2001 Lincoln Navigator Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report tire failures — tread separation, sidewall blowouts and vibration, largely on the factory Continental tires, along with rejected reimbursement claims under the tire recall. Fires starting under the hood around the speed control switch, usually while parked, appear repeatedly, as do electrical shorts (burning smells near the fuse box, radio cutting out with the power window, wiper faults), rear suspension sag or corrosion breakage, and airbag concerns.

1. 1
   Tires

   Tire tread separation and sidewall blowouts

   • 20 complaints (25%)
   • median 56,000 mi at 5.5 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • filed 2001–2014

   Complaints describe the tread separating from the carcass or the sidewall blowing out at highway speed, sometimes after a bulge or knot appeared; several owners say the loose tread damaged fenders, bumpers and running boards. Steering wheel vibration was often the first sign, and dealers or tire shops replaced the affected tire. Owners also report that reimbursement claims under the tire recall were rejected, with the manufacturer stating the purchase date fell outside the covered period. Reported from about 11,500 miles up to roughly 134,000 miles, most often in the tens of thousands on the original tires and frequently at highway speeds in warm weather.

   What to check: Read the DOT date codes on all tires including the spare, and replace anything old or showing sidewall cracking, bulges or uneven wear. Ask whether the vehicle still has the original Continental tires and whether any recall reimbursement was filed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The factory tires on these vehicles are going to get someone killed! I was very fortunate that none of my blow-outs were when I was traveling 75 MPH. Down interstate 10 ! I had just had my tires rotated and checked, and about 3 weeks later, I noticed a terrible vibration in my steering. I took it to the dealership, and was told it was my tire. I had them change it, and you should have seen the huge knot on that tire. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10167859, filed 2006-09, 50,000 miles

   “2001 Lincoln Navigator- 21,000 miles -contitrac at-p255/75r17 tires - DOT# ad9c 448 5100. We had been driving for about 2 hours on I-95 at speeds between 65 and 70 MPH. (posted limits on I-95 are 65 and 70) on a sunny day with temperatures around 95 degrees. The rear passenger side tire lost all it's tread and immediately blew out. This happened on friday afternoon around 5 pm in moderate traffic 7/16/2004. Fortunately I was able to keep the car under control and move to the shoulder to change tire. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10082302, filed 2004-07, 21,000 miles
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Speed control switch overheating and fires

   • 34 complaints (42%)
   • median 78,000 mi at 7.1 yrs old (22 state mileage)
   • 13 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2025

   Complaints describe smoke and flames from the front of the vehicle, often while it was parked in a driveway or garage, with owners and investigators pointing to the speed control switch or its wiring under the hood. Some owners report the speed control recall work had not been done, and one notes parts were unavailable at the dealership. A few complaints in the same group describe elevated or sticking engine speed and an accelerator pedal that was hard to depress in cold weather. Fires were mostly reported between roughly 56,000 and 135,000 miles, frequently with the vehicle parked and unattended hours after being driven; the pedal complaints occurred in sub-freezing temperatures.

   Recall 05V388000

   What to check: Ask for proof that the speed control deactivation switch recall was completed, and inspect the switch and connector near the master cylinder for scorching, brake fluid residue or melted plastic. Have any cruise control or high-idle symptom diagnosed before driving.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle caught fire under hood by fuse box/firewall and wiring harness to motor. Fire marshall stated electrical short in wiring harness. Vehicle was a total loss of the fire. My wife and my 7 year old daughter were in vehicle when ignited with no notice. I never received a notice about vehicle speed control recall and recall was never performed as a result of that. Fire occurred in area of speed control cable.”

   NHTSA complaint #10169863, filed 2006-10, 121,000 miles

   “About 2 hours after me and my children got back home from wal-mart and got settled in for the night my brother stepped outside and came back in the house yelling for me to call the fire department because my 2001 Lincoln Navigator was on fire. I seriously thought he was playing a joke on me but insisted so I got up and my truck was on fire in my driveway. My husband had to get 2 water hose and keep the fire under control so the wind wouldn't blow the fire towards the other vehicles parked in the driveway. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10285346, filed 2009-09, 115,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Electrical shorts, burning smells and smoke

   • 12 complaints (15%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 8.3 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2025

   Owners describe a burning plastic or wire smell inside the cabin, smoke from the driver side vents or the seat heater, and in some cases fire at the fuse box or wiring harness. Several complaints note that operating the driver's side power window makes the radio cut out, which dealers reportedly could not resolve, and others describe the headlight switch overheating after a drive. Wiper complaints include wipers running only at high speed, refusing to shut off, or stopping altogether after rain. Reported across a wide mileage range, from low-mileage vehicles up to about 135,000 miles, often after rain or while a specific electrical accessory was in use.

