Model year 2026 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD

2026 Lincoln Nautilus: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2026 Lincoln Nautilus at 24–30 mpg combined across 2 versions. NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 12 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

3

EPA combined mpg

24–30

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as NAUTILUS HYBRID.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Lincoln dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2026 Lincoln Nautilus recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 3 safety recalls for the 2026 Lincoln Nautilus, newest first.

Power train: Automatic transmission

NHTSA 26V688000 Reported Oct 20, 2026
Filed by
Ford Motor Company (manufacturer recall no. 26S75)
Units affected
11,623 (estimate)
Problem
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026-2027 Nautilus Hybrid and 2027 Corsair Hybrid vehicles. The vehicle may unexpectedly shift into neutral while driving, due to corrosion in the transmission's park lock actuator circuit board.
Risk
A vehicle that unexpectedly shifts into neutral can lead to a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the Integrated Park Module (IPM), free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed November 2, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S75. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 26, 2026.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Forward collision avoidance: Warnings: External/pedestrian alert and 1 more component

NHTSA 26V415000 Reported Jun 30, 2026
Filed by
Ford Motor Company (manufacturer recall no. 26S51)
Components
Forward collision avoidance: Warnings: External/pedestrian alert; Back over prevention: Warnings: External/pedestrian alert
Units affected
66,383 (estimate)
Problem
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2027 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid and 2025-2027 Explorer Hybrid vehicles. A software error may prevent the vehicle from making the pedestrian warning sound at certain speeds.
Risk
A vehicle that does not produce a warning sound may fail to alert pedestrians of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Note: This is an expansion of Recall 25V691. Any vehicles previously repaired under 25V691 must have the new remedy completed. Ford will release an over-the-air (OTA) update or dealers will update the APIM software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will replace the digital signal processing module in Nautilus Hybrid vehicles equipped with 28 speakers, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S51. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 7, 2026.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Forward collision avoidance: Warnings: External/pedestrian alert and 1 more component

NHTSA 25V691000 Reported Oct 10, 2025
Filed by
Ford Motor Company (manufacturer recall no. 25SA2)
Components
Forward collision avoidance: Warnings: External/pedestrian alert; Back over prevention: Warnings: External/pedestrian alert
Units affected
43,438 (estimate)
Problem
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid and 2025 Explorer hybrid police vehicles. A software error may prevent the vehicle from emitting the pedestrian warning sound at certain speeds.
Risk
A vehicle that does not produce a warning sound may fail to alert pedestrians of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
The audio control module and digital signal processing module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 5, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA2. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 10, 2025.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2026 Lincoln Nautilus fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2026 Lincoln Nautilus EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
Nautilus AWD2.0L 4-cyl turboAutomatic 8-spdAll-Wheel DriveRegular21/29/24 mpg$2,800369
Nautilus HEV AWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo hybridAutomaticPart-time 4-Wheel DriveRegular29/31/30 mpg$2,250297

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2026 Lincoln Nautilus crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2026 Lincoln Nautilus NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2026 LINCOLN NAUTILUS FHEV SUV HEV AWD5 stars5 stars5 stars4 stars16.9%No
2026 LINCOLN NAUTILUS SUV N/A AWD5 stars5 stars5 stars4 stars16.9%No

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2026 Lincoln Nautilus owner complaints

Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Lincoln Nautilus, most recently on Oct 5, 2026. 1 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2026 Lincoln Nautilus complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Unknown or other6
Lane departure: Assist2
Service brakes2
Air bags1
Back over prevention: Rearview system braking1
Electrical system1
Engine1
Lane departure: Warning1
Power train1
Seat belts1

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Lincoln Nautilus model years

Lincoln Nautilus by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2025 Nautilus24–30 mpg8315/5
2024 Nautilus24–30 mpg935—
2023 Nautilus21–23 mpg375/5
2022 Nautilus21–23 mpg2165/5
2021 Nautilus21–23 mpg2275/5
2020 Nautilus21–23 mpg5345/5
2019 Nautilus21–23 mpg81025/5

All Lincoln Nautilus years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2026 Lincoln models

2026 Lincoln Aviator2026 Lincoln Corsair2026 Lincoln Navigator

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Lincoln.