Lincoln MKT Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Lincoln MKT options? We analyzed 10 model years (2010–2019) 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 MKT has 295 owner complaints and 31 safety recalls across model years 2010–2019. The most reported issue area is STEERING. 2015 drew the most complaints; 2017 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Lincoln
- Model
- MKT
- Model years analyzed
- 2010–2019 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 295
- Safety recall campaigns
- 31
- Crash-related complaints
- 6
- Fire-related complaints
- 3
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2015 (24 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2017 (3 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- STEERING
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Lincoln MKT: 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 MKT has 295 NHTSA complaints and 31 recalls on record. 6 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 295 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 31 federal recall campaigns
- 6 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: Oct 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
31 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.
STRUCTURE:BODY
STRUCTURE:BODY
STRUCTURE:BODY
STRUCTURE:BODY
SUSPENSION:REAR
SUSPENSION:REAR
SUSPENSION:REAR
SUSPENSION:REAR
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
PARKING BRAKE
CHILD SEAT:TETHER: CONNECTOR/CLIP
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2010–2019. 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 295 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
295 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.
The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln MKT. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number:25V827000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the rubber strip located along the interior of the front driver side door had started to detach from the bottom of the door. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln MKT. The contact stated while driving after the vehicle had been in idling for 4-5 minutes, there was an excessive amount of smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was making abnormal rattling sounds while driving at various speeds. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle occasionally failed to start. The contact was able to start the vehicle after two attempts; however, there was a significant amount of smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that he was able to drive the vehicle; however, the vehicle would not exceed 30-35 MPH. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V925000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) because the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
THIS VEHICLE IS A RENTAL FROM BUDGET. ON 11/10 - 11/11/17, DRIVING FROM FT MYERS, FL TO KNOXVILLE, TN, ON I-75, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 55-80 MPH, WHILE CHANGING LANES, VEHICLE WOULD START TO STEER SMOOTHLY EITHER TO LEFT OR RIGHT, AND THEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE (DART) MORE TO LEFT OR RIGHT. TO ME IT ACTED LIKE IF TURNING LEFT, THE LEFT WHEEL SUDDENLY ENCOUNTERED SOME DRAG, LIKE IN MUD OR SAND AND SAME FOR RIGHT TURNING, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ACTED AS IF IT HIT SOMETHING TO CAUSE DRAG OR RESISTANCE WHICH WOULD MAKE THE VEHICLE ACT LIKE IT WAS OVER-STEERING. HAPPENED OFTEN. MAKES DRIVER FEEL SOME DEGREE OF LOSS OF CONTROL
The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKT. The contact stated the black panel trim had detached while driving at 55 MPH on the highway. The driver ran over the plastic. The contact received the recall notification letter for the NHTSA Campaign Number. 25V827000 (Back Over Prevention) The contact called the local dealer regarding the recall. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Shults Ford Harmarville, 1300 Gulf Lab Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15238, where it was diagnosed, but they were unsure if the part was covered. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 133,200.
Car started to hesitate, then when I stopped at a light it started running rough like it wanted to stall. Then the engine light started blinking. Vehicle was towed to dealership. All fuel injectors, spark plugs, and ignition coils replaced.
The problem is with the rear camera alerts. Sometimes, when I am backing up, it does not alert me when a person is walking in back of my car or sometimes it is a moving vehicle, and I am in reverse and slowly backing up. All of a sudden I see them right there in back of me so I step on the break quickly, or I would have hit them. It doesn’t always happen, but it has on numerous occasions. This has been happening for a few months now. I forget about it, until it happens again. Today on News Break on my phone, it was informing people with 2016-2018 vehicles that there is a recall on some of these vehicles. So I called Luther Ford in Fargo and told him what happens sometimes, but not always. He told me if there was a problem with the rear camera, there would be a message in my dash warning me of a problem. Then he ran my VIN number and told me there were no recalls for my vehicle. He never took in account, that there might be something wrong with my rear camera. I don’t know if he intended to talk down to me because I am a woman, but that is the way I felt. I will never take my vehicle there again. I had stopped taking my car there before because their oil change and inspection took about 20 minutes. No one can do a thorough inspection and oil change in that time. I ended up telling him twice that “you aren’t going to help me, are you. The second time I hung up on him.
