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2016 Lincoln Navigator problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
13%
3 of 25 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2016 Lincoln Navigator. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 13% of relevant complaints.

Better than 96% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2016 Lincoln Navigator have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 3 of 25 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Lincoln Navigator concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (13%). For comparison, the 2017 scores 15%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
3
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
25
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
0 crashes · 0 injuries

Complaints by component

VISIBILITY7 · 28%
SERVICE BRAKES6 · 24%
BACK OVER PREVENTION5 · 20%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3 · 12%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER3 · 12%
POWER TRAIN2 · 8%

The years either side

2010
too few complaints
2011
too few complaints
2012
too few complaints
2013
too few complaints
2014
too few complaints
2015
too few complaints
2016
13%
3 of 25
2017
15%
4 of 31
2018
56%
27 of 52
2019
55%
32 of 80
2020
75%
21 of 32
2021
41%
13 of 33
2022
too few complaints
2023
too few complaints

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2016 compares with other Lincoln Navigator years

Of the 6 Lincoln Navigator years with enough complaints to score, the 2016 is the best on engine and transmission share (13%). The worst is the 2020 (75%). By volume, the 2016 drew 25 complaints (3 drivetrain), against 21 for the 2015 and 31 for the 2017.

Lincoln Navigator years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2016 Lincoln Navigator

  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM09/25/2023
While going approximately 55 mph, the speedometer dropped out to zero. After a moment, the transmission dropped into first gear (it felt like) and the rear tires made loud screeching noises as if they locked up for about one second. The speedometer remained at zero and the whole thing happened again in a few seconds.…

One of 3 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2016 Lincoln Navigator engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2016 Lincoln Navigator, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
back over prevention: sensing system: camera25V572000 · Sep 2025
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…
visibility: rearview mirrors/devices: exterior25V091000 · Feb 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The LED logo lights on the exterior mirrors may short circuit.
visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system: fan/motor22V648000 · Aug 2022
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.
service brakes, hydraulic: power assist22V150000 · Mar 2022
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…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2016 Lincoln Navigator? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2016 Lincoln Navigator

Does the 2016 Lincoln Navigator have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 3 of 25 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Lincoln Navigator concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (13%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Lincoln Navigator?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2016 Lincoln Navigator is visibility: 7 of 25 complaints (28%) name it, followed by service brakes (6) and back over prevention (5). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 13% of the relevant total.

Is the 2016 Lincoln Navigator reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 13% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 96% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 6 Lincoln Navigator years we score, it ranks best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Lincoln Navigator?

No. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2016 Lincoln Navigator, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Lincoln Navigator years are better?

The 2016 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Lincoln Navigator years we track (13%). The other years run higher. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/lincoln-navigator

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.