Reliability & cost of ownership
Lincoln MKZ Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Lincoln MKZ? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
Lincoln MKZ problems by model year
96 recall entries and 1,668 owner complaints on file across 15 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 MKZ | 1 | 2 | 5.0 | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2019 MKZ | 1 | 21 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2018 MKZ | 2 | 36 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2017 MKZ | 4 | 140 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2016 MKZ | 7 | 64 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2015 MKZ | 11 | 84 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2014 MKZ | 14 | 97 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2013 MKZ | 13 | 109 | 5.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2012 MKZ | 6 | 146 | 4.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2011 MKZ | 7 | 145 | 4.0 | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2010 MKZ | 9 | 170 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2009 MKZ | 7 | 114 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2008 MKZ | 5 | 281 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2007 MKZ | 5 | 259 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2006 MKZ | 4 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Lincoln MKZ, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- air bags674 complaints
- service brakes199 complaints
- engine164 complaints
- electrical system121 complaints
- steering115 complaints
- unknown or other104 complaints
- power train94 complaints
- service brakes, hydraulic85 complaints