What I Like Least About My Lincoln 2024 Nautilus Hybrid

[reconguru]

Despite some positives, my Lincoln Nautilus has numerous frustrating issues that impact both usability and overall satisfaction. The most disappointing aspects include:

1. Useless Drive Mode Features​

The different drive modes offer little noticeable difference in real-world driving. They seem more like a gimmick than a practical feature that enhances the driving experience.

2. Uneven Seat Heating & Cooling​

The heated and ventilated seats do not distribute air evenly. Some areas get too warm or too cool, while other parts of the seat barely change temperature, making the system inconsistent and uncomfortable.

3. Finicky Climate Control​

The A/C and heating system do not maintain a consistent temperature. At times, the system overcompensates and fluctuates too much, making it difficult to find a comfortable setting.

4. Steering Wheel Has Limited Heated Area​

The heated steering wheel only warms certain sections, leaving other parts cold, which reduces its effectiveness in colder weather.

5. Less-Than-Smooth BlueCruise​

While BlueCruise is marketed as a cutting-edge hands-free driving system, it is far from refined. The steering corrections feel jerky, making long, sweeping curves an unpleasant experience rather than a seamless assist.

6. Erratic Lane Centering​

The lane centering system is unreliable, frequently overcorrecting or lagging behind, making steering feel unnatural and inconsistent.

7. Unrefined Adaptive Cruise Control​

Adaptive Cruise Control should provide a smooth acceleration and braking experience, but instead, it behaves erratically—slowing down and speeding up unpredictably, leading to an uncomfortable and sometimes unsafe ride.

8. Poor Surround Camera Quality & Lack of Auto-Clean Feature​

The surround-view cameras are low in quality for a vehicle in this price range, particularly in low light or bad weather. Additionally, there is no automatic cleaning feature for the front or rear cameras, meaning they quickly become dirty and unusable in poor conditions.

9. Limited Options for the Right-Side Screen​

The passenger-side screen offers very few useful features or customization options. It feels underutilized and does not enhance the driving or passenger experience in any meaningful way.

10. Useless Park Assist Feature​

The automated parking system is more of a novelty than a functional feature. In practice, it is slow, unreliable, and more of a hassle than parking manually. It often fails to recognize parking spaces properly, making it more frustrating than helpful.

11. Service Experience & Overall Reliability Issues​

Beyond the features, delayed service appointments, restrictive loaner policies, and recurring mechanical/software issues make ownership disappointing. For a luxury SUV, I expected better refinement and reliability, yet I’ve experienced constant problems that overshadow the few positives.

I really wanted to love this vehicle, but these software and mechanical flaws, along with a lackluster service experience, make it difficult to enjoy. I hope Lincoln improves these critical areas in future updates.

 

[Jacyte]

I have experienced some of your issues but not all.

• I use slippery conditions and regular mostly... excite firms up the ride too much and I don't like the faux shift points. Slippery conditions softens the torque curve more and engages more rear wheel distribution. It can be clearly felt when conditions warrant it.
• I have not had any issues with climate control. I leave it in auto at the number 2 intensity and it seems to maintain temp very well.
• Park assist is useless if you are confident at parking. It can help some drivers who are not comfortable parallel parking and will also " un-park". I personally have never used it and probably never will.
• My seat heats fairly evenly, enough so I don't have any cold spots. Areas where clothing is usually thinner could use a little less heat though. My steering wheel gets warmest on the sides but is warm all over. All of my cars that had heated wheels seem to have heating concentrated at 10-2 positions where your hands are supposed to be.
• Blue cruise and lane centering does have a digital feel with tons of micro corrections. At times it bothers me while other times I hardly notice. I usually rest a hand on the wheel and it smooths it out.
• Adaptive cruise works best when you have predictive speed turned off. It will use road signs and curves to determine the max speed and has a large envelope around it to play in. I do not use this feature and it works significantly better.
• Camera quality definitely could be better and Ford removed all the camera washers from all the vehicles a few years back.. it is a shame.
• I have not had any reliability issues yet. No battery drain issues or any mechanical faults at all. Only issues I have had were very minor like the rattle noise from the rear and occasional Android automotive glitches. The service experience definitely needs work though. There is no distinction between the Ford brand and Lincoln brand when it comes to service and there really should be.

So far I have owned mine for 1 year and 6 days and absolutely love it. I do hope they continue to expand the app library and include more widgets. I really want to see the app developer program finally open up or at least the SDK released for people willing to make their own side loadable apps.

 

[reconguru]

Thank you for the detailed reply. Mine goes back to the service department next week to address some old issues and some new ones. Maybe they can correct these issues. I love this car; I just wish my experience was more like yours. I will try some of the suggestions regarding adaptive cruise. My previous vehicles were trouble-free, just typical routine maintenance. Build quality was also better, which I didn't notice due to the (new car high) until after the trade and spending some relaxed time with the Nautilus.

 

[JMAB]

Our 2024 Hybrid has been in the shop for 8 weeks now, working on the power drain issues and several others, so we are in a loaner 2025 ICE Reserve II.

