Lincoln Navigator 1998–2002 problems by year and mileage
1st generation · UN173 (Ford U platform)
NHTSA data through 24 September 2026564 complaints, 233 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 1998 Lincoln Navigator
Close- Median failure report
- 98,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 197
- Recalls naming this year
- 6
Most reported on the 1998
- Tyres49 reports
- Suspension25 reports
- Steering22 reports
6 recall campaigns name the 1998: Vehicle speed control; Exterior lighting; Trailer hitches. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 1999 Lincoln Navigator
Close- Median failure report
- 86,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 135
- Recalls naming this year
- 5
Most reported on the 1999
- Tyres29 reports
- Engine and its cooling system22 reports
- Electrical system12 reports
5 recall campaigns name the 1999: Vehicle speed control; Trailer hitches; Wheels — lugs/nuts/bolts/studs. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2000 Lincoln Navigator
Close- Median failure report
- 76,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 113
- Recalls naming this year
- 6
Most reported on the 2000
- Tyres43 reports
- Electrical system14 reports
- Transmission and driveline10 reports
6 recall campaigns name the 2000: Vehicle speed control; Vehicle speed control — cruise control; Equipment — other. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2001 Lincoln Navigator
Close- Median failure report
- 78,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 86
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2001
- Tyres23 reports
- Electrical system17 reports
- Throttle and speed control14 reports
4 recall campaigns name the 2001: Vehicle speed control; Visibility — windshield wiper/washer; Seat belts — front. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2002 Lincoln Navigator
Close- Median failure report
- too few reports to time
- Complaints filed
- 33
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2002
- Airbag system7 reports
- Electrical system7 reports
- Engine and its cooling system7 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2002: Vehicle speed control. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 1998 reports latest and the 2000 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 1998 has had 2 more years on the road to accumulate mileage. 1 of these years carries fewer than 30 reports with an odometer reading and shows no median at all, rather than one computed from a handful.
The short answer
“Is the 1998–2002 Lincoln Navigator reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 86,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 162,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 233
- Recalls
- 14
Most reported
- Tyres25.7% of complaints · median 52,000 mi
- Electrical system12.6% of complaints · median 94,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control10.3% of complaints · median 98,000 mi
Documented problems
- Air Suspension1998–2002
- Cylinder Head Spark Plug Threads (5.4L 2-Valve)1998–2002
Owners filed 564 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998–2002 Lincoln Navigator; the tyres leads with 25.7% of them, and half of the 233 that record an odometer reading came by 86,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 60,000 and 120,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 1998–2002 Lincoln Navigator last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 1998–2002 Lincoln Navigator, half of the 233 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 86,000 miles and 90% by 162,000 miles.
32 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 8 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Navigator reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Lincoln Navigator 1998–2002 · 233 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 20,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 44 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 8 complaints (3.4%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 38,000
- 25%
- 60,000
- Median
- 86,000
- 75%
- 120,000
- 90%
- 162,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–20,000 | 7 | 3.0% |
| 20,000–40,000 | 19 | 8.2% |
| 40,000–60,000 | 28 | 12.0% |
| 60,000–80,000 | 43 | 18.5% |
| 80,000–100,000 | 44 | 18.9% |
| 100,000–120,000 | 33 | 14.2% |
| 120,000–140,000 | 17 | 7.3% |
| 140,000–160,000 | 16 | 6.9% |
| 160,000–180,000 | 14 | 6.0% |
| 180,000–200,000 | 4 | 1.7% |
| 200,000+ | 8 | 3.4% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Common Navigator problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Lincoln Navigator 1998–2002
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Tyres145 reports52,00038,000–79,000Tyres: 145 reports, median 52,000 miles, middle half 38,000 to 79,000 miles.
- Steering39 reports69,00053,000–92,000Steering: 39 reports, median 69,000 miles, middle half 53,000 to 92,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline43 reports76,00066,000–100,000Transmission and driveline: 43 reports, median 76,000 miles, middle half 66,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Suspension57 reports76,00052,000–124,000Suspension: 57 reports, median 76,000 miles, middle half 52,000 to 124,000 miles.
