Head-to-head reliability
Lincoln MKT vs Toyota Camry
How the Lincoln MKT and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Lincoln MKT averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Lincoln MKT has 291 complaints and 31 recalls on record; Toyota Camry has 2,128 complaints and 31 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Lincoln MKT | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 291 Better | 2,128 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 31 | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 6 Better | 181 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 29.1 Better | 212.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 5 Better | 163 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Lincoln MKT
- 01STEERING100
- 02STRUCTURE46
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER43
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM28
- 05ENGINE24
“Car begin smoking out of the back took car to dealership car oil was low. Car dealership refilled oil and told me to come back after driving 1000 miles. Car began smoking again like it was going to catch on fire took car in was told the turbo boost failed. De…”
“ON 12/10/2018 AT 5 PM I MADE A RIGHT TURN TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC WHEN MY POWER STEERING FAILED MID TURN. SHOCKED AND SURPRISED AT TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING, I VEERED INTO THE ON COMING TRAFFIC NOT BEING ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN THE PROPER LANE BECAUSE OF THE AM…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN391
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER340
- 03ENGINE312
- 04SERVICE BRAKES290
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM241
“My 2020 Toyota Camry SE suffered a sudden and premature transmission failure at only 114,000 miles. I am a college student and I cannot afford a major repair like this on top of my monthly car payment. The car began showing hesitation and sluggish acceleratio…”
“I purchased my vehicle from a certified used car dealership in Connecticut in 2020 with a little over 1800 miles. Since purchasing the vehicle, it has been very reluctant to down shift and had slight transmission whine. I was notified of a recall for I believ…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Lincoln MKT — 31 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKT vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving.
The risk: Door trim that detaches while driving can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will repair the B-pillar trim, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 23, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in July 2026. Owner…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKT vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving.
The risk: Door trim that detaches while driving can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will repair the B-pillar trim, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 23, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in July 2026. Owner…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
The risk: A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. Remedy parts are not currently available. Owners were notified about the recall on March 3, 2020. A second notice will be mailed when remedy p…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
The risk: A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. Remedy parts are not currently available. Owners were notified about the recall on March 3, 2020. A second notice will be mailed when remedy p…
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid and Lexus ES300h and 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles equipped with 2.5L 4-Cylinder engines. Porosity in the engine castings may result in cracks than can allow coolant to le…
The risk: A coolant leak can cause the engine to overheat and cause a vehicle stall in conventional gasoline vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, for all involved vehicles, the engine may get damaged mechanically, possibly resulti…
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine including the engine block, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 3, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus at 1…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2…
The risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models wil…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Lincoln MKT | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 14 | 390 |
| 2018 | 7 | 732 |
| 2017 | 3 | 148 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Lincoln MKT or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Lincoln MKT vs Toyota Camry
- Lincoln MKT total complaints
- 291
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,128
- Lincoln MKT total recalls
- 31
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- Lincoln MKT avg complaints/year
- 29.1
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 212.8
- More reliable overall
- Lincoln MKT
- Lincoln MKT top complaint area
- STEERING
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN