2003 Lincoln aviator tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 245/65R17 OEM | R17 | 5x114.3 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
2003 Lincoln aviator wheel bolt pattern & specs
| Bolt pattern (PCD) | 5x114.3 |
|---|---|
| Wheel thread / lug size | M12x1.5 |
| Center bore | 70.5 mm |
| Source | bolt-pattern.com |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
See the best tires for the Lincoln Aviator, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Lincoln Aviator →
Compatible alternative sizes for 245/65R17
Sizes within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter safe-fit tolerance. Each row links to the size's own page.
| Alternative size | %Δ OD | Category | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
215/80R16 |
0.01% | winter narrower | Safe |
265/60R17 |
-0.07% | wider | Safe |
225/65R18 |
-0.08% | plus 1 | Safe |
265/65R16 |
0.08% | alternative | Safe |
245/70R16 |
-0.12% | alternative | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 245/65R17 upsize options. To check an arbitrary size pair, use the tire compatibility calculator.
Check a different size against this vehicle
Type any tire size below; we'll compute its overall-diameter delta against the OEM 245/65R17 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 225/65R18; one rim size up, -0.08% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 245/55R19; two rim sizes up, 0.24% OD change. Noticeable ride penalty, higher pothole risk, meaningful tire-cost premium.
Use the plus-size calculator to evaluate any rim step against the OEM size.
How to choose tires for the 2003 lincoln aviator base-model
The 2003 Lincoln Aviator Base-Model ships from the factory on 245/65R17 tires mounted on R17 wheels. Only one approved fitment is documented for this model year, so replacement options should match the original size exactly unless a plus-size upgrade is being considered. The Compatible alternative sizes table above lists every safe substitution within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter tolerance.
Tire choice on the Lincoln Aviator comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard), and UTQG treadwear (higher means longer life, lower usually means stickier rubber). Owners replacing factory tires with the same compound class, for example all-season for all-season, generally see no change in ride characteristics or fuel economy. Switching categories (performance summer to all-season touring, for example) is where the trade-offs show up at the contact patch.
For 2003 Lincoln Aviator Base-Model owners considering a plus-size upgrade, the safer option is a Plus-1 step (one rim size up with a 10-point aspect drop and ~10 mm of additional section width). Plus-2 is technically viable on this chassis if the alternative-sizes table lists a Plus-2 candidate within tolerance, but expect a meaningful ride-harshness penalty and a tire-cost premium of 30–60% per tire relative to the OEM fitment. For winter use the recommended pattern is one width step down (e.g. from a 235 to a 225) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter; narrower tires apply higher contact pressure per square inch on snow, which translates directly into shorter braking distances. The plus-size calculator evaluates any specific rim step against this OEM size.
Before purchasing, verify the tire size on the driver-door placard of your specific 2003 Lincoln Aviator Base-Model, since trim levels and option packages can shift the original fitment from what is documented here. The placard reading is the authoritative source per FMVSS 110, and dealers will reference the placard rather than aftermarket catalogs when validating warranty claims.
NHTSA-reported issues for 2003 lincoln aviator
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (4) · TPMS (1) · Sidewall (1) · Tread / Belt (1)
Reported across: 2003 – 2003 (1 year)
What owners described
Sidewall failure is the most common description, in 22% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 9 reports covering every model year of the Lincoln Aviator that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.
| Reported problem | This subject | All tire complaints | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidewall failure | 22% | 15% | 1.5× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 11% | 9% | 1.2× |
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Lincoln Aviator. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
The contact owns a 2003 Lincoln Aviator equipped with Cooper Tires, Tire Line: Hercules HTS-Terra-Trac, Tire Size 245/65/R17, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side front tire sidewall separated in the center. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 02T003000 (Tires). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The tire and vehicle failure mileages were unknown.
CONSUMER STATES THAT DEALER PUT AFTERMARKET RIMS TIRES ON VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING; DIFFICULTY TURNING THE VEHICLE, HEATER BUBBLING MAKING NOISES, DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE, JERKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL, NOISE IN THE STEERING, NOISE IN THE HEATING/VENT BUBBLING, PULSATING IN THE STEERING WHEEL, VIBRATION OF THE TIRES, THE TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM HAD TO BE CUT OFF RECONNECTED AND ADJUSTED, THE PASSENGER FRONT WINDOWS RATTLED, MOTOR MADE LOUD NOISES WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, FRONT END NOISES, REAR HATCH RATTLED AND WOULD SHAKE, THE WHEELS SQUEALED AND RUBBED, THE WHEEL JERKED WHEN TAKING OFF, THE GEAR CHANGER LEVER WAS LOOSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE AND VIBRATED WHEN IN MOTION, AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS KNOCKING OR RUNNING ROUGH.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SWERVED INTO THE LEFT LANE AND ALMOST COLLIDED WITH A TRAILER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DISCOVERED A METAL SHAVING ON THE TIRE. IN ADDITION, THE LUG NUTS FAILED AND WERE THE WRONG SIZE. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 25,339. UPDATED 07/23/07
2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR. CONSUMER WRITES FROM ONTARIO REGARDING PROBLEMS WITH TIRES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE PURCHASED FOUR TIRES IN DECEMBER 2006. THE CONSUMER STATED HE STILL HAS THE RECEIPT WHICH IS CLEARLY MARKED WITH A 130,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE TWO REAR TIRES HAVE BROKEN BELTS AND WIRES PROTRUDING FROM THEM. THE CONSUMER WENT BACK TO THE ESTABLISHMENT WHERE HE PURCHASED THE TIRES FROM AND THE MANAGER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES, BEFORE EVEN LOOKING AT THE THEM AND STATED THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE VEHICLE.
Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
What size tires fit a 2003 Lincoln Aviator?
What is the bolt pattern of a 2003 Lincoln Aviator?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2003 Lincoln Aviator?
Where can I buy tires for my 2003 Lincoln Aviator?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2003 Lincoln Aviator?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2003 Lincoln Aviator?
For broader tire questions; replacement timing, UTQG, EV-specific tires, winter swaps; see the tire FAQ.
Sources for this page
- Vehicle owner's manual tire & wheel placard; door-jamb placard on the Lincoln Aviator is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator.
- ETRTO 2024 Standards Manual §2.3; overall-diameter math used for the alternative-size verdicts above.
- Tire & Rim Association 2025 Yearbook; load-index to maximum-load reference.
Last verified 2026-09-02.