The Lincoln Zephyr spans 2006–2006 with 5 recorded NHTSA recalls and a 3.5/5 ForCar reliability score. The years to approach with caution are 2006 (most owner complaints); the cleanest are 2006. It delivers up to 20 mpg combined and NHTSA-rated safety.
How we score: NHTSA crash-test safety (40%), recall frequency across all years (25%) and the share of owner complaints involving a crash, fire or injury (35%). Based on NHTSA & EPA data — not user reviews.
Overview
The Lincoln Zephyr is one of the most popular vehicles in its class, produced from 2006 to 2006 across multiple generations.
How to read a Lincoln Zephyr VIN — every digit explained
Every Lincoln Zephyr carries a unique 17-character VIN stamped at the factory. Each position is a code — together they spell out where, when and how your car was built. Here's exactly what every digit means.
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Lincoln and the country it was built in.
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled this Zephyr.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
Digits 4–17 — the engine code (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard, identical on every car. For the full year-code table (2001–2026), country codes and where the VIN is stamped on your Zephyr, see the complete guide to reading a VIN.
How many recalls does the Lincoln Zephyr have?
The Lincoln Zephyr has 5 recorded NHTSA recalls across 2006–2006. Pick a year below to see its recalls — then verify open recalls against your specific VIN.
2006 Lincoln Zephyr recalls 5
Equipment
What's wrong. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain all weather driver side accessory floor mats sold for use in model year 2006-2011 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, 2006 Lincoln Zephyr, and 2007-2011 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured November 9, 2007, through October 31, 2010. The affected floor mats may move and possibly interfere with the accelerator pedal.
Risk. The floor mat could shift such that it could interfere with the accelerator pedal, preventing its return to an idle position, which could result in unintended vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install new replacement mats, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S07. NOTE: Vehicles built after October 31, 2010, while potentially equipped with the same floor mats, are equipped with a Brake Over Accelerator (BOA) feature that prevents simultaneous accelerator and brake application, allowing the vehicle to be safely stopped by pressing firmly and steadily on the brake pedal.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
What's wrong. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang 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 model year 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles and 2005-2008 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Any vehicle not included in "Zone A", or "Zone B" is not included in the safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix. Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Ford mailed interim letters informing owners that parts are not yet available on July 15, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
What's wrong. 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, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Ford is recalling certain 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ, 2005-2008 Ford Mustang and 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix. Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners of the recall and that parts are not yet available began mailing March 1, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
What's wrong. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not close properly.
Risk. If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid and install a new brake fluid reservoir cap. In addition, the HCU will be tested to detect a possible stuck valve condition, replacing the HCU as necessary. All services will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S54.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
What's wrong. 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.
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the passenger side, and November 14, 2022 for the driver side. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S12.
Best and worst years for the Lincoln Zephyr
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint volume across 1 tracked years, the worst years are 2006 and the best (fewest complaints) are 2006.
ForCar aggregate — our own analysis of complaint volume, not published by NHTSA.
| Year | Owner complaints | Top issue | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Zephyr | Air Bags | Avoid |
What are the most common Lincoln Zephyr problems?
The most-reported Lincoln Zephyr problems are Seats (3 reports), Tires (6 reports) and Engine (9 reports) — out of 229 owner complaints NHTSA holds for the model. Here's how they break down:
Most-reported components — tap a category to read what owners actually experienced:
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, all model years. Bar = share of total complaints. Full reports searchable on NHTSA.gov.
Lincoln Zephyr specifications & dimensions
The 2006 Lincoln Zephyr measures 191″ long on a 107″ wheelbase, with a curb weight near 3,406 lb. Full dimensions below — engine, horsepower and trim decode from your VIN. For the original factory build — MSRP, trim and standard equipment — rebuild the Lincoln Zephyr window sticker.
| Years | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Curb weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 191″ | 72″ | 56″ | 107″ | 3,406 lb |
Source: NHTSA vPIC / Transport Canada vehicle specifications. Metric values converted to imperial; generation ranges approximate.
Lincoln Zephyr cargo space, seating & interior room
How much the Zephyr holds — passengers and cargo. EPA measures its interior at 99 cu ft of passenger volume and 16 cu ft of cargo. Seating capacity and legroom vary by trim.
Exact seating capacity, third-row availability, legroom and headroom decode from your VIN or vary by trim — the original factory equipment & options list shows what each trim included.
Passenger & cargo volume from EPA fueleconomy.gov (largest configuration). Seats, legroom and headroom from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
Lincoln Zephyr tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What MPG does the Lincoln Zephyr get?
