2004 Lincoln Town Car Executive Limousine 4-door 4.6l on 2040-cars

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2020 Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator reportedly facing numerous QC issues

A lengthy report in the Detroit Free Press delves into a range of quality control issues confronting the 2020 Ford Explorer and its luxury platform sibling, the 2020 Lincoln Aviator. Freep says it's been following the issue for two months, tapping various unnamed sources for information on the automaker's unorthodox route to resolution. Seems the problem is Explorers and Aviators leaving the production line at the Chicago Assembly Plant with flaws in areas like the chassis, transmission and suspension, said vehicles trucked to Ford's Flat Rock Assembly Plant (FRAP) outside of Detroit for repair. The estimates range from 10,000 to 18,000 vehicles affected, numbers so high that Ford has sought help from Roush Engineering in nearby Allen Park, and brought workers and managers from other plants in the Midwest to FRAP to get vehicles repaired and shipped to dealers. Ford hasn't shared the nature of the problems with anyone outside the company, including dealers and customers. Freep's sources are said to include workers who have provided photos of certain vehicles and of tents used to house parts at the FRAP repair site. The Explorer chassis allegedly has an unidentified problem that engineers are using X-rays to diagnose, and the transmission is having problems sensing when it's in park or going into park. Both the Explorer and Aviator have come off the line with HVAC units that only blow hot air. And the Aviator's height-adjustable suspension enters failure mode for unknown reasons. These come on top of quotidian mishaps common to every new vehicle, but that are meant to be sorted in pre-production, like missing emblems and trim pieces. They also come on top of a recall in early August issued for the Explorer and Aviator concerning the instrument cluster and parking brake, and another at the end of August over rear seatbacks that could collapse in a crash. An automaker spokesperson told Freep, "Making updates to preproduction models based on all-new platforms as they roll off the assembly line – is standard industry practice." Except these aren't pre-production, these are early production vehicles that paying customers and dealers are waiting for, and some of the affected vehicles have been pulled off dealer lots. Dealers say they are fine waiting for the trucks to get sorted out, and they'd rather have Ford fix the problems before the SUVs go to customers.

2025 Lincoln Navigator spy photos reveal overhauled styling

Prototypes of the 2025 Lincoln Navigator have been circulating for several months, but this is the first time we've seen one wearing less-modest camouflage, showing off elements of its new body and trim for the first time. Lincoln's big family hauler has been around long enough — since 2018, in fact — that it's due for a redesign. It was updated in 2022, when it gained BlueCruise (then called Lincoln ActiveGlide, a name the brand has since left behind) and lost a little horsepower. From what we can see here, the 2025 Navigator will retain most of its core styling. The belt line crease on its flanks is still obvious beneath this camo, as is the gradual taper to the rear portion of the greenhouse. The hood appears to retain its generally soft shape, and in fact may even be more bulbous than the one it replaces. We can also see from the front angle here that Lincoln is playing around with the Navigator's lighting "signature," with more upright components likely replacing the narrow, horizontal slits under the current model's swoopy headlamps.  The changes in the rear appear to head in the other direction. Rather than softening the tailgate, Lincoln's designers seem to have put down their sanders in favor of chisels. The sharp outward protrusion beneath the rear glass is new, and we're guessing it houses a full-width taillight setup similar to, but more pronounced than, the current look.  Details remain sparse, but with Cadillac inching ever closer to releasing the Escalade IQ (it's due next summer), we wouldn't be surprised to hear that Lincoln is stepping up its electrification game for the next round. The company's 10-speed automatic transmission was designed from the ground up to handle a hybrid system. Is it time? Related video: Featured Gallery 2025 Lincoln Navigator Spy Photos View 11 Photos Green Rumormill Spy Photos Lincoln SUV Future Vehicles Luxury

Updated Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator caught in new spy photos

Face-lifted Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator prototypes were spotted in the wild Monday wearing fairly extensive camouflage disguising updated bodywork for the 2022 model year. Ford's two body-on-frame offerings (BOFferings? Nope. Pretend that didn't happen.) are both due for a nip and tuck, and with GM's fresh slate of full-sizers now available, the timing couldn't be more perfect.  There's not much we can discern from this Navigator prototype. The camo does a good job of masking whatever Lincoln has in store for the nose, but the tailgate has some discernible updates, including a significantly more pronounced recess for the license plate that also appears to be mounted higher on the hatch. This would likely indicate that the rear lighting scheme is getting an overhaul, as there doesn't appear to be enough room between the lower edge of the glass and the plate for the current scheme to be preserved.  The Expedition, on the other hand, has quite a bit going on. For starters, this prototype is not sporting the chrome-and-polish look we've come to associate with these often-blingy SUVs. Instead, we see a set of Goodyear Wrangler all-terrains on what appear to be 18" wheels, which are positively dwarfed by the turbine-style wheels on the Lincolns. Leaning even harder into the off-road theme, this prototype is not wearing the scalloped front air dam seen on other Expeditions. While it may have been removed for testing purposes, its absence (or replacement) would certainly do wonders for the big SUV's approach angle. Elsewhere, we can see what appear to be a new set of tail lights, and it would be safe to assume based on the camo that we'll see new front and rear bumper treatments.  We can also see a bit of the Expedition's interior, and there are quite a few things to note on this front. For starters, the prominent, vertically oriented infotainment screen takes after the Mustang Mach-E's unit. This is significant not only on spec, but also because it signals that the Expedition's interior will be departing more significantly from that of the F-150.  Related Video: