6R80 Navigator Fluid Change: Type, Capacity and Cost

A Navigator gets serviced differently than an Expedition, even though the two share a frame, a plant and a transmission. Navigators tend to live at the dealer, and the dealer follows the book. The book says 150,000 miles for the 6R80. So I see a lot of 2010-2016 Navigators come in at 110,000 to 140,000 miles with original fluid, a soft 2-3 shift and an owner who did everything they were told. This post covers what Lincoln actually specifies, the one fluid mistake that is specific to 4WD Navigators, the 2007-2008 trucks that are not 6R80s at all, and how I do the service so it shifts right when it leaves.

For the full spec picture on every 6R80, see our 6R80 fluid type and capacity guide. The Expedition version of this job covers the Ford side. Everything Navigator-specific below comes from Lincoln's 2016 Navigator owner's manual and Ford service documents, linked under Sources.

Recommended 6R80 parts

What a Navigator fluid service takes: the filter and pan gasket kit (this one also fits the 2007-2008 6R75 trucks), a 12-quart case of MERCON LV for a double drain and fill, and single quarts for topping off at temperature. Secure checkout on site.

6R60/6R75/6R80 Transmission Filter and Pan Gasket Kit Ford

$33.99View part

Motorcraft Mercon LV ATF 12-Quart Case for Ford 6R80

$181.99View part

Motorcraft Mercon LV Automatic Transmission Fluid, 1 Quart (XT-10-QLVC)

$25.99View part

Which Navigators have the 6R80, and which do not

The third-generation Navigator ran from 2007 through 2017, but it did not have the same transmission the whole time. The 2007 and 2008 trucks came with the 6R75, the earlier version of Ford's six-speed. The 6R80 went in for 2009 and stayed through 2017. From 2009 to 2014 it sat behind the 5.4L three-valve V8. For 2015 the V8 was dropped and the 3.5L EcoBoost took over, still on the 6R80. Ford's Motorcraft fluid chart by vehicle lists the Navigator 6R80 3.5L EcoBoost on MERCON LV and the 2018-and-later 10R80 on MERCON ULV (Ford ATF chart).

The 2016 manual's transmission code table lists code 6 as the six-speed 6R80E. That code is on the Safety Compliance Certification Label in the driver's door jamb. If the truck in your bay has a 2018 title, it is a ten-speed and none of the numbers below apply.

The 2007-2008 Navigator: MERCON SP era

ATRA's Mike Souza laid out the 6R60/6R75/6R80 history in GEARS: these units called for MERCON SP until 2009, when Ford eliminated the casting feed to the accumulator in bore 109 and switched to MERCON LV (GEARS, Jan/Feb 2017). The same article describes a 2011 F-150 6R80 whose converter clutch chatter survived two converters and only stopped when the unit was refilled with MERCON LV. Fluid type matters on this family.

The good news for 2007-2008 Navigator owners is that you do not have to hunt for SP. Motorcraft's MERCON LV product page states that LV is for use in transmissions using MERCON SP, and that top off and full-service replacement are allowed for 6HP26 and 6R60/6R75 transmissions (Motorcraft MERCON LV). One fluid covers every 2007-2017 Navigator.

Fluid type: MERCON LV, licensed, no additives

Lincoln's Capacities and Specifications table lists the automatic transmission fluid as Motorcraft MERCON LV, XT-10-QLVC, Ford specification WSS-M2C938-A (2016 Navigator manual). Under the same table is the line I wish more counter people read: automatic transmissions that require MERCON LV should only use MERCON LV, and the use of any other fluid may cause transmission damage.

If you are buying an aftermarket fluid, look for an actual MERCON LV license on the bottle, not "suitable for" or "compatible with" language. The 6R80 runs line pressure and clutch apply through variable bleed solenoids that are calibrated around LV's low viscosity. A thicker multi-vehicle fluid fills the clutches at a different rate, and the adaptive tables chase it.

