Lincoln MKS Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Lincoln MKS options? We analyzed 8 model years (2009–2016) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Lincoln MKS has 372 owner complaints and 19 safety recalls across model years 2009–2016. The most reported issue area is STEERING. 2013 drew the most complaints; 2016 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Lincoln
- Model
- MKS
- Model years analyzed
- 2009–2016 (8 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 372
- Safety recall campaigns
- 19
- Crash-related complaints
- 23
- Fire-related complaints
- 7
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2013 (141 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2016 (3 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- STEERING
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Lincoln MKS: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe LINCOLN MKS has 372 NHTSA complaints and 19 recalls on record. 23 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 372 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 19 federal recall campaigns
- 23 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
19 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
PARKING BRAKE
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2009–2016. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 372 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
372 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
AC BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR CONTROL MODULE FAULTY CAUSES FAN TO BE STUCK IN ONE SPEED THEN SYSTEM VARIES UP AND DOWN AND VENTS SMOKE. FORWARD WARNING COMES ON FOR NO REASON?
VEHICLE STARTED TO LOOSE POWER. THE "SEE OWNER'S MANUAL" LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO A NEARBY DEALER AT: ATCHINSON FORD, BELLEVILLE, MI, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE MECHANISN WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. FE
FAULTY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSES THE CAR TO CUT OFF! STALL! FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND THEN IT STARTS BACK UP. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED FIVE TIMES!
LINCOLN IS CURRENTLY RECALLING 2015 CARS FOR REAR CAMERA FAILURES. MINE FAILED ON [XXX]. I AM [XXX] AND USE THE CAMERA FOR BACKING UP AND PARKING. MY MODEL IS NOT IN THE RECALL. I HAD THE REPAIRS DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR $857.00! ON THE REPAIR ORDER IT STATES; "CUSTOMER STATES THAT REAR CAMERA IS UPSIDE DOWN AND HAS NO COLOR AND SCREEN WILL GO BLACK." THIS IS EXACTLY THE REASON FOR THE RECALL #25V695. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY 2015 MKS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL , AND WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRS. THANK YOU, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Water leaks from the drip rail moldings down into the side airbags which could cause a shortage and unintentional air bag deployment.
Backup camera fails to initialize in reverse causing a safety concern by not knowing what’s behind you.
Read 14 more owner reports
In early 2024 the parking aids failed. Then the heater air conditioning buttons. Now the voice commands, Navigation and back up camera have failed. No accidents resulted , but this ia a large car and when shifting from reverse to drive screen remains blank.
The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH or faster, the vehicle lost automotive power. During the failure the vehicle was coasted over to the side of the road and turned off for one minute before the vehicle restarted and continued driving. The failure was intermittent but had occurred twice within 10 minutes during the most recent failure. An unidentified warning light was illuminated during the failure. The failure occurred mainly while driving on highways or freeways. The rear-view camera intermittently failed to display an image of the rear of the vehicle. The failure had become more persistent over time. During an oil change, it was discovered that the drive axle from the rear to the front of the vehicle was leaking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The front sensor to bumper coming up to check ok at every time you start the vehicle. In-between 30mph to 50mph It hesitates and feels like it's jumping in and out, if you do a hard acceleration you don't feel it, not sure if it's through the fuel system for the transmission. Check to see if codes were coming up with the machine and the vehicle shows no codes, With heartbreaking the front will shimmy
Steering gear for power assistance failed while driving and the steering gear had to be replaced. Car became very difficult to steer. Luckily was not driving at speed and it happened in a parking lot. I live in a mountainous area with lots of curves. Could have easily resulted in an accident. Was able to drive back home slowly as it happened while in my sub-division. Had to have car towed to the nearest dealer for repairs as it was unsafe to drive at speed.
I have noticed a coolant leak that is the result of a faulty water pump design. To make it worse, the rocket scientists at Ford Motor Company buried the water pump internally in the engine. It is a very expensive repair on what should be a component bolted to the exterior of the engine. There are numerous Class Action Lawsuits against FMC for this matter. I think a recall should be issued or compensation for repairs on what is a very expensive endeavor. My wife drives this car. I am going through the repair process. FMC is known to have hidden the problem. Please issue a recall so people are not burdened by a bad corporate decision. Faulty water pumps can cause engine failure resulting in an accident on the public roadway. Cars should have building codes that forbid these stupid designs. Cars should be designed to be easier to repair with modularity. As a government agency, this is in the public interest to make FMC accountable for their faulty design and issue a recall or compensation for repairs related to this faulty part. MK
The vehicle is exhausting leaked fluid through the vents inside cabin at 23,000 miles causing headaches and fatigue. The Power transfer unit does not allow for maintenance and has no drain plug. The unit seems to fail alot with Fords when looking online. It is dangerous for the driver to smell this inside the cabin.
