2002 Lincoln Navigator
The Verdict
The 2002 Lincoln Navigator has 32 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (11 complaints) and engine (11 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 92/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating. If you're shopping for a Lincoln Navigator, consider the 2023 model year which has 81% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2023 has 81% fewer complaints
View the 2023 Lincoln Navigator dashboard →
Klunk Score: Smooth Ride
This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 75 | 10 | 24 | 11 | 13 |
| 2001 | 48 | 2 | 21 | 14 | 7 |
| 2002 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 1 |
| 2003 | 65 | 5 | 31 | 14 | 12 |
| 2004 | 40 | 6 | 25 | 11 | 4 |
| 2005 | 19 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 4 |
| 2006 | 22 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 5 |
| 2007 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 2 |
| 2008 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 2 |
| 2009 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2010 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 2011 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2012 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 2014 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 2015 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| 2016 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 2017 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| 2018 | 17 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 13 |
| 2019 | 28 | 1 | 10 | 12 | 17 |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 16 |
| 2021 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 2 |
| 2022 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 2025 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
TL* 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 WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
MY 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR EJECTED A SPARK PLUG CAUSING A SUBSTANTIAL REPAIR BILL. *TR
I HAD THE SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT OF THE HOLE CAUSED CAR TO RUN ON LESS COMPRESSION AND IT IS VERY COSTLY TO FIX MECHANIC INFORMED THIS VEHICLE IS KNOWN FOR THIS. *TR
ON 12/03/11 WHEN MY HUSBAND STARTED OUR 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR A LOUD BANG HAPPENED, MY SEAT BELT TIGHTENED ACROSS MY CHEST SO TIGHT IT HURT AND I COULDN'T BREATHE, THE CAR STARTED SMOKING SO BAD THAT MY OLDEST DAUGHTER JUMPED OUT OF THE TRUCK BECAUSE IT SCARED HER SO BAD. THE SEAT BELT WAS SO TIGHT IT WOULDN'T COME OFF AT FIRST WHICH SCARED ME BECAUSE THE SMOKE WAS BY THE SIDE OF MY HEAD! NOW THE SEAT BELT WON'T WORK AND I DON'T WANT TO USE MY CAR WITHOUT IT. IN THE PAST YEAR, 2011, MY TRUCK KEEPS BLOWING FUSES ON THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTS AND AIR BAG FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE. I KEEP REPLACING THE FUSE BUT THEY ONLY LAST ABOUT A WEEK AND THEN THEY BLOW OUT. ONCE THE FUSE IS REPLACED THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTS WORK, THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES OFF. BUT, NO SOONER DO I CHANGE IT, IT BLOWS AGAIN. SO, I HAVEN'T REPLACED IT. IN FEBRUARY I HAVE TO GO FOR EMISSIONS AND I WON'T PASS WITH THIS LIGHT ON. IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS, MY BRIGHT LIGHTS HAVE TURNED ON BY THEMSELVES. I THOUGHT IT ONLY HAPPENED WHEN WE USE THE TURN SIGNALS, BUT MY HUSBAND TOLD ME IT DOES IT ALL THE TIME. I DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM UNTIL THREE DAYS AGO WHEN I HIT A BUMP AND THEY WENT ON. THEN, YESTERDAY I WAS SITTING IN OUR RUNNING, PARKED CAR AND THE BRIGHTS JUST TURNED ON WHILE THE CAR WAS ON AND NOT MOVING. THAT REALLY SCARED ME. WHAT KIND OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS DOES THIS VEHICLE HAVE? I HAVE DONE THE ONE RECALL ON MY TRUCK FOR ENGINE FIRE. ARE THERE MORE RECALLS I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED AN INJURY TO THE EAR DRUM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHY THE AIR BAGS HAD DEPLOYED WITHOUT THE VEHICLE BEING INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE MANUFACTURER SENT A SPECIALIST TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE SPECIALIST ADVISED THAT A FAULTY COMPONENT IN THE AIR BAG CAUSED THE DEPLOYMENT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE FOR THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT EITHER SOMETHING WAS PLACED UNDER THE SEAT OR THE SEAT COVER WAS WORN EXCESSIVELY. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FROM UNDER THE SEAT. THE CONTACTS LEFT ARM WAS SEVERELY INJURED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE AIR BAGS ARE NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT REPLACED. THE VIN WAS REJECTED FROM THE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
