NHTSA (USA)Medium Risk
At a glance
This page covers 23 recalls, 58 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2020 Lincoln Corsair.
24–25 mpg combined
9.4–9.8 L/100km
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 3 tested variants for this model year.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
The 2020 Lincoln Corsair draws the most owner complaints around its back-over prevention system, which accounts for the single largest share of reports. Owners describe the rear camera and related detection features behaving erratically or failing outright, with some noting the system gives no warning before going dark. Electrical system complaints come in second, and a recurring theme there is rear lighting failure, specifically brake lights and turn signals cutting out without any dashboard alert to the driver. Water intrusion is mentioned across several of those reports as a contributing factor, with failures showing up at relatively low mileage. Brake-related complaints add a smaller but consistent thread, largely tied to the same rear brake light issue rather than the braking hardware itself. The overlap between the lighting failures and the back-over prevention complaints suggests a shared vulnerability in the rear of the vehicle.
58
Total Complaints
2
Crash-Related
1
Fire-Related
1
With Injuries
By System
The 2020 Lincoln Corsair has 23 recalls, the most serious being a transmission fluid leak caused by loose or missing bolts on the start/stop accumulator, which can progress to a complete loss of transmission function while driving.
A cracked engine block heater can leak coolant and short-circuit when plugged in, raising the risk of a fire. On the suspension side, the rear coil springs may contact the rear toe link brackets, wearing through the spring's protective coating and eventually causing the spring to fracture and fall from the vehicle, creating a road hazard for other drivers.
A large cluster of recalls centers on rearview camera reliability. Across vehicles with standard cameras and those with 360-degree systems, the camera image can fail to appear, display a distorted picture, or flip and invert when the vehicle is in reverse. Some of these issues stem from water getting into camera connectors and corroding the wiring, while others involve software problems with the display. Prior repair attempts for some of these camera issues did not fully resolve the problem, requiring additional fixes. The windshield wiper motor can also fail, leaving the wipers unable to clear the glass.
The remaining recalls are lower in severity. The airbag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. On vehicles with a Revel audio system, the seatbelt reminder chime may not sound long enough when the driver is unbuckled at startup, and prior repair attempts for this issue were not always completed correctly.
At a glance
We may earn a commission for purchases made through these links.
Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What can fail
The windshield wiper motor may fail, causing the windshield wipers to stop working properly.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the front wiper motors and replace them if needed at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The center display screen may flip or invert when you shift into reverse, causing the rearview camera image to display upside down or backwards.
What the fix does
Ford will send you a letter with instructions for a software or hardware update to correct the display orientation.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The seat belt reminder chime may not sound long enough when starting the vehicle without a buckled seat belt, failing to meet Canadian safety requirements for both audible and visual reminders.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to visit a dealership for an audio control module software update.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine block heater can crack and leak coolant. When plugged in, the leaked coolant may cause an electrical short circuit.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the block heater at no cost, or install a blanking plug and remove the heater cord.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Water can leak into the rearview camera connector and corrode the ground wire over time, causing the rearview camera image to display incorrectly or not at all.
What the fix does
Replace the rearview camera and rearview camera wiring harness at a Ford dealership.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Water can enter the rearview camera connectors, causing the rearview camera image to not display or appear distorted on the screen.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the rearview camera harness and rearview camera at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image or fail to clear the image after backing up.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the rearview camera software at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The seat belt warning chime may sound for less than 4 seconds when the driver starts the vehicle without buckling the seat belt, instead of the required duration.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the audio control module software at no charge to restore proper warning chime duration.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera image may not display on the screen due to video output failure in vehicles that received an incorrect repair under a previous recall.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the Image Processing Module software at no cost to restore rearview camera display.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera may show a blank or distorted image instead of a clear view of the area behind the vehicle.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the rearview camera at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera image may not display correctly or may not display at all on the infotainment screen.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you a notification. The repair procedure is currently being developed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The air bag warning label on the dashboard may be missing, which means the vehicle doesn't have the required safety information label.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you the warning label at no cost. Letters were sent December 19, 2024. Call 1-866-436-7332 with questions.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software problem in the 360-degree camera system may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying on the SYNC screen when reversing, which is required by Canadian regulations.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to visit a dealership, where technicians will update the image processing module software.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The 360-degree camera system may fail to output video, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying on the vehicle's screen.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the 360-degree camera at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera image may stop displaying because the video processing system can fail.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the image processing module software at no cost to restore camera functionality.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The seat belt reminder chime may sound too briefly when you start the vehicle without buckling your seat belt, potentially not meeting Canadian safety requirements for audio and visual warnings.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to visit a dealership, where technicians will update your audio control module software.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The seat belt warning chime may sound for less than 4 seconds when the driver's seat belt is unbuckled and the vehicle starts, instead of sounding long enough to alert the driver.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the audio control module software at no cost to reprogram the warning chime duration.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying on your SYNC screen when you shift into reverse, which is required by Canadian law.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to visit a dealer, who will update the image processing module software to restore the rearview camera display.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The 360-degree camera system's video output may fail, causing the rearview camera image to stop displaying on your screen.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the Image Processing Module software at no cost to restore camera display function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A poor electrical connection can cause the rearview camera to display a blank or distorted image intermittently, limiting rear visibility.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the rearview camera at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The start/stop accumulator endcap may be missing bolts or have loose bolts, which could affect the start/stop system.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the start/stop accumulator free of charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear coil spring may not have enough space from the toe link bracket, causing the spring's protective coating to wear away. Over time, the spring could crack and fall from the vehicle.
What the fix does
A dealer will inspect the clearance between the bracket and spring. If needed, the bracket edge will be trimmed and a new coil spring installed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear coil springs may contact the rear toe link brackets due to insufficient clearance, causing the coil springs to break.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect clearance between the toe link bracket and coil spring. If needed, the bracket edge will be trimmed and a new coil spring installed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
