What are the worst Lincoln Aviator years to avoid?

The 2020 and 2022 Aviator are rated Avoid. The 2020 has a complaint index of 100 with 30 recall campaigns, and 2022 has a complaint index of 83 with 21 recall campaigns.

Is there a best year for the Lincoln Aviator?

No Lincoln Aviator year earns a Best verdict. Only 2005 reaches Good, and it is capped there because complaint records for 2005-2009 model years are less complete.

What problems does the 2020 Lincoln Aviator have?

NHTSA data shows 108 complaints for 2020, dominated by Electrical System issues (37 percent, median failure mileage about 2,600) along with Collision Avoidance & Cameras and Transmission & Powertrain problems appearing much later in ownership.

Does the Lincoln Aviator have a lot of recalls?

Yes. Across all model years NHTSA lists 49 recall campaigns total, with 2020 alone accounting for 30 of them, and 2021 accounting for 28.

Are 2023-2025 Lincoln Aviator models safer to buy?

They are rated Caution rather than Avoid, but 2023 and 2024 verdicts are capped to Caution specifically because of 16 and 8 recall campaigns requiring dealer visits, despite lower complaint indexes of 33 and 0.

Lincoln Aviator Best and Worst Years (2005–2025)

Avoid the 2020 and 2022 Lincoln Aviator: 2020 has the highest complaint index (100) with 30 recall campaigns and heavy electrical failures near 2,600 miles, while 2022 ranks second-worst (complaint index 83) with camera and structural issues. No year earns a Best verdict; 2005 is capped at Good, and 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 are Caution.

Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.

Avoid 2020 Avoid 2022

Model years: 7; 2005–2025
NHTSA complaints: 290
Recall campaigns: 49
Crashes reported: 11
Fires reported: 3
Top problem area: Electrical System

Aviator Complaint Index by year

Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.

Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best

Lincoln Aviator problems and recalls by year

Year	Verdict	Index	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Recalls	Top issue	MPG	NCAP
2005	Good	17	51	3	0	0	Structure & Body	13	—
2020	Avoid	100	108	2	1	30	Electrical System	21	5★
2021	Caution	67	39	1	1	28	Electrical System	21	5★
2022	Avoid	83	45	4	1	21	Collision Avoidance & Cameras	21	5★
2023	Caution	33	24	1	0	16	Electrical System	20.5	5★
2024	Caution	0	7	0	0	8	Electrical System	20.5	5★
2025	Caution	50	16	0	0	15	Electrical System	20.5	5★

Aviator years to avoid: what went wrong

2020 Lincoln Aviator Index 100 · 108 complaints · 30 recalls

Owners of the 2020 Aviator reported the most complaints of any year (108) and the highest complaint index (100), ranking it worst overall. Electrical System problems made up 37 percent of complaints, with a median failure mileage around 2,600 miles, including reports of vehicles rolling away or catching fire while parked. Collision Avoidance & Cameras (21 percent) and Transmission & Powertrain (20 percent) issues showed up much later, near 79,000 and 82,000 miles. NHTSA lists 30 recall campaigns for this year, covering seat switches, transmission park pawl engagement, and seat belt anchors, reflecting widespread early-life defects across multiple systems.

2020 electrical system problems →2020 collision avoidance & cameras problems →2020 transmission & powertrain problems →

2022 Lincoln Aviator Index 83 · 45 complaints · 21 recalls

The 2022 Aviator ranks second-worst with a complaint index of 83. Collision Avoidance & Cameras problems account for 24 percent of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 34,000, including backup camera failures linked to crashes. Structure & Body issues followed at 22 percent (20,000 miles median), and Electrical System and Fuel System complaints each made up 20 percent. NHTSA lists 21 recall campaigns for this year, including seat switch, seat belt anchor, and display software recalls. Owners also reported crashes tied to unintended acceleration and airbags that failed to deploy in collisions.

Most common Lincoln Aviator problems (all years)

Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.

Electrical System78 (27%)
Structure & Body64 (22%)
Collision Avoidance & Cameras50 (17%)
Other47 (16%)
Transmission & Powertrain43 (15%)
Engine39 (13%)
Visibility & Wipers26 (9%)
Brakes21 (7%)
Fuel System21 (7%)
Suspension, Wheels & Tires12 (4%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

Frequently asked questions

What are the worst Lincoln Aviator years to avoid?: The 2020 and 2022 Aviator are rated Avoid. The 2020 has a complaint index of 100 with 30 recall campaigns, and 2022 has a complaint index of 83 with 21 recall campaigns.
Is there a best year for the Lincoln Aviator?: No Lincoln Aviator year earns a Best verdict. Only 2005 reaches Good, and it is capped there because complaint records for 2005-2009 model years are less complete.
What problems does the 2020 Lincoln Aviator have?: NHTSA data shows 108 complaints for 2020, dominated by Electrical System issues (37 percent, median failure mileage about 2,600) along with Collision Avoidance & Cameras and Transmission & Powertrain problems appearing much later in ownership.
Does the Lincoln Aviator have a lot of recalls?: Yes. Across all model years NHTSA lists 49 recall campaigns total, with 2020 alone accounting for 30 of them, and 2021 accounting for 28.
Are 2023-2025 Lincoln Aviator models safer to buy?: They are rated Caution rather than Avoid, but 2023 and 2024 verdicts are capped to Caution specifically because of 16 and 8 recall campaigns requiring dealer visits, despite lower complaint indexes of 33 and 0.