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Lincoln Aviator Maintenance and Repair

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    mw3000mw3000 Member Posts: 24
    I have an '04 and the lift gate crack from what I was told is just a problem that we must deal with. on the air filter issue, i put a K&N air filter on it helped out gas milage by .2 mpg, but after talking to my mechanic who races his mustang. he said that K&N air filters are bad. He states that since they alow more air through they also let more crap through. He had to file the pit marks off his supercharger Gear after some races. makes sence to me what about you.
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    tami3tami3 Member Posts: 2
    It took me 9 weeks to fix my Aviator. I Had to replace the power train module. Now it works just fine.. I plain on taking it for a JOY RIDE next week to another dealer ( not ford or lincoln) for a trade in. Oh did I mention that the reason it took so long to fix was because Ford was trying to order the part from a non existing supplier..I had to threaten them with a lemon lawsuit before they figured that out. :lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
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    avifanavifan Member Posts: 7
    I have an 03 with 59K. For about a month, the engine light comes on a blinks on hard accelerations. The transmission doesn't kick down correctly either. The light would eventually go out. Most recently, I can't maintain speed on hills-passing gear is just not there all the time. The dealer said he could only find a computer message about an intermittent cylinder mis-fire. I was told to stop using premium gas because it messes up the computer (WHAT!). OK, I don't think it will solve the problem, but what the heck. I have put one tank of regular and I am on my fourth tank of plus (mid-octane level) and I still can't go uphill.
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    You had an engine misfire (that was the blinking light - the owner's manual tells you not to drive it if it's blinking because you could do further damage). Using premium does not mess up the computer. Find another dealer and get it fixed.
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    ldr63ldr63 Member Posts: 12
    I had my '03 Aviator at the dealer back in April for the stalling problem and they told me that they now think it's the computer and they would have to order the part. It's been 5 weeks and still no part from the dealer. They said these parts come from an outside vendor and they usually take a few weeks to get. Does anybody buy this or am I being jerked around? They said the repair ($1,000) is covered under the warranty. I didn't buy the car from them, could that be the problem?
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    dodge01dodge01 Member Posts: 12
    I just got a notice from Ford in the mail yesterday concerning 2003 and 2004 Aviators with the 4.6l 4V engine. They are extending the warranty coverage on the ignition coil to 11 years or 120k mi.

    It says the bad coils are causing "misfire conditions". You may experience "hesitation or surge upon acceleration, rough engine idle, or illumination of the CHECK ENGINE light"

    The coverage is only for bad coils but that may be some ppl's problems in here.

    It was labeled Customer Satisfaction Program 07M06

    Good Luck
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    vangotoovangotoo Member Posts: 4
    Does anyone else feel that the brake pedal is too low and soft? I just got an 04 Aviator. Other cars have not had this kind of pedal. I tried another Aviator and the same soft feeling. How can I get a very hard high pedal (like a vette) or is this the way it has to be. Dealer said to replace all rotors. I have worked on cars all my life and I know rotors have no affect on pedal softness or height, they just wanted to make $$$. I've bled the brakes, no affect! The master cylinder does not have a bleeder screw on it, yet the manual says it should. Was this replaced? or are some from the factory without the bleeder screw?
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Ford brakes are typically less firm but they work just fine. Switching to stainless brake lines will help. I have an 03 and don't find it to be a problem but I've driven mostly Fords lately. If you tried other vehicles and they're the same then it's probably normal.
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    asemaasema Member Posts: 33
    I have about 53k miles, on original brakes and rotors. they do feel soft, but they've always felt soft. Dealer said I have about 20% left on the pads when I took it in at 50k. Now the car vibrates/shakes when I brake, and i want to change pads/rotors all around. Rotors have already been turnd twice. I dont' want to pay the stealer to do the brake job.
    Any recommnedations on where to purchase OEM quality pads and rotors? i search for Advanced Auto parts, and read sevaral negative comments on the brake parts bought from there. Where can I get cheaper but decent rotors and pads?Thanks for your help.
    (ETA: Midas wants $1350 to change all brakes...yeah right)
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    vangotoovangotoo Member Posts: 4
    That's my complaint, always soft, dealer says that's OK, not with me, I'm changing master cylinder to see what happens.
    OEM is kind of a joke as brake rotors are obtained overseas in many countries by mfgr"s and parts outlets. NAPA carries a higher grade if you ask for it. If you can do the labor yourself you may want to consider buying the cheapies, and when they go bad, trough them out and put on new cheapies.
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Ford brakes always feel soft at first but they work just fine. I assume it's something in the way they build the master cylinder and/or brake lines. It doesn't affect how they work, just how they feel.
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    bcn08bcn08 Member Posts: 8
    i have a 2003 aviator and the engine is misfiring.
    i had someone look at it and they said that this is happening often on the left hand cylinder. (from a alldata online report) cylinder number 7 is bad.

