Lincoln owners have filed 11,632 complaints with NHTSA across 23 models. On average the car was 6.50 years old when the problem happened, and 23.3% of reports fall inside the first three years — while the factory warranty was still running.
What breaks on Lincoln
The systems Lincoln owners report most, and how often each failure ended in a crash.
| System | Complaints | Share of Lincoln | Ended in a crash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 12.8% | 9.5% | |
| Electrical System | 6.9% | 0.6% | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 6.3% | 0.5% | |
| Suspension | 5.4% | 1.9% | |
| Power Train | 5.1% | 4.5% | |
| Steering | 4.6% | 3.9% | |
| Engine | 4.5% | 0.6% | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4.4% | 21.1% |
When Lincoln problems show up
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Average age at failure | 6.50 years | How old the car was when the problem happened |
| Reported inside 3 years | 23.3% | Share of complaints filed while the factory warranty was likely still running |
| Complaints describing a crash | 675 | Of 11,632 total |
| Complaints describing a fire | 606 | Of 11,632 total |
A low average age does not automatically mean a fragile car: a brand with a young fleet on the road will always skew early. Read it next to the share reported inside three years.
Which Lincoln models draw the most complaints
Volume follows sales, so a bestseller will always top this list. The columns worth reading are age at failure and how many reports ended in a crash.
| Model | Complaints | Share of Lincoln | Avg age at failure | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOWN CAR | 22.8% | 7.2 yrs | 217 | |
| MKZ | 13.6% | 7.4 yrs | 94 | |
| CONTINENTAL | 11.6% | 6.1 yrs | 57 | |
| MKX | 11.4% | 7.3 yrs | 50 | |
| NAVIGATOR | 9.8% | 5.3 yrs | 72 | |
| LS | 6.8% | 6.2 yrs | 66 | |
| MKC | 5% | 6.2 yrs | 18 | |
| AVIATOR | 3.7% | 4.1 yrs | 16 | |
| MARK VIII | 2.9% | 7.9 yrs | 18 | |
| MKS | 2.9% | 6.6 yrs | 22 | |
| MKT | 2.4% | 6.1 yrs | 5 | |
| NAUTILUS | 2% | 3.0 yrs | 8 | |
| ZEPHYR | 1.8% | 9.6 yrs | 9 | |
| CORSAIR | 1.4% | 2.5 yrs | 7 | |
| LINCOLN | 0.6% | 5.4 yrs | 3 |
Lincoln complaints by model year
A bad generation shows up here as a block of years, not as a single spike. Recent years look quiet simply because those cars are young and still under warranty.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — | — | |
| 2025 | 1 | — | |
| 2024 | 8 | — | |
| 2023 | 2 | — | |
| 2022 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 8 | 4 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2018 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2017 | 16 | 7 | |
| 2016 | 13 | 10 | |
| 2015 | 13 | 3 | |
| 2014 | 13 | — | |
| 2013 | 19 | 9 | |
| 2012 | 13 | 2 | |
| 2011 | 23 | 8 | |
| 2010 | 34 | 3 | |
| 2009 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 20 | 2 | |
| 2007 | 45 | 13 | |
| 2006 | 32 | 6 | |
| 2005 | 22 | 4 | |
| 2004 | 30 | 5 | |
| 2003 | 26 | 3 | |
| 2002 | 28 | 6 |
What Lincoln owners report
Grouped by the system owners named. Open any row for the full reports, in their own words — one per model so the same fault does not repeat.
