2018 Lincoln MKX Problems, Recalls & Reliability
38 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2018 Lincoln MKX, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 9/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2018 Lincoln MKX has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2018 sits among all MKX years
What owners report
Recalls (5)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The rear brake jounce hose may rupture and leak brake fluid.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake jounce hoses and adjust brake jounce hoses with no damage present, free of charge. Interim owner letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture prematurely.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front brake hoses with the new hoses that have a revised braid material, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 13, 2021.…
Ford Motor Company, Inc. (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2019-2020 Nautilus vehicles equipped with 16-way electric tilt seats. The seat cushion frame edge may contact the wire harness when the seat occupant uses the tilt function of the…
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective flocking tape onto the exposed edge of the 16-way seat cushion frames, and inspect the wire harness for damage, and repair or replace it…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles. These vehicles may have door striker bolts that are shorter than intended. Vehicles with shorter door striker bolts fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor…
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door striker bolts, free of charge. The recall began October 18, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, 2019 Ford Flex, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. The power supply cables at the starter and the alternator may not have been properly secured, possibly resulting in an electrical arc.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator and starter motor power supply cables to verify that they are properly secured, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. The…
Technical service bulletins
141 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2018 Lincoln MKX. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2018 Lincoln MKX reliable?
The 2018 Lincoln MKX drew 38 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 9/100, scored against the model's worst year (2007).
What are the most common 2018 Lincoln MKX problems?
The top reported problems for the 2018 Lincoln MKX are other (9 complaints), brakes & stability (7), and electrical (6).
Does the 2018 Lincoln MKX have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2018 Lincoln MKX. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
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.