Is the Ford Expedition more reliable than the Lincoln Navigator?

No, they are effectively tied. The Expedition has far more owner complaints, at 27.5 per 10,000 sold against 6.2 for the Navigator. But the Expedition costs less to repair and needs fewer unscheduled shop visits. Each model's weak spot is its transmission or drivetrain.

Which has more recalls, the Expedition or the Navigator?

The Expedition has more. Federal recall records show 84 recalls across its nine model years from 2018 to 2026, against 68 for the Navigator. Recall counts say little alone, so check the VIN of any specific vehicle for open recalls before you buy.

Which is cheaper to repair, the Expedition or the Navigator?

The Expedition. Independent repair-cost data estimates $861 a year for it and $1,089 for the Navigator, a gap of $228 a year. The Expedition also has a lower chance that a repair is major, at 15% against 18%.

What transmission problems does the Lincoln Navigator have?

Owners report that the 10-speed automatic slips, hesitates, and sticks in the wrong gear before slamming into gear late. Some describe shudder on inclines and the car coasting as if in neutral. Problems appeared as early as 20,000 to 31,000 miles, and some cases ended in a rebuild.

What are the worst Ford Expedition problems?

Drivetrain failures lead the complaints, with 679 reports. They include a cracked transmission housing, a vehicle that cannot move, and one that rolled backward in Park. Owners also report unintended acceleration with the brake pressed and rodent damage to wiring that dealers called outside damage.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Ford Expedition vs Lincoln Navigator: Reliability Compared

Ford Expedition

Good

More Reliable

Lincoln Navigator

Good

The Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator are effectively tied on reliability. The Expedition draws far more complaints, but the Navigator costs more to repair and visits the shop more often. Transmission and drivetrain trouble is the main risk on both.

How Do the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator Generations Compare?

Most used shoppers will land in the fourth generation, which ran from the 2018 model year through 2024 on both SUVs. A fifth generation began with the 2025 model year on each. The Navigator received a refresh for 2022, so 2022 to 2024 examples differ from earlier ones. No mid-cycle update is listed for the Expedition's fourth generation. The 2025 and 2026 models are the newest and have had little time to collect complaints, so their clean records say less than an older year with a long history.

Verdict

The Lincoln Navigator is more reliable than the Ford Expedition, scoring 62/100 vs 61/100.

Effectively tied. Neither full-size SUV earns a clear edge. The Expedition draws far more owner complaints, led by transmission and drivetrain failures, yet independent repair-cost data shows it costing less each year and visiting the shop less often. The Navigator has far fewer complaints but costs more to keep running, and its 10-speed automatic and cam timing faults can get expensive. One trade offsets the other, so choose on the specific risks and the model year instead of the badge.

Key Differences

1Ford Expedition costs $228 less per year to repair
2Lincoln Navigator has 21.3 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Lincoln Navigator has 16 fewer total recalls

Category Scoreboard

3Ford Expedition

—

3Lincoln Navigator

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Ford Expedition vs Lincoln Navigator: Which Is More Reliable?

Ford Expedition vs Lincoln Navigator at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Ford Expedition	Lincoln Navigator
Reliability Score	61/100	62/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	84	68
Complaints per 10k Sold	27.5	6.2
Annual Repair Cost	$861/yr	$1089/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.4/yr
Major Repair Risk	15%	18%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	3 (2 tied)	4 (2 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator?

Drivetrain trouble is the shared weak spot, but the Expedition's reports are more severe. Owners describe a rear axle separating from the hub at 715 miles, a cracked transmission housing, a vehicle unable to move, and one rolling backward in Park. It also has unintended acceleration and rodent-chewed wiring. Its power train, engine, and electrical areas all carry crash-linked reports. Navigator complaints center on a 10-speed automatic that slips and slams into gear, a blank instrument cluster, and cold-start rattle from cam parts. Its crash-linked reports sit in electrical and seat belts, where pretensioners fired without a crash. It has none in power train or engine.

