Half of all complaints arrive by 3 years of age, so 47.4% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Power Train, with 57 complaints, typically at 4 years.
Lincoln Nautilus years to avoid — and the best ones
| Model year | Per run | Complaints | Runs | Enough history? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 | 5 | too new | |
| 2025 | 22 | 14 | too new | |
| 2024 | 22 | 17 | too new | |
| 2023 | 7 | 7 | too new | |
| 2022 | 14 | 14 | too new | |
| 2021 | 24 | 21 | too new | |
| 2020 | 33 | 25 | yes | |
| 2019 | 102 | 66 | yes |
Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2019 Nautilus asks a median $16,250, against $17,745 for a 2020, the next model year: about 8% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.
Among the 2 Lincoln Nautilus years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2019, 2020; the three worth hunting are 2020, 2019.
When it starts to break
| Age at failure | Complaints | Running total | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 years | 19.7% | covered | |
| 1 year | 38.2% | covered | |
| 2 years | 46.5% | covered | |
| 3 years | 52.6% | covered | |
| 4 years | 66.7% | you pay | |
| 5 years | 80.3% | you pay | |
| 6 years | 93.4% | you pay | |
| 7 years | 100% | you pay |
Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 52.6% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 47.4% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (4 years / 50,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 36% of the complaints here.
What actually fails — and at what age
On the Lincoln Nautilus, the early trouble is Power Train and Electrical System — reported at around 4 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Engine at 4.3 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.
| System | Complaints | Typical age | Crash | Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 4 yrs | — | — | |
| Electrical System | 2.3 yrs | 1 | — | |
| Unknown Or Other | 2.6 yrs | 3 | — | |
| Engine | 4.3 yrs | 1 | — | |
| Structure | 3.8 yrs | — | — | |
| Service Brakes | 1.3 yrs | 2 | — | |
| Steering | 3.1 yrs | — | — | |
| Back Over Prevention | 1.9 yrs | 1 | — |
What else in this class
6 models share the Nautilus's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota RAV4 draws 2.31, the Jeep Wrangler 4.69 and the Honda CR-V 3.7, against 1.37 for the Nautilus. That is the fewest complaints of the group.
| Same class as the Nautilus | Complaints on record | Recall campaigns | Years built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota RAV4 | 168 | 1996–2026 | |
| Jeep Wrangler | 285 | 1986–2026 | |
| Honda CR-V | 207 | 1997–2026 | |
| Tesla Model Y | 100 | 2020–2026 | |
| Mazda CX-5 | 33 | 2013–2026 | |
| Nissan Rogue | 94 | 2008–2026 |
The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.
Good year or bad year — the VIN settles it.
- Check any VIN against complaints for its exact build year and plant
- Exact value for that car, adjusted for its mileage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Lincoln Nautilus reliable?
By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.37 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.
When do Nautilus problems usually start?
Half of all complaints arrive by 3 years of age. The most reported system is Power Train, typically at 4 years, followed by Electrical System.
Will the warranty cover Nautilus problems?
Mostly yes: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and 52.6% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 36% of the complaints here.
Is the Nautilus more reliable than the Toyota RAV4?
Yes: 1.37 complaints per production run for the Nautilus against 2.31 for the Toyota RAV4.
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