The 2019 Navigator uses Ford's 3.5L EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 (450hp) in a luxury SUV package. While refined when running right, this platform suffers from catastrophic turbo V6 failures, transmission cooling issues, and expensive electronic glitches that can financially total an otherwise nice truck.
Symptoms: Sudden knocking or ticking from engine bay, Metal shavings in oil, Check engine light with misfire codes, Loss of power or rough idle before total failure, Smoke from exhaust
Fix: This generation EcoBoost has documented issues with carbon buildup on intake valves causing pre-ignition and detonation, which destroys pistons, rings, and bearings. Also see rod bearing failures from oil starvation. Requires full engine rebuild or short-block replacement. 18-25 labor hours depending on route taken.
Estimated cost: $12,000-18,000
Transmission Oil Cooler Failure and Related Trans Damage
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Transmission overheating warning, Harsh or delayed shifts, Limp mode activation, Coolant in transmission fluid or trans fluid in coolant, Transmission slipping
Fix: The 10-speed transmission oil cooler (integrated into radiator) fails internally, cross-contaminating coolant and ATF. This destroys the transmission if not caught early. Requires cooler replacement, complete fluid flush of both systems, and often transmission rebuild or replacement. 12-20 hours depending on trans condition.
Estimated cost: $3,500-9,500
Turbocharger Failure
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Loud whining or grinding from engine bay, Blue smoke on acceleration, Loss of boost pressure, Check engine light with turbo underboost codes, Oil consumption increases
Fix: Twin turbos can fail from oil coking in the center bearings, especially if oil changes are stretched. Replacing both turbos with gaskets and related hardware. 10-14 labor hours, often done with other engine work.
Estimated cost: $4,500-7,000
Rear Air Suspension Failure
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Rear sags when parked overnight, Suspension fault warning on dash, Compressor runs constantly, Uneven ride height side-to-side, Clunking over bumps
Fix: Rear air springs develop leaks at the bellows or fittings, and the compressor wears out from overwork. Typical repair replaces both rear springs and compressor with dryer. 4-6 labor hours.
Estimated cost: $2,500-4,200
Backup Camera System Failure (Recall-Related)
Common · low severity
Symptoms: Blank screen when shifting to reverse, Intermittent camera display, Distorted or frozen image, Delay in camera activation
Fix: NHTSA recall for backup camera but many units still fail outside recall scope. Typically requires camera module replacement and software update. 1.5-2 labor hours.
Estimated cost: $600-1,200
Instrument Cluster and Infotainment Glitches
Occasional · medium severity
Symptoms: Cluster goes dark or freezes, SYNC system crashes or reboots randomly, Warning lights illuminate with no stored codes, Touchscreen unresponsive, Gauges read incorrectly
Fix: APIM (Accessory Protocol Interface Module) or cluster itself fails, often requiring module replacement and programming. Software updates sometimes help but hardware replacement common. 2-3 labor hours plus programming time.
Estimated cost: $1,500-3,000
Fuel System Issues — High-Pressure Pump and Injector Failures
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 80,000-130,000 mi
Symptoms: Hard starting when engine hot, Rough idle and misfires, Loss of power under load, Check engine light with fuel trim or pressure codes, Engine stalls at idle
Fix: Direct-injection high-pressure fuel pump fails, or injectors clog from carbon. Pump replacement involves dropping fuel tank; injectors require intake manifold removal and often replacement of all six. 6-10 labor hours depending on scope.
Estimated cost: $2,000-4,500
Owner tips
Use only Top Tier fuel and premium grade — DI engines carbon up badly with cheap gas
Change oil every 5,000 miles maximum with full-synthetic — turbos are unforgiving
Inspect transmission fluid color at every oil change; pink/red is good, brown or milky means cooler failure imminent
Have intake valves walnut-blasted for carbon removal around 60k-80k miles to prevent pre-ignition damage
Extended warranty is almost mandatory on these — major repairs exceed many used purchase prices
Only buy with comprehensive warranty or if you can afford a $15k engine replacement as routine maintenance — these are financial hand grenades after 70k miles.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Consequence: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S31. Some vehicles in this recall that were previously inspected under recall 24V-099 and did not have parts replaced will need to have this new recall remedy completed.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS · 24V852000
2024-11-08
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER · 24V099000
2024-02-09 · PE23021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently deploy and lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Consequence: Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors, as necessary. Additionally, dealers will install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S06.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA · 23V598000
2023-08-25
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Lincoln Aviator, 2018-2021 Lincoln Navigator, 2022-2023 Ford Transit, and 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles. The rearview camera, or 360-degree view camera if equipped, may not display a rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse.
Consequence: Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, and update the software and wiring as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023 to Lincoln owners. Ford vehicle owners notification letters were mailed March 4, 2024. Ford remedy parts are anticipated 2nd Quarter 2024. Ford's number for this recall is 23S48.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."
Consequence: Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C20.
SUSPENSION:REAR · 19V773000
2019-10-28
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The rear suspension toe link fasteners may not have been properly tightened to the frame, possibly allowing separation from the frame.
Consequence: A disconnected toe link can cause a sudden change to vehicle handling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the rear toe link fasteners, check and adjust the rear toe alignment, and inspect the rear tires for abnormal tire wear, replacing them if necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S36.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ford Mustang, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. At vehicle start-up, the Instrument Panel Cluster Assembly (IPC) may not function, showing a blank display. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Consequence: A blank instrument cluster will not show important information like vehicle speed, fuel or temperature level, or safety system warnings. Driving with an inoperative cluster can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the Instrument Panel Cluster Assembly (IPC), free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2019. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C03.
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