Most common 2003 Lincoln Aviator problems
Share of the 111 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lincoln Aviator complaints by model year
Best Aviator years: 2024. Years to avoid: 2020, 2022, 2003. Compare all years →
2003 Lincoln Aviator recalls (1)
Power train › Automatic transmission
On certain sport utility vehicles, the transmission shift cable can become dislodged from the shift cable bracket.
Remedy: Dealers will add a strap to the shift cable adjuster to prevent the shift cable from becoming dislodged. Ford has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2003 Lincoln Aviator:
Vehicle Rollaway Allegations
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…
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
What 2003 Lincoln Aviator owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 55 →
Shifter knob on 03 Aviator broke off. The shifter was locked in drive, had to shut off vehicle and brace the tires from rolling on an incline. With my child in the car with me. Scary!!!!!! The problem is a plastic piece broke in the shifter column. Has yet to be fixed. Quoted $900 to fix. Also the liftgate cracked at the Lincoln emblem witch I was told that it holds the glass in place and it sound like a gunshot when it cracked, shook me up. This is a Ford/Lincoln failure on a manufacturer defect. The hatch is not being able to close completely because of where the crack is located. The crack is located near the Lincoln emblem. What if water cause a electrical fire from water getting into the closing mechanism, still waiting for a recall on this. Quoted $500 to fix 107,231 miles.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Aviator. The contact stated that the gear shift lever position was not in alignment with the transmission. The contact stated that the indicator did not display the correct gear that was being utilized. Antelope valley Ford (located at 1155 auto mall dr, lancaster, ca 93534, [phone]) was contacted by phone and informed of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 02V313000 (power train). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Engine & cooling
My 2003 Lincoln Aviator had a rough idle and was a little sluggish. With only 92,000 miles on a $45,000 car, this surprised me. This is a high performance engine. Upon accelerating to enter I-20 the vehicle almost died. Luckily ,there were no vehicles coming - had this been during rush hour it might not have been so lucky. I took the vehicle to city garage to have it checked out, and was told it had a major engine problem. The #8 cylinder had on 70 lbs of pressure, and the vehicle needed a valve job. I called Lincoln customer service after find on this web site that mine was not the only Aviator with this problem and with the exact same cylinder. I was told by Lincoln to take it to the dealership where I paid another $100 to have it scoped again - only to be told by Lincoln that they didn't intend to do anything about it. …
I own a 2003 Lincoln Aviator with 85,000 miles on it . It is a 48,000 dollar vehicle and I am less than satisfied with the way its held up . The vehicle sees synthetic oil changes every 3,000 miles . At around 79,000 the engine died on while driving on a hilly country road with my family in the car . I was able to muscle the car over to the side of the road with no power steering and limited brakes we ended up in a corn field , however there was no damage to the vehicle there was a verry unhappy farmer . The vehicle then started up and ran but was running rough with a check engine light . Brought to the dealer and was told its a common problem and needed a valve job somewhere to the tune of 5,000 dollars . I am one of at least 350 other complaints of the same problem online and would greatly appreciate it being looked into further . …
Body & structure
Shifter knob on 03 Aviator broke off. The shifter was locked in drive, had to shut off vehicle and brace the tires from rolling on an incline. With my child in the car with me. Scary!!!!!! The problem is a plastic piece broke in the shifter column. Has yet to be fixed. Quoted $900 to fix. Also the liftgate cracked at the Lincoln emblem witch I was told that it holds the glass in place and it sound like a gunshot when it cracked, shook me up. This is a Ford/Lincoln failure on a manufacturer defect. The hatch is not being able to close completely because of where the crack is located. The crack is located near the Lincoln emblem. What if water cause a electrical fire from water getting into the closing mechanism, still waiting for a recall on this. Quoted $500 to fix 107,231 miles.
There has been a unprovoked crack in the lift gate panel for a couple years now (which seems to be a very common problem in this model), we have not had issues until the rear window started flying open while driving at around 30mph. The latch has malfunctioned due to water seeping into crack.
2003 Lincoln Aviator engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Lincoln Aviator a good car?
Based on 111 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Aviator rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Aviator at the same age. It is one of the Aviator years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Lincoln Aviator?
The transmission & drivetrain — 55 complaints, 50% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the engine & cooling (17) and body & structure (15).
How many recalls does the 2003 Lincoln Aviator have?
There is 1 recall for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator, the most recent from November 21, 2002 (automatic transmission). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lincoln Aviator?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2024. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2020, 2022 and 2003. See the full Lincoln Aviator years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Lincoln Aviator problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 64,000 miles; 33% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.