Air Bags 1,489 Read
On 6/9/22 I ran off the road and down a ravine. I hit a large tree head on and hit some smaller trees on the right side of the vehicle. After the head on collision with the large tree, it broke the frame in two places. The car had severe damage on the front and right side as you will notice in the pictures I am sending. No airbags deployed during this collision. I was shocked that none of them deployed after such a hard impact with the front of the car and the right side. The local police and fire department that arrived on the scene were very concerned that the air bags didn’t deploy. The towing company and body shop owner was also very concerned that the airbags didn’t deploy after he examined the car after the accident. I just want everyone to be aware of this safety feature that failed me after I paid $70k for a car with five star safety ratings
The contact owns a 2009 lincoln mks. The contact stated his wife the driver was at a stopped sign and while preceding into the intersection the vehicle front passenger side collided with another vehicle. The air bags deployed and within a few seconds a fire was started. However, the flames extinguished themselves and the vehicle cabin was filled with smoke. The contact stated that his wife's right side coat sleeve was on fire and she was able to exit the vehicle. The contact mentioned that his wife patted the coat sleeve to extinguish the coat flames. The contact mentioned that he was concerned that the fire was started due to the air bags gases as the air bags exploded. The fire department or police was not notified. The contact's wife went to urgent care for medical treatment due to shoulder pain and the injuries to her wrist from the fire. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the failure was not diagnosed but the contact stated that the mechanic stated that the was surprised that the air bags had deployed. The contact also stated that the airbags were cut out of the vehicle as he had the air bags. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA. The approximate failure mileage was 124,000
The contact owned a 2017 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while traveling at 40 MPH, the vehicle struck the front passenger side of another vehicle that made an illegal U-turn at a higher rate of speed. The vehicle spun out and came to a stop after crashing into a bus occupied by children. No air bags deployed, and the contact believed the air bags should have deployed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. Two individuals were injured. The contact was driving and sustained injuries to the head, neck, shoulders, knees, legs, chest, right elbow, right arm, and internal bruising from the seat belt. The other person sustained unknown injuries. Medical attention was required for the injuries sustained. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000
Electrical System 797 Read
My 2019 Lincoln Navigator was parked sitting for 2 hours before a fire under the belly of the vehicle became a blaze. Neighbors had to use a fire extinguisher to get the fire out. I was at work (Ford Motor Company) while my wife and kids just made it home and was out of the vehicle. Jack Demmer Lincoln service the vehicle due to it shutting down completely with no warnings. (The vehicle would shut completely down WHILE DRIVING for 5 to 8 seconds every time it goes over ANY BUMB OR UNEVEN SURFACE OR PATCHE in the road. It would come back on in neutral mode. I have to put it back in drive mode ALL WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING AT ANY SPEED IT WILL DO THIS.) They return the vehicle back to me as if everything was fixed. 4 weeks later it's a blaze of fire under the body
My fiance went out to start the car. The car wouldn't start, but the starter kept clicking for around 5 minutes even when she was out of the vehicle with the door shut. During that 5 minutes the car started to smoke really bad and you could smell an electrical fire. She ran in the house to get me. We started moving our other cars away from the Lincoln. As I was getting ready to call 911 the starter stopped clicking and the smoke from underneath the car went away. It has currently been at a Ford/Lincoln dealership for the past 2 weeks. They said that the starter fried that battery. This was really traumatic for my fiance because she constantly drives our kids around in the car. Now she's terrified that the car will catch fire again. We have video but it will not let me upload
The contact owned a 2016 lincoln mkx. The contact stated while coming out of a standstill, the vehicle stated "a train maintenance needed" warning light was illuminated. Shortly afterwards smoke was coming out of the engine compartment and the vehicle caught on fire. Fire marshals were called to scene and the fire was extinguished. A fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an insurance lot, where it was diagnosed with being destroyed. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with, NHTSA campaign number: 19V809000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was informed of failure and they apologized to contact for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,600
Engine And Engine Cooling 729 Read
The contact owns a 2006 lincoln navigator. While driving 50 mph, the vehicle crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags deployed and flames were noticed under the hood. The vehicle exploded five times. The fire department extinguished the fire and the vehicle was towed. A police report was filed. The cause of the fire was undetermined. The driver of the other vehicle sustained injuries to her face. The current and failure mileages were 32,000
The contact owns a 2011 lincoln mkx. While parking the vehicle, the low coolant level warning light illuminated and the vehicle started to smoke. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who stated that the module, which controlled the cooling system, failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 48,000
The contact owns a 1996 lincoln town car. The contact stated while driving 55 mph there was smoke emitting from the engine. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road where the contact observed that anti-freeze was covering the engine. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who stated that the intake manifold was cracked and would needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 101,000. Updated 10/24/2014*lj the consumer stated that the defective plastic intake manifold was covered in a class action lawsuit. The consumer believes that even though the date of the coverage expired the vehicle should still be covered. Updated 04/16/2015
Suspension 632 Read
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while driving 55-60 mph, she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a guardrail. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. No air bags deployed. The contact did not sustain any injuries nor sought medical attention. No police report was filed. The contact stated she continued driving to her residence. The contact's father inspected the vehicle and noticed the toe link was fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000
Ball joint separated from control arm causing control arm to drop to the ground. The same as your recall98v322000 but calling lincoln they said that my car was not part of the recall. Even though it did exactly what the recall said
