IllustrationTL*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.
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
What owners actually said
51 reportsI HAVE A 2005 LINCOLN AVIATOR AND THE SHIFTER, TRANSMISSION,AND BALL JOINTS, DRIVE SHAFT ALL FELL APART AT 56,000 MILES MY WIFE AND 2 YOUNG CHILDREN WERE IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THE DRIVE SHAFT CAME LOOSE ALMOST CAUSING US TO BE REAR ENDED BY A 18 WHEELER SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. I HAVE READ THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS HAVI…
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I HAVE A 2005 LINCOLN AVIATOR AND THE SHIFTER, TRANSMISSION,AND BALL JOINTS, DRIVE SHAFT ALL FELL APART AT 56,000 MILES MY WIFE AND 2 YOUNG CHILDREN WERE IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THE DRIVE SHAFT CAME LOOSE ALMOST CAUSING US TO BE REAR ENDED BY A 18 WHEELER SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. I HAVE READ THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS HAVING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. *TR
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
I NOTICED A CRACK ALONG THE REAR HATCHDOOR LIFT GATE ALONG THE BEZEL OR EMBLEM THAT RUNS VERTICALLY DOWN THE LIFT GATE, IT WAS BOUGHT TO MY ATTENTION FORM OTHER AVIATOR OWNERS WITH THE SAME EXACT DEFECT ON THEIR REAR HATCH DOOR LIFTGATES, THAT THIS IS A DEFECT ALL AVIATOR HAVE. I STARTED TO NOTICE OTHER AVIATOR AND SURE ENOUGH …
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I NOTICED A CRACK ALONG THE REAR HATCHDOOR LIFT GATE ALONG THE BEZEL OR EMBLEM THAT RUNS VERTICALLY DOWN THE LIFT GATE, IT WAS BOUGHT TO MY ATTENTION FORM OTHER AVIATOR OWNERS WITH THE SAME EXACT DEFECT ON THEIR REAR HATCH DOOR LIFTGATES, THAT THIS IS A DEFECT ALL AVIATOR HAVE. I STARTED TO NOTICE OTHER AVIATOR AND SURE ENOUGH THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME CRACK, MY NEIGHBOR WAS ABLE TO DET HIS FIXED WITH THE LINCOLN DEALER IN PEMBROKE PINES, WHO ACKNOWLEDGES THIS AS BEING A COMMON DEFECT. ALTHOUGH I WENT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY WERE WILLING TO COVER PART OF THE COST, BUT I WILL STILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR A PORTION, I FELT THIS SHOULD NOT BE MY RESPONSIBILITY BUT LINCOLNS FOR THE POOR DESIGN. I ALSO DID RESEARCH ONLINE AND DID FIND OTHERS WITH THE SAME SITUATION, WITH THE CONCLUSION THAT THE DEFECT IS CAUSED BY STRESS ON THE DOOR, FROM OPENING AND CLOSING, AND MANY OF THESE CRACKED PANELS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. LINCOLN IS NOT TAKING FULL RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE IT HAS NOT BECOME A RECALL. I THINK IT IS ABOUT TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT DUE TO THE EXCESS NUMBER OF VEHICLES WITH THE SAME DEFECT GOING BACK TO 2003 MODELS. THE LINCOLN AVIATOR MODELS HAS A DEFECT ALONG THE REAR HATCH DOOR LIFT GATE, THE A STRAIGHT CRACK APPEARS AFTER. *TR
I HAVE A LINCOLN AVIATOR AND FORD REFUSES TO FIX THE LIFTJAR CRACK IN THE BACK IT IS A CONCERN SINCE THERE IS SO MUCH RAIN IN FLORIDA HOW DO I KNOW WHAT LEAKS IN THERE AND ITS THEIR DEFECT JUST BECAUSE ITS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE DOESN'T MEAN THEY SHOULDN'T HONOR THE FIX ITS RIDICULOUS I MADE NUMEROUS CALLS AS WELL AS A DEALERSHIP TR…
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I HAVE A LINCOLN AVIATOR AND FORD REFUSES TO FIX THE LIFTJAR CRACK IN THE BACK IT IS A CONCERN SINCE THERE IS SO MUCH RAIN IN FLORIDA HOW DO I KNOW WHAT LEAKS IN THERE AND ITS THEIR DEFECT JUST BECAUSE ITS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE DOESN'T MEAN THEY SHOULDN'T HONOR THE FIX ITS RIDICULOUS I MADE NUMEROUS CALLS AS WELL AS A DEALERSHIP TRYING TO HELP ME OUT BUT FORD REFUSED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LINCOLN AVIATOR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY ON A SMALL INCLINE IN LIGHT SNOW, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY IN REVERSE AND CRASHED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO OCCUPANTS IN EITHER OF THE VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY FOUND THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR HAS DISLOD…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LINCOLN AVIATOR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY ON A SMALL INCLINE IN LIGHT SNOW, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY IN REVERSE AND CRASHED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO OCCUPANTS IN EITHER OF THE VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY FOUND THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR HAS DISLODGED ITSELF. THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR WAS REPLACED 3 PREVIOUS TIMES DUE TO IT BECOMING STUCK IN THE DRIVE POSITION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND AN INVESTIGATOR WAS SENT TO EXAMINE THE FAILURE. THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR WAS REPLACED A FOURTH TIME UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD TAKE NO LIABILITY FOR THE FAILURES AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AFTER THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR WAS REPLACED A THIRD TIME WITHIN A YEAR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 56,000 AND THE FAILURE WAS 76,508. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED.