- Electrical system71 reports94,00074,000–133,000Electrical system: 71 reports, median 94,000 miles, middle half 74,000 to 133,000 miles.
- Throttle and speed control58 reports98,00072,000–115,000Throttle and speed control: 58 reports, median 98,000 miles, middle half 72,000 to 115,000 miles.
- Engine and its cooling system56 reports102,00085,000–135,000Engine and its cooling system: 56 reports, median 102,000 miles, middle half 85,000 to 135,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 145 | 25.7% | 52,000 | 38,000–79,000 |
| Electrical system | 71 | 12.6% | 94,000 | 74,000–133,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 58 | 10.3% | 98,000 | 72,000–115,000 |
| Suspension | 57 | 10.1% | 76,000 | 52,000–124,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 56 | 9.9% | 102,000 | 85,000–135,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 43 | 7.6% | 76,000 | 66,000–100,000 |
| Steering | 39 | 6.9% | 69,000 | 53,000–92,000 |
| Airbag system | 29 | 5.1% | 90,000 | 34,000–160,000 |
| Wheels | 28 | 5.0% | — | — |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 27 | 4.8% | — | — |
System by system, in words
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 86,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The tyres account for 25.7% of complaints (145 reports, 36 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 52,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 38,000 and 79,000 miles.
A single system taking 25.7% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The electrical system accounts for 12.6% of complaints (71 reports, 44 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 94,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 74,000 and 133,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 10.3% of complaints (58 reports, 36 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 98,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 72,000 and 115,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 10.1% of complaints (57 reports, 25 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 76,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 52,000 and 124,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 9.9% of complaints (56 reports, 36 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 102,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 85,000 and 135,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 7.6% of complaints (43 reports, 21 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 76,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 66,000 and 100,000 miles.
Known problems with the 1998–2002 Navigator
Air Suspension 1998–2002
Rear (and on 4x4 models, front) air springs leak and the compressor burns out from over-cycling; symptoms are a sagging or squatting rear end, ride-height faults and nose-dive under braking. Height sensors and control module electrical faults are secondary causes.
Cylinder Head Spark Plug Threads (5.4L 2-Valve) 1998–2002
The 2-valve Triton aluminum heads have too few spark plug thread engagements; plugs (commonly #2/#3/#4) work loose and eject from the head under compression, typically at 60,000-100,000 miles, stripping the threads. Ford revised the head design for 2003.
Before you buy a 1998–2002 Navigator: the 3-minute check
Generated from 233 mileage-tagged complaints, 14 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 14 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check air suspension on 1998–2002 cars. Rear (and on 4x4 models, front) air springs leak and the compressor burns out from over-cycling; symptoms are a sagging or squatting rear end, ride-height faults and nose-dive under braking. Height sensors and control…
- Check cylinder head spark plug threads (5.4L 2-Valve) on 1998–2002 (5.4L 2–valve) cars. The 2-valve Triton aluminum heads have too few spark plug thread engagements; plugs (commonly #2/#3/#4) work loose and eject from the head under compression, typically at 60,000-100,000 miles, stripping the threads.…
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 60,000 and 120,000 miles, with a median of 86,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the tyres and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The tyres in particular shows a median failure mileage of 52,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Navigator problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi23% below | At 90k mi53% below | At 120k mi75% below | At 150k mi86% below | At 200k mi97% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 38,000–79,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Electrical system | 74,000–133,000 | later | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Throttle and speed control | 72,000–115,000 | later | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Suspension | 52,000–124,000 | in window | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Engine and its cooling system | 85,000–135,000 | later | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Transmission and driveline | 66,000–100,000 | later | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Steering | 53,000–92,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Lincoln Navigator 1998–2002 · 233 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 23% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 75% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 97% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 97%: the remaining 3.4% of reports (8) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
1998–2002 Lincoln Navigator recalls (14)
NHTSA records 14 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around throttle and speed control (2), equipment (2), the exterior lighting (2). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Sep 2005 · 1998–2002 · Vehicle Speed ControlA fire at the switch could occur.
