2005 Lincoln Aviator
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Have the VIN?
Vehicles › Lincoln › Aviator › 2005
These records cover every 2005 Lincoln Aviator. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Owner complaints
51 complaints3 involved a crash2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Suspension
I was driving on a highway 55 mph when passenger rear toe link failed and I lost control of vehicle. I was able to pull over without crashing. vehicle was repaired at garage nearby.
- Structure › Body
A 6 inch crack developed at rear center tailgate body panel made out of plastic below the rear window. There had been reports that the rear window could fall out and internal tailgate components could be damaged due to water entry from the crack. This appears to be a common problem from my research.
- Air bags
Driver side air bag deployed with no impact of any kind. car was started and air bag deployed.
- Structure › Body
Rear plastic litigate applique broke off hitting a passenger car's windshield. the windshield cracked. this the third piece failure. the lincoln was traveling west on the dulles greenway.
- Structure › Body
While parked at the gas station getting ready to pump gas the rear window exploded, glass shattered everywhere, left hinge cracked and frame around liftgate bend and curled up. my rear liftgate has the same cracked as previously reported. I replaced the entire liftgate in 2011 & on the new liftgate the same crack came back
- Engine · Structure › Body
I have the same cracking problem with the back gate which resulted in the breaking of hinges. Also a known defect in using defective parts in the engine such as timing chain cassettes and tensioner. Ford knew about the problem and issued an technical bulletin on it but never fixed the problem. The mechanic told me he repaired this very frequently for this engine
- Power train
Owner of 2005 lincoln aviator. I was not able to get the gear shift out of park. I had the aviator towed to a family member's automotive garage and was told that I will need to have the entire gear shift replaced. upon doing some research, it seems that this IS a very common problem in this…
Owner of 2005 lincoln aviator. I was not able to get the gear shift out of park. I had the aviator towed to a family member's automotive garage and was told that I will need to have the entire gear shift replaced. upon doing some research, it seems that this IS a very common problem in this year, make, and model. I have read endless testimonies from other vehicle owners with the exact dispute. the part and labor will cost me approximately $1100.00 at my family's garage, one can only guess the dollar amount will double at the local dealership. my car IS driveable, however, when in park, I will have to put my emergency brake on. I was also informed that the gear shift, if bumped, may move out of park even without the key in the ignition. I am appalled that ford/lincoln motor company has not taken responsibility of the defected mechanism. it IS unacceptable and raises many questions on how important vehicle safety IS to ford/lincoln motor company, not to mention a total inconvenience financially! this IS my fourth vehicle from ford/lincoln motor company and I highly doubt I will purchase another based on the company's lack in addressing the matter. I am a mother of one child and now do not feel secure driving a vehicle that I once felt very protected in.
- Structure › Body
When purchased used 2 yrs old [xxx], I noticed a crack in the middle of the liftgate. I have owned this vehicle for almost 7YRS and have taken very good care of it, but I now have 3 cracks in the liftgate. it seems to be very thin across the bottom of the back window and every time you open and…
When purchased used 2 yrs old [xxx], I noticed a crack in the middle of the liftgate. I have owned this vehicle for almost 7YRS and have taken very good care of it, but I now have 3 cracks in the liftgate. it seems to be very thin across the bottom of the back window and every time you open and close the window, it puts stress across the bottom of it. this should be a recall because there are a lot of other owners with the same problem and obviously this IS a defect!! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(B)(6). *tr updated 4/19/2016 *js
- Structure › Body
I noticed a crack on the back panel of my tailgate. there was no accident or incident and since then I have noticed at least 3 other cars in my small town with the same defect. I have written to ford and gotten no response. from what I have seen on the internet, this IS not an isolated problem.…
I noticed a crack on the back panel of my tailgate. there was no accident or incident and since then I have noticed at least 3 other cars in my small town with the same defect. I have written to ford and gotten no response. from what I have seen on the internet, this IS not an isolated problem. I feel that ford/lincoln should recall the affected models of car (including ford explorers) and make these repairs. the mechanism that keeps my tailgate window closed and locked IS also broken and I think it IS directly related to the crack in the tailgate. this compromises our safety in the car by making the car unable to be locked properly. someone could easily get into the car from the tailgate and steal anything in the car, steal the car itself, and pose an immediate threat to our personal safety. *tr
- Air bags
Tl-the contact owns a 2005 lincoln aviator. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the air bag deployed independently onto her face. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000. Djr
- Structure › Body
I purchased a 2005 lincoln aviator brand new. I have the same problem as many others with the crack. Told ford lincoln mercury about it the first cold season for the car, 2005/2006. Although I heard and saw several other complaints for the same issue ford has done nothing. Now the gate won?t close…
