Some 2003-2020 Expedition/Navigator and 2006-2020 F-150 (non-Raptor) vehicles equipped with 4WD may exhibit grinding/clicking/ratcheting noise from the front wheel area. This may be due to partial engagement of the integrated wheel ends (IWE). To correct this condition, follow the Service Procedure to remove and cap the vacuum supply line or to reprogram the transfer case control module (TCCM) and replace any worn vacuum and/or IWE components.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Lincoln Navigator powertrain problems
severe Owners of the 2013 Lincoln Navigator have filed 6 NHTSA complaints about the powertrain at roughly $2,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
6
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
| Model year | powertrain complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 Navigator | 5 |
| 2013 Navigator (this page) | 6 |
| 2014 Navigator | 7 |
| 2015 Navigator | 5 |
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 6 powertrain complaints filed for the 2013 Lincoln Navigator, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 10 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This program extends the warranty coverage of the automatic transmission molded leadframe to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle, whichever occurs first. This is a one-time repair program.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Certain 2011 - 2013 Model Year F-150 and 2012- 2013 Model Year Expedition/Navigator Vehicles Equipped with A 6R80 Transmission Transmission Molded Leadframe Extended Coverage In some of the affected vehicles, an output shaft speed (OSS) sensor failure may result in an illuminated malfunction indicator light (MIL) and/or wrench light in the instrument cluster with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0720, P0722, P0731 and/or P1500 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some 2013-2018 F-150/Expedition/Navigator vehicles equipped with four wheel drive (4WD) may exhibit an intermittent grinding noise while driving in two wheel drive (2WD) mode most commonly on acceleration. This may be due to a loss of vacuum to the integrated wheel end (IWE) actuators and/or wear of the IWE components. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure steps to replace the worn vacuum and/or IWE components.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Customer Satisfaction Program 19N01: Certain 2011 - 2013 Model Year F-150 and 2012- 2013 Model Year Expedition/Navigator Vehicles Equipped With A 6R80 Transmission - Transmission Molded Leadframe Extended Coverage
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Lincoln navigator. The contact stated that while the vehicle parked and attempting to enter, there was an abnormal noise and the vehicle rolled backwards. As a result, the contact was knocked by the vehicle as it continued to roll away. The contact was able to enter the vehicle and depress the brake pedal in order for the vehicle to stop. The vehicle was taken to a…
While driving on access road about 45 MPH the car jolted very hard causing me to nearly lose control completely. The speedometer went to zero and it seemed liked the transmission downshifted to 1st gear then it wouldn't move. I pulled over and checked under and all around car and turned it off and restarted it. It seemed fine for about 2 miles then did same thing. I turned car off and called tow…
Vehicle downshifted while driving. Speedometer stopped working. Stopped the vehicle and the transmission failed to shift out of gear upon acceleration. Cluster showed wrench and engine light. Turned the vehicle off then restarted and the cluster cleared and operation returned to normal. A week later, the same incident. Seems to be the problem that expired in the 2023 customer satisfaction…
My truck on a few occasions suddenly down shift hard and on its own without warning, it could very much have cause an accident and could have been deadly at highway speeds, at the same time the speedometer would go to 0 and quit working, as well as multiple warning messages would pop up on message display. IE out of fuel, air system failure, orange wrench, Etc. Then after some time everything…
As per Ford Customer Satisfaction Programs 19B05 and 19N01 down shift and molded lead frame. My truck was brought into the dealership to verify the problem. Codes revealed that the molded lead frame and output sped sensor went bad. My 2013 Navigator has 62,000 miles. It was determined that my vehicle was 60 something days over the time limit for the repair and I would have to pay the $1500 to…
I have had this issue happen 3 times the last couple of months.this last time I was driving in traffic and all of a sudden, the motor started humming like it was in neutral. In just a second or two I thought maybe I hit the gear shift, but I had not. I pulled over and turned the car off. waited a couple of minutes, then started it again. As I pulled onto a busy street, I pushed the gas to go and…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2013 Lincoln Navigator?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2013 Lincoln Navigator?
It's a meaningful issue. 6 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 6 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 71,500 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Lincoln/Navigator.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.