2010-2017 Lincoln Navigator Brake Job Guide: Symptoms, Costs and the Right Parts

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

A brake job on a 2010-2017 Lincoln Navigator means pads and, usually, rotors at one or both axles of a heavy, full-size SUV with disc brakes at all four corners. The fronts do most of the stopping and wear first, the rears last longer but still need attention, and on 2016-2017 models there is an open master cylinder recall worth checking before you buy a single part.

This guide covers how the Navigator's brakes are laid out, the symptoms that tell you a brake job is due, what to replace together, which details change by model year, and what drives the cost of the job.

How the Brakes Work on a 2010-2017 Navigator

This generation of Navigator uses a hydraulic system with disc brakes front and rear, anti-lock brakes, and a power brake booster fed by a master cylinder. The 2014 owner's manual lists the 5.4L V8, and the 2015 manual lists the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 that replaced it. Either way, you are stopping a three-row body-on-frame SUV that is often loaded with passengers or pulling a trailer, so the brakes run hot and pads wear faster than on a car.

A few details matter when you work on it:

• Parking brake. It is a foot pedal: press it down to set it and pull the release lever at the lower left of the instrument panel. The brake warning lamp stays lit while it is set, so a lamp that stays on after you release the pedal points at low fluid or a hydraulic fault.
• Hill start assist. The 2015 manual describes a system that holds brake pressure briefly when you pull away on a slope. It does not replace the parking brake.
• Towing features. Trucks with the factory trailer brake controller show trailer brake gain and trailer sway messages in the cluster. The manual warns never to tie a trailer's hydraulic brakes into the Navigator's system and says a trailer over 1,500 lb loaded needs its own working brakes.

The fluid spec changed across this generation, so read the specification on the reservoir cap or in the owner's manual for your model year and use that fluid. Do not guess.

Symptoms That a Brake Job Is Due

Lincoln's own guidance is clear on the main warning signs. Some brake noise is normal. A metal-on-metal grinding sound, or a squeal that doesn't stop, means the pads may be worn out. A steady vibration or shudder in the steering wheel while braking also needs an inspection.

• High-pitched squeal that comes and goes: usually a wear indicator touching the rotor. Plan the job soon.
• Grinding: the pad backing plate is on the rotor. The rotor is almost certainly scored and needs replacing, and the caliper piston may be overextended.
• Shudder or pulsing pedal: uneven rotor thickness or pad deposits, common on heavy SUVs after long downhill runs or towing. New rotors are the reliable fix.
• Pulling to one side: a sticking caliper slide pin or piston on that side, or a collapsed hose.
• Soft or sinking pedal, or the red brake light on: low fluid or a hydraulic problem. On a 2016-2017, check the recall below first.
• Uneven wear between the inner and outer pad: seized slide pins. Clean and lube them, or replace the caliper.

Front vs Rear: What Wears and in What Order

Weight shifts forward under braking, so the front pads and rotors on a Navigator carry most of the load and are normally the first brake job the truck needs. Rear pads last longer, but they still wear, and towing or a loaded third row shortens their life. The only way to know for sure is to measure pad thickness at every wheel whenever the tires are off.

Always service brakes in axle pairs. Replacing the pads on only one side makes the truck pull and wears unevenly. If one caliper is sticking, replace both calipers on that axle so the clamping force stays equal left to right.

When you order parts, check the year range carefully. Front and rear kits for this Navigator are commonly listed for 2010-2017 as a group, while some individual pads and rotors cover a different span of years. Match parts to your exact year and trim.

What to Replace Together

On a truck this heavy, putting new pads on old rotors rarely pays off. Worn rotors are thinner, hold less heat, and are often already out of true, so new pads on them tend to shudder quickly. For most high-mileage Navigators, the right brake job is pads and rotors on the axle.

• Pads and rotors as a pair. Browse brake pads and brake rotors, or buy a matched front and rear kit so the friction material and rotor are made to work together.
• Hardware. New abutment clips and slide-pin boots stop rattles and keep the pads moving freely. See our brake hardware kits.
• Calipers if needed. Replace them if a piston is seized, a boot is torn, or a slide pin is frozen. We carry brake calipers in axle pairs.
• Brake fluid. Fluid absorbs water over time. Flushing it during a four-wheel brake job, with the fluid type your manual lists, keeps the pedal firm and protects the ABS unit.