I purchased a 2005 lincoln aviator brand new. I have the same problem as many others with the crack. Told ford lincoln mercury about it the first cold season for the car, 2005/2006. Although I heard and saw several other complaints for the same issue ford has done nothing. Now the gate won?t close, the window won?t close because the mechanism has corroded allowing it to open on its own. There IS no security with the vehicle now and this IS extremely dangerous! Even better my glass company ordered replacement 07/31/2014 and I still have not seen it. I spoke with [xxx], and their supervisor at ford customer care relations who was of no help. They can't answer when the glass will come in. They give dates it may be available but will not guaranty. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(B)(6). *tr
- Power train
The plastic gear shift unlock lever, which IS inside of a metal housing underneath the gear shift knob broke off. it IS a very poor design and IS a safety hazard, because one cannot move the gear shift without the release being raised. *tr
- Structure › Body › Hatchback/liftgate
The lift gate on my 2005 lincoln aviator cracked just above the emblem from the read glass down to the emblem. the gate was not open or been hit. just woke up one morning and the crack was there. I have notice while driving around there are several other lincoln aviators that have the same crack. *tr
- Structure › Body
One morning I noticed that a crack had appeared on the back of my vehicle on the lift gate right by the lincoln emblem. I called and spoke to the dealership and they advised me it was a common occurrence that happens for no reason on lincoln aviators of certain years. Now all of a sudden the lift…
One morning I noticed that a crack had appeared on the back of my vehicle on the lift gate right by the lincoln emblem. I called and spoke to the dealership and they advised me it was a common occurrence that happens for no reason on lincoln aviators of certain years. Now all of a sudden the lift gate hinge on the right side has slightly shifted and I have not even opened it in months. This I was notified IS also another common defect on these vehicles! I literally am scared to even open the back lift gate now and nothing has happened to cause either of these issues. *tr
- Power train
The gear knob on my 2005 lincoln aviator broke causing the vehicle to get stuck in reverse. this IS a major safety hazard. This appears to be a poor design by ford. based on my research, several lincoln aviator owners are having the same problem. ford needs to do a recall and fix this issue. *tr
- Power train · Wheels
Leftside rear axle starting coming out of the vehicle while moving. *tr
- Structure › Body
The lift gate cracked right down the center for no apparent reason. one second the vehicle was fine, the next second, the entire lift gate frame split in two. see thousands of reports of it on google but wondering why there IS no recall? *tr
- Structure › Body
TL* the contact owns a 2005 lincoln aviator. The contact stated that while trying to open the liftgate, the liftgate panel split in half. The vehicle was not taken to a mechanic or dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileages were 72,000.
- Structure › Body
I was driving along and suddenly heard a loud crack coming from the rear of the vehicle. something like the sound of a rock hitting it. later I was checking around for signs of damage and found that the upper liftgate section had cracked completely in half from the emblem by the window down to the lower edge of the panel. *tr
- Structure › Body
No accident or anything. all of a sudden a vertical crack down the center of the back plastic piece on the right side of the emblem. the window hinges also started to fall apart. funniest thing IS that I can only purchase the parts from ford and there IS a different price for the right hinge…
No accident or anything. all of a sudden a vertical crack down the center of the back plastic piece on the right side of the emblem. the window hinges also started to fall apart. funniest thing IS that I can only purchase the parts from ford and there IS a different price for the right hinge ($40.00) and the left hinge ($46.95) wtf? of course they are just plastic pieces also...sure wish ford would take responsibility for this one - I mean page after page of the same complaint for a very expensive SUV - you would think they would fix it!! *tr
- Structure › Body
The rear lift door has developed a crack just below the window allowing water to enter the door. I have seen several similar complaints of this problem. Design flaw. *tr
- Structure › Body
The hinges that hold the liftgate glass have broken and are no longer holding the rear liftgate window in place properly. I can no longer open the window because I will not be able to close it. I took it to the dealer and event though they acknowledge the fact that this IS an issue on lincoln…
The hinges that hold the liftgate glass have broken and are no longer holding the rear liftgate window in place properly. I can no longer open the window because I will not be able to close it. I took it to the dealer and event though they acknowledge the fact that this IS an issue on lincoln aviators and that they have had to fix numerous aviator in the past for this same issue they will not cover the repair if the vehicle IS out of warranty. *tr
- Power train › Automatic transmission
TL* the contact owns a 2005 lincoln aviator. The contact stated that the vehicle would not shift out of park and while attempting to shift it out of park, the gear shift detached from the vehicle. An authorized dealer stated that the gear shifter would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified, but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mleages were 78,000.
