Aviator issues

Katshot

Katshot

Well-Known LVC Member
Joined
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Anybody got any? I've got a few minor ones myself, and would LOVE to know if I'm alone.

1. The engine is VERY rough. The whole truck shakes at idle.
2. The driver's seat track is sloppy on the left side making the seat move back and fourth slightly when starting/stopping.
3. The A/C makes a lot of noise but has very poor airflow.
4. The A/C compressor comes on with a loud CRUNCH at first start up.
5. Occasionally, there's a loud howling noise from the rear of the vehicle (sounds like a ghost!)
6. Wind noise and rattle from the right side "B" pillar area.
 
How many miles?? It might be time for a tune up. I dont own an aviator but i thought i would post anyway. Did you talk to the dealership about the issues?
 
Did you buy it used by chance? I wondering if it was in an accident and not repaired properly....
 
I'm not thinking it's a lemon, and I know it's under warranty. I just like to see how many other owners have similar issues with theirs. Usually a large number of owners end up with similar issues on similar models. The dealer is actually a freind of mine, I just haven't gotten around to busting his chops about the truck yet.
 
if he gets me a new towncar i will be his friend, LOL j/k
 
THere is a recall for the axle whine, they will replace the rear center section. They won't do a thing about your seats, but everything else should be fixed no problem.

The replacement axle didn't really work on mine, but I'll let them try again. Always nice to get a Townie as a loaner car. ;)
 
I've had my 2004 aviator for 2-1/2 months now and am still in the new car shakedown period. I've had a little more trouble than with either of my two previous navigators.

While this car is better looking, and is much more fun and capable to drive, the repair record so far isn't too great, despite the prompt and friendly warranty work.

In 11 weeks, I've had the following repaired:

1. replace three interior trim pieces that were scratched or didn't fit right.
2. true rotors and rebalance tires to eliminate slight shake.
3. replace radio which caught on fire.
4. replace rear end which started to whine.

I'm hoping that once Lincoln rebuilds this car the second time, it'll settle in to years of pleasant driving like my navigator's provided.

Only modifications I've made are an KN airfilter, and removing the rear resonator and replacing with a twin pipe stainless exhaust outlet tip. Looks great.

Hope this answers your question.
 
Yeah, I'm sending mine in for rotors too. My rear doesn't whine but it DOES shake. I figure it's a driveshaft vibration though. Comes in around 70mph. That, and the damn engine shake and loose driver's seat track drive me nuts at times.
 
Interesting

This is making me rethink getting an Aviator. Is this the 04 in particular you guys are talking about? I know it supposed to run on 91 octane minumun as well.
 
I wouldn't let this crap scare you off. It's really a great vehicle. I'd buy one again. It's just the right size and is powerful and handles great. All that and the almost unlimited hot-rodding possibilities make it a lot of fun.
 
FYI - I expect KVR Performance to become a vendor soon and offer discounts to LVC Gold Members --- They make performance brake parts.
 
drivers seat

Katshot,

i am so glad to hear someone else complain about the drivers seat in the aviator. have you had any luck getting fixed by the dealer? i have tried 4 different dealers in 4 different states and have had no luck . obvioulsy this is a manufacturer defect that is happening to more people than us. maybe we can band together and try to make a complaint and get this fixed. it absolutely drived me crazy to feel that seat move all the time the way it does. let me know.


Katshot said:
Anybody got any? I've got a few minor ones myself, and would LOVE to know if I'm alone.

1. The engine is VERY rough. The whole truck shakes at idle.
2. The driver's seat track is sloppy on the left side making the seat move back and fourth slightly when starting/stopping.
3. The A/C makes a lot of noise but has very poor airflow.
4. The A/C compressor comes on with a loud CRUNCH at first start up.
5. Occasionally, there's a loud howling noise from the rear of the vehicle (sounds like a ghost!)
6. Wind noise and rattle from the right side "B" pillar area.
Click to expand...
 
