AI Damage2023 Lincoln Nautilus: common problems
Owners of the 2023 Lincoln Nautilus filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. The maker issued 58 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
- involving a crash
- 1
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 58
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 43% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 14% of all complaints
- 3 Backover prevention 14% of all complaints
- 4 Forward collision avoidance 14% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 14% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 14% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 14% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (43% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 17.
- Engine: 1 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Backover prevention: 1 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Forward collision avoidance: 1 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 1 complaints (14% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2.7 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- automatic, 8-speed
Drive: AWD, FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 7 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Backover prevention | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 0 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Automatic Emergency Braking and pre-collision warning failed to engage. When pressing the break with full force, loud noise of all the break pads grinding can be heard. Under the same condition, pre-collision warning would sometimes be activated and sometimes doesn't.
Rear passenger side seat belt buckle sits so low in the seat that it is almost impossible for some passengers (elderly or children) to buckle it. Lincoln and Ford and everyone else do not make a seat belt extender that fits it.
When vehicle is started, intermittently, rear view camera does not come on for approximately 45-60 seconds later. The screen remains completely black then appears to reboot The camera issue happens about once every two weeks
The backup camera freezes to a single still frame and does not show the accurate view of the rear of the vehicle while backing. Since the camera is frozen to a still frame, any moving object that moves to the rear of the backing vehicle would not be visible in the image that the driver sees on screen.
Purchased vehicle 7/29/23 While driving 8/19, vehicle auto-shifted from drive into neutral and the check engine light appeared. I was in the process of accelerating from the on ramp & moving to the left lane. Attempts to return the vehicle to drive were unsuccessful & I coasted to the right shoulder of the highway.
There is no warning lights or caution before this steering column moves on its own. This has been going on sine July 20, 2023. Within the last week the battery has drained completely on 3 different times. 1500 miles registered and I had to jump start the vehicle. Shults Lincoln picked up the vehicle yesterday.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,591 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 24% least complained about).
On average one model year of the Nautilus has 29 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 7, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Backover prevention. Rear camera and parking sensors after a rear impact.
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Reason for update
Add 2022-2025 Transit vehicles. Some of the vehicles listed in the model statement above equipped with SYNC4 may experience a blank center display screen or black center display screen after welcome animation. The…
- This article supersedes TSB 25-2466 to add Bronco Sport, Escape, Maverick and Corsair, as well as removing…
This article supersedes TSB 25-2466 to add Bronco Sport, Escape, Maverick and Corsair, as well as removing Expedition and Navigator. One time use parts for Corsair and Bronco Sport were also added to the parts list…
- Reasons for update
update the Parts list to add a note to clarify the application of the part numbers W520102-S442 and 4S4Z-3N324-AA "FWD Only". Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit all of the following…
- Some 2021-2026 Ford/Lincoln vehicles may exhibit various symptoms including but not limited to the auto…
Some 2021-2026 Ford/Lincoln vehicles may exhibit various symptoms including but not limited to the auto start/stop system not operating as intended with a "Check Charging System" message in the instrument panel cluster…
- Quality improvements include
Enhanced system performance, disk usage limits and memory monitoring
- Reason for update
update the Parts list to correct a part description " Loctite 638", update the claim quantity for the drain/fill plug, update the claim quantity of the wheel hub bolts (Corsair) and limited the parts list for…
- Some of the vehicles listed in the model statement above equipped with SYNC4 may experience a blank center…
Some of the vehicles listed in the model statement above equipped with SYNC4 may experience a blank center display screen or black center display after welcome animation. The rear-view camera will still function when…
- Reason for update
update the Parts list to correct the part description of the part number JM5Z-7N473-C, correct the part number XY-75W85QL to XY-75W85-QL and add a description note "Transfer Case Fluid, All markets", and update the…
- Some 2021-2023 Nautilus vehicles may exhibit inoperative phone as a key and no communication with the…
Some 2021-2023 Nautilus vehicles may exhibit inoperative phone as a key and no communication with the remote function actuator (RFA) module. There may also be diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U0214 stored in various…
- Reason for update
To add a Step to reprogram the all-wheel drive (AWD) module for Bronco Sport vehicles. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit all of the following conditions: Shudder chatter condition…
- Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit at least one of the following conditions
* Intermittent or permanent no reverse engagement. * Illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0767 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). In addition to the required…
- This article updates TSB 25-2154. Reasons for update
*Parts List *Service Procedure to replace the output planetary carrier assembly *Added 2023-2024 model year vehicles Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit all of the following conditions…
NHTSA lists 58 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2023 Lincoln Nautilus?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine, backover prevention. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: infotainment or screen glitches (57%), rear-view camera (29%), warning lights, check engine (29%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2023 Lincoln Nautilus?
NHTSA lists 58 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2023 Lincoln Nautilus from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2023 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.