Which Lincoln Aviator years should you avoid?

2020 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Lincoln Aviator model year measured over an identical 60-month window.

What is the best year for the Lincoln Aviator?

2021 is the best-scoring Lincoln Aviator model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 69.3 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

How many recalls does the Lincoln Aviator have?

48 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Lincoln Aviator model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

Which Lincoln Aviator years to avoid

Across 2 scored model years, the 2020 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Lincoln Aviator Full report

Grade 2020–2021

2020 vs model median 1.4×

Model median3× median

Electrical 26

Driver Assist 22

Lights & Visibility 11

Avoid

2020

Best

2020 · 2021

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Lincoln Aviator
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2020	1.37×	106	D
2021	0.63×	38	C
2022 P	2.01×	99	F
2023 P	0.87×	50	C
2025 P	0.36×	23	B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2020 D 106 reports · median 4,157 mi

Electrical 26

I purchased the auto on aug 24, 2019. I have encountered 5 issues with the vehicle so far - 3 mechanical and 2, cosmetic. I'll focus on the mechanical. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Driver Assist 22

Brakes failed when driving down my driveway, which is a steep hill. Received six error "service now" messages: service advancetrac, check brake system, hill descent control fault, park brake malfunction, pre-collision… owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Lights & Visibility 11

The contact owns a 2020 lincoln aviator. The contact stated that the wiper fluid failed to produce enough solution to clear the windshield. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

2 crash

2021 C 38 reports · median 41,500 mi

Driver Assist 6

The rear view camera (entire screen) constantly turns on and off when reversing the vehicle. It has been inspected several times with no resolve. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Engine 5

Vehicle has 5400 miles and has catastrophic engine failure while driving. Vehicle towed to dealership and diagnosed engine seized needs complete engine replacement owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Body & Interior 5

Driving this vehicle in snow and ice collects in my wheel wells because of the material used in them. It is felt like heavily textured that the snow and ice sticks to like glue. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

2 fire · 4 injuries

The best year for the Aviator

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2021 is the best-scoring Aviator model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 69.3 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Best-scoring model years
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2021	0.63×	38	C
2020	1.37×	106	D

Recalls

48 campaigns on record.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
26V123000	BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE	2020–2023	889,950
25V455000	FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP	2021–2023	850,318
26V402000	POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION	2020, 2021	741,195
19V633000	SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER	2020	639,137
26V117000	VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR	2020–2022	604,533
23V342000	BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA	2020–2023	442,973
26V451000	SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY	2020–2025	387,911
23V022000	BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA	2020–2023	382,759
25V393000	SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY	2020–2025	304,662
26V165000	BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE	2025	254,640
25V093000	SEAT BELTS	2020, 2021	240,510
21V735000	BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE	2020, 2021	228,297

+ 36 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2020 were reported at a median of 4,157 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Lincoln Aviator years should you avoid?: 2020 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Lincoln Aviator model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Lincoln Aviator?: 2021 is the best-scoring Lincoln Aviator model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 69.3 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Lincoln Aviator have?: 48 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Lincoln Aviator model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2020 Aviator

Complaints in window: 106
Severity-weighted: 121
Model median (weighted): 88
vs model median: 1.37×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 30
Open investigations: 0

Score 50.7 D