2020 LINCOLN Nautilus

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

Expert Verdict
ℹ️Average Safety Profile

This 2020 model shows average reliability, primarily driven by 4 recalls affecting the back over prevention system.

Key Factor:back over prevention recalls

πŸ“‹Why This Matters

Understanding recall history helps predict future ownership costs. Each unaddressed issue represents potential repair expenses.

Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.

Focus Area:general reliability
πŸ“Š

Expert Analysis

The 2020 Nautilus analysis highlights key safety metrics.

Safety & Reliability Score

62/100

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-32
Complaint Impact-1.05
Investigation Impact-5

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2020 LINCOLN Nautilus

Model Year2020
MakeLINCOLN
ModelNautilus
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Scroll for more β†’
Jan20
NEWProduction
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jun21
ISSUEFirst Report
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened

Consumer Complaint Analysis

⚠️

Most Reported Issue

11 complaints (52% of total)
➑️

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
βœ…

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 21 consumer complaints by severity level.

🟠High
1(5%)
🟑Medium
5(24%)
🟒Low
15(71%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

βš™οΈEngineering Insight

Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 0-20k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 25,101 miles.

πŸ“Š Mileage data extracted from 9 of 21 complaints (43% coverage)
0-20k
5 reports (56%)
20k-40k
2 reports (22%)
40k-60k
1 reports (11%)
60k-80k
1 reports (11%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
0 reports (0%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

πŸ› οΈ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

BACK OVER PREVENTIONPOWER TRAINSEATS

Official Safety Recalls (4)

Campaign: 20V575000

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Summary

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."

Consequence

Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C19.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company

Campaign: 21V011000

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

Summary

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.

Consequence

If the rear drive unit seizes, there may be a loss of drive and/or a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the rear drive unit lubricant level. Axles found to have lubricant at the minimum level will be filled to the full level. Axles found to be below the minimum lubricant fill level will be replaced, free of charge. This recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S02.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company

Campaign: 20V414000

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.

Consequence

An air bag that deploys inadvertently increases the risk of a crash. An air bag that does not deploy in the event of a crash increases the risk of injury.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective flocking tape onto the exposed edge of the 16-way seat cushion frames, and inspect the wire harness for damage, and repair or replace it as needed, free of charge. This recall began August 12, 2020. Owners may contact Ford/Lincoln customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S37.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company

Campaign: 25V442000

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Summary

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, 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.

Consequence

A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company

NHTSA Investigations

1 investigation

Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2020 Nautilus.

INV-2020-1000🟒 Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Nautilus performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 27,811

Consumer Complaints

21 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2020 Nautilus.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning52%
Acceleration Issues19%
Jerk14%
Stall10%
Crash/Accident10%
Leak5%
Explode5%
Noise5%
Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
POWER TRAIN

Hard shift stuttering when driving About 30000 miles ago Called Lincoln they said $150 to diagnose it No warning lights

Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
POWER TRAIN

Transmission complete failure. It is available at the dealer. Where I had it towed. Went out on highway. Everyone using the turnpike highway was in danger. Slowed vehicle to little more than idle speed, in road construction. Little rough being slowed from 75mph to 10 mph. One dealer diagnosed it. I had it towed to the original dealer after having it towed to the closest dealer. Warning light came on during the turnpike travel. Limited access highway. October 19, 2025

Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
POWER TRAIN

Transmission bucking and slow under 40 mph. brought to dealers attention. Car only 5 years old. Diagnostics resulted in internal fault , excessive slippage and torque converter chatter. Told that I could easily breakdown at any time if transmission not replaced.!!!! No warnings or messages. Occurring approx 2 months. Noted a class action investigation into this issue on 2020 Nautilus !

Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
POWER TRAIN

Car jerks/ shifts hard up to 35 miles per hour.

Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
POWER TRAIN

2/4/25 purchased 2020 Nautilus from Dick Hannah Jeep Vancouver, WA 3/12/25 I noticed some issues developing with uneven revving. Inconsistent in cruise control, feeling like the road is bumpy. Also revving up to 3,000 RPM when breaking to stop. 3/28/25 Kendall Ford did software update issues still happening, they said it's adaptive learning and needs time to adjust to my style of driving. Made appointment for Courtesy Lincoln. 4/8/25 - 4/26/25 Courtesy Lincoln let me know on the 10th transmission needed to be replaced, so they ordered parts which arrived 4/14. Time passed and I finally had to check in 4/22 to be told it was in the shop now. When I asked if there had been a delay, they said the transmission technician quit. Things happen, but communication goes a very long way when rentals and/or loaners are coming out of my pocket. I picked up finally 4/26, and immediately noticed it still had the same issues. 4/26/25 Immediately noticed the issues were not fixed. 5/19/25 Finally got back in for a recheck. They did some software/transmission updates and explained adaptive learning, so give it time to re-learn. 6/4/25 Began trying to get it back to the shop, as nothing was changed or better 6/25/25 Finally got it back in to be diagnosed with a bad torque converter 7/28/25 Picked up with the same issues 8/28/25 Finally back to shop to be told there is nothing wrong with it. It is normal for it to rev so high it is battling me braking at stop lights/signs. I am going back next week to have them check the EVAP, as there is also an issue with putting gas in. It stops the pump after a couple of dollars. I have to continue to rearrange the nozzle until it is happy, so I am hoping that may also have something to do with the uneven revving and down shifting. I may call to speak with another Lincoln service manager to possibly get a 2nd opinion. I have asked for the last 2 service records a few times, but have not gotten them.

Engine/PowertrainπŸ”Ά Medium
POWER TRAIN

When taking my car in for diagnostics, I was informed of a transmission failure. My VIN was not included in a transmission recall but has the same issue . Mileage on my 2020 Lincoln Natilus is 94,000. The same type of transmission is in my car that was recalled in 2021. There is discrepancies with who is allowed to get the transmission. The problem I was having was with the Auto Hold not working at all times. My car has been stalling after stopping at a traffic light or sign and trying to accelerate . The vehicle service report showed no issues, warnings, or service needs. There was no engine warning light, nor code. Lincoln denied responsibility for fixing it. My extended warranty company sent an adjuster and verified it needs a transmission. The computer monitoring smart system failed to detect this issue. The dealership notified me six months earlier to have the service department see why my fluid level was low. The service department was notified. I was put off and told they were backed up and would contact me when I hey had a slot available and a loaner. The failed to contact me. Six months later, reached out again only to have to find another Ford Lincoln Dealership. I have had all service done at the dealership, yet the did no inspect my car at the first anomaly. I believe my car should be included in the transmission recall.

Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds in stop-and-go traffic, the vehicle jerked abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

OtherπŸ”΅ Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated while driving downhill at 55 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle failed to maintain the set speed and accelerated to 70-75 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the vehicle had standard cruise control; not adaptive cruise control that could automatically apply the brakes while driving and maintain the set speed. The vehicle was then taken to Ellsworth Ford, Inc. (424 Industrial Rd, Ellsworth, WI 54011), where an unknown repair was performed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.

Steering/SuspensionπŸ”΅ Low
WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

When I took the vehicle in for service, I had to replace all 20 lug nuts as the dealer service department reported they were "swollen" and they were unable to complete the tire rotation. This also poses a safety risk as if I had a flat tire, I could not get them off to change a tire. They could also break causing stress on others and cause a wheel to come off of the vehicle. I was advised that this is a common problem with Ford/Lincoln vehicles, however there didn't seem to be any warranty coverage or safety recalls. If this is a common problem or some type of defect, it seems that I should not have had to spend $240 to replace them.

Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE

When taking off from stop light or stop sign between the speed of 35-45 the car feels like it’s seizing!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2020 LINCOLN Nautilus?

Yes, the 2020 LINCOLN Nautilus has 4 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA, POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT, SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST.

Is the 2020 LINCOLN Nautilus safe to drive?

The 2020 LINCOLN Nautilus has 4 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.

Where can I check if my 2020 LINCOLN Nautilus has open recalls?

You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local LINCOLN dealer.

🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Back over prevention

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

βœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm back over prevention recalls are complete. Recall repairs are always free.

πŸ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all back over prevention recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaigns:20V57500025V442000
2

Power train

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

βœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm power train recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

πŸ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all power train recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:21V011000
3

Seats

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

βœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm seats recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

πŸ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all seats recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:20V414000
πŸ’‘Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your LINCOLN dealer to verify recall completion status.

🧭What This Means for You

Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

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If You Own This Vehicle

  • Verify all 4 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your LINCOLN dealer.
  • If any recalls are open, schedule service immediatelyβ€”recall repairs are always free.
  • Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
πŸ›’

If You're Buying Used

  • Request documentation proving all recalls were addressed before finalizing purchase.
  • Factor potential recall-related service time into your ownership cost estimates.

This page is designed to help you decide, not alarm you.

Compare with Similar Vehicles

Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: January 10, 2026.