Electrical system, forward collision avoidance, and engine issues are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
2022 heralds the introduction of a fourth generation Lincoln Navigator SUV, more than two decades after it was launched as a 1998 model in the U.S. by Ford. Boasting elevated design elements and advanced, effortless technologies that include the ActiveGlide hands-free drive, the automaker states it is elevating its “sanctuary experience.” But owners are complaining about electrical system and engine malfunctions, as well as problems with ActiveGlide, which they say causes problems rather than elevates their experience.
Click on other model years to view more problems: 2019 2021
Launching the new 2022 Lincoln Navigator, Lincoln president, Joy Falotico, stated in a 2021 media release that it would “continue to build on its success to meet and exceed the discerning needs of luxury clients.” But safety issues are playing a negative role that is resulting in some very unhappy customers.
While there aren’t huge volumes of complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the fact that some are highly critical of the new ActiveGlide driver assist technology is a concern. For example, a driver from California identifies it as a “major safety issue” that “will lead to accidents.”
In terms of components and systems singled out in complaints as being problematic, the electrical system tops the list, followed by the forward avoidance collision system. Other categories include the Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling, Service Brakes, Steering, Vehicle Speed Control, and Visibility/Wiper. There is also a complaint in the Unknown or Other category that states a moonroof exploded and shattered while driving on a 2-lane paved highway with no other cars around.
The Visibility/Wiper complaint is from an owner in Nevada. It states that the windshield wipers stop working “when driving in weather that requires the windshield wipers.” When this happens, it isn’t even possible to move them manually. An intermittent problem, it takes more than 6 hours for the wipers to reset and start working after the SUV has been turned off. The sting in the tail is that the dealership won’t help “unless there is failure that can be produced at (the) time of service.” Lincoln won’t help either.
There are also 2 recalls for 2022 Navigators.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | |
| Engine | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | |
| Power Train | |
| Steering | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Vehicle Speed Control |
One affects 965 vehicles that are all 2022 Navigators. It warns that the headlight control module software may cause the side marker and daytime running lights to fail. The recall states that “a loss of exterior lighting can reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash.” Dealers will update the headlight control module software and recalibrate the headlights, free of charge.
The other warns that trailer brakes may fail. It affects many more vehicles, including the 2022 Navigator. Described as a software error, it states that “a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system may not brake,” increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge.
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Lincoln ActiveGlide is the new hands-free driver-assist technology that debuted on the 2022 Navigator. It’s described as “an evolution of Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go, Lane Centering, and Speed Sign Recognition,” adding “a new level of convenience for drivers.”
But not all owners find it intelligent or convenient.
In an NHTSA complaint labeled as a forward collision avoidance, steering, and vehicle speed control issue, an owner from California used the ActiveGlide driver assistance tool extensively on a 3,000-mile road trip. The complaint states that he “uncovered a major safety issue with their system.”
“When using the adaptive cruise control feature, the system will sometimes read a car in the adjacent lane as moving in front of my vehicle.” As a result, the system will “apply the brakes very hard causing my car to immediately and strongly slow down at highway speeds – with other cars behind me. This happens mostly on curves when the straight line of sight sees the car in either the right or left lane next to me at about a 20 foot distance.”
A major concern is that there is no warning of the brake application, which the complaint maintains can result in a driver losing control. “I was almost rear-ended multiple times. I know the driver assistance requires the driver to be attentive – and fortunately I heeded these warnings. It appears my vehicle is trying to very quickly acquire the distance between my vehicle and what it thinks is a vehicle in front of me. This is a major issue and will lead to accidents.”
An owner from Georgia states in another complaint that while using the new “Active Assist” feature, the Navigator “suddenly decelerated to 45 mph regardless of the speed that was set.” When this happened, the complaint states, it was on straight roads and there were never vehicles in front or on the side of the Navigator.
This complaint blames forward collision avoidance and the electrical system for the problem.
The same complaint from the Georgia owner states that the vehicle monitor went black twice while the SUV was moving. “The screen rebooted but (it) caused the retractable running boards to be locked in the up position.” This meant that the driver had to go into the vehicle settings and adjust the running boards from off to automatic.
Another electrical system complaint, this time from an owner in New York, states that the Navigator wouldn’t start because it “did not recognize (the) key fob, (the) phone app for engine start, or the password.” There is no indication what the solution, if any, was.
Identifying an engine, electrical system, and brake problem, an owner from Florida tells how the Navigator accelerated very fast while in reverse. Because the brakes didn’t work, the SUV reversed into other cars. Then, when it was turned back on, it would not go into gear because the brake didn’t register that it was “being pressed.” Luckily no-one was injured in the crash.
Another Nevada owner lodged a complaint identified as being an engine and engine cooling problem. After driving the new Navigator for only 500 miles, the complaint states that the engine died after engine coolant had leaked out. They realized something was wrong when the engine temperature warning light came on, and waited on the side of the freeway for help.
According to the dealership, the vehicle displayed a faulty fuel pump code. They also said that the factory hadn’t positioned a water hose correctly. No final resolution was reported in the complaint.
When problems recur, it may be a sign that the vehicle is a lemon. The issue will be compounded if the problem affects the value, safety, or reliability of your vehicle.
If you think that your 2022 Lincoln Navigator might be a lemon, Lemberg Law will evaluate your problem free of charge. You never know… you may be entitled to a full refund, a replacement vehicle, a buy-out, and even reimbursement for costs and damages you have suffered. We will negotiate on your behalf.
The law says the manufacturer must pay the legal costs of lemon law cases, which is why you won’t be out of pocket. All you have to do is fill out our contact form or call our Helpline.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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