IllustrationTL* 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.
2005 Lincoln Aviator
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Lincoln Aviator do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 39.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Aviator years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
50–25K
325–50K
1650–75K
875–100K
6100–150K
2150K+
40 reports with mileage · 11 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Structure. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports
Structure complaints
28 reportsI 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. …
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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
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 ($46.9…
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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
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
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 F…
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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
REAR PANEL HAS A CRACK IN IT.... SUV WAS NEVER IN A ACCIDENT...IT JUST APPEARED. I HAD MY TRUCK AT A LINCOLN DEALERSHIP FOR OTHER THINGS AND ASKED THE MANAGER ABOUT THIS CRACK... HE TOLD ME THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS COMPLAINED AND THE COMPANY KNOWS ABOUT IT BUT WON'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL THAT HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT CO…
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REAR PANEL HAS A CRACK IN IT.... SUV WAS NEVER IN A ACCIDENT...IT JUST APPEARED. I HAD MY TRUCK AT A LINCOLN DEALERSHIP FOR OTHER THINGS AND ASKED THE MANAGER ABOUT THIS CRACK... HE TOLD ME THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS COMPLAINED AND THE COMPANY KNOWS ABOUT IT BUT WON'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL THAT HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT COMPLAIN.... I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK FOR NOT PENNIES AND EXPECT SOMEONE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE MANUFACTURER... THEY SHOULD STAND BY THE PRODUCT THEY SELL...VERY UPSET. *TR
REAR LIFTGATE PANEL CRACKED VERTICALLY NEXT TO EMBLEM UNDER LIFTGATE GLASS AFTER WARM DAY AND A COOL NIGHT. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN REPAIR IT AT MY COST AND THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS HAPPENING TO NUMEROUS AVIATOR'S AND MOUNTAINEER AND IT HAPPENED THRO…
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REAR LIFTGATE PANEL CRACKED VERTICALLY NEXT TO EMBLEM UNDER LIFTGATE GLASS AFTER WARM DAY AND A COOL NIGHT. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN REPAIR IT AT MY COST AND THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS HAPPENING TO NUMEROUS AVIATOR'S AND MOUNTAINEER AND IT HAPPENED THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN, AND THEY BELIEVE THE PART TO BE DEFECTIVE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HATCH WAS CRACKED UNDERNEATH GLASS HINGE. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND STATED THAT THEY HAVE NOT HEARD THIS HAPPEN ON ANY OTHER LINCOLN MODELS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 58990.
TRANSMISSION SHIFT PROBLEMS= WE WHERE OK WHEN TRUCK WAS ON GARAGE AND JUST USE IT AS WEEKENDS,BUT EVERYTHING CHANGE WHEN WE STARED TO USE IT ON DAILY BASICS TRANSMISSION BEGIN TO SLIP AND NOW LATELY BEGIN TO PULL AND BACK AND FORWARD AND O/D SENSOR LIGHT UP AND AFRAID THE REAR SHIFT GO OFF ANY MINUTE... AND ADD UP THE REAR PANE…
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TRANSMISSION SHIFT PROBLEMS= WE WHERE OK WHEN TRUCK WAS ON GARAGE AND JUST USE IT AS WEEKENDS,BUT EVERYTHING CHANGE WHEN WE STARED TO USE IT ON DAILY BASICS TRANSMISSION BEGIN TO SLIP AND NOW LATELY BEGIN TO PULL AND BACK AND FORWARD AND O/D SENSOR LIGHT UP AND AFRAID THE REAR SHIFT GO OFF ANY MINUTE... AND ADD UP THE REAR PANEL JUST BROKE FOR THE 2TH TIME... IT BEGINS TO MAKE FUNNY NOISE ON REAR AXLE,I VERY DISAPPOINTED AFTER PAID CLOSED TO 20,000 DOLLARS I WANT TO RETURN IT TO DEALER BUT NOBODY WANTS TO TAKE CHARGE. NO FIRE OR PROPERTY DAMAGE BUT I NOT WAITING TO HAPPEN TO ME. *TR
2005 LINCOLN AVIATOR HAS CRACK IN REAR APPLIQUE PANEL. THIS CRACK OCCURRED WITH NO ACCIDENT JUST APPEARED AFTER A FROST. THIS PROBLEM WAS RELAYED TO FORD? LINCOLN HOME OFFICE BUT NOTHING WAS DONE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM BY FORD. THE LEAK WILL DESTROY THE INSIDE PANEL AND WILL EVENTUALLY ROT THE BACK TAILGATE. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA09013 · Vehicle Rollaway Allegations
Opened Aug 18, 2009 · Closed Feb 12, 2013
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl); Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift; Steering; Steering:column; Steering:column LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT Device
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.
Additional source detail variants (5)
Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
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.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift
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.
Steering:column
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.
Steering:column LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT Device
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.
Steering
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.