Lincoln MKZ Years to Avoid — and the Years to Buy
Every Lincoln MKZ model year from 2007 to 2020, benchmarked against each other with 2,020 federal complaints, 35 recall campaigns, and the odometer readings owners put in their reports.
No standout lemon years. Complaint volume for the MKZ is fairly even across the range.
Safer bets: 2018 — the quietest years with at least four years on the road.
The method in one line: every NHTSA complaint for this model is counted, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, and deaths, and each year is measured against the MKZ's own worst year — full methodology.
Under investigation. Federal regulators currently have an open defect investigation on the Lincoln MKZ.
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
The trouble strip
One cell per model year. The whole answer in one glance — click any year for the full report.
The defining problem
Airbags tops the Lincoln MKZ file with 664 complaints, concentrated in the 2007–2008, 2010 model years, most often reported around 66,285 miles. The year pages break down what fails and when.
Every year, ranked
| Year | Verdict | Complaints | Recalls | Top problem | Trouble index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Few reports | 2 | 1 | — | 1 |
| 2019 | Few reports | 21 | 1 | — | 9 |
| 2018 | Better year | 40 | 2 | Engine | 12 |
| 2017 | Below average | 182 | 4 | Engine | 69 |
| 2016 | Typical | 78 | 7 | Brakes & stability | 30 |
| 2015 | Typical | 106 | 11 | Electrical | 30 |
| 2014 | Below average | 130 | 14 | Steering | 43 |
| 2013 | Below average | 146 | 13 | Electrical | 48 |
| 2012 | Below average | 176 | 6 | Airbags | 70 |
| 2011 | Below average | 180 | 7 | Airbags | 73 |
| 2010 | Below average | 197 | 9 | Airbags | 73 |
| 2009 | Below average | 129 | 7 | Airbags | 47 |
| 2008 | Below average | 328 | 5 | Airbags | 99 |
| 2007 | Below average | 305 | 5 | Airbags | 100 |
Technical service bulletins
Beyond complaints and recalls, 1,301 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, service campaigns, warranty extensions — are on file for the Lincoln MKZ. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Browse the Lincoln MKZ TSB list by year →
Questions buyers ask
What Lincoln MKZ years should I avoid?
No Lincoln MKZ year stands out as a lemon in federal complaint records; complaint volume is fairly even across the range.
What is the most common Lincoln MKZ problem?
Airbags tops the Lincoln MKZ file with 664 complaints, concentrated in the 2007–2008, 2010 model years, most often reported around 66,285 miles.
What are the best Lincoln MKZ years to buy used?
The quietest Lincoln MKZ years in federal records are 2018 — each with at least four years on the road and well-below-average complaint volume for this model.
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. Counts cover the Lincoln MKZ only, scored against this model's own worst year — not against other models. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.