- Engine and engine cooling
The vehicle began with problems that seemed related to the battery. It jerks when accelerating between 40 and 60 mph. Problem codes keep changing and check engine light remains on. First codes indicated cam/crank shaft, then misfiring, then crankshaft, even after cam and crank shaft sensors were…
The vehicle began with problems that seemed related to the battery. It jerks when accelerating between 40 and 60 mph. Problem codes keep changing and check engine light remains on. First codes indicated cam/crank shaft, then misfiring, then crankshaft, even after cam and crank shaft sensors were replaced. jerking continues to worsen. Ford 'claims' the code was not in their system, initially. Problem seems to be causing many things at once to go bad: battery, compressor, fuel getting to engine, etc. Problems have occurred over several months. *tr
- Power train › Automatic transmission
TL* the contact owns a 2005 lincoln aviator. the contact stated that the gear shifter detached from the vehicle while shifting into reverse. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 72,000. the vin was unavailable.
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Vehicle Rollaway Allegations
This investigation is being closed based on several considerations.By the most inclusive counting of all alleged rollaway incidents (i.e., counting all alleged rollaway incidents and assuming a singular failure mechanism), the incident rate is low, however during EA09-013, ODI identified a number of different failure…
This investigation is being closed based on several considerations.By the most inclusive counting of all alleged rollaway incidents (i.e., counting all alleged rollaway incidents and assuming a singular failure mechanism), the incident rate is low, however during EA09-013, ODI identified a number of different failure mechanisms in 180 incidents related to the alleged defect.The highest rate for any particular failure mechanism, the failure of the Automatic Transmission Parking System, was 4.4/100K.The next-highest failure rate was for the BSI System, at 3.4/100K.For all identified failure mechanisms there has been a drastically declining trend including very few incidents occurring in recent years.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.For additional information regarding this investigation, see the complete closing resume in the document file for EA09-013. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers:10168454, 10279630, 10280078.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10109070The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a limited refresh rate when reading these PIDs and cannot display quickly enough to validate a concern. The PCM automatically monitors these inputs more accurately and will set diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) when appropriate. Using these PIDs for diagnostics will lead to inaccurate results and improper ETB replacements. If a concern is intermittent and no DTCs are present, refer to historical DTCs and the PC/ED, Section 3 No DTCs Present Index chart for further information.
- 10028736Ford: some vehicles may exhibit oil separation from the internal lube found in the unitized cartridge seal. Oil separation appears to be and IS often misdiagnosed, as an axle lube leak.
- 10019912Engine misfire with diagnostic trouble code (dtc) pewee, p0302, p0303, p0304, p0305, p0306, p0307, p0308, and p0316.
- 10019384Low tire indicator on - TPMS system sensor wake up.
- 10019379Malfunction indicator lamp on with pcm diagnostic trouble code p0463 and/or ic diagnostic trouble code b1201 - fuel gauge drops to empty or slow to update after refueling.
- 10018745Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running.
- 10018069A tiny crack, or cracks, around the transfer case drain plug hole.
- 10018064Noise from rear wheel hub bearings.
- 10017902Low speed steering shudder during low-speed turning maneuvers.
- 10017898Delayed or harsh reverse engagements - 5r55s transmission - vehicles built prior to 09/23/2004.
- 10017892Rear axle noise repair.
- 10017876Driver window initialization procedure. Driver window will not travel all the way down, or may bounce back when reaching it's upper travel limit.
- 10016832Backglass difficult to close and an intermittent door ajar lamp.
- 10014668Axle seal leaks.
- 10014664Front seat(s) slight movement when accelerating and/or decelerating.
- 10014310Weld bonding procedure.
- 10014138Safety belt retraction speed.
- 10014086General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures.
- 10014062Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair.
- 10013369General power train control module (pcm) programming procedures.
- 10013306Improperly formulated transmission fluid that, over time, may cause delayed/harsh reverse engagements. Customer satisfaction program 04b22. 5R55s/e & 5r44e transmission fluid additive. Supplement #1. Supplement #2. Supplement #3.
- 10012959Axle whine howl service with individual parts instead of an axle assembly.
- 10012954Safety belt web stop button service.
- 10012952Driveline 1ST order vibration/boom/drone.
- 10012947Maf diagnostic service tip - vehicles equipped with egr system module (esm).
- 10011342No crank/no start condition when vehicle temperature IS below freezing (32f/0c).
- 10011162Engine misfire or running - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - wds cop kit diagnostic tips. To include various 2005 models. * ar this article 04161 supersedes tsb 03-14-04.
- 10008994Axle seal leaks. Leaks from rear halfshaft axle seal. Service tips.
- 10008546Liftgate glass applique damaged/cracked. Service procedure.
Every Lincoln Aviator model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.