Ford Expedition vs Lincoln Navigator common problem areas comparison
Component	Ford Expedition	Lincoln Navigator
POWER TRAIN	11.2Above Avg	1.4Low
ENGINE	2.7Low	0.6Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	2.3Low	0.5Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.9Low	0.9Very Low
SEAT BELTS	1.3Low	0.4Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	1Very Low	—None
SUSPENSION	0.7Very Low	0.2Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.7Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY	0.5Very Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.5Very Low	0.1Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.5Very Low	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.4Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.4Very Low	—None
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	0.2Very Low	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	—None
SEATS	0.1Very Low	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	0.1Very Low	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Ford Expedition or Lincoln Navigator?

Repair costs favor the Expedition on every measure. It runs an estimated $861 a year to repair, against $1,089 for the Navigator. That gap is $228 a year, or about $1,140 over five years. The Expedition also makes 0.2 unscheduled shop visits a year, half the Navigator's 0.4. When a repair does happen, the chance it is major is 15% on the Expedition and 18% on the Navigator.

How Does Ford Expedition vs Lincoln Navigator Reliability Compare by Year?

Ford Expedition vs Lincoln Navigator year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Ford Expedition	Lincoln Navigator	Edge
2026	71/1001R / 6C	71/1002R / 0C	Tie
2025	71/1005R / 27C	64/1006R / 7C	Ford Expedition
2024	68/1007R / 68C	64/1007R / 14C	Ford Expedition
2023	67/1008R / 62C	63/1008R / 5C	Ford Expedition
2022	61/10012R / 106C	61/10013R / 16C	Tie
2021	57/10012R / 214C	60/10010R / 26C	Lincoln Navigator
2020	52/10016R / 370C	60/10011R / 24C	Lincoln Navigator
2019	53/10011R / 455C	59/1004R / 58C	Lincoln Navigator
2018	52/10012R / 358C	59/1007R / 45C	Lincoln Navigator

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Ford Expedition scored 68/100 and the 2024 Lincoln Navigator scored 64/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Ford Expedition vs the Lincoln Navigator?

Lower running costs point to the Expedition. Independent repair-cost data puts its yearly bill and shop visits below the Navigator's. Have the transmission checked and the wiring inspected for rodent damage, since dealers have refused warranty coverage for it. Steer toward years other than 2018 and 2020, its weakest, and check every third-row belt if children ride there. Fewer owner complaints point to the Navigator, if you can accept higher bills. Drive it long enough to feel for slipping, hesitation, or late gear engagement in the 10-speed automatic. Ask about cam timing work on higher-mileage examples, and skip 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. Confirm any seat belt recall repair was done. The 2025 and 2026 years rank strongest for both models, but they are too new to have collected many complaints, so treat that as unproven.

Ford Expedition vs Lincoln Navigator: Common Questions

Is the Ford Expedition more reliable than the Lincoln Navigator?: No, they are effectively tied. The Expedition has far more owner complaints, at 27.5 per 10,000 sold against 6.2 for the Navigator. But the Expedition costs less to repair and needs fewer unscheduled shop visits. Each model's weak spot is its transmission or drivetrain.
Which has more recalls, the Expedition or the Navigator?: The Expedition has more. Federal recall records show 84 recalls across its nine model years from 2018 to 2026, against 68 for the Navigator. Recall counts say little alone, so check the VIN of any specific vehicle for open recalls before you buy.
Which is cheaper to repair, the Expedition or the Navigator?: The Expedition. Independent repair-cost data estimates $861 a year for it and $1,089 for the Navigator, a gap of $228 a year. The Expedition also has a lower chance that a repair is major, at 15% against 18%.
What transmission problems does the Lincoln Navigator have?: Owners report that the 10-speed automatic slips, hesitates, and sticks in the wrong gear before slamming into gear late. Some describe shudder on inclines and the car coasting as if in neutral. Problems appeared as early as 20,000 to 31,000 miles, and some cases ended in a rebuild.
What are the worst Ford Expedition problems?: Drivetrain failures lead the complaints, with 679 reports. They include a cracked transmission housing, a vehicle that cannot move, and one that rolled backward in Park. Owners also report unintended acceleration with the brake pressed and rodent damage to wiring that dealers called outside damage.

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More Lincoln Navigator comparisons

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How we score the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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