2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR Complaints

SHIFTER WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK FROM REVERSE SOMETIMES WOULD NOT UNLOCK FROM PARK POSITION. SERIOUS PROBLEM WHEN YOUR SHIFTER SHOWS IN DRIVE AND YOU END UP STILL GOING IN REVERSE. READ OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS SOUNDS LIKE A DEFECT WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

AS I WAS EXITING A STORE AND WALKING TOWARD MY VEHICLE, I NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE A BLACK STREAK ON THE BACK OF MY LIFTGATE. WHEN I WAS CLOSER, I SAW THAT IT WAS A CRACK IN THE BACK OF THE LIFT GATE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE EMBLEM OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BACK WINDOW TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LIFT GATE. THIS CRACK WAS NOT THERE WHEN I PARKED THE VEHICLE TO ENTER THE GROCERY STORE BECAUSE I HAD TO WALK AROUND THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE TO MAKE MY WAY INTO THE STORE AND ALWAYS LOOK AT THE BACK END TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAD PULLED IN FAR ENOUGH FOR OTHERS TO PASS. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE HAD BACKED INTO MY VEHICLE BUT THERE WERE NO OTHER MARKS, DENTS, SCUFFS, ETC. I WAS CURIOUS TO FIND OUT WHAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS AND FOUND THAT THIS SAME CRACK HAS OCCURRED TO MANY OTHER OWNERS OF LINCOLN AVIATORS AND WELL AS FORD EXPLORERS AND MERCURY MOUNTAINEERS. FURTHER RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT THIS FRACTURE WAS, IN FACT, A DESIGN FLAW THAT WAS NOT ADDRESSED AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURE. SO DISAPPOINTED. *TR

WHY WASHING SUV NOTICED A STRESS CRACK ON MY REAR LIFT GATE. BELIEVE THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. I NOTICED THIS CRACK ON OTHER LINCOLN/FORD SUV'S. *TR

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AS A CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE. IT HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. ONCE IT EXPIRED I'VE EXPERIENCED EVERY SINGLE COMPLAINT PEOPLE HAVE STATED ONLINE ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. AS OF TODAY (12/02/13) IT STILL HAS ONLY 74,000 MILES ON IT AND THE LATEST PROBLEM IS THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHY. I AM A STAY AT HOME MOM AND WEAR-AND-TEAR ON IT IS VERY MINIMAL (GROCERY SHOPPING, TO AND FROM SCHOOL, ETC.). I HAVE NEVER HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS ON A "SO CALLED" LUXURY VEHICLE BEFORE! I'VE HAD BAD COILS IN CYLINDERS 3, 4, 5 (TWICE), AND 7 REPLACED UNDER LINCOLN'S RECALL. THE TAILGATE PANEL CRACKED (JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO OWN THIS VEHICLE AND THE MOUNTAINEERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT), BUT THEY WON'T FIX IT. IN ADDITION, A WHITE PLASTIC PIECE FELL OUT OF THE TOP HALF OF THE TAILGATE AND NOW IT WILL NOT CLOSE ANYMORE THEREFORE I CAN NO LONGER TAKE IT THROUGH CAR WASHES. THE BRACKET FOR THE SUN VISOR ON MY PASSENGER SIDE COMPLETELY DETERIORATED AND CAUSED THE VISOR TO SUDDENLY DANGLE FROM THE ROOF OF MY CAR WHILE DRIVING. NOW, I CANNOT FLIP IT UP AND IT CAUSES A BLIND SPOT. THERE IS ALSO SOMETHING FAULTY WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WHICH DRAINS MY BATTERY ON A REGULAR BASIS AND I HAVE TO HAVE MY JUMPED. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES NOW BECAUSE IT IS HAS SHORTED OUT. TO COMPLICATE MATTERS, EVERY TIME I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THESE REPAIRS, THEY INSIST ON DOING A "DIAGNOSTICS CHECK" AND EVERY TIME THEY WANT TO CHARGE A FEE FOR THIS SERVICE. EVERY TIME THE PRICE IS DIFFERENT...SOME TIMES ITS $50, SOMETIMES ITS $100. THIS VEHICLE IS A LEMON AND I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD/LINCOLN/MERCURY AGAIN. *TR

THE CARS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN 4-20-07 JUST OVER 50,000 MILES. WE WERE TOLD BY FORD TWO CYLINDER HEADS7 &8 HAD ISSUES AND WOULD REQUIRE A $5900.00 O.H. THEY DID OFFER US $1500.00 TOWARDS THE ENGINE. WE LEARNED LATTER, FORD HAD A INTER-OFFICE BULLETIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AS DID ALL-DATA. NOW AT 126,00 WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE ENGINE OVERHAULED. FORD SHOULD BE MANDATED TO COVER THE FULL COST OF THESE REPAIRS. THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE 2004. *TR