The defect. On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn.
What can happen. A fire at the switch could occur.
The free fix. By letter dated september 12, 2005, owners were instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected. Owners who have had their speed…
Jan 2005 · 2000 · Vehicle Speed ControlThis condition could lead to a fire.
The defect. On certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn.
What can happen. This condition could lead to a fire. Fires have occurred while the vehicles were parked with the ignition 'off.'
The free fix. As an interim repair, owners will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected. As soon as replacement parts are available (early…
Sep 2002 · 2000 · EquipmentCustomers may inflate their rear tires based on the incorrect tire pressure information on the certification…
The defect. Certain 4x2 sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, "Tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars." The rear tire pressure is incorrectly listed on the label for 4.2…
What can happen. Customers may inflate their rear tires based on the incorrect tire pressure information on the certification label.
The free fix. A supplementary label will be sent to customers to place near the certification label to identify the appropriate rear tire pressure. The customer may also have the dealer install the label on the…
Aug 2001 · 2000–2001 · VisibilityLoss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash.
The defect. Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper…
What can happen. Loss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began august 20, 2001. Owners…
Jul 2001 · 2001 · Seat BeltsIn the event of a crash, the restraint system may not provide adequate occupant protection, increasing the…
The defect. Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and minivans. Equipped with seat belts supplied by trw. It is possible that the driver's and/or front passenger's outboard seat belt buckle may not fully latch. Ford crown victoria…
What can happen. In the event of a crash, the restraint system may not provide adequate occupant protection, increasing the risk of personal injury to the seat occupant.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the front outboard seat belt buckles and if the buckle fails the inspection process, it will be replaced. Owner notification began july 25, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles…
Nov 2000 · 2000–2001 · EquipmentIn the event of a crash, the child seat may not be properly attached increasing the risk of injury to the…
The defect. Vehicle description: certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." The affected expedition/Navigator owner guides do not identify the locations of…
What can happen. In the event of a crash, the child seat may not be properly attached increasing the risk of injury to the child.
The free fix. Owners will be provided with owner guide inserts revised to provide the required information, and instructions for affixing these inserts to their owner guides. Customers will also be advised that if…
Jun 2000 · 1998 · Exterior LightingThe light given off from the daytime running lights is brighter than allowed by u.S.
The defect. Vehicle description: MINI vans, light pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Off lease canadian vehicles equipped with daytime running lights which meet canadian requirements and not the photometric requirements of fmvss 108, "lamps, reflective devices…
What can happen. The light given off from the daytime running lights is brighter than allowed by u.S. Standards.
The free fix. Dealers will be advised to deactivate the running light function and to complete any outstanding safety recalls on these vehicles.
Mar 2000 · 1998–2000 · Trailer HitchesThe trailer hitch could then separate from the vehicle.
The defect. Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly to the frame attaching bolts could lose the clamp load.
What can happen. The trailer hitch could then separate from the vehicle.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the trailer hitch mounting bolts and nut plates.
Apr 1999 · 1999 · WheelsLoss of lug nut torque can cause vibration or separation of a wheel and tire from the vehicle.
The defect. Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles equipped with four-wheel-drive (4x4), 17" chrome steel wheels. The clamp load can be lost on the wheel lugs due to insufficient wheel contact area with the hub. In some cases, the contact area can deform, resulting…
What can happen. Loss of lug nut torque can cause vibration or separation of a wheel and tire from the vehicle.
The free fix. Dealers will re-torque the wheel lugs to proper specifications and also install a label that specifies that the wheel lugs be torqued to 110 lb-ft any time the wheel is removed.
Dec 1998 · 1999 · Fuel System, GasolineFuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
The defect. Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The fuel line assemblies may have been damaged by the supplier during manufacturing, allowing leakage.
What can happen. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect these vehicles and, if necessary, replace the front and rear fuel line assemblies.