If your Navigator tows or carries a full load often, a severe-duty pad makes sense. Power Stop describes its Z36 Truck and Tow kit as carbon-fiber ceramic pads with drilled and slotted, zinc-plated rotors and stainless hardware, built for towing, hauling and mountain driving. You can find those kits in our Power Stop collection. For a quiet daily driver, a ceramic brake pad on quality plain rotors works well.

The 2016-2017 Master Cylinder Recall

Before you do brake work on a 2016 or 2017 Navigator, run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup. Two related Ford recalls cover this truck:

• NHTSA 22V-150 (Ford 22S11) covers some 2016-2017 Navigators and Expeditions and 2016-2018 F-150s with the 3.5L EcoBoost. The master cylinder can leak fluid from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
• NHTSA 25V-236 (Ford 25S37) expands that recall to include some 2017-2018 F-150, Expedition and Navigator trucks.

NHTSA lists the symptoms of this leak as a change in pedal travel, more pedal effort, and weaker front brakes. The remedy is a free master cylinder replacement at a dealer, plus a new brake booster if the master cylinder was leaking. If your fluid level keeps dropping with no wet spots at the wheels, or the pedal feels different, get the recall checked before replacing pads. New friction will not fix a hydraulic leak. For trucks outside the recall, we carry master cylinders and brake boosters.

How Hard Is the Job, and What Drives the Cost

A pad and rotor job on a Navigator is a manageable driveway job if you have a floor jack rated for the truck's weight, sturdy jack stands, a good torque wrench and basic hand tools. The parts are large and heavy, and rusted rotors often need a puller or penetrant to come off the hub. Tighten the caliper bracket bolts and lug nuts to the values in the factory service information, and follow the pad maker's bed-in procedure. Power Stop, for example, calls for a series of moderate stops from 40 mph and then 35 mph, followed by a cool-down drive without stopping.

Your cost depends on a few things:

• Pads only or pads and rotors. Rotors are the biggest parts cost on a truck this size.
• One axle or both. A front-only job is the most common. Doing both axles roughly doubles parts and labor.
• Pad grade. Truck and tow compounds cost more than standard ceramic pads, but they hold up better under heavy loads.
• Extra repairs. A seized caliper, a torn hose or a fluid flush adds parts and time.
• Doing it yourself or paying a shop. Labor is often as much as the parts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 2010-2017 Lincoln Navigator have rear disc brakes?

Yes. This generation has disc brakes at all four wheels with ABS, and a foot-operated parking brake.

What brake fluid does my Navigator use?

It depends on the year. The 2014 owner's manual lists DOT 4 LV fluid (WSS-M6C65-A2), and the 2015 manual lists DOT 3 (WSS-M6C65-A1). Check the reservoir cap or your manual and use the fluid it names.

Should I replace rotors every time I replace pads?

On a Navigator, usually yes. This heavy truck is hard on rotors, and worn or uneven rotors cause shudder and noisy new pads. Replace them if they are below minimum thickness, scored or causing vibration.

Why does my brake pedal feel soft on my 2016 or 2017 Navigator?

One possible cause is the master cylinder leak covered by NHTSA recalls 22V-150 and 25V-236. Check your VIN for open recalls. A dealer does the repair for free.

Are front and rear pads the same?

No. Front and rear pads have different shapes and part numbers, so order each axle separately or buy a front and rear kit made for your year.

What pads are best if I tow with my Navigator?

A severe-duty truck and tow compound on good rotors resists fade under load better than a standard pad. Remember that a trailer over 1,500 lb needs its own working brakes.

Sources

1. 2014 Lincoln Navigator Owner's Manual (Ford) - 5.4L V8, DOT 4 LV brake fluid spec WSS-M6C65-A2
2. 2015 Lincoln Navigator Owner's Manual (Ford) - 3.5L EcoBoost, DOT 3 fluid spec, foot parking brake, hill start assist, brake noise and vibration guidance, trailer brake warnings
3. NHTSA recall data, 2016 Lincoln Navigator - recall 22V-150 master cylinder leak, consequence and remedy
4. NHTSA recall data, 2017 Lincoln Navigator - recall 25V-236 expansion, remedy
5. Power Stop Z36 Truck and Tow Brake Kit - kit contents, carbon-fiber ceramic compound, bed-in procedure