1 YEAR AFTER PURCHASE AT 52,000 -REPLACED COILS (RECALLED) , BRAKE SWITCH, COST JUST TO LEAD AND FIND ISSUES AFTER FULL SERVICE MAINTENANCE, $1500. 2 YRS IN, TRANSMISSION DUE TO THING THAT IS ATTACHED AND LOOKS LIKE A BRAIN PLATE TO THE TRANSMISSION, (SMS PACK)STILL OWING PLUS NOW, UPCOMING ON LATEST TRANSMISSION/COMPUTER/ AT 84,000 :( S CAR HAS TAKEN ME COMPLETELY UPSIDE DOWN AND IN THE HOLE OWING $12,000 + $3000 FOR NEWEST REPAIR. JUST GOT CAR BACK AND NOW IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS A POTENTIAL SMALL DELAY AND WANTS TO JUMP IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC WHICH I JUST EXPERIENCED YESTERDAY. WHY IS THIS CAR STILL ON THE ROAD AND NOT RECALLED. THE PROBLEMS GO ON AND ON AND ON. I EMAILED FORD AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR INTO THEIR DEALERSHIP WHERE I CAN BE ROBBED EVEN FURTHER. SAD!! THESE ARE ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF LINKS THAT ARE OUT THERE DUE TO LINCOLN HAVING KNOWN ISSUES. I SPOKE WITH A CAR SALESMAN THIS LAST WEEK AND HE HAS A 2005 AVIATOR AND JUST REPLACED THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION AT 92,000 MILES. HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2004/LINCOLN/LS/POWER_TRAIN/PROBLEM.ASPX HTTP://WWW.AUTOMOTIVEFORUMS.COM/T936173-POSSIBLE_SOLUTION_FOR_THE_COMMON_LINCOLN_LS_TRANS_PROBLEMS.HTML HTTP://VIN.CENTRALCLEARINGHOUSE.COM/CENTRAL/VIN.NSF/0/22BFF5BE198030B78825777D002F814D HTTP://REPAIRPAL.COM/SHIFT-LEVER-STUCK-IN-DRIVE- *TR

I HAD JUST GOTTEN ONTO THE HIGHWAY,AT ABOUT 40 MPH THE REAR WHEELS STARTED TO SKIP AND JERK ALSO THERE WAS A LOUD CLUCK FROM UNDER THE FRONT....THE MECHANIC FOUND THE TRANSFER CASE WAS DAMAGED DUE TO CHEAP FORD PARTS..... *TR

I PURCHASED MY TRUCK USED IN DECEMBER 2011 AND IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT CONSTANT PROBLEMS. FIRST, THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD RANDOMLY ENGAGE/DISENGAGE ON THEIR OWN. OR IF BUTTON PUSHED NOTHING AT ALL WOULD HAPPEN. WHILE THE HEATER WORKS, IT EMITS A DEATH RATTLE BEFORE BLOWING AIR. MY AC DOESN'T WORK AT ALL AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE COMPRESSOR. THE MOST DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE REPAIR HAS BEEN REPLACING THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTING AND WHEEL BARING. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS ONLY MOUNTED ON ONE SIDE AND WAS LEAKING AND THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR. THE MECHANIC WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO SHAKE MY WHEELS WITH HIS BARE HANDS. THE FRONT END STUFF ACTUALLY DROPPED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AS I AS DRIVING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER AND HAD TO BE TOWED ON A FLAT BED BECAUSE THE FRONT END WAS SO DAMAGED. REPAIR COSTS $1400. AND I WAS ADVISED THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY HAPPEN AGAIN! PRIOR TO THIS I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARING AND BALL JOINTS. FORD DOES NOT STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT! *TR

MY LINCOLN AVIATOR STARTED MAKING A HORRIBLE NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ON THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 4, 2011. MY WIFE TOOK THE AVIATOR TO THE AAA CAR CARE CENTER TO FIND AND REPAIR THE ISSUE. THE AAA CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN PLACED THE AVIATOR ON THE LIFT AND DISCOVERED THE ENTIRE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT WAS HANGING FREELY AND LITERALLY SWINGING UNDER THE VEHICLE. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION, THE WELDING THAT HOLDS THE MOUNT TO WHICH THE DIFFERENTIAL UNTIL IS BOLTED, BROKE FROM THE FRAME. THIS ISSUE OF A DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT WELD BREAKING FREE HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BY THE AAA CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN OR THE AAA SERVICE MANAGER WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. FURTHERMORE, THE MOUNT WAS ONLY WELDED ON ONE SIDE (SIDE CLOSEST TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE). I VISITED THE LOCAL LINCOLN DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE ISSUE WITH MY AVIATOR?S DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT ONLY BEING WELDED ON ONE SIDE AND ASKED TO SEE AN AVIATOR OR EXPLORER THAT WOULD HAVE THE SAME DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTING SYSTEM. THIS LINCOLN DEALERSHIP HAD AN EXPLORER UP ON THE LIFT AND SHOWED ME THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT ON ALL AVIATORS AND EXPLORERS DO INDEED HAVE THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT WELDED ON BOTH SIDES TO THE FRAME. THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT FALLING OFF THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVE SHAFT BECOMING DISLODGED IS EXCEEDINGLY HIGH AND COULD POSE A FATAL SCENARIO. I AM ASKING FOR LINCOLN TO INVESTIGATE THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL ERROR OF ONLY HAVING ONE WELD SEAM HOLDING THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT MOUNT TO THE FRAME AND INSPECT FOR ANY FURTHER DAMAGES AS A RESULT, IN ADDITION TO INSPECTING FOR OTHER AREAS OF FAULTY CRAFTSMANSHIP. THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT IS IN NO WAY THE ERROR OF THE CONSUMER OR DRIVING BEHAVIOR. THIS ISSUE POINTS DIRECTLY TO THE CRAFTSMANSHIP AND INTEGRITY OF THE WELD AND QUALITY CONTROL OF LINCOLN. *TR