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Lincoln NavigatorModel year report

2019 Lincoln Navigator Problems

Compared with other Lincoln Navigator years

More complaints than typical for this model

73/100 1.7× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2016, 2017

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
85filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
70,000miles, 21 complaints with mileage
Recalls
10campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall, 4 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl RWD · 16 city / 23 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2019 Lincoln Navigator (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owner complaints on this model year cluster around two things: front seat belt pretensioners that lock or deploy on their own without a crash, and rough or delayed shifting from the 10-speed automatic transmission. Both show up across a wide mileage range, from nearly new vehicles to well over 100,000 miles, and many owners describe long waits for recall parts rather than a quick fix at the dealer.

  1. Seat belts

    Seat belt pretensioner locks or fires on its own

    • 20 complaints (24%)
    • median 93,000 mi at 7.6 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2020–2026

    Owners describe the front seat belt suddenly cinching tight, sometimes with a loud pop, a puff of smoke and a chemical or sulfur-like odor, while driving at ordinary speeds, parking, or shifting from reverse to drive. Afterward the belt often will not extend or retract, and some report bruising or a sore chest and shoulder. Complaints also describe dealers saying the belt assembly needs replacement but that recall parts are not yet available, leaving owners waiting. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 117,000 miles, with no clear weather or seasonal pattern in the sample.

    Recall 26V344000Recall 25V197000Recall 24V099000

    What to check: Pull each front seat belt out slowly and let it retract; ask whether the vehicle has had the pretensioner recall repairs done and whether parts are available. Note any stored SRS or restraint warning lights.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving my car about 30 miles an hour when my driver’s side seat belt suddenly locked down on me painfully. Also when that happened it sounded like a gunshot went off and it smelled like smoke. I did not hit anything or apply my brakes suddenly to cause the seat belt to engage.”

    NHTSA complaint #11748856, filed 2026-07

    “My vehicle was moving slowly in a pickup line for my child. Randomly, the seat belt retractor went off and pulled me back into the seat. Initially, I thought it was a gunshot. Smoke was all in the car. My neck/shoulder has some bruising and cuts from the seat belt. There was a seatbelt light on the dash. It has been there for some time, but the recall's hasn't been issued and it's not realistic to not have a car until FoMoCo issues the fix.”

    NHTSA complaint #11766237, filed 2026-09
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Harsh, delayed or slipping 10-speed transmission

    • 21 complaints (25%)
    • median 54,000 mi at 3.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2022–2026

    Complaints describe the 10-speed automatic jerking or shuddering at low speeds, hesitating before engagement, staying in too high a gear on inclines, and occasionally slipping as if in neutral. Several owners report the transmission later worsening to hard downshifts, a wrench light and a limp mode, with one describing a full rebuild. Dealers are reported to have flushed fluid, added fluid, or applied software updates, sometimes without lasting effect. Mostly reported between roughly 20,000 and 117,000 miles; several owners mention the behavior appearing at low speeds and on slight inclines.

    Recall 26V4020008 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test drive at low speed and on a slight hill, feeling for hesitation, shudder or hard downshifts, and ask for the transmission service history and whether the latest software calibrations were applied.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Well, the problem is with the transmission. The transmission will lurch, and it also will go into neutral while you are driving down the road, the other thing with the suspension I had repaired. But it said the drive modes were disabled and kept on throwing. Check engine lights. Not to mention, I had to have the cam. Phasers fixed last year, that was another $5000 repair.”

    NHTSA complaint #11707775, filed 2025-12

    “Is all on google this particular vehicle Lincoln Navigator 2019 L have problems on the transmission gear malfunctioning…I barely purchase this exactly model a few days ago and I have this issues concern safety so dealer said is purchase with no warranty but this vehicle have 75000 miles only … we should have the attention on this matter because is safety and costly to repair”

    NHTSA complaint #11664066, filed 2025-05
  3. Engine

    Cold-start rattle from cam phasers

    • 26 complaints (31%)
    • median 84,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (10 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2021–2026

