1999 Lincoln Navigator problems & reliability
132 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1999 Lincoln Navigator, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. 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.
7 complaints report injuries (10 injured, 2 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1999 Lincoln Navigator vehicles were involved in 9 fatal crashes with 7 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 29 | 22% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 22 | 17% |
| Electrical System | 12 | 9% |
| Suspension | 12 | 9% |
| Visibility | 10 | 8% |
| Wheels | 10 | 8% |
| Power Train | 8 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 5% |
| Steering | 6 | 5% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 85,060 miles (middle 50% between 62,929 and 133,250 miles), based on 52 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“It blows the spark plugs out while driving on normal streets in september or october 2019 the shop I took it to be repaired told me that happens alot with this vehicle”
Engine · filed Nov 28, 2020
“Faulty transmission gear. This may be an older model, but with 156,000 miles, the gearshift either prevents the truck from starting, or will start rolling on its after putting truck in park and removng key. I almost lost my truck from that after I got out of the vehicle and it started rolling away. Despite its age…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Apr 12, 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 lincoln navigator. The contact stated that the roof leaked water onto the driver side window post and then traveled to the dashboard area. The water caused electrical issues. In addition, the front driver side exterior power door lock could only be accessed manually. The vehicle was taken…”
Latches/locks/linkages · filed May 27, 2016
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
Defect Petition DP05005 · opened Sep 22, 2005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Engineering Analysis EA05005 · opened Mar 22, 2005 · closed Aug 2, 2006 · led to recall 08V025000
- FACTORY INSTALLED TOWING HITCH SEPARATIO
Preliminary Evaluation PE99060 · opened Sep 27, 1999 · closed Mar 8, 2000 · led to recall 00V073000
Technical service bulletins
261 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1999 Lincoln Navigator. The 10 most recent:
Some 1997-2008 vehicles equipped with a 4.6l 2v, 5.4l 2v, or 6.8l 2v engine--spark plug thread repair procedure--not covered under new vehicle limited warranty. *nj this includes f-53 motorhome chassis. Updated 2/23/10…
07212 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 2007
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
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
Rear axle noise repair. *tt
05618 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2005
Use of stainless steel exhaust studs in service for 5.4l 2v engine. *tt
0554 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 21, 2005
Intermittent rough idle - non-commanded egr (exhaust gas recirculation valve) flow. *tt
05417 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 7, 2005
Rear axle noise repair. *sc
050618 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2005
General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures. *tt
042107 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 13, 2004
Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair. *tt
04189 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 13, 2004
General power train control module (pcm) programming procedures. *tt
04217 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2004
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
The 1999 Lincoln Navigator has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
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 1999 Lincoln Navigator?
- · 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 85,060 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.