    do you think this will be warrented at 79000 miles? he said i should fight for it considering the emissions problems i will have now. the car now sounds horrible when i drive.

    Anyone with a 2003 aviator should take the car in now and get an extended warrenty. you will have problems in the future.
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    If it's loss of compression then it's probably a bad head. It's a known problem that affects SOME DOHC 4.6L engines. Ours failed at 36K and was replaced. There is an extended warranty available for the coils but I don't think it will cover the cylinder head itself.

    All Lincolns are allowed 2 AWAs (After Warranty Adjustment) where Ford and/or the dealer will cover all or part of the repair. It's up to the dealer to request it though. Worth a shot since this is a known problem.
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    bcn08bcn08 Member Posts: 8
    thanks for the info.
    yes i did get the extended warrenty.
    i will call today and see if they will warrent my truck.

    any ideas on how to approach them with my problem?
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Get it diagnosed first. If it's not covered by the extended warranty on the coils then tell them you've heard that it was a known problem (there is a TSB for it) with defective heads on the DOHC 4.6L engines and you'd like an AWA.
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    ldr63ldr63 Member Posts: 12
    I have a 2003 Aviator with 76K miles. It's currently with the dealer for a stalling problem. They had it a month ago and said the stalling wasn't the coils. They replaced the computer but I still have the problem. When warm my Aviator stalls upon accelerating from a traffic light, a stand still or in reverse. When accelerating it will start to stall, the RPMs will shoot up to 3000 and it will either catch or stall. This is really frustrating. I've been working on this problem since November. Could this be the same problem you guys are talking about?
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Not sure. Almost sounds like the torque converter. Could you describe it in a little more detail?
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    bcn08bcn08 Member Posts: 8
    thanks for the info. i took it in today and they said it wasnt under warrenty, of course.
    i will take it in tomorrow and try to get an AWA.

    I am buying a navigator... is there any known issues?

    the dealer wants to give me 9k for the aviator. do you think i should just turn it in if they wont fix it?
    The cost of repair is at about 4K.

    thanks for your time.
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I think you can fix it and sell it for more than 13K. Last time I checked a 2003 Aviator was going for around $18K trade-in. I would at least shop around for a trade-in price assuming the engine is fixed.
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    bcn08bcn08 Member Posts: 8
    any known issues with the lincoln navigator?
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I think you're safe on the 05 and later Navigators but you should probably check the Navigator forum to be safe.
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    bcn08bcn08 Member Posts: 8
    thanks.
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    bcn08bcn08 Member Posts: 8
    where did you find the TSB? any other info on the TSB? i have ford on the line.
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I don't have the TSB in front of me but they should be able to find it very easily based on the symptoms.
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    mongo1mongo1 Member Posts: 49
    Greetings all and may this find you well. Would there be anyone out there that would know what tuner pack would be needed to activate my Sirius radio. Vehicle is a 2004 Aviator with the 6 CD Audiophile. Radio supposedly is set up with the antenna already built in, but needs some sort of tuner module to activate. Lincoln is asking $400.00 to install. I believe the ALP-1 might work, but I am not certain. Anybody out there with this experience would most certainly be appreciated if they could throw light on this. Thank you in advance.
    Will D.
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    wmsantana27wmsantana27 Member Posts: 1
    i just purchased a 2003 aviator but the is this noise coming from the driver side by the third row seat, is starts as soon as you turn the car on. can some one tell me what it might be?
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    golfpro4golfpro4 Member Posts: 1
    First I have to say I would NEVER waste an AWA repair on something as a a/c smell repair these 2 repairs should be saved for major work, second your selling dealer or the one you take it to for repairs are the ones that will offer AWA repairs in case you don't know the dealer has to pay a portion of the repair most dealers won't want to shell out a poetion for an AWA repair unless you are their customer, that being siad if the smell is chemical type like a freezer smell try tsb 05-09-22
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    djwohiodjwohio Member Posts: 3
    I did have wind noise on my 03 Aviator from the driver side window at 45 miles or higher. Dealer relplaced the rubber window assembly around the glass and it was coverd under warranty. The repair took care of the problem.
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    djwohiodjwohio Member Posts: 3
    I had the same problem on my 03 aviator at 44,000 miles. Dealer replaced number 2 and nuber 8 cylender coil. Dealer told me this is a recall item and is warrnted to 80,000 miles. At 45,000 miles I had a similar rough running engine with the check engine light on. The dealer replaced the left side head and it was covered uner the original warranty. Also at 43,200 miles I had to replace 2 valve springs covered under warranty. The combined total of these repairs would have exceeded $5,000. I just passed 50,000 and based on my repair issues and all the problems on this site, I bought an extended warranty to 100k for $1,725.00 at fordwarrantys.com . I am sure it will pay off. Good luck
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    djwohiodjwohio Member Posts: 3
    Has anyone had a problem entering a destination into the GPS system? When I begin typing the destination the screen jumps to several address with similar spelling but are in out of state cities. I took it to the dealer and they could figure it out and they ordered a replcement unit and it does the same thing. Has anyone had this problem or does anyone know of a web site that will assist with the Aviator GPS programing issues?
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    mw3000mw3000 Member Posts: 24
    just a thought, part of the gps hardware is at the rear of the truck under the pop up floor. Did the dealer replace this hardware also or just the front dash unit. not sure if this holds any memory functions for the gps but it might. did you also have the dealer program the maps with a new updated version, maybe your cd for the programming has a glitch, hope my thoughts help. :confuse:
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    quemfalaquemfala Member Posts: 107
    Have you tried entering the "city" as a first step? Then, enter the street and address. This may solve the problem. My experience with the mechanics in the shop is that many of them are totally incapable of understanding how these systems function.
    Good Luck
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    whitegs300whitegs300 Member Posts: 3
    Does the seat need to be removed to get access to the module, or is it inside that black plastic case right in front of the seat?
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    abtrmanabtrman Member Posts: 35
    Anyone out there have a problem with thier turn signals not working consistently?.They will come on and then just fade away.I can hear what I think is the relay or flasher just behind the emergency brake pedal.It will cycle normally and then start to sputter.No one has been able to tell me with any degree of certainty of where the relay or flasher is located.The owners manual says it is opposite the fuse block but I can cleary hear and feel the relay.Pep Boys says this vehicle has no flasher but utilizes a relay.By the way they do not carry it,nor does any auto parts store within a thirty mile radius.Any ideas?
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    ldr63ldr63 Member Posts: 12
    From time to time my CD player sounds like it keeps cycling through each CD trying to pick one out. When I push the CD button to actually play a CD it says NO CD or INITIALIZING. While this noise is happening, I can't turn on the DVD player at all and the whole radio is black so at night you can't see what button you are pushing because it's not illuminated. Has anyone had this problem?
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    abtrmanabtrman Member Posts: 35
    I do not have the dvd system but my six disc changer would cycle just like you described. I had forgotten about it until now. It use to happen everytime the ignition was turned on but now it doesn't happen at all .It would cycle through all six discs and then start playing disc six instead of disc one.I'm pretty sure it stopped after I replaced the original battery.This is probably just a coincidence but intriguing anyway.I've never had the unit black-out though. Thats just strange. Good luck.
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    asemaasema Member Posts: 33
    my 2003 AWD has close to 60k miles. Has anyone had their 60k service done yet? If you don't mind, can you share whether you got it done at the dealer, the cost(s), and if there were any issues that needed to be fixed around that time. If you have any other info you can provide, (changed spark plugs with platinum or non-platinum tipped plugs, changed all fluids rather than those recommended etc) that would be much appreciated. Just trying to get an idea of what to expect when I get mine done.
    thanks!
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    quemfalaquemfala Member Posts: 107
    We're not at 60K as yet, we have a 2004. Last service we had all of the fluids changed, as recommended. We did this because orginally we were going to trade the Aviator for an SRX but decided to keep it another year. (We have the extended 6-year 75,000 mi warranty.) The fluid change was more expensive than I anticipated, around $750.00. They did need to flush the tranny twice, as well as the rad. The Aviator lived mostly in South Florida, so I expected as much. We've had some minor issues with the car and if you'd like some additional details feel free to e-mail me.
    Luck
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    web001web001 Member Posts: 1
    Thanks for posting this about the "Customer Satisfaction Program"!!! You saved me some serious cash. I have an '03 Aviator which has suffered from bad ignition coils since new. It just happened again yesterday. Since it went out of warranty, I've spent in the neighborhood of $1300 replacing coils. I called Ford today and they told me my vehicle definitely qualifies for the program.