The Lincoln Zephyr returns up to 20 combined MPG (EPA), which works out to roughly $3,100/yr in fuel. Pick an engine to see MPG, annual running cost and CO₂ by year:
The 2006 Lincoln Zephyr (3L 6-cyl) gets 20 mpg combined and costs about $3,100/yr to fuel, emitting 444 g/mi CO₂ (smog 2/10) — about $4,500 more than the average new vehicle over 5 years.
| Year | City | Hwy | Comb | Fuel/yr | CO₂ g/mi | Smog | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Zephyr | 17 | 26 | $3,100 | 444 | 2/10 | 3L 6-cyl |
Source: EPA fuel-economy database (ForCar-hosted, 1986–2027) — best combined rating per engine & year, with EPA annual fuel cost and tailpipe CO₂. Trim & drivetrain vary slightly; decode your VIN for the exact figure.
See how the Zephyr stacks up against the most fuel-efficient sedans, or calculate this Zephyr's real yearly fuel cost.
What engines does the Lincoln Zephyr have? Power & range
The Lincoln Zephyr is offered with 1 powertrain — 3L 6-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.0L · 6-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
How much does a Lincoln Zephyr cost to own?
A Lincoln Zephyr tends to depreciate faster than average. A typical example keeps roughly 37% of its value after five years — losing about 63% to depreciation. Fuel, maintenance and insurance add to the total cost to own.
| Age | Value retained | Est. resale value | Lost to depreciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 75% | $22,500 | −$7,500 |
| Year 2 | 63% | $18,900 | −$11,100 |
| Year 3 | 53% | $15,900 | −$14,100 |
| Year 4 | 44% | $13,200 | −$16,800 |
| Year 5 | 37% | $11,100 | −$18,900 |
What goes into the five-year cost to own:
- Depreciation — the biggest cost: this Zephyr loses about 63% of its value over five years. See the full depreciation curve by age.
- Fuel — ≈ $15,500 over five years at roughly 15,000 miles a year.
- Maintenance & repairs — routine service, tires and wear items as the Zephyr ages.
- Insurance — varies by driver, state and trim; get a quote for your exact figure.
Resale & depreciation are ForCar estimates from typical segment value-retention curves — not a live market quote. Fuel from EPA fueleconomy.gov at ~15k mi/yr.
How much is a Lincoln Zephyr to insure?
A Lincoln Zephyr costs about $1,237 a year to insure for a typical driver on full coverage — roughly 14% below the average car. That's from its real HLDI insurance-loss index (86, where 100 = average car); your own rate moves with state, age, record and coverage.
Estimate = US-average premium × the Zephyr's HLDI loss index. See Lincoln insurance cost by model, cost by state, or compare any car.
Is the Lincoln Zephyr safe?
NHTSA crash-test ratings aren't published for the Zephyr yet — see the top-rated safest cars instead.
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How many miles does a Lincoln Zephyr last?
A well-maintained Lincoln Zephyr typically lasts 200,000–250,000 miles. With regular oil, transmission and timing service, most examples comfortably pass the 200,000-mile mark. Its ForCar Reliability Score is 3.5/5.
Check your Lincoln Zephyr’s VIN — history, recalls & specs
Title records, open recalls, build details and paint code — straight from the VIN. Free.
Check this Zephyr’s VIN free →All Lincoln Zephyr model years
A year-by-year snapshot of the Lincoln Zephyr — recalls, best EPA fuel economy and NHTSA safety. Tap a year for full details.
| Year | Recalls | Best MPG | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Zephyr | 5 recalls | — |
Recalls = NHTSA campaigns that year · MPG = best EPA combined · Safety = NHTSA overall stars (tested years).
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the Zephyr?
By owner-complaint volume, 2006 drew the most reports. 2006 have the cleanest records.
How many recalls does the Zephyr have?
5 recorded NHTSA recalls across 2006–2006. Always check open recalls by your VIN. See all Lincoln recalls and reliability across every model.
What MPG does the Zephyr get?
Up to 20 combined MPG (EPA), depending on engine — from the base 4-cylinder to the hybrid.
How many miles does a Zephyr last?
A well-maintained Zephyr typically reaches 200,000–300,000 miles with regular maintenance.
Is the Zephyr reliable?
Our ForCar Reliability Score for the Zephyr is 3.5/5, based on NHTSA safety, recall history and complaint severity.
What's the Lincoln Zephyr warranty?
New Lincoln models carry a 4 years / 50,000 miles basic (bumper-to-bumper) warranty and a 4 years / 50,000 miles powertrain warranty. Coverage can vary by model year and market — confirm with a Lincoln dealer.
Where is the Lincoln Zephyr made?
The assembly plant is encoded in the VIN — the 11th character. Decode your Zephyr's VIN above to see exactly where it was built; Lincoln may build it at more than one plant depending on the year.
How much does a Zephyr weigh?
The Zephyr's curb weight is around 3,406 lb. Its GVWR — the maximum loaded weight — decodes from the VIN.
How much ground clearance does the Zephyr have?
Ground clearance varies by trim and drivetrain — AWD/4WD versions often sit higher. Decode your VIN or check the specific trim for the exact figure.