2005 Lincoln Aviator problems & reliability
51 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2005 Lincoln Aviator. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2005 Lincoln Aviator vehicles were involved in 8 fatal crashes with 3 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Structure → | 28 | 55% |
| Power Train → | 12 | 24% |
| Air Bags | 3 | 6% |
| Steering | 3 | 6% |
| Suspension | 2 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 4% |
| Visibility | 2 | 4% |
| Wheels | 2 | 4% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 2% |
| Engine | 1 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 71,750 miles (middle 50% between 58,421 and 91,000 miles), based on 38 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I was driving on a highway 55 mph when passenger rear toe link failed and I lost control of vehicle. I was able to pull over without crashing. Vehicle was repaired at garage nearby.”
Suspension · filed Nov 5, 2020
“A 6 inch crack developed at rear center tailgate body panel made out of plastic below the rear window. There had been reports that the rear window could fall out and internal tailgate components could be damaged due to water entry from the crack. This appears to be a common problem from my research.”
Structure · filed Jul 10, 2020
“Rear plastic litigate applique broke off hitting a passenger car's windshield. The windshield cracked. This the third piece failure. The lincoln was traveling west on the dulles greenway.”
Structure · filed Dec 27, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Vehicle Rollaway Allegations
Engineering Analysis EA09013 · opened Aug 18, 2009 · closed Feb 12, 2013
Technical service bulletins
29 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2005 Lincoln Aviator. The 10 most recent:
The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a…
SSM 46085 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 21, 2016
Ford: some vehicles may exhibit oil separation from the internal lube found in the unitized cartridge seal. Oil separation appears to be and is often misdiagnosed, as an axle lube leak. *pe
TSB-08-19-3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2009
Engine misfire with diagnostic trouble code (dtc) pewee, p0302, p0303, p0304, p0305, p0306, p0307, p0308, and p0316. *tt
06513 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2006
Low tire indicator on - tpms system sensor wake up. *tt
0637 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2006
Malfunction indicator lamp on with pcm diagnostic trouble code p0463 and/or ic diagnostic trouble code b1201 - fuel gauge drops to empty or slow to update after refueling. *tt
05213 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2006
Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running. *tt
041601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 14, 2005
Noise from rear wheel hub bearings. *tt
051710 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 7, 2005
A tiny crack, or cracks, around the transfer case drain plug hole. *tt
18815 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2005
Safety belt retraction speed. *tt
042421 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 7, 2005
Driveline 1st order vibration/boom/drone. *tt
0537 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 7, 2005
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2005 Lincoln Aviator in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2005 Lincoln Aviator?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 71,750 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.