Lincoln · Navigator · 2016
4
Recalls
25
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2016 Lincoln Navigator has 4 recalls and 25 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: visibility (4 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
21.2% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Remedy Status
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and May 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 2025.
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.
Remedy Status
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 NHTSA recall number 20V-332. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S11.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The front blower motor located behind the glove box may fail.
Remedy Status
Dealers will replace the front blower motor assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 4, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to become available in the second quarter of 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S56.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The LED logo lights on the exterior mirrors may short circuit.
Remedy Status
Dealers will disconnect the LED light wires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 27, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S08.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, there was white smoke coming from the passenger’s side exterior door mirror, accompanied by a burning plastic odor. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer for inspection, where it was diagnosed with a corrosion failure. The dealer indicated that the issue was not associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V091000 (Visibility). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V091000 (VISIBILITY) and 25V572000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a black screen image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The message "Rearview Camera Unavailable" was displayed. The contact stated that when the temperature outside was over eighty degrees Fahrenheit, the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer refused to complete the repairs and informed the contact that, since there was no code displayed, the recall repairs were not needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
There was a recall on the brake system before and that they fixed it and the same thing that it was a recall before is doing the same thing again with my brake system
The power running boards do not go up and down, and are locked in the down position. During the winter snow and ice collects on the running board while driving and makes it incredibly slippery to step on for the driver and passengers. There is a setting to change the position of the running board but it does not move the running board. It has been inoperable for the past 6-8 months now.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V091000 (VISIBILITY); however, the parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure; however, the contact stated she paid extra for the upgrade and was not satisfied with the remedy. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that the rearview camera image was distorted. The contact stated that message “Camera Unavailable” was displayed. The contact stated that the failure had become more frequent. The local dealer was contacted and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V091000 (VISIBILITY); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for a ball joint replacement, there was smoke coming from the driver’s side exterior mirror. The mechanic disconnected the mirror and determined that the mirror had short-circuited. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V091000 (Visibility); however, the contact had not yet received the notification. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated while reversing, the back over prevention camera failed to function as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with APIM failure. The contact was informed that further tests were needed to diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
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.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, there was smoke coming from the A/C vents and from the defroster. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and parked the vehicle. The contact stated that the smoke persisted; however, there was no flame. The vehicle was later towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V648000 (Visibility, Electrical System). Additionally, the contact stated that the failure had caused collateral damages to the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
P285/45R22 tires have defect on bubbles. No damage to tires but bubbles appear. Tires are only 6,000 miles driven.
While going approximately 55 mph, the speedometer dropped out to zero. After a moment, the transmission dropped into first gear (it felt like) and the rear tires made loud screeching noises as if they locked up for about one second. The speedometer remained at zero and the whole thing happened again in a few seconds. I was barely able to maintain directional control and if this condition would have persisted for longer, directional control would probably have been impossible to maintain. This happened on an interstate in a middle lane with a lot of traffic and within a construction zone with no good option for maneuvering. Upon further research, I found that this has been a common problem with the Ford 6R80 transmission (which is in this vehicle) and that at least one recall has been sent out, but for a different model vehicle (the Ford F-150, I believe). I cannot believe that the same known defect in a transmission which just happens to be in a different model vehicle is a acceptable situation for safety in any case. I called the Lincoln factory hotline and they could not help me in any way. I was told to go to a dealer. I went to a dealer and they couldn't help me, either. All for a known issue with that transmission. The dealer told me to have it fixed at my own cost, even though they knew of this problem. I have since had it fixed, but I have two questions: 1. How can a manufacturer be allowed to leave a known safety hazard to persist and 2. How can the NHTSA ignore this problem?
My brake system failed while driving. I had just left a parking lot when the braking system warning light came on. Coinciding with this the brake pedal pressure got much lighter with each press. Since I was within a mile of home I drove there and by the time I got home the pedal was going to the floor. I checked under the hood and there was no fluid in the brake reservoir. I did not see any leaks. I refilled the reservoir and let it sit overnight. The next day the fluid was gone again from the reservoir, no leaks around the vehicle. I had it towed to Lincoln dealership for repair and they said the reservoir leaked into the the brake booster. I had researched on NHTSA that this was a known problem for Ford/Lincoln and there was a recall, but my vehicle's VIN# was not included in the recall. The dealership replaced the master cylinder and the brake booster.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, the transmission inadvertently down shifted and nearly caused the contact to lose control of the vehicle. Additionally, the speedometer gauges went to zero and the service wrench warning light was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission molded lead frame was faulty and needed to be replaced. The contact was concerned that the transmission control module was faulty and needed to be serviced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 69,000.
I was travelling down an interstate highway in my vehicle when I noticed several momentary losses of engine power over the course of approximately five minutes. These moments became more frequent over the next two to three minutes, then the engine abruptly shut down with no power when pressing the accelerator and no warning lights. Only after I restarted my vehicle did I receive a powertrain fault message on the display and a check engine light. The abrupt loss of power with nearly zero warning while on an interstate highway endangered my vehicle and its occupants. Upon examination by a mechanic, it was determined that the throttle body on my vehicle had malfunctioned by sticking in the closed position. This was found by my mechanic to be a known Technical Service Bulletin issue from Ford Motor Company. My mechanic replaced the throttle body, and there have been no issues since.
UNDER HARD ACCELERATION, THE CAR SPUTTERS AND CHUGS HARD AND SUFFICIENT PASSING SPEED MAY NOT BE MET. ON 2 OCCASIONS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED AND ON 1 OCCASION IT REMAINED SOLID FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. BOTH TIMES THE LIGHTS CLEARED OUT EVENTUALLY. LOCAL FORD DEALER SAID THEY CLAIM IT IS CONDENSATION IN THE 3.5L ECOBOOST TURBO HOUSING. OFF THE RECORD SOME RECOMMEND DRILLING A WEEPING HOLE TO DRAIN LIQUID. LOOKING FOR A BETTER SOLUTION.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated while his wife was driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lost braking functionality. The brake fluid warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V150000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated while driving 65-70 MPH, the vehicle decelerated independently. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle responded as needed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle would emit abnormally loud sounds intermittently while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake master cylinder and brake booster were leaking. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V150000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2016 Lincoln Navigator has 4 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 25 owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Lincoln Navigator.
The 2016 Lincoln Navigator received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2016 Lincoln Navigator are visibility (4 reports), service brakes (4 reports), back over prevention (3 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 4 recalls on record for the 2016 Lincoln Navigator. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.