2023 Lincoln Nautilus

Service Brakes,Forward Collision Avoidance

Brake defects affecting safety may qualify for California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, which applies to defects likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The 2023 Lincoln Nautilus has generated 2 NHTSA complaints related to braking, including ABS failures, grinding, reduced stopping power, and warning lights. Owner reports include: “During an emergency break, when applying full force to the break, and the vehicle is traveling at 20 or less mph, the vehicle cannot come to a full stop. Automatic Emergency Braking and pre-collision warning failed to engage. When pressing the break with full force, loud noise of all the break pads grinding can be heard. Under the same condition, pre-collision warning would sometimes be activated and sometimes doesn’t. When using the car’s auto parking feature, multiple sensors would have delayed warnings, and the car will not break when getting dangerously close to objects. The vehicle has been examed multiple times by the dealer regarding increased break distance and occasion grinding noise when breaking (regardless of the speed), no problem was found and the vehicle is therefore determined to be safe to drive.” (NHTSA Complaint #11661993)

Electrical System,Unknown Or Other

Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2023 Lincoln Nautilus include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 2 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “When vehicle is started, intermittently, rear view camera does not come on for approximately 45-60 seconds later. The screen remains completely black then appears to reboot The camera issue happens about once every two weeks” (NHTSA Complaint #11649750)

Unknown Or Other,Back Over Prevention

The 2023 Lincoln Nautilus has generated 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “The backup camera freezes to a single still frame and does not show the accurate view of the rear of the vehicle while backing. Since the camera is frozen to a still frame, any moving object that moves to the rear of the backing vehicle would not be visible in the image that the driver sees on screen. This is extremely dangerous in parking lots where both pedestrian and vehicle traffic are present. This vehicle’s rear back up camera can not be trusted in the mall or school parking lot. The entire infotainment screen, where many of the safety features can be found, also goes blank with a black or blue screen. This has been to the Lincoln dealership multiple time and no fix has been found. This is a KNOWN DANGER that has not been addressed and now in the NHTSA hands.” (NHTSA Complaint #11632776)

Other Systems

The 2023 Lincoln Nautilus has generated 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “when connected to apple carPlay GPS is very unreliable and sometimes it stops following the car in seconds sending changing directions in seconds which sometimes if am not careful makes my driving very unsafe when traveling to an address i dont know since the GPS not working properly with the car SYNc4.0 infotainment system.” (NHTSA Complaint #11562969)

Electrical System,Vehicle Speed Control,Engine

Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2023 Lincoln Nautilus have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 2 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “Purchased vehicle 7/29/23 While driving 8/19, vehicle auto-shifted from drive into neutral and the check engine light appeared. I was in the process of accelerating from the on ramp & moving to the left lane. Attempts to return the vehicle to drive were unsuccessful & I coasted to the right shoulder of the highway. The brakes were functional. Once stopped, the vehicle functioned as if it were in accessory mode (radio & power windows working). I was unable to move the vehicle out of neutral to park gear. More lights & error messages flashed on the driver display (I have a video). The on/off button & the light at the neutral gear were flashing. I was able to engage the parking brake & remained in the vehicle on the narrow shoulder on the side of the highway. Tow operator arrived & was able to engage the park gear; however, it would not move back into neutral for him to begin the process to move it onto the rollback for the tow. Attempts were made to disconnect/reconnect the battery & to use the vehicle procedures for a low battery which were unsuccessful. There is an emergency release up under the dash; however, to reach the compartment it’s in, the driver’s door must be completely open & the operator must be on or near the ground. Due to the speed of the vehicles passing (est 60-70mph, most did not move over to the other lane), it was not safe for him to get into the position necessary to get to the compartment. He therefore had to pull the vehicle up on the rollback without being able to get the vehicle into neutral. At times during his attempts, the engine made a clicking noise and smelled as if something was burning. Fortunately, he was able to deliver it to the dealer where service staff were able to release the emergency cord to move the vehicle to neutral to get it off the rollback. As it was being moved, the engine started clicking again. The dealer’s service team plans to look at it 8/21/23.” (NHTSA Complaint #11539627)

Active NHTSA Recalls — 2023 Lincoln Nautilus

The following 3 recalls have been issued for the 2023 Lincoln Nautilus by the NHTSA or Lincoln. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.

California Lemon Law — Song-Beverly Act

California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2023 Lincoln Nautilus:

• 4+ repair attempts for the same non-safety defect without resolution
• 2+ repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury
• 30+ calendar days out of service for warranty repairs (cumulative, not consecutive)

Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Lincoln to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Lincoln must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.

What You Can Recover

If your 2023 Lincoln Nautilus qualifies as a lemon under California law, Lincoln may be legally required to:

• Repurchase your vehicle — Full refund of your down payment, all monthly payments, registration fees, and incidental costs (towing, rentals), minus a mileage offset for miles driven before the first repair attempt
• Replace your vehicle — Provide a new, comparable vehicle at no cost to you
• Pay your attorney’s fees — Under § 1794(d), Lincoln pays all legal fees if you prevail
• Civil penalty up to 2x damages — If Lincoln willfully violated the Act, courts may award double the actual damages

Steps to Protect Your 2023 Lincoln Nautilus Claim

Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.

Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Lincoln a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Lincoln dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.

Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Lincoln pays your fees if you win.

Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Lincoln a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.

2023 Lincoln Nautilus Lemon Law Questions

How many repair attempts qualify my 2023 Lincoln Nautilus as a lemon?

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.

Does Lincoln pay my attorney fees?

Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Lincoln is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.

Can I file a lemon law claim without an active recall?

Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.

What is the time limit to file a lemon law claim for my 2023 Lincoln Nautilus?

California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.