2019 Lincoln Nautilus Common Problems & Defect Telemetry
Authoritative defect intelligence synthesized from 98 verified NHTSA owner complaints, 8 federal safety recalls, and interquartile failure mileage telemetry.
The 2019 Lincoln Nautilus receives a 4/10 MazicBay Reliability Index based on 98 verified NHTSA federal complaints and 8 safety recalls. The primary reported failure mode is Transmission Hesitation, Hard Shifting & Slipping Reports with a median failure point at 63,078 miles (IQR: 59,179 – 75,250 mi). Out-of-warranty repairs benchmark at $1,400 – $3,800 .
40.8 complaints / 10k sold
Verified US federal records
Crash, fire & stall audit
8 Active / Free Remedies
Top Reported Problem Clusters (7)
Transmission Hesitation, Hard Shifting & Slipping Reports
- Hard gear shifts / delayed engagement into Drive/Reverse
- Transmission shudder / jerking under acceleration
- Transmission slipping between gears
“There is a class action lawsuit regarding the transmission on my vehicle. The transmission is shuddering. My mechanic alerted me of the lawsuit, Lincoln Mercury has not put out a recall, but is aware of the problem. There are no error codes, tried a reset on the transmission. ...”
“2019 Lincoln Nautilus shudders between 20 to 45 MPH. We’ve had everything done from oil change, tire rotation, to Front end alignment to tune up. Only one mechanic suggested that there’s a bulletin about a torque. I don’t remember the bulletin #. He expressed that Ford knows a...”
“Transmission shutter at 25 to 45 mph. Known issue with the Transmission. Ford has mechanic memos stating the exact issue my car is experiencing. Took it to the dealer ship, got charged $250 to get told I need a transmission replacement and torque converter for $8000. little ov...”
Electrical Parasitic Drain, Infotainment & Harness Reports
- Unexplained battery drain after sitting overnight
- Infotainment display / instrument cluster blackouts
- Accessory malfunction / alternator fault warnings
“The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel became inoperable. The contact stated that the instrument cluster intermittently blinked and flickered. The "Adaptive Steering Fault" warning message w...”
“The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the power steering assist failed to operate as needed. There was an audible chime with the power steering message flashing on the instrument panel before the steering wheel seized f...”
“While driving, the entire dashboard and instrument cluster intermittently go completely blank, disabling visibility of speed, gear position, warning lights, turn signals, and other critical information. The failure occurs suddenly and without warning. The cluster then goes thr...”
Engine Stalling, Oil Consumption & Cooling Defect Reports
- Engine sudden stall / hesitation while driving
- Abnormal oil burning / consumption
- Check Engine Light (MIL) flashing
- Engine overheating / coolant loss
“There is a class action lawsuit regarding the transmission on my vehicle. The transmission is shuddering. My mechanic alerted me of the lawsuit, Lincoln Mercury has not put out a recall, but is aware of the problem. There are no error codes, tried a reset on the transmission. ...”
“2019 Lincoln Nautilus shudders between 20 to 45 MPH. We’ve had everything done from oil change, tire rotation, to Front end alignment to tune up. Only one mechanic suggested that there’s a bulletin about a torque. I don’t remember the bulletin #. He expressed that Ford knows a...”
“Known structural defect Coolant intrusion into cylinder bores TSB 22-2229 Blown head gasket”
Electric Power Steering Assist & Suspension Noise Reports
- Sudden loss of electric power steering assist
- Steering wheel pull or highway wander
- Clunking / knocking noise over bumps
“2019 Lincoln Nautilus shudders between 20 to 45 MPH. We’ve had everything done from oil change, tire rotation, to Front end alignment to tune up. Only one mechanic suggested that there’s a bulletin about a torque. I don’t remember the bulletin #. He expressed that Ford knows a...”
“The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel became inoperable. The contact stated that the instrument cluster intermittently blinked and flickered. The "Adaptive Steering Fault" warning message w...”
“The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the power steering assist failed to operate as needed. There was an audible chime with the power steering message flashing on the instrument panel before the steering wheel seized f...”
Airbag Occupant Detection & Inflator Defect Reports
- SRS Airbag warning lamp illuminated
- Passenger occupant classification sensor failure
- Seat belt retractor lockup
“The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that the front driver's-side seat belt was stuck and failed to extend as needed. The contact used excessive force to extend the seat belt. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that the seat belt...”
