LincolnNavigator2001Overview/lincoln/navigator/2001/base/

2001 Lincoln Navigator

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 Navigator.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2001 Lincoln Navigator is an SUV built around an engine requiring 6.0 quarts of 5W-20 API oil and paired with an automatic four-speed transmission, carrying EPA fuel-economy ratings of 11/15/12 mpg. In the reliability record, it generated 92 owner complaints and six recalls, with tires standing out as the top complaint area. That places the 2001 Navigator roughly in the middle of the model’s 1997–2027 complaint history — well below the 1998 peak of 209 complaints but far above the 2023 low of six — meaning it avoided the most troubled years while still carrying more reported issues than the newest examples.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182001

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque150 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy11/15/12 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 · 650 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 65 · 650 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP275-60R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5-J inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length204.7 in
Overall width79.9 in
Overall height76.8 in
Wheelbase118.9 in
Curb weight5745 lb
Track (front / rear)65.4 / 65.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)53/47

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined11 / 15 / 12 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Navigator of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.5–10.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.50 sec — 1999 SUV
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1999SUV 5.4L V88.50 sec16.30 sec300 hp4x4
1999SUV 5.4L V89.90 sec17.40 sec300 hp4x4
1998SUV 5.4L V810.20 sec17.40 sec230 hp4x4
1998SUV 5.4L V810.30 sec17.70 sec230 hp4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, SYNTHETIC · 75W-140 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 150 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 10.0 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilSYNTHETIC · 75W-140 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity5.7 Pints ( rear)
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF
Transfer Case FluidATF
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity4 pt

Engine torques

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug8.0-12.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug10.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts150 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug11.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug11.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub221 ft-lbs

Ignition

Curb Idle Speed (No Load)730 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)30 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.052-0.056 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing10, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance2 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant CapacityLess auxiliary A/C, 2.31. With auxiliary A/C, 3.92. lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type68
Oil CapacityLess auxiliary A/C, 10.00. With auxiliary A/C, 14.00. oz
Standard BCI Group Number65
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650 cca
Optional BCI Group Number65

Service checks

Pressure Test13-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-195 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)30-45
Engine Oil Pressure20-45 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM1500 rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs / 21-26 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle70 ft-lbs / 136 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.4 in / 1.09 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Instrument Cluster Warning Indicator (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Temperature Controlled Seat Air Filter (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miWheel Bearing (repack)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · PCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miTransfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · Transmission Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2001 Lincoln Navigator recorded 92 complaints, 6 recalls, 4 investigations and 126 TSBs, which is lower than the 136 complaints, 7 recalls and 176 TSBs seen in 2000 and markedly below the 209‑complaint peak of 1998. Complaints fell steadily from the 1998 high through 2000 and continued to decline into 2001, placing the model year on a downward trend within the first‑generation arc. Recall activity in 2001 (6) was slightly reduced compared with 2000 and 1999 (both 7) but matched the 1998 level, while investigations (4) were higher than the surrounding years of 2000 (2) and 2002 (2). After 2001, complaints dropped sharply to 32 in 2002 before rising again to 127 in 2003, indicating that 2001 sits near the low point of the early‑generation complaint curve. Consequently, the 2001 Navigator offers a comparatively better complaint record than its immediate predecessors, making it a reasonable choice among used first‑generation models.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
126
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
92
Owner complaints
9 involved a crash · 14 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 92 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Tires20
Electrical System10
Vehicle Speed Control9
Suspension7
Air Bags6
Power Train4
Seat Belts3
Suspension,Power Train2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E056000Fuel System, GasolineReported 13/06/2006

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK… Remedy: UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.

09E012000Exterior LightingReported 07/04/2009

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 126 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB 20-22332020-07-13StructureThis article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000…
TSB 19-20262019-02-07StructureSome 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels…
TSB 19-20262019-02-07StructureSome 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels…
065132006-01-01Engine And Engine CoolingENGINE MISFIRE WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) PEWEE, P0302, P0303, P0304, P0305…
0416012005-11-14Engine And Engine CoolingWDS COP KIT DIAGNOSTIC TIP - COIL ON PLUG (COP) IGNITION SYSTEMS - ENGINE MISFIRE OR…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Navigator. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2001 Navigator take?

6.0 qt of 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2001 Navigator have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Navigator get?

EPA figures are 11 city / 15 highway / 12 combined mpg.