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2020 Lincoln Navigator El
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
28 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 16, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Transmission & drivetrain problems dominate (57% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2020 Lincoln Navigator EL SUV 4WD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 19%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2020 Lincoln Navigator El, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Transmission & drivetrain (16)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Transmission & drivetrain
57%16 complaints · 9 in the last 2 years
“CDF Drum Failure is a known issue to Ford. They have issued a technical service bulletin (TSB 22-2428) to replace poorly designed components that have since been redes…”
Electrical system
14%4 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“The collision warning doesn't warn sometimes. Nothing goes off when Im approaching and or have slammed on my breaks to avoid a collision. Sometimes it goes off at a gr…”
Engine
11%3 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“Vehicle will abruptly lose power when accelerating to pass. Typically when travelling between 40 and 60 miles an hour and while accelerating to merge or pass. Vehicle …”
Lights
4%1 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Both front headlight and rear headlight seals are faulty resulting in a water leak, causing headlight and taillights to become inoperable at 60k miles.”
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2020 Lincoln NAVIGATOR EL beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2020? See how every Navigator El model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2020 Lincoln Navigator El against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.