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2020 Lincoln Nautilus

Gas Compact SUV

20262025202420232022202120202019
Specs & fuel economyRecallsComplaintsCrash ratings
F
Safety Signal
58 / 100
FSafety Signal · 58 / 100
5Recalls · 1 critical
33Complaints · owner reports
5★Crash rating · NHTSA overall
23 mpgFuel economy · best combined

The 2020 Lincoln Nautilus is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Nautilus FWD, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 33 complaints, most often about power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy (EPA)

ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Nautilus FWDGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo212623$2,700
Nautilus AWDGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo202522$2,850
Nautilus AWDGasAWD2.7L 6-cyl turbo192621$2,950

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.

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Recalls (5)

Back Over Prevention

minor
200,237 vehicles

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

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

NHTSA campaign 25V442000 · reported Jun 27, 2025 · Ford Motor Company

Power Train

high
147 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

NHTSA campaign 21V011000 · reported Jan 15, 2021 · Ford Motor Company

Back Over Prevention

high
620,246 vehicles

Problem: 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."

Risk: Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

NHTSA campaign 20V575000 · reported Sep 23, 2020 · Ford Motor Company

Power Train

critical
97 vehicles

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Edge, Transit Connect and Lincoln MKX and 2020 Escape and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing or loose bolts.

Risk: Missing or loose bolts on the start stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission fluid leak and may progress to a loss of transmission function. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the start/stop accumulator, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S49.

NHTSA campaign 20V550000 · reported Sep 10, 2020 · Ford Motor Company

Electrical System

high
19,299 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

NHTSA campaign 20V414000 · reported Jul 17, 2020 · Ford Motor Company

NHTSA investigations

Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera — Rearview Camera FMVSS 111 Noncompliance (open)

On September 23, 2020, Ford Motor Company (Ford) filed a noncompliance recall report under 49 CFR Part 573 (NHTSA Recall No. 20V-575), recalling 620,246 Model Year (MY) 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 for a noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 111, Rear Visibility. Ford's recall described the noncompliance as insufficient electrical conductivity within the printed circuit board (PCB) internal to the camera leading to intermittent rearview camera operation. The supplier of the cameras was Magna Electronics.According to Ford's chronology in the Par

Opened Aug 3, 2021 · action RQ21002

Owner complaints

33 complaints filed

2 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 1 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.

Filed by year — 2021: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 8 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 9 · 2026: 10

Most-cited components

  • Power Train — 17
  • Engine — 5
  • Back Over Prevention — 3
  • Service Brakes — 3
  • Electrical System — 3
“When taking off from stop light or stop sign between the speed of 35-45 the car feels like it’s seizing!”Feb 6, 2024 · Engine · NHTSA owner report
“High mount brake light failure (2nd occurrence) November 2023 at 13,400 miles. Vehicle was repaired under warranty. This occurrence appears to be a repeated faulty part. Failure of high mount brake light creates rear collision potential in low visibility scenarios. The part (13613A High Mount Stop Lamp Assembly) appear…”Dec 25, 2023 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA owner report
“The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the Hollywood Destination E Rack Bicycle Carrier had detached and fell onto the roadway. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact re…”Nov 20, 2023 · Equipment · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆16%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Other Nautilus model years

A

2026 Nautilus

2 recalls · 9 complaints

F

2025 Nautilus

8 recalls · 30 complaints

F

2024 Nautilus

9 recalls · 33 complaints

B

2023 Nautilus

3 recalls · 7 complaints

B

2022 Nautilus

2 recalls · 13 complaints

B

2021 Nautilus

2 recalls · 21 complaints

F

2019 Nautilus

8 recalls · 101 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 42038, 42081, 42082). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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