2003 Lincoln Aviator Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Aviator years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 111 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Lincoln Aviator. That is the most of any Aviator model year in the database (11 years). The most reported problem area is power train (55 complaints, 50%), typically at around 67,500 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 7 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 111owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Lincoln Aviator problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 55 | 50% | 67,500 | “shift cable” (20%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 15 | 14% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 15 | 14% | 63,052 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 10% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 8 | 7% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 7% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 7 | 6% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 5% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 5% | 10,682 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 5% | 16,864 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 5% | 112,319 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 3% | 20,068 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 3% | 4,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 3% | 43,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 2% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 16,864 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 143,145 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | 55,209 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 33,135 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 45,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Lincoln Aviator recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, the transmission shift cable can become dislodged from the shift cable bracket.
Risk: This could result resulting in incorrect gear indication.
Fix: Dealers will add a strap to the shift cable adjuster to prevent the shift cable from becoming dislodged. Ford has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Vehicle Rollaway Allegations (EA09013) — opened Aug 18, 2009, closed Feb 12, 2013.
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head (DP05005) — opened Sep 22, 2005, closed Jan 4, 2006.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Aviator equipped with Cooper Tires, Tire Line: Hercules HTS-Terra-Trac, Tire Size 245/65/R17, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side front tire sidewall separated in the center. There were no warning lights…
A year ago noticed when shifting and up to date my shifter gear indicator not shift to correct gear indicator and fail to work properly, i believed the transmission shift cable may become dislodged from the shift cable bracket. I take my truck to an transmission shop and the technician recommended…
I'm having problems with the front in that's control arm. The transfer case. *tr
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER POSITION WAS NOT IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INDICATOR DID NOT DISPLAY THE CORRECT GEAR THAT WAS BEING UTILIZED. ANTELOPE VALLEY FORD (LOCATED AT 1155 AUTO MALL DR…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 lincoln aviator. The contact stated that the gear failed to shift from park into any other gear because the gear shifter was fractured. The vehicle was unable to be driven. The vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 02v313000 (power train); however, the…
Other Lincoln Aviator years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Aviator | 0 | 2 |
| 2026 Aviator | 4 | 6 |
| 2025 Aviator | 16 | 15 |
| 2024 Aviator | 7 | 8 |
| 2023 Aviator | 24 | 16 |
| 2022 Aviator | 45 | 21 |
| 2021 Aviator | 40 | 28 |
| 2020 Aviator | 109 | 30 |
| 2005 Aviator | 51 | 0 |
| 2004 Aviator | 81 | 0 |
| 2003 | 111 | 1 |
See all Lincoln Aviator problems by year, every Lincoln model, or the Lincoln VIN decoder.
Similar Lincoln models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Lincoln Aviator?
Owners most often report power train, engine and engine cooling, structure problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 55 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Lincoln Aviator?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Lincoln Aviator a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Aviator model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.