I THINK THIS IS A COMMON TACTIC BY FORD AND THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD LOOK INTO IT. I LEASED A NEW 2002 NAVIGATOR AND HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION. ON A ROAD TRIP IN 2004 WITH 32000 MILES, THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE DEALER CLAIMED THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE AND FORD WOULD NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY. APPARENTLY, THE LEASE INCLUDED FREE OIL CHANGES AT THE DEALER, WHICH I WAS NOT AWARE OF. I PRODUCED ALL OF THE RECEIPTS TO SHOW THAT I HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES (MORE FREQUENTLY THAN REQUIRED) BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS IRRELEVANT SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE THE DEALER DO THE OIL CHANGES. I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT WOULD COST $12,000. THE FORD DEALER WAS SO UPSET BY THIS HE OFFERED TO DO IT FOR COST, ABOUT $4500, BUT I JUST WALKED AWAY, EVEN THOUGH THEY SUED AND PUT A $15,000 BLOT ON MY CREDIT RATING.THIS WAS MY THIRD NAVIGATOR LEASE, INCLUDING A 1998 AND 2000 MODEL BEFORE THIS. I PAID TOP DOLLAR FOR THEIR MOST EXPENSIVE VEHICLE AND THIS IS HOW THEY TREAT GOOD CUSTOMERS. NOT TO MENTION BEING STRANDED IN THE DESERT WITH MY WIFE AND FIVE KIDS. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD AGAIN. ONE LAST POINT - I HAD JUST HAD THE OIL CHANGED BEFORE I LEFT AND HAD LESS THAN 1000 MILES ON THE CAR WHEN IT BROKE DOWN. I CHECKED THE OIL AND IT WAS MORE THAN 1/2 QUART DOWN. CLEARLY THE CAR WAS USING OIL AT JUST 32000 MILES. FUNNY THING IS, I HAVE A 97 EXPLORER WITH ROUGHLY THE SAME ENGINE, AND IT FINALLY THREW A ROD AT 250,000 MILES OF EXCELLENT SERVICE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WAS PUT OUT BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED A WRITTEN REPORT OF THE INCIDENT WOULD BE PROVIDED WITHIN FIFTEEN DAYS. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE MANUFACTURER'S WEBSITE THAT HER VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN A RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V388000 COMPONENT: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT CONFIRM THAT INFORMATION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
MY 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR CAUGHT FIRE, THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND FRONT HALF OF THE CAR IS CHARRED AND THE INTERIOR HAS SIGNIFICANT BURN DAMAGE, IT ALMOST SET FIRE TO OUR HOME. *TR
FUSE/RELAY FUSES GET BURNED ONCE EVERY TWO DAYS THE SUV TURNS OFF WHILE IN MOTION. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IN A HEAVY TRAFFIC INTERSECTION. HAS HAPPENED FOR 5-6 TIMES. TOOK THE SUV TO AN ELECTRICIAN FOUND NO PROBLEM, CALLED FORD DEALER APPOINTMENT IN TWO WEEKS. *TR
LEAKY WINSHIELD CAUSING FAULTY WIREING AND CAR SHUTTING OFF WHILE MOVING WIPERS STOP WORKING AMONG OTHER THINGS FORD NOES OF THIS ISSUE AND IS NOT DOING ANTHING TO FIX ISSUE THIS IS A SAFTY ISSUE AS IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE OR EVEN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AS IT SHUTS OFF SPERATICALLY AND SOMETIMES WONT RESTART
WATER LEAKAGE AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *TR
I HAVE A WATER LEAKAGE AND IT IS AFFECTING THE ELECTRONICS OF THE CAR..WHEN IT RAINS, ELECTRICAL PROBLEM OCCURS..SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL SHIFT TO 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND THE HEATER WILL GO ON AND OFF, THE RADIO STOP WORKING, ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCK WILL NOT OPEN..ACCELERATION AND OVERDRIVE GOES ON..BATTERY WILL GO DEAD... *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE SPEED CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, AND HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 115144.
2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND BURNT TO THE GROUND. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT PROCEEDED THROUGH A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS LIFTED FROM THE GROUND. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE FACE, SHOULDERS, LOWER BACK, CHEST, AND NECK. NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS THROWN INTO THE STEERING WHEEL SO HARD THAT THE SEAT BELT SNAPPED FROM THE IMPACT. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE, BUT WAS ABLE TO BE REVIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 82,500.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH IN REVERSE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS OR CRASH. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BRUISED ARM, BUT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF DEPLOYMENT. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 89,746.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT'S GARAGE SUSTAINED FIRE. HIS HOME WAS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED DUE TO SMOKE AND WATER. HIS OTHER VEHICLE WAS ALSO DAMAGED BY THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000.
ON 6/26/2007 AROUND 3:00PM, MY YEAR 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE BY ITSELF IN THE PARKING LOT. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY UNDER INSPECTION BY THE DEALER. *TR
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