RecallMyCar

1998 Lincoln Navigator Recalls, Complaints & Specs

5 safety recalls list the 1998 Lincoln Navigator, and owners have filed 192 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

5
safety recalls
192
owner complaints to NHTSA
14 / 22
complaints citing a crash / fire
12–13
MPG combined (EPA)

5 safety recalls for the 1998 Lincoln Navigator

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Vehicle speed control

    NHTSA 05V388000 Reported 4,500,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn.

    Remedy: By letter dated september 12, 2005, owners were instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected. Owners who have had their speed control deactivated are…

  2. Trailer hitches

    NHTSA 00V073000 Reported 565,800 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly to the frame attaching bolts could lose the clamp load.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the trailer hitch mounting bolts and nut plates.

  3. Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs (wheels)

    NHTSA 98V095000 Reported 1,520,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles and light duty pickup trucks. The lug nuts on these vehicles may not create sufficient clamp load allowing wheel movement in relation to the hub/rotor mounting surface.

    Remedy: Owners of these vehicles will be receiving two notifications. The first notification, which began in may 1998, will provide an interim repair procedure until parts become available. This interim procedure can be…

  4. Headlights (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 98V028000 Reported 571,800 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The text and/or graphics for the vehicle headlamp aiming instructions provided in the owner guides are not sufficiently clear. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."

    Remedy: Owner guides containing revised aiming instructions will be mailed to owners of these vehicles.

  5. Gear position indication (prndl) (power train)

    NHTSA 97V171000 Reported 866,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. If the automatic transmission shift cable assembly was not fully attached to the steering column bracket, the shift cable assembly can come out of the bracket. The vehicle operator would then not be able to shift the transmission from one of the drive…

    Remedy: Dealers will make the proper attachment of the transmission shift control cable to the steering column bracket and add a tie strap to that connection.

192 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1998 Lincoln Navigator have filed 192 complaints with NHTSA; 14 describe a crash and 22 describe a fire. Reports cite 26 injuries and 15 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 104,581 miles. Complaints peaked in 2000 with 35 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 lincoln navigator. While attempting to place the vehicle in park, the gear shifter failed to engage. The contact stated that the vehicle would roll forward or backwards, de”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 12, 2018 · Power train

“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 lincoln navigator. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the rear of the vehicle independently swayed from side to side without warning. In addition, the contact mentioned th”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 18, 2016 · Service brakes

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1998 Lincoln Navigator (Navigator 2WD, Navigator 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined12–13 mpg
City / Highway11–12 / 15–16
FuelRegular
EPA classSpecial Purpose Vehicle 2WD, Special Purpose Vehicle 4WD
Engine8 cyl, 5.4 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Compare Lincoln Navigator model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Lincoln Navigator model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1997 Lincoln Navigator20
1998 Lincoln Navigator5192
1999 Lincoln Navigator5132
2000 Lincoln Navigator4109
2001 Lincoln Navigator381
2002 Lincoln Navigator132
2003 Lincoln Navigator0127
2004 Lincoln Navigator086
2005 Lincoln Navigator048
2006 Lincoln Navigator360
2007 Lincoln Navigator245
2008 Lincoln Navigator230
2009 Lincoln Navigator110
2010 Lincoln Navigator016
2011 Lincoln Navigator09
2012 Lincoln Navigator312
2013 Lincoln Navigator014
2014 Lincoln Navigator017
2015 Lincoln Navigator421
2016 Lincoln Navigator425
2017 Lincoln Navigator531
2018 Lincoln Navigator1252
2019 Lincoln Navigator1083
2020 Lincoln Navigator1332
2021 Lincoln Navigator1233
2022 Lincoln Navigator1421
2023 Lincoln Navigator87
2024 Lincoln Navigator716
2025 Lincoln Navigator612
2026 Lincoln Navigator20
2027 Lincoln Navigator10

Checking a specific 1998 Lincoln Navigator

How do I know if my 1998 Lincoln Navigator has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 1998 Lincoln Navigator; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Lincoln dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V073000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Lincoln models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.