Lincoln · Navigator · 2002
4
Recalls
32
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2002 Lincoln Navigator has 4 recalls and 32 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: air bags (7 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Remedy Status
SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Remedy Status
BY LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 12, 2005, OWNERS WERE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED. OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THEIR SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATED ARE BEING NOTIFIED THAT PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE AND ADVISED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO RECONNECT THE SPEED CONTROL BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY 2006. OWNERS WHO DID NOT HAVE THEIR SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATED ARE BEING NOTIFIED TO HAVE THEIR SYSTEM REMEDIED BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY 2006. OWNERS ARE URGED TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE FREE DISCONNECT SERVICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT RISK OF FIRE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673. (NOTE: ALSO SEE RECALLS 05V017 AND 06V286)
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE INTERFACE, EVEN THOUGH THE PERSON MAKING THE CONNECTION MAY BELIEVE THAT THE QUICK CONNECTOR IS FULLY ATTACHED.
Remedy Status
UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.
CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy Status
TRADESONIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRADESONIC AT 626-934-8884.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FUEL GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE THE ACCURATE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE HAZARD LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE PROPERLY AND THE SPEED CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
MY 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR EJECTED A SPARK PLUG CAUSING A SUBSTANTIAL REPAIR BILL. *TR
ON 12/03/11 WHEN MY HUSBAND STARTED OUR 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR A LOUD BANG HAPPENED, MY SEAT BELT TIGHTENED ACROSS MY CHEST SO TIGHT IT HURT AND I COULDN'T BREATHE, THE CAR STARTED SMOKING SO BAD THAT MY OLDEST DAUGHTER JUMPED OUT OF THE TRUCK BECAUSE IT SCARED HER SO BAD. THE SEAT BELT WAS SO TIGHT IT WOULDN'T COME OFF AT FIRST WHICH SCARED ME BECAUSE THE SMOKE WAS BY THE SIDE OF MY HEAD! NOW THE SEAT BELT WON'T WORK AND I DON'T WANT TO USE MY CAR WITHOUT IT. IN THE PAST YEAR, 2011, MY TRUCK KEEPS BLOWING FUSES ON THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTS AND AIR BAG FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE. I KEEP REPLACING THE FUSE BUT THEY ONLY LAST ABOUT A WEEK AND THEN THEY BLOW OUT. ONCE THE FUSE IS REPLACED THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTS WORK, THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES OFF. BUT, NO SOONER DO I CHANGE IT, IT BLOWS AGAIN. SO, I HAVEN'T REPLACED IT. IN FEBRUARY I HAVE TO GO FOR EMISSIONS AND I WON'T PASS WITH THIS LIGHT ON. IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS, MY BRIGHT LIGHTS HAVE TURNED ON BY THEMSELVES. I THOUGHT IT ONLY HAPPENED WHEN WE USE THE TURN SIGNALS, BUT MY HUSBAND TOLD ME IT DOES IT ALL THE TIME. I DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM UNTIL THREE DAYS AGO WHEN I HIT A BUMP AND THEY WENT ON. THEN, YESTERDAY I WAS SITTING IN OUR RUNNING, PARKED CAR AND THE BRIGHTS JUST TURNED ON WHILE THE CAR WAS ON AND NOT MOVING. THAT REALLY SCARED ME. WHAT KIND OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS DOES THIS VEHICLE HAVE? I HAVE DONE THE ONE RECALL ON MY TRUCK FOR ENGINE FIRE. ARE THERE MORE RECALLS I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED AN INJURY TO THE EAR DRUM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHY THE AIR BAGS HAD DEPLOYED WITHOUT THE VEHICLE BEING INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE MANUFACTURER SENT A SPECIALIST TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE SPECIALIST ADVISED THAT A FAULTY COMPONENT IN THE AIR BAG CAUSED THE DEPLOYMENT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE FOR THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT EITHER SOMETHING WAS PLACED UNDER THE SEAT OR THE SEAT COVER WAS WORN EXCESSIVELY. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FROM UNDER THE SEAT. THE CONTACTS LEFT ARM WAS SEVERELY INJURED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE AIR BAGS ARE NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT REPLACED. THE VIN WAS REJECTED FROM THE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
I HAD THE SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT OF THE HOLE CAUSED CAR TO RUN ON LESS COMPRESSION AND IT IS VERY COSTLY TO FIX MECHANIC INFORMED THIS VEHICLE IS KNOWN FOR THIS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WAS PUT OUT BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED A WRITTEN REPORT OF THE INCIDENT WOULD BE PROVIDED WITHIN FIFTEEN DAYS. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE MANUFACTURER'S WEBSITE THAT HER VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN A RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V388000 COMPONENT: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT CONFIRM THAT INFORMATION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
MY 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR CAUGHT FIRE, THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND FRONT HALF OF THE CAR IS CHARRED AND THE INTERIOR HAS SIGNIFICANT BURN DAMAGE, IT ALMOST SET FIRE TO OUR HOME. *TR
FUSE/RELAY FUSES GET BURNED ONCE EVERY TWO DAYS THE SUV TURNS OFF WHILE IN MOTION. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IN A HEAVY TRAFFIC INTERSECTION. HAS HAPPENED FOR 5-6 TIMES. TOOK THE SUV TO AN ELECTRICIAN FOUND NO PROBLEM, CALLED FORD DEALER APPOINTMENT IN TWO WEEKS. *TR
LEAKY WINSHIELD CAUSING FAULTY WIREING AND CAR SHUTTING OFF WHILE MOVING WIPERS STOP WORKING AMONG OTHER THINGS FORD NOES OF THIS ISSUE AND IS NOT DOING ANTHING TO FIX ISSUE THIS IS A SAFTY ISSUE AS IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE OR EVEN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AS IT SHUTS OFF SPERATICALLY AND SOMETIMES WONT RESTART
I HAVE A WATER LEAKAGE AND IT IS AFFECTING THE ELECTRONICS OF THE CAR..WHEN IT RAINS, ELECTRICAL PROBLEM OCCURS..SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL SHIFT TO 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND THE HEATER WILL GO ON AND OFF, THE RADIO STOP WORKING, ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCK WILL NOT OPEN..ACCELERATION AND OVERDRIVE GOES ON..BATTERY WILL GO DEAD... *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE SPEED CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, AND HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 115144.
WATER LEAKAGE AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *TR
2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND BURNT TO THE GROUND. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT PROCEEDED THROUGH A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS LIFTED FROM THE GROUND. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE FACE, SHOULDERS, LOWER BACK, CHEST, AND NECK. NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS THROWN INTO THE STEERING WHEEL SO HARD THAT THE SEAT BELT SNAPPED FROM THE IMPACT. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE, BUT WAS ABLE TO BE REVIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 82,500.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH IN REVERSE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS OR CRASH. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BRUISED ARM, BUT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF DEPLOYMENT. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 89,746.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT'S GARAGE SUSTAINED FIRE. HIS HOME WAS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED DUE TO SMOKE AND WATER. HIS OTHER VEHICLE WAS ALSO DAMAGED BY THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000.
ON 6/26/2007 AROUND 3:00PM, MY YEAR 2002 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE BY ITSELF IN THE PARKING LOT. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY UNDER INSPECTION BY THE DEALER. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 75 MPH THE DRIVER'S SIDE TIE ROD SNAPPED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TIE ROD WAS LOOSE. *NM
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2002 Lincoln Navigator has 4 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 32 owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Lincoln Navigator.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2002 Lincoln Navigator.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2002 Lincoln Navigator are air bags (7 reports), engine and engine cooling (4 reports), steering (3 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 4 recalls on record for the 2002 Lincoln Navigator. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.