    Owners describe a rattling or ticking noise and shaking right after a cold start, sometimes without any warning light. Dealers are reported to have diagnosed failed cam phasers or variable cam timing parts and replaced them, with some owners saying the noise returned later. Some were told their vehicle was not covered by a related campaign and paid part or all of the repair. Reported from about 30,000 to 83,000 miles and beyond; owners consistently tie it to cold starts.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Listen for a rattle or tick in the first seconds after a cold start, and ask whether cam phaser or variable cam timing work has been done and by whom.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “the engine rattles and knocks with cold start. in reviewing online, this is a very common problem. The dealership told me their service lot is full of navigators needing to have CAM? replaced. The internet confirms mechanics frustrated with spending their entire day replacing the same parts. This issue is listed on your site, but it is not a recalled item. I would suggest auditing how many of these repairs Lincoln is actually doing. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11607366, filed 2024-08

    “Upon a cold start my vehicle was making a rattling and ticking sound and the car would shake. There were no engine failure or warning lights that came on but the engine did not sound like it was running properly and clearly something was wrong. I took the vehicle in and was told that the Variable Cam Timing parts need to be replaced. In doing some research it appears that the VCT on the 2019 Navigator has a recall for the VCT but my VIN was not included on the recall for some reason.”

    NHTSA complaint #11640041, filed 2025-02
  4. Electrical system

    Blank instrument cluster on startup

    Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe the digital instrument panel staying dark at startup, leaving no speed or fuel information, while the vehicle otherwise runs. Owners report it recurring sporadically and say dealers could not reproduce it or found no stored codes, so nothing was repaired. Others describe infotainment or connectivity modules failing and needing replacement. Reported across a wide mileage range, from low-mileage vehicles to about 97,000 miles; the issue appears intermittent and startup-related.

    Recall 19V076000Recall 26V3720001 related service bulletin

    What to check: Start the vehicle several times and confirm the cluster and displays come up; ask whether the cluster recall or software work has been completed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I started the car and the electronic dashboard was blank, giving me no information on my speed, gas etc. Luckily, the heads up display was working. This blank dashboard on startup has occurred about 6 times since I bought the car on 12th January, 2026. I took it to West Point Lincoln, Sugar Land on 2nd February, 2026 but they said they couldn't fix it because the dashboard was working whilst at their workshop because it didn't act up, and the system gave no error codes on the diagnostic machine”

    NHTSA complaint #11717722, filed 2026-02

    “My 2019 Lincoln Navigator was parked sitting for 2 hours before a fire under the belly of the vehicle became a blaze. Neighbors had to use a fire extinguisher to get the fire out. I was at work (Ford Motor Company) while my wife and kids just made it home and was out of the vehicle. Jack Demmer Lincoln service the vehicle due to it shutting down completely with no warnings. (The vehicle would shut completely down WHILE DRIVING for 5 to 8 seconds every time it goes over ANY BUMB OR UNEVEN SURFACE OR PATCHE in the road. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11759948, filed 2026-08

Buying note. Check the recall status of any 2019 Navigator by VIN, since several seat belt and transmission campaigns apply, and confirm the parts were actually installed. A slow-speed test drive and a cold start will reveal the two behaviors owners report most often.

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.

NHTSA recorded 85 consumer complaints for the 2019 Lincoln Navigator. 21 of the complaints include a mileage, and 43% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 70,000 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 12 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns and 153 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 6 Lincoln Navigator model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 73 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Vehicle speed control (3), Forward collision avoidance (2), Body and structure (2), Suspension (2), Brakes (1), Engine cooling (1), Exterior lighting (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Tires (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Seat belts: “Seatbelt is not recoiling properly. Dealership replaced it, new one is having similar issues. Sat in other black label navigators and they also had the same issue. When using the cruise control, the brakes are making an odd noise (it makes the same type of sound you hear when getting up from a leather couch) window washers have failed multiple times. I have multiple video's of that driver seats are making a lot of noise (almost like something is loose), dealership had to fix it twice now. …”

NHTSA complaint #11242084, filed 2019-08, 2,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “How do you have a problem with a Parking issue transmission or automatically going into parking on neutral when I was driving it started like three years ago with a little knocking sound every time I used to shift The dealer always told me that the hard shifting was something normal every time I wanna ask him to check and they did nothing. …”

NHTSA complaint #11769875, filed 2026-10

Electrical system: “Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2019 Lincoln Navigator. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 81,183. The contact was informed by the warranty company, and based on a Carfax Report, the mileage was 97,000.”

