2020 Lincoln Nautilus Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Nautilus years
- More complaints than other years 2nd of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 34 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. That ranks 2nd out of 8 Nautilus model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (17 complaints, 50%), typically at around 80,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 injury. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 34owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2020 Lincoln Nautilus 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 | 17 | 50% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 6% | 21,005 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 6% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 3% | 16,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 3% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2020 Lincoln Nautilus recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Back over prevention:software
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
Risk: A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.
Power train:driveline:driveshaft
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Edge, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair and Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. An inadequate amount of lubricant in the rear drive unit may cause seizure of the rear drive axle.
Risk: If the rear drive unit seizes, there may be a loss of drive and/or a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the rear drive unit lubricant level. Axles found to have lubricant at the minimum level will be filled to the full level. Axles found to be below the minimum lubricant fill level will be replaced, free of charge. This recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S02.
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C19.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Edge, Transit Connect and Lincoln MKX and 2020 Escape and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing or loose bolts.
Risk: Missing or loose bolts on the start stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission fluid leak and may progress to a loss of transmission function. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the start/stop accumulator, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S49.
Seats:front assembly:power adjust; air bags; electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash
Problem: Ford Motor Company, Inc. (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2019-2020 Nautilus vehicles equipped with 16-way electric tilt seats. The seat cushion frame edge may contact the wire harness when the seat occupant uses the tilt function of the seat, potentially damaging one or more wires within the harness, which can result in either inadvertent deployment of the air bag or nondeployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
Risk: An air bag that deploys inadvertently increases the risk of a crash. An air bag that does not deploy in the event of a crash increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective flocking tape onto the exposed edge of the 16-way seat cushion frames, and inspect the wire harness for damage, and repair or replace it as needed, free of charge. This recall began August 12, 2020. Owners may contact Ford/Lincoln customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S37.
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
- Rearview Camera FMVSS 111 Noncompliance (RQ21002) — opened Aug 3, 2021, still open, led to recall 26V104.
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 driver's front door check-arm (door stay) mounting area has cracked: the reinforcement spot welds around the door check/hinge mounting point failed and the sheet metal is torn, as shown in the attached photos. There is a loud popping/cracking noise when opening the door and increased effort to…
Hennessey Lincoln in Atlanta repaired my car in June 2026. My Torque converter needed to be replaced. My car was there over 20 days. Two weeks after getting it back from shop it started jerking and smoking. It needed another torque converter replacement. Two weeks after getting this car back it did…
I bought my 2020 Lincoln nautilus in February 2025 soon after I noticed a jerking from my lower gears,it has 80000 miles.i took it to the dealer I bought it from and they said the transmission is falling and will cost $10,188 to replace. They told me there was no recall and it wasn't covered under…
I bought my 2020 Lincoln nautilus in February 2025 soon after I noticed a jerking from my lower gears,it has 80000 miles.i took it to the dealer I bought it from and they said the transmission is falling and will cost $10,188 to replace. They told me there was no recall and it wasn't covered under…
My 2020 Lincoln Nautilus has an intermittent jerk during light acceleration with no diagnostic codes. This was confirmed when I had a professional mechanic drive it.
Other Lincoln Nautilus years
← 2019 Nautilus · 2021 Nautilus →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Nautilus | 9 | 0 |
| 2025 Nautilus | 22 | 6 |
| 2024 Nautilus | 22 | 7 |
| 2023 Nautilus | 7 | 3 |
| 2022 Nautilus | 14 | 2 |
| 2021 Nautilus | 26 | 2 |
| 2020 | 34 | 5 |
| 2019 Nautilus | 102 | 8 |
See all Lincoln Nautilus problems by year, every Lincoln model, or the Lincoln VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Lincoln Nautilus?
Owners most often report power train, engine, electrical system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 17 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Lincoln Nautilus?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2020 Lincoln Nautilus a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Nautilus model years, the 2020 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.