The Navigator manual is also blunt about bottled fixes: do not use supplemental transmission fluid additives, treatments or cleaning agents, because they may affect transmission operation and damage internal components. It also notes the transmission does not consume fluid. If the level is low, it is leaking. Find the leak before you top it off.

Capacity: 13.1 quarts dry, about 6 in a service

The 2016 Navigator manual lists the automatic transmission at 13.1 qt (12.4 L), footnoted as an approximate dry fill. Dry means an empty case, empty converter, empty cooler and empty lines. You only see that number on a fresh build. When I drop the pan on a Navigator 6R80, about 5 to 6 quarts come out. The rest stays in the converter and the cooler circuit.

Ford's own paperwork lines up with that. Under program 16N02, when dealers pulled the main control to replace the molded lead frame on 2012 Navigators, Ford ordered 9 quarts of XT-10-QLVC per truck, with filter BL3Z-7A098-A and pan gasket BL3Z-7A191-C as required (Ford CSP 16N02). Even with the valve body out of the case, Ford did not expect anything close to 13 quarts to go back in. After a full overhaul, Ford's workshop procedure calls for an 8-quart initial fill before you start it, then the level is finished hot (Camerota 6R80 guide).

Here is roughly how much of the old fluid you replace, assuming 6 quarts out each time on a 13.1-quart system and full mixing between services:

Each row is 1 minus (7.1 / 13.1) to the power of the number of services. On a Navigator with dark fluid, one pan drop does not change much. Do a second one a few hundred miles later.

The transfer case trap on 4WD Navigators

This is the part of the job that is different from what most people expect. The 2016 Navigator manual lists two different 4WD transfer cases, and they do not take the same fluid:

A lot of shops service the transfer case "while it is up there" with whatever MERCON LV is left over. That is correct on the Torque On Demand case and wrong on the Electronic Shift On the Fly case. Check the tag on the transfer case or the build data before you open the fill plug. The manual's towing, heavy idling, dusty and off-road schedules all call for a transfer case fluid change every 60,000 miles, so on a hard-working Navigator this is a routine add-on, not an afterthought.

The interval: 150,000 miles on paper

The normal schedule in the 2016 Navigator manual puts "change automatic transmission fluid" at every 150,000 miles, in the same row as the axles and the transfer case. Before that it only says to inspect the transmission fluid level if equipped with a dipstick, and the manual states the transmission does not have one. The special-conditions tables for towing and heavy idling add transfer case and spark plug intervals but leave the transmission where it is.

I do not run them that long. A Navigator L with seven people and a 7,000-pound camper is about as hard as a 6R80 gets used, and heat is what breaks down LV and cooks clutch material. On trucks that tow, I change it every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. On a Navigator that never tows, 60,000 to 100,000 is a reasonable middle. Our 6R80 overheating guide covers what heat does to the unit.

Check this before you service it: the 2012 lead frame

If you have a 2012 Navigator, look at its build date before you blame the fluid for a shift problem. Ford's program 16N02 covered Navigators built at Kentucky from August 26, 2011 through February 29, 2012 for an intermittent output shaft speed (OSS) sensor failure that can light the MIL or wrench light with P0720, P0722, P0731 and/or P1500 stored in the PCM, and on some trucks cause an unintended downshift into first gear. The repair is a new lead frame, AL3Z-7G276-B, with a 2.2-hour labor allowance on the Navigator (Ford CSP 16N02). A fluid change will not touch any of that. Our Navigator common problems guide covers the rest of the recall history.

