There are 12 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2003 Lincoln Navigatorin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I WAS DRIVING INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN SPONTANEOUSLY BOTH SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING ME FIRST DEGREE BURNS AND CONTUSIONS ON MY FOREARM, FACE AND CHEST. ALSO MY DAUGHTER HAD CONTUSIONS ON FOREARM AND HEAD. *TT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR COST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE DRIVER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES TO THE CHEST AND SIDE ARMS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 124,890. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO CRASH WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED OR WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER FOR ASSISTANCE WHO REFERRED HER TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 122,303.
I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 LINCOLN FORD NAVIGATOR ON JULY 3RD AT APPROXIMATELY 3PM DOWN US HIGHWAY 52 NEAR SPRINGFIELD SOUTH DAKOTA ON A FLAT STRETCH OF DRY ROAD GOING APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES PER HOUR. FOR NO APPARENT REASON OUR AIRBAGS FROM THE PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE ROOF DEPLOYED WITH AN EXPLOSION. IN ADDITION TO ALMOST WRECKING THE VEHICLE MY SON AND NIECE AND MYSELF ALL RECEIVED IMPACT BURNS ON OUR FACES (NOT SURE IF IT WAS FROM THE EXPLOSION OR THE BAGS THEMSELVES) AND HEARING PROBLEMS THAT HAVE CARRIED OVER TO TODAY (JULY 4TH). IF WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON ANY OTHER STRETCH OF ROAD EXCEPT FLAT-LAND I BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE UPSET AND ALL BEEN KILLED OR INJURED SEVERELY. THE AIRBAGS ACTIVATED FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER...I THINK THIS NEEDS CHECK OUT BECAUSE IF IT BECOMES AN ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR MODEL LIVES WILL CERTAINLY BE LOST. HIGHLY DANGEROUS ..I'M SURPRISED WE SURVIVED IT. *TR
ON SUNDAY JUNE 27TH 2010 AT APPROX. 4:30 PM. MY WIFE AND 2 CHILDREN WERE TRAVELING TO PALM SPRINGS ON THE EAST BOUND 10 FWY IN BANNING WHEN, FOR NO REASON THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS WENT OFF HITTING MYSELF AND MY 7 YEAR OLD. I WAS ABLE TO REMAIN IN CONTROL OF OUR 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, AND PULL TO THE CENTER MEDIAN AS I THOUGH MAYBE WE WERE HIT BY SOMETHING. AS I LOOKED AROUND THE NAVIGATOR, THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO SIGN OF DAMAGE OR BEING HIT BY ANY KIND OF DEBRIS. I HAD TO CUT THE AIRBAGS AWAY TO SEE AND GET TO A SAFER PLACE TO CHECK ON MY CRYING CHILDREN. I WAS RELIEVED THAT THEY WERE NOT INJURED VISUALLY, BUT WE ARE HAVING THERE EARS CHECKED FOR DAMAGE FROM THE LOAD NOISE. WE DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF TO OUR LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE CRASH SENSOR WENT OFF AND THAT WE SHOULD CONTACT OUR INSURANCE. OUR INSURANCE SAID IT IS A MANUFACTURES MALFUNCTION AND TO CONTACT THE HEAD QUARTERS OF FORD AND LINCOLN. AFTER THE RUN AROUND THERE, THEY SAID IT WAS AN INSURANCE ISSUE BECAUSE THE CRASH CODE WAS SIGNALED. WE ARE NOW ON THE HOOK FOR $3500-4000 FOR REPAIRS AND FEEL THAT IT WAS EITHER THE CRASH SENSOR MALFUNCTION OR THE AIRBAG SENSOR MALFUNCTION. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR BECAUSE THE CRASH CODE AND THE INSURANCE DOES NOT WANT TO OPEN CLAIM BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I FEEL IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE CHILD SEAT DEFLECTION SOME OF THE AIRBAG, MY 3 YEAR OLD WOULD SUSTAINED INJURIES. FORD-LINCOLN DOES NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH ISSUE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH THROUGH GRASS, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARRANT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 111,000.
MY CAR IS 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. ONE OF THE 2ND ROW SEAT (BEHIND THE DRIVER SIDE) HAS A DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT (THE CONNECTOR IS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, SO I NEED TO TWIST THE SEAT BELT IN ORDER TO SECURE THE SEAT BELT). I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALER (STILL UNDER WARRANTY) AND THE DEALER STATED THAT IT IS NORMAL AND IT IS ON OTHER NAVIGATOR TOO. THE DEALER REFUSED TO FIX THE TWISTED SEAT BELT. *JB
CONSUMER LINCOLN NAVIGATOR AIRBAG LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON AND REMAIN ON FOR VARIOUS LENGTHS OF TIME. *TS THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED NUMEROUS TIMES. THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHY THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AND COULD NOT REASSURE THE CONSUMER THAT THE AIR BAG WOULD WORK IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *NM
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE OTHER VEHICLE MADE A SUDDEN LEFT TURN, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CAUGHT THE TAIL END OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN HEAD ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIR BAG COVERS POPPED OPEN, BUT THEY DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK *LA
WHILE SLOWLY BACKING UP AFTER A PARALLEL PARK, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO CRASH NOR CONTACT WITH ANYTHING.*AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026