The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln MKS. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for routine servicing and was informed that the rear suspension toe links were loose and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact learned of a previous recall for the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 LINCOLN MKS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WAS READING 3/4 OF A TANK AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK. THE CONTACT STATED SHE NOTICED A FUEL LEAK INSIDE THE VEHICLE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V605000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S AND FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT PANELS WERE DETACHING FROM THE VEHICLE AND PREVENTED HER FROM BEING ABLE TO MOVE THE SEATS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND JERKED INTO GEAR WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER RICHMOND FORD LINCOLN (4600 W BROAD ST, RICHMOND, VA 23230, (804) 358-5521) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE SEAT PANELS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WITH THE FUEL TANK READING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE WITH THE SEAT PANELS. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,160.
STEERING SHUT DOWN , COULD NOT MOVE STEERING WHEEL. HAD I NOT BEEN ON STRAT ROAD, GONG 70 MPH WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.THIS EXTREMALY BAD SITUATION. INTERSTATE90
I TOOK MY 2015 LINCOLN MKS TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE A WATER PUMP. AFTER THEY INSPECTED MY VEHICLE, THEY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS INDEED A BAD WATER PUMP. THEY QUOTED THAT IT WOULD TAKE 15 HOURS FOR THE REPAIR AND COST $2,500. I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO HAVE MY CAR REPAIRED AND PAID $2,547. 5 DAYS LATER MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR STOPPED AND FILLED THE CAR WITH GAS. HE DROVE THE CAR 1000 FT AND NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE PARKED THE CAR AND GOT OUT AND THE CAR IGNITED WITH THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE FIRE DESTROYED THE ENTIRE CAR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE.*DT*JB
AT TIMES, WHILE DRIVING, MY ENGINE WILL STALL AND SLOW DOWN REGARDLESS IF I'M STILL PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. I GENERALLY SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AND WAIT LIKE THIRTY SECONDS AND RESTART. IT IS USUALLY OK THEN UNTIL THE NEXT EPISODE. I INCLUDED THE LAST DATE IT HAPPENED. IT HAS BEEN DOING IT OVER MY YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 LINCOLN MKS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED LINCOLN OF CINCINNATI LOCATED AT (9620 MONTGOMERY RD, CINCINNATI, OH 45242) AND WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 27,000.
I HAVE A 2015 LINCOLN MKS PURCHASED IN MAY 2016. IT HAS A MALFUNCTIONING FCIM PANEL . WHEREBY THE HEATER WILL TURN ON ALL BY ITSELF AND GOES UP TO ITS HIGHEST TEMPS TIRE AND THEN STOP. IT HAS A TOUCH SCREEN TO TURN DOWN OR OFF TO ALLOW YOU TO RESET THE TEMPS. BUT IS NOW NOT WORKING AND TEMP STUCK ON HEAT AND VEHICLE IS NOW UNDRIVABLE. AND FORD/LINCOLN REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM, LET ALONE FIX IT DESPITE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR 1 1/2 YEARS.
MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. I HAVE TO STOP VEHICLE ON SIDELINE OPEN THE DOOR AND START IT AGAIN FOR IT TO START. I DIDN'T RAN INTO THIS ISSUE FOR FEW DAYS BUT IT OCCURRED AGAIN TODAY IN MORNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE ISSUE GET RESOLVED WHEN I STOP THE CAR AND START IT AGAIN AND THERE IS NO ERROR CODE OR ISSUES THAT I CAN USE TO DIAGNOSE AND GET THE ISSUE RESOLVED WITH CAR. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER IN CAR IS TERRIFYING ON HIGHWAY
Showing 20 of 372 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Lincoln MKS
These pages show model-year patterns across 8 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Lincoln MKS, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Lincoln MKS has 372 complaints on record across 8 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Lincoln MKS has 19 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 23 of the Lincoln MKS's 372 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Lincoln MKS vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Lincoln MKS vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Lincoln MKS has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
Check a Lincoln MKS by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Lincoln MKS.
Research more
Keep researching before you buy
Compare brands and categories, then check the exact car's history by VIN.
Lincoln MKS reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Lincoln MKS reliable?
Poor. The Lincoln MKS has 372 NHTSA owner complaints and 19 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is STEERING. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Lincoln MKS years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2013 (141 complaints), 2009 (56 complaints), 2010 (51 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Lincoln MKS problems?
Top reported issues: STEERING (120 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (55 complaints); ENGINE (47 complaints).
Does the Lincoln MKS have recalls?
Yes — 19 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Lincoln MKS. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.