How I do a Navigator 6R80 fluid service

1. Scan first. Pull codes from the PCM before you touch the pan. Any lead frame, speed sensor or solenoid code gets diagnosed first.
2. Drain the pan. The factory pan has no drain plug on most of these trucks. Loosen the bolts and let it pour over one corner. Look at the fluid and the magnet. Fine gray paste is normal wear. Flakes of friction material or bronze-colored chips are not.
3. Replace the filter and pan gasket. Ford's lead frame program lists BL3Z-7A098-A for the filter and BL3Z-7A191-C for the gasket. Clean the pan and the magnet.
4. Refill through the fill plug. The level indicator is a short stick built into the fill plug on the side of the case. Pump back roughly what came out.
5. Set the level hot. Per the Ford procedure reproduced by Camerota: truck level on the hoist, scan tool connected, engine running, move the selector through each range, then back to Park. Pull the fill plug and take the indicator off it. Fluid temperature must read 96.7-102°C (206-215°F) on the scan tool. Use the dotted (B) area, not the crosshatched (A) area. Correct level is the upper edge of the dotted area. Torque the fill plug to 26 lb-ft (35 Nm) (Camerota).
6. Let a hot truck cool. The same procedure notes that after extended highway driving, hot weather or towing, the fluid has to cool down to get an accurate reading. A Navigator that just pulled a trailer into the lot is not ready for a level check.
7. Purge the cooler if you replaced it. If a new cooler or new cooler lines went in, Ford says to drive it until the fluid reaches 206-215°F to purge air from the cooling circuit, then recheck.
8. Do not overfill. Ford calls this out directly. An overfilled 6R80 aerates the fluid, and foamy oil gives soft, inconsistent clutch apply that looks like a valve body problem.
9. Let it relearn. Reset the adaptive tables and run Ford's Adaptive Learning Drive Cycle on a level road. The Navigator manual itself warns that shifts may feel firm, soft or both while adaptive learning updates, so tell the owner what to expect for the first few days.

One more thing to listen for: a loud rush of air when the fill plug comes out. Sonnax traced a multi-point 6R80 leak to a red rubber check valve in the vent at the top front of the case holding pressure in the sump (Sonnax). Check the vent before you start replacing seals. Our 6R80 leak guide covers the other usual spots.

What a Navigator fluid change costs

Parts figures use real prices for Motorcraft fluid and filter kits. Shop rows vary by region and are a range, not a quote. Lincoln dealers usually sit at the top of them.

On a high-mileage Navigator that has never been serviced and already slips, I start with a pan service and a look at the magnet, not a full exchange. If it slips on fresh fluid, the fluid was never the problem. Go to our Navigator slipping guide.

FAQ

How much transmission fluid does a 6R80 Navigator take?

Lincoln's 2016 Navigator owner's manual lists the automatic transmission at 13.1 quarts (12.4 liters), and that is an approximate dry fill. A pan and filter service only replaces about 5 to 6 quarts because the converter, cooler and lines stay full. Buy 6 quarts for one service and 12 if you plan a second drain and fill.

What transmission fluid does a 2009-2017 Lincoln Navigator use?

Motorcraft MERCON LV, part number XT-10-QLVC, Ford specification WSS-M2C938-A. The manual says transmissions that require MERCON LV should only use MERCON LV. The 2018 and newer Navigator has the 10R80 and takes MERCON ULV instead.

Does the Navigator transfer case use the same fluid as the transmission?

Only on some trucks. The 2016 manual lists the Torque On Demand transfer case on MERCON LV at 1.5 quarts, but the Electronic Shift On the Fly transfer case takes Motorcraft Transfer Case Fluid XL-12 at 1.6 to 1.8 quarts. Identify which case you have before you fill it.

How often should the transmission fluid be changed on a Navigator?

The 2016 Navigator manual's normal schedule says every 150,000 miles. That assumes easy use. On a Navigator that tows, idles a lot or runs short trips in heat, I change it every 30,000 to 60,000 miles, and every 60,000 to 100,000 on a light-duty truck.

Can I use MERCON LV in a 2007 or 2008 Navigator?

The 2007-2008 Navigator has the earlier 6R75, which was built around MERCON SP. Motorcraft's MERCON LV product page states that top off and full-service replacement are allowed for 6R60 and 6R75 transmissions, so LV is an approved choice for those trucks.

Related guides

• 6R80 Navigator Common Problems and Fixes
• 6R80 Navigator Shift Problems
• 6R80 Navigator Slipping Fix
• 6R80 Expedition Fluid Change
• 6R80 Filter and Pan Service