Read 14 more owner reports
On [XXX] the drivers side keyless entry fell off our vehicle while traveling on the Ohio turnpike. The wiring harness held the trim component from falling off the vehicle, but caused it to fling and smash into the vehicle until we pulled off the turnpike. We duct taped the part in place until we could get the vehicle to our local Lincoln dealer. I noticed that the part had no clips to hold it into place, just double sided sticky tape that had only adhered to about 1/3 of the frame. On inspection, we noticed that the passenger side trim was also loose. I was told by Lincoln that at 53,000 miles this was a trim part and not considered an electrical component. We purchased a new component (part # BE9Z7420555BA) and had the dealership (Signature Ford of Owosso, MI) install the part. Now on [XXX] we heard a rattle coming from the drivers door. On inspection, the new part has almost came off again as well as the passenger side trim. We checked for a recall and found that the Ford Edge (the same basic vehicle with a Ford logo) has a recall on this same component. Can you be of any help in this matter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKT. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the exterior windshield trim on the driver's side door detached. After some time, the exterior windshield trim on the passenger's side door also detached. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who did not provide a specific diagnosis, but the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 49,000.
My wife and I purchased a Certified, Pre-Owned, 2018 Lincoln MKT for her in July. Last month we finally looked at dash covers. Many Ford vehicles, including ours, have Adaptive Cruise Control. One feature included in this option is a Collision Warning System which flashes a row of red lights on the dash when it activates. Several manufacturers required the dash cover purchaser to check off whether, or not, their vehicle had Adaptive Cruise Control. My wife liked a fabric pattern offered by Coverking. When I found no place to check off Adaptive Cruise Control on their order system, I stopped placing the order and sent them an inquiry as to whether their dash covers had the necessary cutout for this feature because it doesn’t do any good to have such a great safety feature if the dash cover blocks the flashing lights. They responded and referred me to the following on their website “All Coverking Dash Covers are designed from the original vehicle dashboard using sophisticated software. Therefore, all cutouts, sensors, cup holders, and airbag openings are studied and the Coverking Dash Cover is designed not to interfere. Making the Coverking Dash Cover a superior product over the competition.” With that assurance, I returned to the website and placed my order. I was surprised to receive a dash cover with no cutout for the red lights. See attached picture. Please note that I MADE THE CUTOUT shown in the picture. You can see the absence of the black edge trim around the cutout I made. Blocking the driver from being able to see a very important safety feature when it activates, and which is intended to help the driver avoid a collision. is inexcusable. Question: “How many avoidable accidents have drivers had due to the negligence of Coverking in not providing the necessary cutout over the Collision warning red lights?”
NAVIGATOR SYSTEM, BLUETOOTH SYSTEM, ARE DISCONNECTED ALL THE TIME, IN THE MIDDLE OF ANY TRIP.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKT. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V827000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the passenger's side B-pillar trim had partially detached. Additionally, the contact stated that the rear-view camera was intermittently inoperable. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.
The engine light continues to come on and the only reading it gives off is that the engine is running lean. Nothing seems to be smoking or wrong with the vehicle. It continues to drive well. Then the backup cameras started to go on a blink. It comes off and on intermittently sometimes on while driving forward and less frequently on when in reverse.
Panoramic sunroof shattered and it’s broken in pieces now; No longer just shattered I am on the phone with a George Hilliker from the Newark CarMax now. To my dismay there is nothing that can be done since this is not a mechanical defect. So at this point I am going to definitely cancel the extended CarMax care that I did sign up for him to help offset my cost for my deductible to deal with this damage. I would regret not turning around and returning the car on May 4 just because I heard the sound and had no idea what the consequences of that would turn into. I will also convey this in the survey request that I have received from Carmax. Taking this up any further would only cause me more frustration and money, But at this juncture I will definitely speak with a lawyer to see what my options are that way sinceI am now stuck with this vehicle. Granted had I known it had started breaking the glass on the third I would’ve returned it at any Carmax between Colorado and Delaware.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 LINCOLN MKT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V072000 (SUSPENSION) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR A DEALER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
WHILE MAKING A TURN ONTO HIGHWAY MY ELECTRIC POWER STEERING COMPLETELY WENT OUT WITH CARS TURNING NEXT TO ME. IT YANKED THE WHEEL OUT OF MY HAND ALMOST CAUSING A CRASH. THEN A WINDOW APPEARS IN LY CAR SAYING YOUR STEERING HAS FAILED PULL OVER SAFELY . LITTLE LATE FOR THAT. AFTER GETTING CAR TO DEALER AND WAITING I SEARCHED AND FOUND ELECTRIC STEERING RECALL FROM 2015 SOME 400K CARS. THE SAME YEAR MINE WAS BUILT. DEALER SAYS NO BUT ITS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM.