    They also told me if I wanted to try to get reimbursed for $$$ spent I would have to go after the dealers that serviced the problem in the past. The customer service rep said the dealers "should have known" about the program. Yeah, right!!! I'm not counting on getting any money back, but the prospect of not having to spend more on the same problem is awesome.

    Pretty disappointing quality & customer support for a car that cost me $47K. I've learned my lesson & going Japanese for my next car.

    Thanks again!!!
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    grios1grios1 Member Posts: 22
    Hello, I have a 2003 2WD Aviator with 52500 mi. When the vehicle goes over bumps or dips on the road the vehicle seems to have a slow bounce to it like the struts are out. I havent taken it in to have it checked yet. Anyone have a similiar issue?
    Thanks
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    mulchmulch Member Posts: 4
    Just bought a 04 and noticed the same thing. I still have some factory warranty, but I'm not sure if struts would be covered or if they would be normal wear & tear (like breaks or tires). The rear struts are hard to find on-line. I'm going to call a dealer tomorrow. Any idea how much this will cost you (and me)? :confuse:
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    They're not struts, they're just shocks. Should be between $50-$100 not including labor.
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    dodge01dodge01 Member Posts: 12
    My wife's aviator has the same smell also. The dealer said it is a mildew build up on the AC coil. He said you could get to it by way of the cabin air filter (which i couldnt find) or by spraying a disinfectant into the cabin air intake. I did the latter (seems to draw air in under the left side of glove box) with lysol and fixed the problem for a couple weeks. It is a really crappy smell and embarassing but at least it takes my mind off the 6 times I've taken it in during the last year for the same transmission problems!!!

    Told my wife not to buy a FORD!
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    mulchmulch Member Posts: 4
    Thanks, I found one site that sold Shocks for the front and struts for the rear? I found none that sold rear shocks, that's why I assumed it had struts.

    I just crawled under the thing last night. It looks like an easy job, I think I'll stop by the dealer today before it gets too cold to work outside. Anybody done a rear shock replacement...any suggestions or cautions?
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Did one on the Expedition. Make sure you have extensions and swivels for the ratchet for the top bolts - some of those can be tricky. If you jack up the frame it will make it easier (use a jack stand).

    As long as you can access the bolts it's not difficult.
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    mulchmulch Member Posts: 4
    Thanks, but the dealer said they would be covered on the bumper to bumper. So, they are doing it today.
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    mulchmulch Member Posts: 4
    FYI, Dealer called them struts as well.
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    That seems to be a trend by the mfrs. I'm sure the parts catalog lists them as struts. I don't know why. Seems pretty easy to distinguish to me: struts are an integral part of the suspension while shocks only control bound and rebound.
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    skybo1966skybo1966 Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2003 Aviator and the interior lights would not go off. I took the positive battery off to hopefully solve the problem which it did. However, now the car won't start. It doesn't even attempt to turn over but there is plenty of juice in the battery. Does anyone know what to do?
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    tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I suspect the ECM did not reset properly when you reconnected the battery.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
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