   Recall 01V258000

   What to check: Check that the wipers work at every speed and park correctly, and operate the windows, radio, seat heaters and lights while listening for relays clicking or smelling for hot plastic. Look for darkened connectors around the fuse box and the headlight switch.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was the owner of a 2001 Lincoln Navigator. I was living in the states from 2004 to 2006 and I heard in the news that Lincoln car models between 1998 to 2002 were susceptible to burn because of a electrical failure. I took my car to the ford dealer located in ventura boulevard, ca and they told me my car model was not one of those who had the switch that made the car burn. I took my car home and everything seemed to be ok. I went back to spain so I took my american car back to spain too. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10254460, filed 2009-01, 96,000 miles

   “I had been driving for about 15 minutes and then I noticed a burning plastic smell. It was dark so my headlights were on. I felt heat coming from under the dash by the pedals. I started to watch my dash to see if the truck was over heating or the check engine light would come on but neither of those happened. The next light I stopped at I could see smoke coming from the driver side air vents. I pulled over and opened the hood and nothing. Well after some extensive searching I located the issue. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11662918, filed 2025-05
4. 4
   Suspension

   Rear suspension sag, corrosion and breakage

   • 7 complaints (9%)
   • median 91,590 mi at 9.0 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2002–2012

   Complaints describe the rear of the vehicle dropping suddenly while driving or sitting far lower than the front with no warning lamp, which owners attribute to the air suspension. Others report corroded rear lower control arms or trailing arms collapsing, in one case twisting the rear axle and breaking the driveshaft flange, and one describes a broken front suspension control arm. Dealers and shops replaced air springs or arms, and owners say the manufacturer declined assistance in the corrosion cases. Mostly reported between about 86,000 and 140,000 miles, on vehicles in salted-road areas for the corrosion cases, and sometimes without warning at low speed.

   What to check: Compare ride height front and rear with the engine running, listen for the air compressor cycling, and inspect the rear control and trailing arms underneath for heavy rust or flaking metal. Ask whether the air springs or rear arms have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Hello, luckily I made it home before this happened as I was towing my trailer with a couch and chair on it. I got home and stopped in front of my house, then had to move the truck. When I stepped on the gas to move, there was a horrendous bang, a clunking noise and the rear of the vehicle dropped down almost to the ground. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10484100, filed 2012-11, 97,055 miles

   “The steering control arm assembly and front suspension of the Lincoln Navigator broke while I was driving home. It was lucky that it happened on the local street and the speed limit was 30 MPH. I wa sable pull the car to safety. The year of the car was a 2001 model. I thought it was too early to be broken. We were not aggressive drivers. We just used the car to commute from home to work on the highway and the local street. We went to the dealer to fix the problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10195563, filed 2007-07, 86,125 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbag non-deployment and unexpected deployment

   • 6 complaints (7%)
   • median 28,000 mi at 2.7 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2015

   Complaints describe front airbags that did not deploy in a frontal collision, and one owner reports the driver seat airbag deploying while the engine was off, with smoke and debris ejected. Another owner notes an airbag warning light staying on along with other faults. In the non-deployment cases the vehicle was inspected after the crash rather than repaired in advance. Reported on vehicles from very low mileage up to about 163,000 miles, both in collisions and while parked.

   What to check: Ask whether the airbag warning light has ever come on or been reset, and have the system scanned for stored airbag codes before purchase; any illuminated airbag lamp should be diagnosed rather than ignored.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am a captain with the fire department and responded to a 2 car head on crash. Other vehicle had airbag deployment, while this Navigator had a major front end collision and air bags were loaded (not activated) on our arrival. Only one occupant in the Navigator was injured, minor, but required ambulance transportation. Colton fire also responded, and colton p.d. Was the investigative authority, sgt. Steve davis was the officer in charge. …”

   NHTSA complaint #756727, filed 2002-01

   “The vehicle was at a complete stop and was hit head on by another vehicle, however none of the air bags deployed upon impact. Which resulted in the driver being seriously injured.”

   NHTSA complaint #10011918, filed 2003-03, 28,000 miles

Buying note. These vehicles are old enough that condition and service history matter more than the model itself: confirm the speed control recall was completed, inspect tires and rear suspension hardware closely, and check for electrical smells or wiper faults on a test drive. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent shop is worth the cost.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.