Fuel system and brake issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
Luxury three-row SUVs are growing in popularity, with many consumers checking into the 2020 Lincoln Aviator. The automaker invites customers to “discover the power of sanctuary” with this model, but all it really has to offer is danger. There have already been recalls for the fuel system, seats and braking system.
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The vehicle’s fuel system provides the gasoline that the engine needs to run smoothly. On a luxury vehicle, the system must run smoothly to provide superior performance and exceptional economy numbers, but customers have been complaining about both.
Here is one Edmunds complaint. “I didn’t buy the hybrid, but I expected better. I’ve driven 1000 miles of mixed City/Highway driving (roughly 50/50) and gotten nowhere near the EPA combined. Driving with a light foot I can get 16.8 mpg w/ 93 octane fuel. I will probably bring this to the dealer’s attention soon in case it is a mechanical issue of some sort. I mean… I’m not driving uphill both ways to work.”
It turns out that the Aviator has more to lose than fuel economy. NHTSA Campaign Number 19V859000 states that there is a protective sleeve on the vapor fuel line that could easily chafe through and lead to a leak. If this occurs, it’s possible for the Lincoln SUV to catch on fire. For most people, the ideal of being in a “sanctuary” doesn’t include the thought of being trapped in a burning vehicle. Maybe it’s time for Lincoln to rethink the slogan?
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Power Train | |
| Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | |
| Back Over Prevention | |
| Exterior Lighting | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Steering | |
| Back Over Prevention: Camera System |
SUVs seats are needed to provide security, comfort and safety, yet this seems to be another area that the Aviator fails.
Read another Edmunds review illustrating some of the troubles. “As to a long trip we got the massaging seats. These seats Suck!! 6’1″ and 240 lbs my wife is 5’7 160lbs and after 1.5 hours we have to stop and walk from the pain. You can feel all of the mechanisms under the 1″ padding and I try to sin in different angles which is hard to find any spot to move into since the seats are like sport car seats (it ok for about 30-60 min).”
While this illustrates how uncomfortable the seats can be, NHTSA Campaign Number 19V633000 goes a step further to describe the safety concerns. It appears that over 639,000 vehicles might have been produced with a seat back recliner mechanism without the correct parts installed. Because of this defect, the seats might not have the strength needed to protect occupants during a crash, which could cause larger injuries. Whether the Aviator is starting on fire or refusing to hold its passengers safe during an accident, this Lincoln model is a death trap waiting to happen.
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One last instance of trouble that could cost lives is with the braking system. While this system is made to stop the vehicle, many owners are finding it reacts quite differently.
One NHTSA complaint states, “With my car in Park, I have shifted to Drive and Reverse, and while maintaining my foot on the brake after transferring to Drive or Reverse, the car has moved by itself by approximately 3 feet before coming to a stop. Each time this has happened I was on a level surface. The dealership inspected my car but could not find anything that would cause this to happen.”
Not surprisingly, there is yet another recall that has to do with the brakes on the Aviator. NHTSA Campaign Number 19V575000 states that nearly 14,000 vehicles might not have been sold with the Manual Park Release cover intact. With this defect, the Aviator could roll away because the MPR lever could be moved unintentionally. To make matters worse, these vehicles might still be in Factory Mode, which will further disable codes and refuse to display the appropriate transmission gear. If the Aviator were actually a pilot, it would crash and burn.
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Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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Aviator I bought was certified back in late May 2022. Every single issue from the EVPA to sensors not working and my driving the car coming into question by the dealership. Utterly pissed that a $60,000 price tag on a used car has now got Evaporative issues after the dealer just did work on my car to repair a number of sensors going off. It’s utterly ridiculous that a car with a price tag this high brand new or used and or certified can’t be maintained like my former foreign cars. Utterly disgraceful that Ford and Lincoln just simply can’t hire enough competent and experienced repair techs. I had to do a ton of digging into the issues to find wha the other issues might’ve been and now it is possible that this damn vehicle may be still stuck on dealer mode which would explain why all these issues are triggered to start and maybe all this repair work might not have been needed.