Nov 1998 · 1999 · Service Brakes, HydraulicIncreased brake stopping distance can occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. These vehicles may have a missing or partially installed retainer clip that holds the master cylinder push rod to the brake pedal arm.
What can happen. Increased brake stopping distance can occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect these vehicles to see if the retainer clip was installed, and repair, if necessary.
May 1998 · 1998 · WheelsThis can result in the loosening of lug nuts, stud fatigue failure, and the potential for a wheel separation…
The defect. Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles and light duty pickup trucks. The lug nuts on these vehicles may not create sufficient clamp load allowing wheel movement in relation to the hub/rotor mounting surface.
What can happen. This can result in the loosening of lug nuts, stud fatigue failure, and the potential for a wheel separation from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
The free fix. Owners of these vehicles will be receiving two notifications. The first notification, which began in may 1998, will provide an interim repair procedure until parts become available. This interim…
Feb 1998 · 1998 · Exterior LightingIf the headlamp assemblies are replaced, customers may be confused by the aiming instructions provided in the…
The defect. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The text and/or graphics for the vehicle headlamp aiming instructions provided in the owner guides are not sufficiently clear. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and…
What can happen. If the headlamp assemblies are replaced, customers may be confused by the aiming instructions provided in the owner guides causing the headlamps to be improperly aimed.
The free fix. Owner guides containing revised aiming instructions will be mailed to owners of these vehicles.
Oct 1997 · 1998 · Power TrainThe condition would not allow a disengagement of the transmission from the park position or affect proper…
The defect. Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. If the automatic transmission shift cable assembly was not fully attached to the steering column bracket, the shift cable assembly can come out of the bracket. The vehicle…
What can happen. The condition would not allow a disengagement of the transmission from the park position or affect proper neutral start switch operation. Unintended vehicle movement could occur if the parking brake…
The free fix. Dealers will make the proper attachment of the transmission shift control cable to the steering column bracket and add a tie strap to that connection.
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 564 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 40 (7.1%)
- Fires
- 73
- Injury reports
- 38
- Fatality reports
- 3
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Navigator problems by model year
The 1998 drew the most complaints of this generation, 197, most of them about the tyres, and the 2002 the fewest, 33. A typical year drew about 113.
The first year of the generation, 1998, drew more complaints than a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 197 | 67 | 98,000 | Tyres (49) | 6 |
| 1999 | 135 | 54 | 86,000 | Tyres (29) | 5 |
| 2000 | 113 | 42 | 76,000 | Tyres (43) | 6 |
| 2001 | 86 | 48 | 78,000 | Tyres (23) | 4 |
| 2002 | 33 | 22 | under 30 reports | Airbag system (7) | 1 |
What Navigator owners reported
the contact owns a 1998 Lincoln Navigator. While attempting to place the vehicle in park, the gear shifter failed to engage. The contact stated that the vehicle would roll forward or backwards, depending on if the vehicle was on an incline or a decline. The contact was concerned about the rollaway possibilities with…
1998 · 72,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
On october 4, 2017 at approximately 3:45 pm, i departed from the sacramento children's home through an adjacent alley traveling through the south bound entrance. As i made the left turn into the alley as i gradually got up to speed my vehicle suddenly began to accelerate. I was startled by the sudden increase of speed…
2000 · 290,000 miles · Body structure
the contact owns a 2000 Lincoln Navigator. While driving 65 MPH speed and take your foot of the gas pedal and car continues to go 65 MPH all of sudden no power steering or power brakes. In addition, the contact stated that the electrical system failed to operate intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or…
2000 · 115,000 miles · Electrical system
the contact owns a 2002 Lincoln Navigator. While driving various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The check engine warning light illuminated. The fuel gauge did not indicate the accurate amount of fuel in the vehicle. In addition, the hazard lights failed to illuminate properly and the speed control…
2002 · 128,000 miles · Engine
Built from 233 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Navigator generations
- Navigator 2003–2006 246 reports with mileage, most about the suspension
- Navigator 2007–2017 145 reports with mileage, most about the electrical system