2024 Lincoln Navigator tire problems

[mceagle]

Lincoln/Ford has developed and issued a "Pinpoint G troubleshooting/diagnostics for this issue, specifically for the vehicles with 22" tires. The process includes diagnostics using an accelerometer and Ford's VMMS computer. Identifies frequency, amplitude and, based on the data, source - i.e. wheels, driveshaft, engine, etc. The results then provide steps to correct. I'll let you know if successful.

 

[2024NAVBL]

Everyone in this post- I think I finally have your panacea solution for the vibration and even a suggestion for eliminating the harsh tire ride. I couldnt find this thread when I got the update so I made a new one dedicated to this egregious vibration issue. Lincoln FINALLY officially acknowledged the issue and had a pretty decent solution in my case. Please check out my post in detail and comment over there. The thread name is:

Highway Speed Vibration 2024 Possible Tire Size Upgrade from 285/45R22?​

Also I made my dealer give me 5 navigators on a Saturday to road test and nearly all of them with pirellis or Generals had the problems, usually at low speeds. I found one with pirellis that was smooth and made them put the entire set on my car- It was OK but not perfect. Turns out their RF balance machine was not properly calibrated to address the problem. Anyway go check it out, READ THE GREEEN FONT AND CODE- you will give that to your dealer if they are playing the "we dont see a problem or can find one game"

 

[2024NAVBL]

Figured id cut and paste for yalls convenience:

• Jun 25, 2025

Im not sure what happened to the original thread but going to start a new one. Many were complaining about non L versions having very notable vibration at speeds ranging from 35mph in certain spots to areas upwards of 80MPH+.

Ive been to 2 dealerships over 5 times to address the problem and have had a set of rims changed as well as 2 different complete tire swap outs- first with Pirelli.

In addition to all that ive had outside shops run high speed road force balances to no avail. At one point I made the dealer line up 5 navs for me to drive and 4 of them had the problem- the one that didnt I made them put the tire/wheel pack of that vehicle on mine. It improved the issue but did not remove it and the recent Hankook change improved it largely but the problem is still noticeable at 80MPH and having to trade up Pirelli quality with hankook sucks- the handling is diminished and road noise very noticeable. I only stick to Mich or Pirelli on my cars but will live with this for now.

FINALLY, at least, Lincoln has officially documented the problem with a system reference of "SSM53661" which calls for various tire work/swapping/RF balance/ and alignment. If you have this issue and your dealer says they don't know anything about it or cant figure it out, reference that number as it calls for certain diag approaches and ultimately a change of tires under warranty if they try giving you the run around.

That issue aside, these trucks always have bad manners over local bumps and I think the issue is the lack of amount of sidewall on the 22" factory tires. I am contemplating changing the standard 285/45/22 to 295/45/22 with Micheline. Has anyone else done so or looked into it? It seems the change would provide taller side wall, wider stance, and minimal calc difference affecting the odometer and other systems. Please let me know and ill continue to update any further developments I come across.

 

[2024NAVBL]

I agree on the road surface, but on thing to consider, is your vibration harmonica meaning does it start to be noticeable at a specific speed and it's it something always felt (same vibration pattern). I bought a 2024, manufactured in September of 2023, and the SUV did have flat spots on the tires (they were Pirelli, if you were wondering). I would feel a vibration start around 20 mph and the seats would shake it was that noticeable. After all four ties were replaced I thought it did have some vibration but as I took Ubers around town, I noticed vibrations in those cars especially around the roads close to my house. I also had a rental, that was a 2025 Aviator and that had similar road feel in seat and on the wheel. I even had the whole suspension and alignment checked out and the problem was in the seat (me). I live in the south, with 100 plus temperature in summer, and the roads are likely uneven because of heat and tractor trailers making the road surface over time uneven. I now have Hankook ties and the dive is good, every once in a while I will get worked up about it but settle on I am being too sensitive and live in a hot place.

Im too sensitive also but thats not the problem these things have material problems both with many having vibration and the current tire offering size from factory imo is to short on sidewall and thin on width. I drive pretty spirited and this truck was the only one that ever skid out on me with over steer- Both with pirelli and with the corrective hankooks.

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[2024NAVBL]

I’ve been shopping for tires and I noticed the Discount Tire now does alignments in some of its stores. I’ve always been a believer in getting an alignment with new tires.

