Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Lincoln Navigator owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving in a parking lot a car pulled out in front of my 2003 Navigator as I hit the brakes I felt my SUV drop from the front. The tire skidded and I hit the car that was pulling out. After the accident my truck was never the same .it was taken to the dealership but they said the warranty would not cover it.I have a 40000 dollar truck just parked in the driveway for the past 6 months I know mechanics that can convert it to to springs suspension for about 400 dollars but that's not the point I paid top dollar for a piece of you know what.I drive a 2000 Nissan with 170000 miles on it and haven't spend a dime on it besides tires
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that the air bag warning lamp illuminated. Also, a "check the suspension" message illuminated indicating that the rear shocks failed to work. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who indicated that the passenger side running board switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to an authorized dealer several times; however, the technician was not able to replicate and diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.
Dt: while making a right turn off on an exit, the vehicle went out of control, the front driver's tire rolled off, then the tie rod snapped and the consumer was trapped. The consumer hit a guard rail. No other vehicles or people were involved. The consumer stated that tire or tie rod was so hot that as it rolled into the grass it caught on fire. Tire was retrieved. Problems with rear differential prior to the accident. The vehicle was regularly serviced. The consumer was slightly injured in the accident. Police report filed.
Air suspension sensor will not stay attached and car height adjustment randomly goes up too high or down too low. If this occurs while in motion it could be very dangerous as the tire can come in contact with the wheel well. Car was taken to dealer and we were told that it would be $2000 to repair. For now the sensor was clipped back on and everything was working fine. A week later sensor came off again and we have figured out how to put it back on ourselves. After doing some research it seems that this is a common problems with this make and model and year of vehicle. Though Lincoln did correct the issue with the newer models no attempt has been made on the older models to make a more lasting repair. …
This is the fifth (5th) time in 6 years I have brought my car in for repair of the air suspension (compressor, ride height) , all but one of those times was to the Ford Lincoln dealership. It is clear that Ford is aware of the problem as there are 10 service bulletins on the 2003 air suspension alone, as well as hundreds of complaints on the internet (see complaints on edmunds, even fords website and several car forums. These are of the Lincoln Navigator only, not its equivalent Ford expedition, which also has hosts of complaints.) many of the complaints state, much like my experience, that the dealer cannot even figure out the problem. It is impossible to describe to you the danger involved when the suspension fails, especially at highway speeds. The car bounces violently and becomes totally uncontrollable.
I bought my used 2003 Lincoln Navigator in 2008. A year later, air suspension failure happened several times. Both in city and on highway - various speeds - but the scariest and most dangerous was when it happened on the highways. Caused vehicle to lose all suspension and drop extremely low. The navi bounced dangerously and violently even at very reduced speeds. It also caused the navi to scrape the ground on a few occasions. Had it repaired three times @ $500+ and was finally told that I needed to replace all four @ appx $2000+!! I was also told that this is a known problem with navi's. In order to save my time, money and sanity, I opted for spring-suspensions at a third of the cost and have not had any problems with those in over 4 years! I highly recommend the spring-suspensions and stop the insanity.
Several electrical problems with the vehicle since purchase. Took back to dealer who explained there was not a problem. Recently, air suspension system failed. I changed fuses with no relief. Had searched for mechanic other than dealer to look at vehicle but no mechanic will look at or service because they say that there is always a problem with the air suspension on navigators and I would not find any mechanic who would touch it. Today my vehicle is sitting in front of the house because of the air suspension problem. I don't trust the dealer as they are always trying to get me to purchase a new car from them and when I don't they overcharge me for repairs.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated the air suspension system disengaged and the vehicle began to shake violently whenever he drove over a bump in the road. The failure occurred while driving at various speeds. The contact noticed that the suspension system was disengaged while the vehicle was parked. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer at least ten times to be repaired. The failure continued to occur. The contact also stated that the failure occurred more frequently during cold weather. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH the front and rear suspension failed and caused the vehicle to bounce abnormally. While turning the steering wheel he could feel the body of the truck touch the tire. The ABS lights illuminated on the instrumental panel prior to the failure. The vehicle was inspected and repaired in April 2008 and had not been inspected for the current failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000. Updated 5/9/11
Front air suspension on the passenger side does not work in cold weather, and only works half of the time in warm weather. Truck is very well taken care thru the dealership and has only 76,000 miles and been to the dealer several times for the suspension and right running board. See all over the internet numerous complaints about the same thing, this is clearly a common problem with the model (2003 Lincoln Navigator). The truck has not been driven in 2 months because of the expense at the dealer to repair.
Suspension complaints in other Navigator years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2003 Lincoln Navigator?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the suspension of the 2003 Lincoln Navigator, 30% of the model year's 127 complaints. The component named most often is rear (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Lincoln Navigator suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2003 Lincoln Navigator. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Lincoln Navigator suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 76,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.