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2003 Lincoln Aviator Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Moderate

168 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.23 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Moderate02V313000

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

THIS COULD RESULT RESULTING IN INCORRECT GEAR INDICATION.

Remedy & full details

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. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE CAN BECOME DISLODGED FROM THE SHIFT CABLE BRACKET.

Complaint volume

168 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

5Crashes
0Fires
7Injuries
0Deaths

Across 168 complaints. Severity Index 0.23.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Power Train24 · 14%Power Train · Automatic T…16 · 10%Engine And Engine Cooling12 · 7%Structure · Body9 · 5%Electrical System7 · 4%Vehicle Speed Control6 · 4%Power Train · Driveline ·…5 · 3%Tires4
  1. Power Train — 24 reports
  2. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 16 reports
  3. Engine And Engine Cooling — 12 reports
  4. Structure:Body — 9 reports
  5. Electrical System — 7 reports
  6. Vehicle Speed Control — 6 reports
  7. Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit — 5 reports
  8. Tires — 4 reports
  9. Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Column Shift — 4 reports
  10. Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal — 3 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2020 (30) · 2021 (28) · 2022 (21) · 2023 (16) · 2024 (8) · 2025 (14)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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