Trust me I made them do alignments it wont fix the problem

 

[2024NAVBL]

My new 2023 Navigator had the Pirelli tires and I hated how they rode; I changed them out immediately for Michelins and the rough ride was instantly gone and the road noise much much quieter. There is a big market for those 22" Pirellis, I sold my used ones on facebook markeplace in a bidding war, lol. Good riddance.

Also did the same with my new Mustang GT that came with Pirellis - hated them. Replaced with Michelin and I am riding happy.

Good input. Im thinking of Micheline after I wear out the hankooks the dealer just gave me to suffocate the problem. Can you tell me which micheline spec you went with?

 

[2024NAVBL]

Update - I took mine to an independent tire shop (Discount Tire in the DFW area). I requested they road force balance all 4 tires. The manager stated it is better to check the tires initially before attempting a full on dismount/remount of the tires and balance (lower costs). So they checked all 4 tires, and guess what? All four were out of balance. This is after Lincoln has supposedly RF Balanced them already. His explanation was bad techs, poor calibrated equipment at Lincoln, or both...

I have pictures of all 4 tires specs, and 3/4 tire RF numbers were below 20. One did come in at 36, but the machine estimated that after a RF balance it would be around 27, so not much of an improvement. However, each rim was out of balance between 0.5 oz of weight to 1.75 oz of weight... so no wonder I still felt vibrations.

Discount rebalanced all 4 tires, put the highest RF number tire in the rear, and I will admit its quite a bit of a noticeable improvement in the ride. City speeds is significantly better, high was better but due to my area the road isn't that great so not a good test road. I'll drive it around more over the next few days to see how it feels. Cost was $22 per tire, so $88 total for the balance. I'm happy I went in to have them checked, and I felt it was worth the cost to ensure correct balancing (under $100).

What concerns me more is how much out of balance they were after Lincoln did its thing... who knows if it was human error, lack of skill, or faulty equipment. Either way, I would recommend to anyone having issues to find a reputable tire shop (Discount Tire is fantastic imo) and have them check yours out. Ask what equipment/machines they have to test and balance with, and see if they are willing to show you the numbers. At this point, I wouldn't trust the dealer to properly balance tires/rims. Take it to a shop that solely focuses on tires and see what they say and can do.

On my service record my dealership actually admitted their RF machine was out of calibration and they had to have it updated. This probably explains why many dealers are doing RFs and cant figure out the problem

 

[FirstNavie]

Figured id cut and paste for yalls convenience:

• Jun 25, 2025

Im not sure what happened to the original thread but going to start a new one. Many were complaining about non L versions having very notable vibration at speeds ranging from 35mph in certain spots to areas upwards of 80MPH+.

Ive been to 2 dealerships over 5 times to address the problem and have had a set of rims changed as well as 2 different complete tire swap outs- first with Pirelli.

In addition to all that ive had outside shops run high speed road force balances to no avail. At one point I made the dealer line up 5 navs for me to drive and 4 of them had the problem- the one that didnt I made them put the tire/wheel pack of that vehicle on mine. It improved the issue but did not remove it and the recent Hankook change improved it largely but the problem is still noticeable at 80MPH and having to trade up Pirelli quality with hankook sucks- the handling is diminished and road noise very noticeable. I only stick to Mich or Pirelli on my cars but will live with this for now.

FINALLY, at least, Lincoln has officially documented the problem with a system reference of "SSM53661" which calls for various tire work/swapping/RF balance/ and alignment. If you have this issue and your dealer says they don't know anything about it or cant figure it out, reference that number as it calls for certain diag approaches and ultimately a change of tires under warranty if they try giving you the run around.

That issue aside, these trucks always have bad manners over local bumps and I think the issue is the lack of amount of sidewall on the 22" factory tires. I am contemplating changing the standard 285/45/22 to 295/45/22 with Micheline. Has anyone else done so or looked into it? It seems the change would provide taller side wall, wider stance, and minimal calc difference affecting the odometer and other systems. Please let me know and ill continue to update any further developments I come across.

If you do a tire size change, a rather inexpensive service tool, such as the Autel MX900 will be able to adjust the tire size in the ECU to correct for the change. It is a simple change the dealership can make as well, and would be simple for you to verify with a tool (if you like to do that).

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[2024NAVBL]

If the vibration is felt through the steering wheel…it’s from the front tires. If felt through the floor…it’s from the rear.

