2025 Lincoln Navigator Lighting Recall (25V831)

Recall 25V831 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2025 Lincoln Navigator in recall 25V831?

The rear lightbar may have cracks in the outer lens or weld track that allow moisture to accumulate, which can result in inoperative or flickering reverse lights.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The rear lightbar may have cracks in the outer lens or weld track that allow moisture to accumulate, which can result in inoperative or flickering reverse lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Is it safe to drive a 2025 Navigator with recall 25V831?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: Inoperative or flickering reverse lights may not alert other drivers that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: Inoperative or flickering reverse lights may not alert other drivers that the vehicle is reversing, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the exterior lighting.

Which vehicles are included in recall 25V831?

Recall 25V831 covers 1,195 vehicles: 2025 Lincoln Navigator.

NHTSA lists 1,195 vehicles in this campaign, built August 6, 2025 to December 26, 2025. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Navigator lighting recall?

Yes. Dealers will replace the rear lightbar, free of charge.

Dealers will replace the rear lightbar, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C66. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 3, 2025.

When was recall 25V831 announced?

Ford Motor Company reported recall 25V831 to NHTSA on December 1, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as January 14, 2026.

This recall was filed 10 months ago, and vehicles were built over a span of 142 days. If your Navigator was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my Navigator is part of recall 25V831?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V831 is open on your Navigator, it will be listed there.

Look up your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls. If 25V831000 is open on your Navigator, it will be listed there, along with Lincoln recall number 25C66. You can also ask any Lincoln dealer to run the VIN. The VIN is printed on your registration and visible through the lower driver-side windshield.

What should Navigator owners do about recall 25V831?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 25V831000 applies to your Navigator.
2. Call a Lincoln dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
3. Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
4. Keep a simple log of any exterior lighting symptoms with dates and mileage. Video of a warning light or the problem happening is strong evidence.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.

What are Navigator owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 0 of them about the lighting and visibility.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the lighting and visibility have been filed since recall 25V831 was reported (0) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 12 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 0 of them involve the lighting and visibility. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.

• 2025 Lincoln Navigator: 12 complaints in total, 0 about the lighting and visibility

Can recall 25V831 make my Navigator a lemon in California?

Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.

A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

Lighting and visibility defects, such as headlights that fail, wipers that stop or mirrors that do not work, reduce your ability to see and be seen. They are often electrical, and they often come back.

The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.

Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.

An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Frequently asked questions about recall 25V831