2019 Lincoln Nautilus Problems: 12 Known Issues
2019 model year · NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports · Updated November 2026
According to Au7o's research across NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports, the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus has 12 documented known issues, with 4 rated critical. The most serious are Driver airbag cover may detach during deployment — recall 18V806, Transmission start-stop accumulator bolts may be missing or loose — recall 20V550, Front seat frame can damage seat wiring and affect the airbags — recall 20V414 and Coolant loss and white exhaust smoke, 2.0L EcoBoost — bulletin 20-2234. DIY maintenance guides at au7o.io.
2019 · All trims · 2.0L EcoBoost I4
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All 12 Known Issues
NHTSA Recalls14 recalls
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco, F-150, Edge, Explorer, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with either a 2.7L or 3.0L Nano EcoBoost engine. The engine intake valves may break while driving, which can result in engine failure and a loss of drive power.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Edge, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair and Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. An inadequate amount of lubricant in the rear drive unit may cause seizure of the rear drive axle.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common Lincoln Nautilus problems?
According to Au7o's research across NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports, the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus has 12 documented issues. Documented issues include: Driver airbag cover may detach during deployment — recall 18V806, Transmission start-stop accumulator bolts may be missing or loose — recall 20V550, Front seat frame can damage seat wiring and affect the airbags — recall 20V414. Of these, 4 are rated critical and should be addressed promptly.
Is the Lincoln Nautilus reliable?
The 2019 Lincoln Nautilus has 12 known issues compiled from NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports. 4 issues are rated critical: Driver airbag cover may detach during deployment — recall 18V806 and Transmission start-stop accumulator bolts may be missing or loose — recall 20V550 and Front seat frame can damage seat wiring and affect the airbags — recall 20V414 and Coolant loss and white exhaust smoke, 2.0L EcoBoost — bulletin 20-2234. Prospective buyers should inspect for these issues and factor potential repair costs into their purchase decision. Regular maintenance following the manufacturer's schedule helps prevent many common problems.
What is the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus Driver airbag cover may detach during deployment — recall 18V806?
On some 2019 Nautilus SUVs, the plastic cover on the driver frontal airbag module may detach when the airbag deploys. A separating cover can increase the risk of injury in a crash. The recall (Ford 18S38) covers 268 Nautilus SUVs from the 2019 model year that are not equipped wit… Severity: high.
What is the 2019-2020 Lincoln Nautilus Transmission start-stop accumulator bolts may be missing or loose — recall 20V550?
On a small number of 2019–2020 Nautilus SUVs, the transmission start-stop accumulator end cap may have two bolts missing or not tightened to specification. That can cause a transmission fluid leak and may progress to loss of transmission function; a fluid leak near an ignition so… Severity: high.
What is the 2019-2020 Lincoln Nautilus Front seat frame can damage seat wiring and affect the airbags — recall 20V414?
On some Nautilus SUVs with 16-way power seats, the edge of the seat cushion frame can damage the seat wiring harness when the seat tilt is used. Depending on which wires are damaged, the passenger frontal airbag may not deploy, or a passenger or driver side airbag may deploy unin… Severity: high.
What is the 2019-2020 Lincoln Nautilus Coolant loss and white exhaust smoke, 2.0L EcoBoost — bulletin 20-2234?
Some 2.0L EcoBoost Nautilus SUVs may show low coolant, white smoke from the tailpipe, an over-temperature warning, an external coolant leak and/or a check-engine light with stored codes. Ford attributes this to the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler and/or PCM software settin… Severity: high.
What is the 2019-2020 Lincoln Nautilus Water leaks inside with the Vista Roof (owner reports)?
Owners of 2019–2020 Nautilus SUVs with the panoramic Vista Roof report water getting inside after rain, including soaked rear floors, water in the spare-tire well and water dripping over the dash. Clogged sunroof drain tubes are the cause owners and dealers name; one owner report… Severity: medium.
What is the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus Instrument cluster may be blank at start-up — recalls 19V076 and 26V372?
On some 2019 Nautilus SUVs, the instrument cluster may not load its display data at key-on, leaving the gear indicator, gauges and warning lights blank. Ford traced it to the cluster memory chips. In 2026 Ford found that some vehicles recorded as repaired under 19V076 may not hav… Severity: medium.
What is the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus Lane Centering may not warn when hands are off the wheel — recalls 19V031 and 26V377?
On some 2019 Nautilus SUVs, Lane Centering Assist may not detect that the driver's hands are off the steering wheel, so the hands-off warnings may not appear. Ford traced it to steering torque from the Adaptive Front Steering being read as hand input. In 2026 Ford found that some… Severity: medium.
What is the 2019-2020 Lincoln Nautilus Rear camera may go blank or stay on after reversing — recall 25V442?
On some Nautilus SUVs, a SYNC software error can make the rear-view camera image intermittently blank while in reverse, or leave the image on the screen after reversing has ended. Ford says short ignition cycles can fill the storage on the SYNC module (APIM). A black infotainment… Severity: medium.
What is the 2019-2023 Lincoln Nautilus Shudder, buck or jerk, 8F35 automatic — bulletins 21-2389 and 25-2154?
Some Nautilus SUVs with the 8F35 eight-speed automatic may shudder, buck or jerk. Ford's bulletins attribute it to powertrain control module software (shudder, buck or jerk up to 35 mph, bulletin 21-2389) or to an internal issue with the torque converter and output planetary asse… Severity: medium.
What is the 2019-2022 Lincoln Nautilus Auto Start-Stop stops working, often due to a low 12-volt battery charge (owner reports)?
Owners report that Auto Start-Stop stops shutting the engine off, sometimes with the message that the engine is on due to vehicle charging. In the linked threads, dealers found a low battery state of charge or a failed battery cell and replaced the battery; one owner reports the… Severity: low.
What is the 2019-2020 Lincoln Nautilus SYNC 3 screen freezes, lags or loses Bluetooth — bulletin 24-2182?
Some Nautilus SUVs with SYNC 3 may have a frozen, unresponsive touchscreen, slow or lagging response, lost Bluetooth pairing, an echo or robotic voice on Bluetooth calls, or other SYNC concerns. Ford says these may be due to the SYNC software. Applies to: 2019–2020 Lincoln Nautil… Severity: low.
What is the 2019-2021 Lincoln Nautilus Power liftgate will not open from the switches (rear gate module software)?
Some Nautilus SUVs may have a power liftgate that will not open from either switch, sometimes with code U3000:49 stored in the rear gate trunk module (RGTM). Ford's special service messages attribute it to RGTM software. Ford SSM 50071 covers 2019–2021 Lincoln Nautilus SUVs with… Severity: low.
Content on this page was compiled with AI assistance using NHTSA complaints, TSBs, owner reports, and public automotive data. While we strive for accuracy, this information may contain errors. Always verify repair procedures and specifications with your vehicle's service manual or a qualified mechanic.