NHTSA complaint #11733564, filed 2026-04, 97,000 miles

Engine: “Purchased a 2019 Lincoln navigator in 2024 used at a dealership in Orange Park Florida. The vehicle was taken to the same dealership for an oil change, which is a Volkswagen dealership. I started to hear a loud shaking noise after starting it up. I took it to O’Reilly‘s auto parts and had to put on a machine and I also took it to Paul, Clark Ford and Yulee Florida. I was told by both that it was the cam phaser. The vehicle was also leaking coolant, and now the engine has completely blown in the vehicle. …”

NHTSA complaint #11668674, filed 2025-06

Mileage when problems were reported

43% of the 21 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 31,000 and 97,000 miles.

14%0–105%10–2524%25–5010%50–7529%75–10019%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (21 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 70,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

2019202020212022202320242025202629
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2019 Lincoln Navigator. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Navigator · SUV 4x2★★★★★5 / 5553 · 20.8% risk
Navigator · SUV 4x4★★★★★5 / 5554 · 19.3% risk
Navigator El · extended suv 4x2★★★★★5 / 5553 · 20.8% risk
Navigator El · extended suv 4x4★★★★★5 / 5554 · 19.3% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2019 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning optional, automatic emergency braking optional.

Neighbouring years: 2018: same overall rating; 2020: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2019 Lincoln Navigator version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Navigator 2WD3.5L 6-cyl10-speed automatic162319$3,550
Navigator 4WD3.5L 6-cyl10-speed automatic162118$3,700
Navigator L 2WD3.5L 6-cyl10-speed automatic162218$3,700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 10 recalls for the 2019 Lincoln Navigator → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 153 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 153 bulletins →

Other model years of the Lincoln Navigator

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2025132,5006517—Too new
20241612,3507—18—Too new
2023743,2008—19—Too new
20222157,00014—19—Rising
20213319,7001251882 · MoreRising
20203250,7421351950 · TypicalRising
20198570,0001051973 · MoreRising
20185257,5001251956 · TypicalRising
20173287,000551712 · FewerRising
20162579,50045181 · FewerRising
20152166,5004518—Rising
20141786,0000416—Falling
20131420,0000416—Not enough data
20121230,0003416—Not enough data
2011986,3000—16—Not enough data
20101677,0000—16—Stable
20091066,0571—16—Not enough data
20083060,0002—1417 · FewerStable
20074570,0002—14Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20066073,7503—13Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20054860,0000—13Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20048666,5000—13Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200312772,5000—13Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20023290,0001—13Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20018178,0003—12Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200010975,0004—13Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199913285,0605—13Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199819298,0605—13Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Lincoln Navigator model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2019 Lincoln Navigator?

Owner complaints on this model year cluster around two things: front seat belt pretensioners that lock or deploy on their own without a crash, and rough or delayed shifting from the 10-speed automatic transmission. The issues reported most often: Seat belt pretensioner locks or fires on its own; Harsh, delayed or slipping 10-speed transmission; Cold-start rattle from cam phasers.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2019 Lincoln Navigator have?

NHTSA recorded 85 consumer complaints for the 2019 Lincoln Navigator as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2019 Lincoln Navigator is reported most often?

Seat belts is named most often, in 25 complaints (29% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 24.

Has the 2019 Lincoln Navigator been recalled?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2019 Lincoln Navigator do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2019 Lincoln Navigator 5 out of 5 stars overall, across 4 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2019 Lincoln Navigator get?

The EPA rates the 2019 Lincoln Navigator (Navigator 2WD, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 16 city and 23 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2019 Lincoln Navigator reported?

Among the 21 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 70,000 miles and the middle half falls between 31,000 and 97,000 miles; 43% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.