2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR Complaints

TRANSMISSION SHIFTER BREAKS AND LOCKS IN PLACE. THE RESULT IS TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS STRANDED IN A DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEIR PERSONAL SAFETY IS AT RISK. THE PROBLEM IS A BROKEN $5 PIECE OF PLASTIC CONTAINED WITHIN THE SHIFTER KNOB. HOWEVER, FORD REFUSES TO SUPPLY THE $5 PIECE AND INSTEAD REQUIRES THE VEHICLE OWNER TO PURCHASE THE ENTIRE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY (WHICH COSTS ALMOST $1000). BASED ON THE NUMBER OF BACKORDERS FOR THIS PIECE AT ANY ONE POINT IN TIME, IT IS APPARENT THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IS NOT TAKING STEPS TO REMEDY. THE ONLY REMEDY THAT THEY OFFER IS TO FORCE THE CONSUMER TO PAY $1,000 IN ORDER FOR CONSUMERS TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE $5 PIECE OF PLASTIC. THIS HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I WAS OUT OF TOWN ON A TRIP WITH MY FAMILY. WE HAD PULLED OFF THE ROAD, BUT LEFT THE CAR RUNNING. WHEN WE WENT TO PLACE IT IN GEAR, IT REFUSED TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. WE WERE UNABLE TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OR MOVE IT IN ANY WAY BECAUSE IT WAS STUCK IN PARK. THE SUN WENT DOWN AND WE WERE STRANDED. I AM UNEMPLOYED AND WHILE I COULD AFFORD A SMALL REPAIR, I COUALD NOT AFFORD THE EXPENSIVE REPAIR (THE DEALERSHIP ALSO NEEDED TO CHARGE FOR THEIR LABOR, SO THE QUOTE WAS OVER $1500). AFTER BEING STRANDED OVERNIGHT, I CONVINCED THE DEALER TO JUST SHOW ME HOW TO SHIFT THE CAR WITHOUT REPLACING THE SHIFTER. NOW I HAVE TO KEEP THE GEAR SHIFT KNOB REMOVED (WHICH SUBJECTS THE MECHANISM TO ACCIDENTALLY HAVE THE OVERDRIVE BUTTON PUSHED). WITH THE KNOB REMOVED, I CAN LIFT THE ROD TO SHIFT INTO GEAR AND THEN MUST LOWER THE ROD (MANUALLY) TO LOCK IT INTO THE SELECTED LOCATION. FAILURE TO LOWER THE ROD ALLOWS THE SHIFTER TO MOVE FREELY AND ALSO PREVENTS THE KEYS FROM BEING REMOVED ONCE THE SHIFTER IS AGAIN IN PARK. FORDS UNWILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE AN ECONOMIC SOLUTION PROVIDES A SAFETY HAZARD TO CONSUMERS WHO TRUSTED FORD TO DO THE RIGHT THING. PLEASE HELP!

2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. ATTORNEY WRITES ON BEHALF OF CLIENT IN REGARDS TO PROBLEMS WITH HIS VEHICLE SUCH AS GEAR SHIFT, CRUISE CONTROL AND REARVIEW MIRROR FUNCTIONS *TGW THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT MOVE OUT OF PARK AT TIMES. THE ENTIRE SHIFTER MECHANISM, STOP/BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, INTERLOCK SOLENOID MECHANISM, AND ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY WERE ALL REPLACED, BUT THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN CROSS TERRAIN TIRES, TIRE SIZE 245/65/R17 AND DOT NUMBER B3KTVE4X04084 . WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD UNUSUAL NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESUME DRIVING AND UPON REACHING HER DESTINATION, SHE DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED AND DAMAGED THE BUMPER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY REPLACED THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE, DOOR MOLDING AND OUTER QUARTERED PANEL AND PARKING SENSOR. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE DEFECTIVE TIRE CAUSED THE DAMAGES TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,319. UPDATED 05/04/11 *BF

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HINGES ON THE REAR WERE NOT HOLDING THE REAR GLASS PROPERLY. THE REAR PANEL ALSO BEGAN TO CRACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IDLE IN PARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG STRUCK HIM IN THE REAR OF THE HEAD AND CAUSED SEVERE HEADACHES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEIR ATTORNEY WOULD CONTACT HIM AT A LATER DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE CONTINUOUSLY BECOMES DISLODGED FROM THE SHIFT CABLE BRACKETS. WHILE DRIVING THE SHIFTER WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. HE WOULD HAVE TO GO UNDER THE VEHICLE AND SNAP THE CABLES BACK TOGETHER. THERE WAS A RECALL NHTSA#02V313000; COMPONENT: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE HE WAS TOLD HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ALSO INFORMED HIM HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000. UPDATED 12/30/10 *BF THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE ACTIVATION SWITCH. THE POWER WINDOW MOTOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 01/07/11 UPDATED 04/07/11

THE GAS PEDAL ON MY 03 LINCOLN AVIATOR COMES LOOSE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED MY GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK AND I HAD TO SWITCH INTO NEUTRAL AND PHYSICALLY LIFT IT. I HAD THE PROBLEM FIX BUT IT HAS COME LOOSE AGAIN. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT LINCOLN DOESN'T HAVE THE PART AND THAT THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY IN OUR 2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR, THE TWO SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE NEAREST DEALER AND THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT, SIDES, OR REAR OF THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYING FOR NO REASON. *TR

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HELP ME , BUT IF YOU COULD POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FORD MOTOR CORP .I WANT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A SEVERE ENGINE FLAW ON THERE 2003 AVIATOR WITH THE 4.6 MOTOR .I HAVE CONTACTED THEM OVER AND OVER AND THE SAME RESPONSE OUT OF WARRANTY SORRY .AS STATED IN THERE (TBS) REPORT 06-5-13 CYLINDER 7 IS THE WEAK POINT OF THIS MOTOR , TO CHECK COMPRESSION ,WITCH OF COURSE MY ENGINE FAILED AS I AM SURE MANY OTHERS FAILED AS WELL. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO DEVELOP BETWEEN 60,000 TO 80,000 MI. (ACCORDING TO DATA I COLLECTED ONLINE) AND THE WARRANTY IS UP AT 50,000. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I, AND ALL THE OTHERS WHO BOUGHT THIS TRUCK SHOULD PAY FOR THERE MISTAKE. SO WHAT I AM ASKING IS , IF YOU COULD POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION . WHO I SHOULD CONTACT OR COMPLAIN TO . THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TO READ THIS . [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR