COMING TO BARELY A FEW INCHES FROM THE REAR TIRES. I TOOK THIS TO THE DEALER IN 2015, WHILE IT WAS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, NOT SURE OF WHAT WAS FOUND AT THAT TIME, HAVE REQUESTED A REPAIR TICKET FROM THE DEALER. NOW AUG/SEPT 2017 HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AGAIN. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER AND THEY PUT IT ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, MACHINE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. BUT DEALER SAID THE CAR HAD A CODE STORES IN IT SHOWING A LEFT READ LEVELER PROBLEM, WHICH THEY REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM STILL IS NOT FIXED. CURRENTLY IT IS SITTING AT THE DEALER'S SHOP. THE VEHICLE DOES THIS WHEN SETTING STILL AND ALSO WHEN IN MOTION. I CONSIDER THIS VERY DANGEROUS.

20160624POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JOLTED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V248000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 18,000

20160518SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR MIDDLE ROW CENTER SEAT BELT INDEPENDENTLY UNLATCHED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,569.

Mileage: 16,569

20140311SUSPENSION

THE REAR AIR SUSPENSION FAILED AND THE CAR BOTTOMED OUT MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER EVEN THE SMALLEST OF BUMPS. TIRES AND THE STRUCTURE AROUND TIRE WHEEL WHEEL MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DUE TO THE BOTTOMING OUT. DEALER REPLACED PUMP FOR $1,267.53, BUT WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE OR INSPECT FOR RESIDUAL DAMAGE. CLAIMED OUT OF WARRANTY ISSUE AND ALSO THIS DAMAGE IS OUT OF SCOPE OF WARRANTY.

Mileage: 56,018

Compare 2012LincolnNavigator to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Vehicle Safety Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2012 Lincoln Navigator have?
The 2012 Lincoln Navigator has 15 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2012 Lincoln Navigator?
The 2012 Lincoln Navigator received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 4/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2012 Lincoln Navigator?
Yes, the 2012 Lincoln Navigator has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Lincoln Navigator?
The most-complained component for the 2012 Lincoln Navigator is POWER TRAIN with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and SUSPENSION.
Is the 2012 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 2012 Lincoln Navigator has an NHTSA safety rating of 4/5. 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.

Data vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2012 Lincoln Navigator; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.