I too have a 2003 Aviator with 16k miles. This past summer I heard my A/C compressor make the loud CRUNCH noise when it comes on. Noticed it happen when I would start the vehicle with the a/c unit engaged. Never noticed it happening when the vehicle was already running and then I switched the a/c on. Has anybody taken it to the dealer to find out what is causing it? Has anyone heard of a recall for this? I also have the problem with the drivers seat being slopping on the track and moving back and forth a bit when stopping. I also have the DVD unit that keeps making a noise like it is loose. I also hear a rattle like Katshot mentioned in the B pillar area. Since it is still under warranty I plan to take it to the dealer to have all this checked out. Otherwise I really like the vehicle, alot of power, beautiful interior, and good looks. I would definitely buy another. You guys let me know what you find out on my similar complaints.
 
yes yes yes!!!

i have a 2003 kitty hawk edition with the DVD player as you mentioned. I took it to the dealership and they ordered another "latch" for the DVD player so it would stop rattling. It is alot better than it was, but (being the particular anal individual that i am) i still hear i a little. the seat thing is what bugs me the most. i am tired of lincoln telling me that "the play in the seat you are experiencing is normal and within spec", , , whatever.

about the AC:
i have serious electrical issues. all my dash lights (other than the speedometer and tach lights, the time on the radio, the temperature on the AC controls, and the one light on the roof about the rear ac controls) go out by themselves. then they come back on by themselves. this happens more and more the longer i have had the truck and this issue lincoln also says "there is nothing they can do until the lights go out completely for good". during a cross country trip i also had my entire AC unit quit working. i was in teh middle of Las Vegas in June and for no reason the AC just quit, then came back on by itself. i have no idea what the issue is or how to fix it, but it drives me crazy.

any comments???
 
I have not had the electrical problem but I would not consider anyone anal or particular when you pay $50k + for a vehicle, one should expect not to have these problems. The problem with many dealers is when they can not fix the problem they get irrtated at customers when they should get irritated at Ford, the builder of the vehicle.
 
Glad to see I'm not the only one having these issues. Unfortunately, have had zero luck with the dealer as far as the seat track, crunching A/C compressor engagement, or a "trembling" steering wheel when doing low speed left turns. The dealer just gives me the old "that's NORMAL for those vehicles".
 
Hi Katshot

Katshot said:
Anybody got any? I've got a few minor ones myself, and would LOVE to know if I'm alone.

1. The engine is VERY rough. The whole truck shakes at idle.
2. The driver's seat track is sloppy on the left side making the seat move back and fourth slightly when starting/stopping.
3. The A/C makes a lot of noise but has very poor airflow.
4. The A/C compressor comes on with a loud CRUNCH at first start up.
5. Occasionally, there's a loud howling noise from the rear of the vehicle (sounds like a ghost!)
6. Wind noise and rattle from the right side "B" pillar area.
Click to expand...

With reference to your #2 complaint, Lincoln have a history of poor seat tracks, my 88TC had sloppy seat tracks, my 92 TC also has sloppy seat tracks. Ford issued a TSB covering 1990 - 92 Town Cars and Crown Vics because there was a sloppy seat track issue.

Regards

Dereck
 
kat,

i didnt realize your stering wheel issue, but the way you just described it is exactly what i have, that wierd little "shake" when you turn the wheel to the left especially when you go over a bump or driveway apron. it feels very not normal. only to the left though. i addressed this issue with the dealer as well and they determined it "no issue found after a test drive". this is bullsh,,, i am hating these little quirky issues i experience everyday in my $50k truck. i should have stuck with my little ole VW Golf.

how do we get these issues taken care of, i hate to simply accept that this is the way its going to be as long as i have this vehicle. what if we all wrote letters as a group to make ford acknowledge these issue on a deepe level??
 
My next step if your dealer keeps telling you that it is normal, call Ford Customer Service and file a complaint. Second make sure that you keep all your service work orders where you reported the incident and they came back and told you that it is normal. My response to service techs when they tell me that it is normal is write that down in my work order and I am going to file a complaint against Ford for not selling vehicles with issues. In other words let them know that you are not going to accept that answer and either they do something to address it or you will. Those service tech need to understand that they better keep their customers happy and content because the customers business pay for their paycheck.