DESIGN FLAW. SEE NHTSA SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 0485, DATE: 1/1/05, ITEM NUMBER: 10008546. DESIGN FLAW ACKNOWLEDGED BY FORD/MERCURY. REPAIRED ONCE BY DEALERSHIP, BUT NOW REFUSES TO MAKE REPAIR AFTER STRUCTURE HAS AGAIN CRACKED ALLOWING WATER ACCESS TO STRUCTURE, POSSIBLY CAUSING ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE, WHICH COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A…
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DESIGN FLAW. SEE NHTSA SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 0485, DATE: 1/1/05, ITEM NUMBER: 10008546. DESIGN FLAW ACKNOWLEDGED BY FORD/MERCURY. REPAIRED ONCE BY DEALERSHIP, BUT NOW REFUSES TO MAKE REPAIR AFTER STRUCTURE HAS AGAIN CRACKED ALLOWING WATER ACCESS TO STRUCTURE, POSSIBLY CAUSING ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE, WHICH COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE ACCIDENT IF DRIVING. CURRENTLY APPLYING TAPE TO BODY STRUCTURE. FILED COMPLAINT WITH BBB, BUT NEGATIVE RESULTS. STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH A DESIGN FLAW, THEIR REGULATIONS & POLICIES DO NOT COVER THE ABOVE PARAMETERS UNLESS WITHIN THE WARRANTY LIMIT OF VEHICLE. *TR
LINCOLN AVIATOR 2006 CRASHED INTO BRICK FLOWER BOX WALL ON RIGHT SIDE CAUSING AIR BAG TO DEPLOY ON PASSENGER SIDE WITH NO PASSENGER AND NOT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WHERE NEEDED. AFTER FORD FIXED IT ???? SEAT BELT WARNINGS COME ON EVEN THOUGH EVERYBODY IS STRAPPED IN. UNABLE TO PROVE IF AIRBAG PROBLEM IS SOLVED UNLESS AN ACCIDENT HAP…
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LINCOLN AVIATOR 2006 CRASHED INTO BRICK FLOWER BOX WALL ON RIGHT SIDE CAUSING AIR BAG TO DEPLOY ON PASSENGER SIDE WITH NO PASSENGER AND NOT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WHERE NEEDED. AFTER FORD FIXED IT ???? SEAT BELT WARNINGS COME ON EVEN THOUGH EVERYBODY IS STRAPPED IN. UNABLE TO PROVE IF AIRBAG PROBLEM IS SOLVED UNLESS AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS,THEN IT TO LATE. *TR
MY POWER STEERING GOES OUT, AT START UP THE POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING, CAN CUT THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND IT IS OK BEEN TO THE SHOP 3 TIMES CHANGED HOSE, MODULAR, AND STEERING GEAR, AND TODAY IT HAPPENED AGAIN, ALSO THERE IS A CRACK DOWN THE MIDDLE OF MY BACK HATCH UNDER THE GLASS, I HAVE READ 4 OTHER PEOPLES COMPLAINTS TH…
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MY POWER STEERING GOES OUT, AT START UP THE POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING, CAN CUT THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND IT IS OK BEEN TO THE SHOP 3 TIMES CHANGED HOSE, MODULAR, AND STEERING GEAR, AND TODAY IT HAPPENED AGAIN, ALSO THERE IS A CRACK DOWN THE MIDDLE OF MY BACK HATCH UNDER THE GLASS, I HAVE READ 4 OTHER PEOPLES COMPLAINTS THAT SAID THE SAME THING IN THE SAME PLACE. *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.