2012 Lincoln MKX Problems, Recalls & Reliability

108 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Lincoln MKX, alongside 1 recall campaign and 0 defect investigations. It scores 24/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 68,700 miles.

108Complaints
24/100Trouble index
1Recalls
64,258Typical trouble mileage

Typical

Where 2012 sits among all MKX years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Brakes & stability 33 complaints (31%) · typically ~68,700 miles
“I was driving and brakes went to floor no pedal at all. Before this happened the pedal was stiff and hard to push. There are no brake leaks master cylinder is full the brake pads are fine. I was wondering if it had a brake booster issue”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 MKX
Electrical 19 complaints (18%) · typically ~89,000 miles
Transmission & drivetrain 11 complaints (10%) · typically ~65,500 miles
Body & structure 10 complaints (9%) · typically ~57,060 miles
Other 9 complaints (8%)
Engine 8 complaints (7%)

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 79 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 64,258 miles. Half of those reports fall between 37,000 and 97,400 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (1)

POWER TRAIN 14V393000 2014

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles manufactured September 2, 2010, to November 30, 2013; 2013-2014 Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured August 25, 2011, to November 30, 2013; and…

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to make sure that the halfshaft is properly retained. If it is not, dealers will replace the linkshaft and also replace the halfshaft…

Technical service bulletins

56 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and body & structure — are on file for the 2012 Lincoln MKX. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2012 MKX TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2011peak 16 in 20172025

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2012 Lincoln MKX reliable?

The 2012 Lincoln MKX drew 108 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 24/100, scored against the model's worst year (2007).

What are the most common 2012 Lincoln MKX problems?

The top reported problems for the 2012 Lincoln MKX are brakes & stability (33 complaints), electrical (19), and transmission & drivetrain (11).

At what mileage do 2012 Lincoln MKX problems show up?

Owners most often report 2012 Lincoln MKX problems around 64,258 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 37,000 and 97,400 miles.

Does the 2012 Lincoln MKX have recalls?

1 recall campaign applies to the 2012 Lincoln MKX. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

← 2011 MKX All MKX years 2013 MKX →
Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.