“Component: Engine Vehicle: 2019 Lincoln Nautilus – 2.0L EcoBoost Mileage at failure: ~76550 Incident date: August 2025 Narrative (paste this): My 2019 Lincoln Nautilus equipped with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine experienced a sudden low-coolant warning followed by rapid overheating...”
“The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver’s side air bag unexpectedly deployed, and the blind spot and cross-traffic system fault messages were displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to ...”
Service Brakes, ABS Actuator & Master Cylinder Reports
- Spongy or hard brake pedal travel
- ABS / Brake warning light illuminated
- Extended stopping distance / pedal vibration
“Was slowly entering my garage when there was a sudden acceleration. Put on brake but not before my car went thru the back garage wall and fell about four feet down before hitting the patio floor. It traveled across the patio and went over some furniture on the deck. The air ba...”
“Complete loss of brakes while driving. thankfully it was very soon after leaving home. Brake pedal was extremely stiff, and the brakes would not work. Upon investigation it was found the camshaft coupler screw broke inside the camshaft and the vacuume pump had failed. This is ...”
“With booster seats in rear seat, passenger side seat belt is extremely difficult to snap in in place. Got extenders but will not work on passenger rear seat different than the other 2 rear buckles. Wife can not strap grand children in and I the grandfather have a hard time. Sh...”
Fuel Pump Pressure Loss & Fuel Delivery Defect Reports
- Sudden loss of propulsion power at highway speeds
- Extended engine cranking / failure to restart
- Fuel odor near fuel tank / engine bay
“The component that has failed is the Transmisson. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. We are at risk of being stranded on major highways with small children every day. This vehicle problem has been inspected by both the dealer and two independent service cent...”
“There have been consistent issues with the car due to the electrical system. The car has purchased 3/24/23 as used. The car has been in for maintenance and repairs 5 times since June 6, 2024 at the cost of $3,744.88. The car has cut off while driving. One time it happened on a...”
Official NHTSA Safety Recalls (8)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ford Mustang, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. At vehicle start-up, the Instrument Panel Cluster Assembly (IPC) may not function, showing a blank display. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."
LANE DEPARTURE: LANE KEEP: STEERING ASSIST
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Lincoln Nautilus vehicles. The Lane Center Assist system may not adequately detect if a driver has their hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged period of time.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
Summary: Ford Motor Company, Inc. (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2019-2020 Nautilus vehicles equipped with 16-way electric tilt seats. The seat cushion frame edge may contact the wire harness when the seat occupant uses the tilt function of the seat, potentially damaging one or more wires within the harness, which can result in either inadvertent deployment of the air bag or nondeployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Lincoln Nautilus vehicles that are not equipped with Adaptive Front Steering. The plastic cover on the driver frontal air bag module may detach during air bag deployment.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Edge, Transit Connect and Lincoln MKX and 2020 Escape and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing or loose bolts.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ford Mustang, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 19V076. At vehicle start-up, the Instrument Panel Cluster Assembly (IPC) may not function, showing a blank display. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."
LANE DEPARTURE: LANE KEEP: STEERING ASSIST
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Lincoln Nautilus vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 19V031. The lane center assist system may not adequately detect if a driver has their hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged period of time.
Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist for 2019 Lincoln Nautilus
Before purchasing a used 2019 Lincoln Nautilus, perform the following targeted inspections based on reported federal defect patterns:
Scan the OBD-II port under the dash for pending freeze-frame codes (e.g. P0300 misfires, P0087 fuel rail pressure, P0420 catalytic efficiency).
Test vehicle at low-speed stop-and-go and highway merges. Check for delayed reverse engagement or gear shift shudder between 2nd and 3rd gears.
Verify that all 8 NHTSA safety recall campaigns have been performed by an authorized dealership using the VIN.
Ensure the instrument cluster, center screen, and auxiliary charging ports operate with stable 12.0V–14.4V alternator voltage.
Defect & Reliability Q&A: 2019 Lincoln Nautilus
Is the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus a reliable used car?
The 2019 Lincoln Nautilus earns a 4/10 MazicBay Reliability Index based on 98 federal owner reports. Vehicles maintained under factory service schedules exhibit strong longevity past 150,000 miles.
What is the most frequent defect reported on the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus?
The leading complaint category is Transmission Hesitation, Hard Shifting & Slipping Reports, with a median failure point around 63,078 miles (IQR: 59,179 – 75,250 mi).
Are there free recall repairs available for the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus?
Yes, the NHTSA records 8 safety recall campaign(s) for this model year. All safety recalls are performed 100% free of charge by authorized franchise dealerships regardless of vehicle warranty status.