Quick chime in on your observations on the overall driving software: This 25 drives completely different when using the driving systems, than our 24. The lane centering, with and without BC play ping pong, from left to right, on both straight and curved roads - very unsettling and a bit sickening for my wife in the passenger seat. The ACC is also slow to respond and abrupt when it finally does brake or accelerate. It also slows down 5 mph below set speed when it goes down a hill? That one is just weird and fortunately not every time.

Anyway, I wonder if the 25 has a different version of the BC software parts?

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[reconguru]

Based on my research, the software updates improved the BlueCruise and Adaptive Cruise technologies, at least. I'm not sure about the hardware. Good luck with yours, I love and want to love my Nautilus, minus the problems.

 

[jsideris]

Same version of BC.

BC 1.2 should be stable in lane repositioning. I have no issues with this. It was a big problem on 1.0

I’d have your dealer check your forscan settings for those modules. If not properly set it will revert to 1.0. They should all be set at the factory but I don’t think that’s the case based on some peoples experience .

The issues you are seeing would be at the software or forscan settings.

The 2021 f150s and Mach e are getting upgraded from 1.0 to 1.4 no issues since the changes are the software controllers and not hardware.

 

[demark1]

Our 2024 Hybrid has been in the shop for 8 weeks now, working on the power drain issues and several others, so we are in a loaner 2025 ICE Reserve II.

Quick chime in on your observations on the overall driving software: This 25 drives completely different when using the driving systems, than our 24. The lane centering, with and without BC play ping pong, from left to right, on both straight and curved roads - very unsettling and a bit sickening for my wife in the passenger seat. The ACC is also slow to respond and abrupt when it finally does brake or accelerate. It also slows down 5 mph below set speed when it goes down a hill? That one is just weird and fortunately not every time.

Anyway, I wonder if the 25 has a different version of the BC software parts?

Doesn't sound like lane centering at all: that sounds like the basic lane assist, at least on the '21. (It is on, I assume? Just asking in case.) Well it is not your regular car, so I guess you can leave it alone, but it is a good warning for buyers to check that!

 

[reconguru]

Sometimes, the lane centering feature responds more like lane keep assist.

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[JMAB]

Doesn't sound like lane centering at all: that sounds like the basic lane assist, at least on the '21. (It is on, I assume? Just asking in case.) Well it is not your regular car, so I guess you can leave it alone, but it is a good warning for buyers to check that!

Yes, all the pieces need to be on for BC to enable. Yes, if I ever get it back we will be enjoying the differences overall. Thanks !

 

[JMAB]

Our 2024 Hybrid has been in the shop for 8 weeks now, working on the power drain issues and several others, so we are in a loaner 2025 ICE Reserve II.

Quick chime in on your observations on the overall driving software: This 25 drives completely different when using the driving systems, than our 24. The lane centering, with and without BC play ping pong, from left to right, on both straight and curved roads - very unsettling and a bit sickening for my wife in the passenger seat. The ACC is also slow to respond and abrupt when it finally does brake or accelerate. It also slows down 5 mph below set speed when it goes down a hill? That one is just weird and fortunately not every time.

Anyway, I wonder if the 25 has a different version of the BC software parts?

Quick update on original post regarding the overall driving quality of BC in the 2025 loaner Nautilus: It was a new loaner and might have been the first couple of actual BC uses, but today we took a 150 trip and the ride quality changed after about 30 miles!!! It must of been either learning or fine-tuning is sensors and controls? Who knows, but it changed to a much better lane centering and changing experience in both straight and curve drives.

 

[ojeh95]

I have experienced some of your issues but not all.

• I use slippery conditions and regular mostly... excite firms up the ride too much and I don't like the faux shift points. Slippery conditions softens the torque curve more and engages more rear wheel distribution. It can be clearly felt when conditions warrant it.
• I have not had any issues with climate control. I leave it in auto at the number 2 intensity and it seems to maintain temp very well.
• Park assist is useless if you are confident at parking. It can help some drivers who are not comfortable parallel parking and will also " un-park". I personally have never used it and probably never will.
• My seat heats fairly evenly, enough so I don't have any cold spots. Areas where clothing is usually thinner could use a little less heat though. My steering wheel gets warmest on the sides but is warm all over. All of my cars that had heated wheels seem to have heating concentrated at 10-2 positions where your hands are supposed to be.
• Blue cruise and lane centering does have a digital feel with tons of micro corrections. At times it bothers me while other times I hardly notice. I usually rest a hand on the wheel and it smooths it out.
• Adaptive cruise works best when you have predictive speed turned off. It will use road signs and curves to determine the max speed and has a large envelope around it to play in. I do not use this feature and it works significantly better.
• Camera quality definitely could be better and Ford removed all the camera washers from all the vehicles a few years back.. it is a shame.
• I have not had any reliability issues yet. No battery drain issues or any mechanical faults at all. Only issues I have had were very minor like the rattle noise from the rear and occasional Android automotive glitches. The service experience definitely needs work though. There is no distinction between the Ford brand and Lincoln brand when it comes to service and there really should be.

So far I have owned mine for 1 year and 6 days and absolutely love it. I do hope they continue to expand the app library and include more widgets. I really want to see the app developer program finally open up or at least the SDK released for people willing to make their own side loadable apps.

Have you figuired out what the rattle noise is? It is driving me insane.