I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR LESS THAN A YEAR AND THE MOONROOF HAS SHATTERED ON ME TWICE ALREADY. THE FRONT ONE TO BE EXACT, BOTH TIMES IT WAS RAINING BUT NORMAL RAIN, I LIVE IN NORTHEN CALIFORNIA. NO OBJECTS HIT MY CAR AND NO ACCIDENT. IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOUD GUNSHOT NEAR YOU AND ITS VERY SCARY I ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I SWERVED TO NEXT LANE DUE TO BEING SCARED OF THE LOUD NOISE. FIRST TIME I WAS ON MY WAY TO RENO AND I HAD TO KEEP GOING BUT IT WAS HELL AND ONE OF THE WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. PART OF THE GLASS FLEW OFF WITHIN MINUTES OF ME DRIVING SO RAIN GOT INTO MY CAR. I HAD TO TAPE A TARP DOWN WITH GORILLA TAPE TO GET TO A SAFE DESTINATION. THERE WAS GLASS INSIDE THE CAR AND MY LITTLE BROTHER GOT CUT ON HIS ARM, THIS GLASS IS THICK AND HEAVY! THE SECOND TIME WAS 8 MONTHS AFTER I HAD IT REPAIRED. RAINING AGAIN BUT THIS TIME I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN I HEARD THE GUNSHOT NOISE AND I IMMEDIATELY KNEW WHAT HAPPENED. I WAS SCARED BUT SO VERY UPSET THAT IT HAPPENED AGAIN JUST MONTHS APART. IT'S VERY UPSETTING THAT LINCOLN HAS NOT RECOGNIZED THIS AS A DEFECT ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS BLOGS AS ON HERE THE SAME COMPLAINT FROM PEOPLE ALL OVER THE US THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. IT'S SO UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND UPSETTING BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN THAT HUGE DEFECT. ON TOP OF THAT THIS REPAIR IS COSTLY, GLASS ALONE IS $1400-1600 WITHOUT LABOR IN MY AREA. I HOPE THAT LINCOLN WILL SOON TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND I PLAN TO KEEP FIGHTING THIS FIGHT AS I HAVE A FEELING THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. I FEEL SO UNSAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE NOW. I REALLY HOPE MORE PEOPLE COMPLAIN AND SPEAK UP.
REAR WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED. DAYLIGHT HOURS, APPROXIMATELY 70 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS, PARKED IN SHADED AREA. DRIVER WALKED TO VEHICLE, SAT IN DRIVER SEAT, CLOSED DRIVER-SIDE DOOR, AND STARTED VEHICLE UNEVENTFULLY. LESS THAN ONE MINUTE LATER THE REAR WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED. DRIVER CUT LEFT HAND ON BROKEN GLASS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RETRIEVE PERSONAL BELONGINGS IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT.
WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY, THE MOONROOF ON MY VEHICLE EXPLODED (SOUNDED LIKE A .38 GOING OFF). I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED (THINKING MAYBE IT WAS A BLOWN TIRE) ONLY TO FIND THAT THE MOONROOF HAD COMPLETELY SHATTERED (SEE ATTACHED PICTURES). I HAD TWO OTHER PEOPLE IN MY VEHICLE AT THE TIME. FORD KNOWS THAT THIS IS A FLAW AND WON'T RECALL THESE VEHICLES IN WHICH I BELIEVE SHOULD BE MANDATORY AS IT IS A HIGHLY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE.
MY MOONROOF SHATTERED WITH NO REASON AS I WAS PULL FROM MY DRIVEWAY. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE 28 DEGREES NOT EVEN COLD FOR A CHICAGO. I WAS DRIVING NO MORE THAN 15 MILES AND NO HARD BRAKES OR BUMPS JUST SUDDENLY CRACKED ALL OVER.
my power steering sensor fault light came on and it was recalled a while back & expired a few months ago unbeknownst to me.
Showing 20 of 295 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Lincoln MKT
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 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 MKT, 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 MKT has 295 complaints on record across 10 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 MKT has 31 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. 6 of the Lincoln MKT's 295 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 MKT vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Lincoln MKT 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 MKT 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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How does the Lincoln MKT stack up? Compare complaint history with similar vehicles.
By state
Check a Lincoln MKT 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 MKT.
Research more
Keep researching before you buy
Compare brands and categories, then check the exact car's history by VIN.
Lincoln MKT reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Lincoln MKT reliable?
Poor. The Lincoln MKT has 295 NHTSA owner complaints and 31 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 MKT years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2015 (24 complaints), 2019 (17 complaints), 2016 (9 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 MKT problems?
Top reported issues: STEERING (101 complaints); STRUCTURE (48 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (43 complaints).
Does the Lincoln MKT have recalls?
Yes — 31 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Lincoln MKT. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.