All tires have a high spot just as all rims have a high spot…part of the manufacturing process. Occasionally the high spot on the tire gets mounted on the high spot on the rim and an exaggerated vibration occurs. If the tire or tires that has the vibration can be determined the tire(s) can be broken down and rotated on the rim and be rebalanced.

Tires can be checked for roundness…any tire shop should have the gauge. If a tire is out of round it can be shaved but the appropriate correction is to be replaced under warranty. It’s also possible a rim is out of spec and needs replaced. Sometimes rotating tires can identify the source.

Thanks its honestly a more deeper problem than that. Ive made two dealers do extensive checks refusing "its normal" for an answer. See my post from the other day insofar its the best fix ive seen after some pretty exhaustive work. Ultimately Lincolns RF was off calibration. Testing 5 navs all had Pirelli or generals and were bad.

 

[G-374059]

Has anyone tried lowering the PSI from 39 to say 35 psi? Was suggested by other sites but was curious if anyone has tried it on the Navi.

Yes no help

 

[akras]

One thing that people fighting vibrations by trying to deal with tires/wheels usually don't take into account is that those are not the only heavy rotating items that can be out of balance: your brake rotors are ~30 lb each, and if the cast or machining are less than perfect, you are going to have an unbalanced assembly regardless of how perfectly your wheels are balanced. Just some food for thought.

If everything is balanced, these vehicles exhibit zero vibrations at any speed they are capable of (mine seems to be limited to 113 mph). I have two sets of wheels: the stock 22" and 20", both with Pirelli Scorpions AS Plus 3; no difference in terms of vibration (there is none).

Watch this for fun and education on how outsourcing rotors works:

 

[23Navi-L]

Lincoln/Ford has developed and issued a "Pinpoint G troubleshooting/diagnostics for this issue, specifically for the vehicles with 22" tires. The process includes diagnostics using an accelerometer and Ford's VMMS computer. Identifies frequency, amplitude and, based on the data, source - i.e. wheels, driveshaft, engine, etc. The results then provide steps to correct. I'll let you know if successful.

Have you seen any improvement following these diagnostics?

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[Hanyol0]

I'm still waiting on the service manager at the ford lot to approve an out sourcing of the RFB as they do not have one to follow the technical bulletin shared. Waiting 2 weeks now since i brought it in while they tell me the manager is still looking into it and assuring me the work order is still open...i have my doubts. The tech who looked at my vehicle and bulletin said it doesn't call out replacing the tires at all.

 

[Hanyol0]

Lincoln/Ford has developed and issued a "Pinpoint G troubleshooting/diagnostics for this issue, specifically for the vehicles with 22" tires. The process includes diagnostics using an accelerometer and Ford's VMMS computer. Identifies frequency, amplitude and, based on the data, source - i.e. wheels, driveshaft, engine, etc. The results then provide steps to correct. I'll let you know if successful.

How did this turnout mceagle?

 

[ChuckMiller1964]

It would be very interesting to see if this vibration issue is caused by the OEM brake rotor.

Who makes top tier brake rotors? Brembo?

 

[ChuckMiller1964]

It could also be the wheel hub. Big ass wheels and tires can express a vibration at low speeds as well as high speeds. But smaller objects like brake rotors and hubs need to spin faster to express a vibration.

Run out (not just out of balance) can also cause a vibration.

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[akras]

It could also be the wheel hub. Big ass wheels and tires can express a vibration at low speeds as well as high speeds. But smaller objects like brake rotors and hubs need to spin faster to express a vibration.

The wheel hub must be worn and really loose to result in vibration; it would make characteristic sounds that would make it very easy to diagnose. A wheel hub cannot be unbalanced.

Brake rotors are by no means "small" objects: they weigh about as much as tires and have a comparable diameter.

Run out (either wheels or tires) is certainly a possibility.

 

[ChuckMiller1964]

I read somewhere that the issue is with the tire insulation (installed to suppress noise). After it was ripped out, the tires were perfect.

Is this insulation inside the tire??

 

[driller]

Is this insulation inside the tire??

Yes.

 

[akras]

Is this insulation inside the tire??

Normally it doesn't affect anything. In some cases, water condensate may accumulate on one side of the foam and affect balance. The difference in the noise level with vs without the acoustic foam is not dramatic.