Transmission complaints by model year
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2022 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that while another person was driving approximately 15-50 MPH, the vehicle sputtered and jerked. The vehicle was driven to the workplace, and the contact attempted to test-drive the vehicle. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting to drive, there was delay while responding, with a clunking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into gear the following day. The contact stated that upon shifting to reverse, the vehicle jerked forward, and upon shifting to park(P), there was a delay before the vehicle responded. There was a delay after shifting out of park(P). There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where several internal diagnostic trouble codes were found. …
There is a class action lawsuit for the 2019-2021 Nautilus with the 8F35 transmission, which is the same transmission that my 2022 Nautilus has. Ford has also issued multiple technical service bulletins (25-2154, 21-2389) regarding the 8F35 transmission. My transmission has had a catastrophic failure and began slipping out of gear while driving on the highway. The vehicle lost power several times while driving. The wrench light came on. I was able to make it to the dealership where they are quoting me for a total replacement of the transmission. One week prior, I brought the vehicle in to reprogram the PCM due to a recall alert I got from the Lincoln app. I was experiencing jerking and shuddering prior to the PCM reprogram, then within days of the reprogramming, the transmission completely failed.
The contact owns a 2021 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that while shifted to reverse(R) and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and then suddenly jerked backwards. The contact stated that the vehicle almost jumped into gear. The contact stated that later while driving and attempting to accelerate, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle hesitated and then jolted forward. The vehicle accelerated to approximately 60 MPH. The contact depressed the brake pedal, and the vehicle was jerking while attempting to slow down. The contact was able to stop the vehicle at a traffic light. The contact stated that the "WRENCH" symbol was displayed on the instrument cluster. The contact drove the vehicle back to the residence and then the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. …
The contact owns a 2021 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the transmission was slipping, and the RPM had increased significantly. The contact stated that the "Service Vehicle Soon" message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle jerked upon starting and shifting to drive(D) intermittently. The contact stated that the failure initially occurred after refueling the vehicle, but the failure had become consistent and was occurring erratically. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving and accelerating between 35-40 MPH, the vehicle jerked. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had added a fuel additive to the vehicle, and the failure was reduced temporarily. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The dealer was contacted and advised that there would be a charge for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
MILEAGE: 487,615 27TAWD On [redacted] at [redacted]., the weather was wet from rain. I pushed the reverse button and the car accelerated quickly forward with engine revving. The car kept moving forward while the brake pedal was not responsive for at least 10 times as the car drove through my fence and damaged my neighbor's garage. The car finally stopped when it hit the garage. Estimate for repairs on vehicle $1485.25. Estimate for damage to wooden fence $2560, neighbor's garage $8000. Engine code scan report on Oct 10, 2025 engine code U3003-16 Battery Voltage Below Threshold. EEC test at dealer on Oct 14, 2025: "no codes in any systems..." Vehicle damage noted. No indicated warning lamps
I brought my Lincoln Nautilus to an authorized Lincoln dealership due to a serious transmission issue. The dealer kept the vehicle for four days, diagnosed a potential transmission failure, and told me that the transmission could "blow." However, they returned the car to me unrepaired and admitted they could not fix it anytime soon. The reason: the dealership has only one transmission technician, and that person is currently working through a backlog of transmission jobs from March. My vehicle - with a known safety risk - was effectively placed at the back of a months-long line, with no estimated repair date. I contacted Lincoln Concierge, who opened a case but informed me there was "nothing they could do." I now have a car that is unsafe to drive due to a transmission issue that the manufacturer and dealership both acknowledge but are unable to address in a timely or safe manner. …
I know there is a bulletin out from Ford about the PCM , where it says recall on the bottom, yet unannounce. This mimics the issues with the torque converter, the ones that I have in my 2019 lincoln nautilus. About two months ago, I felt a kick. where It thought I had been hit by another car, it was so hard. From that point on, the smoothness of the transmission below 35 miles/hr, was jerky and hesitant, kicking and not accelerating properly. The dealer said that it was the torque converter and that it was very bad. The car is too new to have these types of catastrophic issues. It was $9000 to resolve the issue according to the dealer. I had to go somewhere else. Also the screen has problems where it turns blue, and stops working, where the music playing will also stop and you cannot skip to another song. A hard reboot is the solution, but on a daily basis? …
Related recalls (2)
Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Edge, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair and Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. An inadequate amount of lubricant in the rear drive unit may cause seizure of the rear drive axle.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the rear drive unit lubricant level. Axles found to have lubricant at the minimum level will be filled to the full level.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Edge, Transit Connect and Lincoln MKX and 2020 Escape and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing or loose bolts.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the start/stop accumulator, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Frequently asked questions
Which Lincoln Nautilus years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2019 (28), 2020 (17) and 2021 (8) model years. Transmission complaints make up 27% of all complaints for the 2019.
Is there a recall for Lincoln Nautilus transmission problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 21V-011 (driveshaft, Jan 15, 2021); 20V-550 (automatic transmission, Sep 10, 2020). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Lincoln Nautilus transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 39,000 miles; 64% happened 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.