What breaks most · 2003 to 2005 model years
Lincoln Aviator problems by year
Owners have filed 231 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Lincoln Aviator across model years 2003 to 2005. One year stands out: 2003 for powertrain and transmission complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2003
- Complaints on file
- 2312003 to 2005, all trims
- Worst year
- 2003106 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 91 fires · 11 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 67kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 1Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 106 | 5 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (51) | |
| 78 | 1 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (21) | |
| 47 | 3 | 0 | Body and structure (26) |
What fails on the 2003 Lincoln Aviator
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 48% |
51 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 14% |
15 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 14% |
15 | 0 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 10% |
11 | 2 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 8% |
8 | 1 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 8% |
8 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator |
| Air bags | 7% |
7 | 1 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 6% |
6 | 0 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Transmission shifter cable is broken; intermittent problem moving geer and when moved, it may generate a violent jerk before moving. Multiple people have this problem. But NHTSA campaign number: 02v313000 is only covering a selected amount of vehicles. My vehicle was not included but the same problem.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Lincoln Aviator years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2003 carries the most filings on the Lincoln Aviator. The 2003 alone has 106 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Lincoln Aviator problem?
On the 2003 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 51 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Lincoln Aviator problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Lincoln Aviator complaints that include mileage is about 67,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.