What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2012 Lincoln MKZ

Typical pattern

5.1% of complaints about the 2012 Lincoln MKZ came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2012 vehicle — around the middle of the 201 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.1 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (68 complaints), typically at 5.5 yr or about 42,000 miles.

Complaints
176
Median age at failure
6.1 yr
Median mileage
53,500 n=97
Crash / fire / tow
14.2% of reports
Safety recalls
6 2 do not drive

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Air bags
68 reports · 42,000 mi
5.5 yr
7.4%
Other
22 reports · 51,000 mi
6.8 yr
13.6%
Steering
20 reports · 65,000 mi
8.3 yr
25%
Service brakes
17 reports · 58,000 mi
8.7 yr
11.8%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

19V001000 2019-01-07 Do not drive
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Ford is recalling certain 2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles and 2011-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia,

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

17V024000 2017-01-10 Do not drive
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain 2009 Ford Ranger, Edge, Fusion and Mustang, Lincoln MKX, MKZ and Zephyr and Mercury Milan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, De

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

21V158000 2021-03-10
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

21E013000 2021-02-16
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain air bag inflator and/or module replacement service parts that may have been used as part of a collision repair. The parts include certain driver-side air bag inflators and/or modules, designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang and Mustang GT500. It also includes certain passenger-side air bag inflators and/or modules designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang, 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ, 2010-2012 Ford Fusion, 2010-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2011 Ford Ranger, and 2007-2010 Lincoln MKX vehicles. Please see Ford's recall report for the specific part numbers. T

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

18V775000 2018-11-01
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ vehicles that previously received a replacement passenger air bag under recall 16V-384, 17V-024 or 18V-046. In the event of a crash requiring deployment of the passenger air bag, the bracket that secures the air bag inflator to the module housing may deform, allowing the gas that inflates the air bag to leak out.

If the air bag does not inflate as intended, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

15V340000 2015-06-02
Steering:electric power assist system

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with any available engine. The affected vehicles have electric power steering assist systems that may shut down as a result of a steering motor sensor fault.

If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

In owners’ own words

Steering 4,700 mi 11 mo in service
I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 15 MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN POWER STEERING FROZE. WARNING LIGHT "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC" AND "POWER STEERING FAILURE CAME ON. I TURNED CAR OFF AND ON AND STEERING WAS BACK TO NORMAL. TWO DAYS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER STARTING THE CAR. THIS SITUATION IS VERY DANGEROUS, AS THE CAR WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL. CAR IS AT DEALER NOW, THEY SAY PART HAS A BACKLOG OF OVER 1700 UNITS. COULD TAKE MONTHS FOR REPAIR. *TR
Steering 20,222 mi 2.7 yr in service
ON TURNING RIGHT POWER STEERING SHUTS OFF AND ONLY HAD MANUAL STEERING CONTROL UNTIL WHEELS WERE STRAIGHTENED AND THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. THIS ONLY HAPPENS ON TURNING RIGHT. WENT TO DEALER COMPLAINT IS ON FILE , DEALER SAID NOTHING WRONG NEW CARS POWER STEERING DIFFERENT THAN PREVIOUS CARS. THIS IS TERRIBLE AND IF NOT FIXED I AM GOING TO TRADE IN THIS CAR. IT IS THE WORST STEERING AUTO I EVER HAD. I AM 83 AND I HAVE HAD A LOT OF CARS IN MY LIFETIME FROM DIFFERENT AUTO COMPANIES BUT NONE EVER HAD THIS STEERING PROBLEM.. *TR
Steering 34,000 mi 3.0 yr in service crash / fire / tow
ON SPETEMBER 5, 2014, I WAS TRAVELING IN MISSOURI. THE CAR DIDN'T SEEM TO HANDLE AS IT SHOULD. I HAD A STOP SIGN, AND IT SEEMED TO BE OKAY THEN. I DECIDED TO SLOW DOWN IN CASE THERE WAS AN ISSUE. THE FIRST CURVE I CAME TO, THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN RIGHT, AND WENT DOWN A STEEP EMBANKMENT. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, I WAS NEVER ABLE TO STEER IT RIGHT TOWARDS THE ROAD AGAIN. MY LEFT KNEE WAS INJURED. ALSO, THE CAR NEEDED A NEW PCM. ...UPDATED 01/29/15 *BF
Air bags 55,555 mi 5.5 yr in service
TAKATA RECALL. I GOT A RECALL NOTICE FROM LINCOLN, BUT YOUR SITE SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL.

Other MKZ model years

2017201520142013201220112010200920082007

How to read this