Lincoln Navigator Reliability

My parents bought one new and had it about four years with no major issues. They really liked the car but wanted something with better MPG and replaced it with a Jag S-Type. I have an Aviator and am the second owner and neither of us have had issues, no air suspension on mine though.

 

i owned one for 53k hard hard hard hard hard hard hard miles.... mine was typically found running all summer... and I mean 24/7... on the limiter... drifting in the proper areas in the wet, and on its speed limiter when the conditions were right...she preformed damn near flawlessly... the only thing i would say is make sure is make sure the rear air recall has been performed. There is a leak in one of the fittings that will cause you to have to refill with 134 often otherwise...


also, yes the airbag thing is more expensive to fix, BUT, most of the time its cause by people not knowing to deactivate the air suspension when putting the car on a lift.

 

my inlaws own one from new and neglect it completely, never service it, barely ever clean it, but nothing has ever gone wrong with it...its so wrong

 

They're pretty much a luxified Ford Expedition, which are like tanks. My parent's have an '06 that has about 70,000 miles, has been through a car accident, 3 feet of snow, everyday driving, etc. We have had no major problems with it at all. Although it's been showing some wear-and-tear recently. We had to get a seal fixed on the front axle 2 weeks ago, and the lights are starting to burn out.

I'd expect a new Navigator to be almost exact to an Expedition reliability-wise. I'll say go for it. Ford products have great build quality.

 

04 Expedition here. 86k on it. Tow my track car with it. Aside from 1 window switch. Zero problems. Has the 5.4. No airbag suspension on this. If you need a big SUV this is it. Friend has an older one with 210k on it. He can't kill it. Helped me in decision to buy F, when the other 2 got bailout $$. Wish i bought more!!

 

My wife has a 2003 Expedition that she will nto replace as she says the truck is HONEST.
It does not pretend to be anything other than a spacious full size SUV. It is quiet on the
road. Goes Four Wheeling just fine when we have occaision to do so. Ford got a lot right
on the Expeditions and the dressed up kin the Navigators.

The 5.4 Triton V8 is a solid engine with good reliability. From a purely mercenary point of
view, I want her to give me her old one with 100K miles to use for a commuter. I've
offered to replace hers with a new spiffy one. Then I get accused of speaking ill of
her truck. Hard to win this one. Maybe I should just bring a new EL in the same color
home and pretend it is mine until she adopts it.

So basically the Ford Full Size SUVs are reliable and competent. But, they'd have to be
as their competitor is the Suburban with a remarkable reputation for the same.

-sc

 

i don't think the NAVIs have the same motors as they Expys but if they do - skip anything 2005 and earlier.

they 5.4s have a design defect in the aluminum heads and shoot the plugs out. fix is either the heli-coil kit or a new head. google it.

i'm a ford guy and i just sold my 5.4 with 138k miles on it. i deemed it pretty much unreliable for any sort of long distance travel and would have prefer'd to drive it into the ground after shooting out #6 and #8 plugs. about a $500 fix each time.

i now have a new tahoe which is pretty much useless in the "space" category.

 

my family has owned two navigators and loved them though we did have some minor electrical issues