This new service tech guy was working on my LS one time, I took it in for the drivers seat heater not working and a rubber strip alongside the drivers side window that was falling down into the door panel. Also the lights on the rear license plate were loose.The car was still under warranty. They know that I take care of my vehicles, at that time I also had a 2000 Mountaineer. I also took it there for the oil changes and the factory service intervals. This service tech in trying to remove my door panel punched to small holes at the top and tore it a bit. He left wires hanging out and loose when he was checking my heater. I immediately told the service rep when I picked up my car as I examine it before I leave the dealer and he told me not to worry that they would take care of it. They bought me a new door panel and replaced it at no charge. I had bought a new wood and leather steering wheel at the time and they installed it without charge. I also had them install the rubber strip that is at the bottom when you open you trunk, mine had become all scuffed up and they replaced it for free. They took care of my very well. Letting your dealer know that you are very pissed and that they better take care of the problems or you will by filing a complaint.

If you remember the Firestone recall on the Ford Explorers. The recall was on all Firestone tires on Explorers and Mountaineers. Ford announced that certain dealers were going to have tire replacements and all you need to do was take your vehicle on one of these selected dealers to have your tires replaces at no charge. I called a local Ford dealer who told me that they did not have the tire replacements yet even though Ford had said this program was in place for 30 days, and to make matters worse the dealer could not tell me on when they would receive them. They told me all we can do is out your name down on our list and call me when they would get them. The list was very long of course. That irritated me very much. I said what do you mean you dont know when you are receiving the tires? Has Ford not kept you informed and given you some time frame? They are the ones spearheading this program and the announcement is already 30 days old. They told me that they were not given any time frame and did not knwo if it was going to be another month or two or three before they start receiving tires to replace the recalled tires. I told them you mean it could be another six months before I could get them replaced? He said I cant tell you that. After I left that I called Ford Customer Service and told them what was going on with this dealer. I told them I cannot believe that they do not have the tires after 30 days into the program but worse yet they do not no when they are going to receive them. I told the Ford rep, so in the meantime if something happens to me then, because you dont have the tires available you guys are on the hook. I told that that I was documenting everything. Believe or not the next morning I got a call from that dealer telling me that the tires were now available and when could I bring it in. I think that call to the Ford complaint dept. was the key.
 
Update on my '04 2wd aviator ultimate

Last month I reported about the same problems as the rest of you with my 2 1/2 mo old aviator. Dealer has fixed them all, except the slop in the drivers seat. They now plan to send the seat out to an upholstry shop to see what they can do with it, because they admit that this is also a problem on their mountaineers, and they aren't sure how to fix it.

I appreciate their forthright honesty, even if I don't the competency to fix it.

Got to say it, everything they fixed has reallly been fixed. Only irritation was when they drained out my brand new Mobil 0w-20w sythentic oil, without asking, as a favor and installed the motorcraft oil "free of charge". I've always run my cars on Mobil 1 sythentic, and while I'm no expert on engine oil, I've got to say that in I've never had an engine problem associated with oil. I guess it's just a way to pamper my car. (ps, Wal-mart around Atlanta will do a Mobile 1 oil change for $37.00, plus the extra quart of oil it takes. Not bad!!!!

As I mentioned in a previous posting, I replace the rear resonator with a twin pipe, stainless outlet. The sound is ever so slightly better, but I'm really considering a quality performance muffler like "magnaflow". Anybody got any experience with this. I'm hesitant to screw around too much because this engine is already a hi-performance engine, previously used in the Mustang Mach 1 and Mercury Maurader. The engine had 8 to 10 more horsepower in the mustang, but then it had true dual exhausts. My favorite muffler shop guy and I determined that real dual exhausts is out of the question under there with the new independent rear suspension, and I don't care much for phony duals, (one muffler with two ehaust outlets). All I really want is a more throaty sound.

In case you think I'm some kid making this up, I admit I'm 64 years old with 5 children and 5 grandkids. I was just brought up in the 50's and 60's and have owned some pretty neat v-8s over the years, most of which could really put a smile on my face with they way they sounded.

Let me know if you've had a positive experience with a better sounding muffler that isn't too over the top.

Thanks, Wayne
 
I had the rough idle issue in my Navigator. I took it back to the dealer, they tuned it up, and all is well. As far as the wind noise, you may need a slight door adjustment. I haven't had the problem in the Nav, but I have in prior vehicles. Also, keep in mind that both the Nav and Aviator have large mirrors. They also cause wind noise. My dealer gave me one of the new Eddie Bauer Expeditions as a loaner recently, and those huge mirrors really added to cabin noise at higher speeds. You can easily tell if the mirrors are causing additional noise by driving with them folded in vs. extended.
 
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