Reliable Auto DB

2016 Lincoln Navigator reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2016 Lincoln Navigator holds 25 complaints after 11 years, a rate of 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Navigator years here — under the median of the other years, which is 2. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Camera, Exterior, and Fan motor.

2012 Lincoln Navigator
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

25

Per year

1

Recalls

4

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility (7 of 25), then Back-over prevention (5) and Service brakes (4). Those filings include 1 that reports a fire.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Navigator has 21 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2017 has 31 complaints, 1 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 Lincoln Navigator. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2025-09-04 · NHTSA campaign 25V572000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and June 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 2025.
Recall visibility, rearview mirrors, exterior 2025-02-14 · NHTSA campaign 25V091000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The LED logo lights on the exterior mirrors may short circuit.
Remedy Dealers will disconnect the LED light wires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 27, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S08.
Recall visibility, defroster and HVAC, fan motor 2022-08-26 · NHTSA campaign 22V648000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The front blower motor located behind the glove box may fail.
Remedy Dealers will replace the front blower motor assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 4, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to become available in the second quarter of 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S56.
Recall hydraulic brakes, power assist 2022-03-11 · NHTSA campaign 22V150000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and 2016-2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
Remedy Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. An interim owner notification letter notifying customers of the safety defect were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed April 29, 2022. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-332. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S11.

Complaints by component (25 total)

Visibility
7
Back-over prevention
5
Service brakes
4
Electrical system
3
Hydraulic brakes
2
Powertrain
2
Air bags
1
Engine
1
Forward collision avoidance
1
Seat belts
1
Tires
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 4 more Show less
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

22016320194202252023120247202532026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, there was white smoke coming from the passenger’s side exterior door mirror, accompanied by a burning…"
    Visibility · filed 2026-04-01
  • "The power running boards do not go up and down, and are locked in the down position. During the winter snow and ice collects on the running board while driving and makes it incredibly slippery to step on for the driver…"
    Electrical system, Unknown or other · filed 2026-01-21
  • "The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V091000 (VISIBILITY) and 25V572000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed…"
    Visibility, Back-over prevention · filed 2026-01-20
  • "The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Navigator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer…"
    Back-over prevention · filed 2025-12-01
  • "There was a recall on the brake system before and that they fixed it and the same thing that it was a recall before is doing the same thing again with my brake system"
    Service brakes · filed 2025-09-04

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2016 Lincoln Navigator Extended SUV 4x2 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2016 Lincoln Navigator Extended SUV 4x4 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2016 Lincoln Navigator SUV 4x2 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2016 Lincoln Navigator SUV 4x4 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Navigator two-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Rear-wheel drive 16 22 18 MPG $3600
Navigator four-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Part-time four-wheel drive 15 20 17 MPG $3800
Navigator L two-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Rear-wheel drive 15 20 17 MPG $3800
Navigator L four-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Part-time four-wheel drive 15 19 16 MPG $4050

Compare

Previous year 2015 Lincoln Navigator Next year 2017 Lincoln Navigator See every Lincoln Navigator model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Lincoln Navigator reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2016 Lincoln Navigator holds 25 complaints after 11 years, a rate of 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Navigator years here — under the median of the other years, which is 2. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Camera, Exterior, and Fan motor.

What are common problems with a 2016 Lincoln Navigator?

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility (7 of 25), then Back-over prevention (5) and Service brakes (4). Those filings include 1 that reports a fire.

Is the 2016 Lincoln Navigator more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 Navigator has 21 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2017 has 31 complaints, 1 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017.

Has the 2016 Lincoln Navigator been recalled?

The 2016 Lincoln Navigator has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Lincoln Navigator?

Owners have filed 25 complaints about the 2016 Lincoln Navigator with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Lincoln Navigator get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Lincoln Navigator is 17 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Lincoln Navigator take?

U554 Navigators with the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 use 0W-20 full synthetic; capacity is about 4.5 quarts with filter.

What does recall 22V-250 cover on the Navigator?

Certain 2020-2021 Navigators (with other Ford trucks/SUVs): windshield wiper arms may break. Dealers inspect and replace them if needed.

What tire size is common on Black Label Navigators?

285/45R22 is a common Black Label fitment; confirm the door placard for your trim.