2003 Lincoln Aviator Complaint Log

IN THE LINCOLN AVIATOR, A LOUD WHINING NOISE IS COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE CAR. IT APPEARS TO BE A REAR DIFFERENTIAL PROBLEM. IN THE FRONT SEAT THE NOISE IS PRETTY LOUD BUT CAN BE OVERCOME BY TURNING THE RADIO UP REAL LOUD. IN THE REAR SEATS THE NOISE IS MORE INTENSE. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. A SIMPLE SEARCH ON EDMUNDS, GOOGLE, DEJA NEWS, ETC. SHOWS THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN AROUND A WHILE AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITHOUT A FIX AND THAT I SHOULD JUST LIVE WITH THE PROBLEM. I AM GOING TO PURSUE LEGAL ACTION UNDER THE LEMON LAW TO TRY AND CORRECT THE SITUATION. *LA

REAR LIFTGATE WINDOW KEPT OPENING EVEN AFTER THREE REPAIRS BY GALPIN LINCOLN/FORD ON A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. IN ADDITION, OUTSIDE MIRRORS KEPT DROPPING WHILE DRIVING CAUSING DRIVERS TO GO BLIND. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR THE FAILURE OF REAR LIFTGATE AND THE DROPPING OR MIRRORS, IN TRANSITION OF FILING CALIFORNIA LEMON LAW. *LA

1. I WAS SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING WHEN ALL MY WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON AND MY CAR DIED. IT SAID LOW OIL PRESSURE. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR RESTARTED, AND HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM AGAIN. DEALER INDICATED THEY COULD DETECT NO PROBLEM. 2. PAINT IN DOOR JAMBS DIFFERENT COLOR THAN REST OF VEHICLE. DEALER INDICATED IN SMALL CRASH, PROBABLY AT TIME OF UNLOADING VEHICLE...DAMAGE REPAIRED AND REPAINTED. I HAD THEM REPAINT TO MAKE CAR SAME COLOR. 3. OTHER - THIS IS MY MOST FRUSTRATING PROBLEM. WHEN IT GETS HOT OUT (90 DEGREES OR MORE), THE LEFT SIDE PASSENGER DOOR MOULDING EXPANDS AND STICKS TO THE DRIVER DOOR. I CANNOT OPEN THE BACK DOOR WITHOUT FORCING IT, WHICH HAS CHIPPED THE PAINT ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT DOOR. THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED ON THE PASSENGER DOOR, BUT NOT TO THE SAME EXTENT AS THE DRIVER SIDE. ALL MOULDINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. I HAVE HAD IT IN ABOUT ANOTHER SIX TIMES SINCE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM...MOST OF THE TIME BEING TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO OR THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THEY ARE NOW ORDERING SOME NEW MOULDING WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ALSO, IT TOOK ME THREE TRIPS FOR THEM TO FINALLY FIX THE AIR CONDITIONED SEAT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH STOPPED WORKING. THE FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD THE ENTIRE COMPONENT WAS REPLACED...I DROVE OFF THE LOT, AND AGAIN IT WASN'T WORKING. I TOOK IT BACK AND WAS PRETTY MUCH TOLD I WAS AN IDIOT, IT WAS WORKING. I DROVE OFF THE LOT, IT WASN'T WORKING. I TOOK IT BACK AGAIN, AND THEY FOUND A LOOSE CONNECTION IN THE WIRING, WHICH THEY FINALLY FIXED. IT NOW WORKS. 4. THE FIRST TIME I MENTIONED THE SQUEALING BRAKES, THEY CHECKED THEM OUT AND SAID IT WAS NORMAL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK AGAIN, BECAUSE THE SQUEALING WAS WORSE, AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKES AND PADS. OBVIOUSLY, THERE WAS A PROBLEM!

THERE IS A HIGH FREQUENCY SOUND EMANATING FROM ALL 4 SPEAKERS. THIS NOISE IS CONSTANT AND CAN BE OVERHEARD WITH THE VOLUME UP AND THE RADIO PLAYING. LEITH LINCOLN (RALEIGH,NC) DENIED THE PROBLEM. FORD DISPATCHED AN ENGINEER AND THEIR EAST COAST CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. ALL CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT "DUPLICATE" THE PROBLEM. I THEN CONFRONTED LEITH WITH A VIDEO TAPE OF THE NOISE AND GOT A CONFIRMATION THAT THE NOISE IS AT LEAST A NUISANCE. I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH FORD AND THEY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. FINALLY I BROUGHT THE AVIATOR TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP (MICHAEL JORDAN LINCOLN IN DURHAM) AND THEY "DUPLICATED" THE CONCERN. I ASKED THE TECHNITION WHAT HE SUSPECTED MIGHT BE AND HE SAID HE DID NOT KNOW. I ASKED IF HEY WAS WILLING TO LOOK INTO IT BUT HE SAID HE WAS INSTRUCTED BY FORD NOT TO FURTHER INVISTIGATE THE PROBLEM ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE NOISE IS A "FEATURE" OF ALL AVIATORS. I HAVE VIDEO OF THE SISTER CAR AT LEITH THAT SHOWS THAT THE NOISE IS NOT PRESENT IN THAT CAR (JUST LIKE AT THE TIME I BOUGHT MINE). I SPOKE TO A LOCAL AUDIO CENTER AND THEY SAID IT IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM LIKELY DUE TO A FAULTY GROUND WIRE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MY STORY, VISIT HTTP://WWW.BRUNNERS.WS/LINCOLN-LEMON/. *AK

AUGUST 9, 2003, MY 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR STARTED A REAR END WHINING NOISE APPROXIMATELY A 1000 MILES AFTER PURCHASED. THE DEALER WAS TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER TO DO NOTHING. ON 9/29/03, THE DEALER ADDED A SYNTHETIC OIL (LUBRICANT) TO QUIET THE WHINING. IT DID NOT WORK. THE DEALER PROMISED A REPAIR BY 11/15/03 AND 12/15/03. I WILL ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS THIS UNDER MARYLAND'S LEMON LAW.*AK

POWER STEERING RACK HAS FAILED AFTER ONLY 4,500 MILES, AC SEAT FAILED, DOOR JAM CLEARANCE BETWEEN DRIVER'S DOOR AND REAR DOOR, WHISTLING NOISE AT 60 MPH. *AK

DEFECTIVE AND POSSIBLY DEADLY 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR MADE BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY 1.CAR PURCHASED ON 2/15/03. PICKED UP SAME DAY ON 2/15/03. 2.GAS PEDAL SNAPS AND BREAKS ALMOST CAUSING A HIGH SPEED COLLISION! ON 03/30/03 - ON SUNDAY, 03/30/03 I AM TAKING MY DAUGHTER TO ICE SKATING PRACTICE WITH THIS CAR. I AM DRIVING DOWN THE LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY (I-495) IN THE LEFT LANE. MY EXIT IS COMING UP SO I HAVE TO GET OVER. IN ORDER TO DO SO I MUST SPEED UP QUICKLY TO GET AROUND ANOTHER CAR. I HIT THE GAS PEDAL. I AM STARTING TO SPEED UP WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CABLE OR SOMETHING SNAPS AND THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. A PIECE OF PLASTIC GAS PEDAL FLY??S OFF THE FLOOR AND LANDS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT NEXT TO ME. IT IS THE GAS PEDAL ITSELF (I STILL HAVE THIS PIECE IN MY POSSESSION FOR PROOF). - I AM NOW LOOSING POWER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHILE TRYING TO GET OVER AT THAT VERY MOMENT. I CAN NOT HIT THE BRAKE DUE TO TRAFFIC WHILE TRYING TO GET OVER. I SWERVE TO THE RIGHT AND A MACK TRUCK DARTS OVER TO THE LEFT TO AVOID HITTING ME. I MANAGE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. MY DAUGHTER IS NOW SCREAMING AND SCARED AND I AM VISIBLY SHAKEN BY THIS EVENT. - I WAIT 2 HOURS FOR A TOW TRUCK. THE DRIVER HIMSELF CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT HE SEES. THE CAR IS TOWED TO NEIL LINCOLN MERCURY. I GO INTO THE DEALER AND VINNEY & ADAM ARE BOTH THERE TO TALK TO ME. THEY TELL ME THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS AND DO NOT BLAME ME FOR WANTING A REFUND. 3.FOLLOW UP WITH NEIL LINCOLN MERCURY - ON MONDAY; 03/31/03 I CALL NEIL LINCOLN MERCURY. I AM NOW DEALING WITH FRANK THE SERVICE MANAGER. I CANNOT DRIVE A CAR I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN WITH MY FAMILY! HE AGREES AND SAYS THIS IS A PROBLEM HE HAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE AS FAR AS GAS PEDALS BREAKING WHILE DRIVING. FORDS TRACK RECORD STINKS! THEY WILL WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO DIE BEFORE THEY FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUSLY DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. *JB

2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE. *NJ THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE DISLODGED FROM THE SHIFT CABLE BRACKET WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT TO SHIFT PROPERLY OR AT ALL. THE CONSUMER FOUND A RECALL FOR THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER SHE WAS INFORMED HER VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. RECALL 02V313000. *JB

2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR STOPS SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING.*MR *JB

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER REPLACED THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THREE TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

CHILD SAFETY SEAT QUESTIONNAIRE MODEL NUMBER : 22-625-MGN/OG2C. MR SCC *JB