The contact owns a 2001 lincoln ls. While driving 45 mph, there was a loud, abnormal noise coming from the front end. Within seconds, the entire front end dropped to the ground and the contact was unable to maintain control of the vehicle. The contact crashed into a row of bushes. He was not injured. The contact discovered that the front ball lower joints were fractured. The vehicle was towed to a local repair facility. The mechanic confirmed that the ball lower joints were fractured and had also damaged the radiator. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 112,000
Power Train 595 Read
Had transmission problems before this final issue. With that said the dealership ended up replacing the transmission as it was under warranty. Not even 2000 miles later we are coming back from vacation and I lost total power of the vehicle but since I was going around 70 mph we made it to the shoulder of the highway. Once there the vehicle was already smoking so we all got out of the vehicle and that’s when I saw the fire, and not even 3 minutes later it was totally in gulfed in flames
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while driving at various low speeds, a burning odor was detected. The burning odor affected the contact's asthma. Additionally, there was fluid leaking onto the garage floor. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with fluid leaking from the transfer case. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the mechanic. The dealer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN and due to the age of the vehicle, it was not covered. The manufacturer advised the contact to have the vehicle repaired by the dealer, and the dealer could request financial assistance on the contact's behalf. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000. Vehicle has not been repaired
The contact owns a 2018 lincoln mkc. The contact stated that on several occasions after the vehicle was parked with the engine turned off, the contact exited the vehicle and vehicle started to roll away. The contact attempted to reenter the vehicle but was unable to do so. The contact fell and sustained several bruises and minor cuts. The contact was certain that the shift lever was switched to the park position. The vehicle then crashed into a light pole. The vehicle was taken to heritage lincoln inc located at 900 w genesee st, syracuse, ny 13204, (315)472-4534 to be diagnosed, however the result was still pending. The damage to the vehicle was repaired, there was no additional repairs made to the vehicle. The manufacturer was not contacted nor informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000. The VIN was not available. *bf
Steering 532 Read
I was driving my 2013 limcoln mks and all of the sudden I could not turn the vehicle left or right. Then I had these 2 warnings: power assist fault and service advancetrac. This is very dangerous. It caused me to run my car into wall in front of me. It could have been a person. I called lincoln and was told there were no active recalls, yet no repairs ever on my steering. SO even though there was a recall for 2011-2013 limcoln mks power steering, it did not include my vin. I guess they just don't want to have to take responsibility. It boggles my mind how they can include or not include certain vins because my vehicle had the same thing happen as the recall for same year make and model, yet not my vin and it is allowed. Then when I get on the nhtsa website and see all of these same complaints, that it is perfectly ok because why? What is it, a sneaky way to continue with population control because covid didn't quite kill enough people for the government to reach their potential? This is ludicrous. It is ridiculous. It is unsafe. It is horrific that vehicles like mine are even allowed to drive on the road, with such a high risk on the road....seriously, why is my vin not included and what is the criteria when there is a recall for certain year make and model, why aren't every vehicle matching that year make and model included. To exclude them would mean that it had to be thoroughly investigated and investigating that thoroughly would mean to discover that indeed that vehicle
Recently purchased this vehicle, it’s got a different problem all the time usually electronics. The other day I was in a fender bender because I’m driving with the steering wheel 30-45 degrees to the right just so I can drive safe. Essence ford in Stuart FL where I purchased it, two different gentlemen thought it really bizarre but didn’t seem too concerned regarding my life at stake [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2013 lincoln mkt. The contact stated that the steering locked up while driving and the vehicle lost control and ran into a sign. The sign was on the other side of the road. The front bumper was torn off, the fender was bent and the rearview on the driver's side was also torn off. There were no injuries. The contact not sure if a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home and then taken to the dealer deacon jones ford (3301 mclain st, goldsboro, nc 27534 919-736-3387) they said the steering gear assembly had to replaced at a cost of $2,300.. The manufacturer stated that there was no recall for that issue and referred him to NHTSA. The failure mileage was 119,000
Engine 528 Read
My wife went to a friends house to drop something off, pulled in the driveway, pushed the Park button, got out of the vehicle, as she was walking away the car drove through their garage door. We paid about $3300 to have their door replaced. We just recently received a recall 26V402 that talks about this issue and it currently says there is not a remedy for it at this point
I purchased 2017 Lincoln MKC new almost immediately had electrical issues with it that has stayed throughout the vehicles life. At about 55,000 miles my car started acting up like it was misfiring. I took it to Lincoln and twice they said they couldn’t feel anything. I left the car over night because it mainly happened in morning starting up and going a certain speed. Lincoln called me and said it was something with transmission and they would fix it. The problem did not get better. At approximately 70,000 miles my engine light came on and I took it to be read. It read cylinder 1 misfire. I changed out my plugs and coils and had light reset. Light came back on at 71,000 engine over heating. I added/filled engine coolant. Light came on off and it was chalked up to an electrical issue they couldn’t find. I have had to refill my coolant several times as it drains quick in sumner heat and I have had to change my plugs and coils again. My car was recently at a Lincoln and they noted my spark plug and coils on the floor. They asked me about the radiator fluid and I explained what has been happening to my car since 55,000 miles. I was told that Lincoln is well aware that this is a problem with the MKC with radiator fluid leaking causing it to leak into out plugs, cause misfire and eventually seize the engine but there has not been a recall, leaving buyers stuck. My issue is that I went to dealership with these problems but was ignored and told it was something else. L
The contact owned a 2015 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that when started, the air conditioning system became inoperable. The contact observed smoke coming through the air vents. The vehicle was turned off. Additionally, the contact observed fire coming from under the glove box. The Fire Department arrived and extinguished the fire. The origin of the fire was unknown. The contact stated that the vehicle was a total loss. The contact was unsure where the vehicle was taken to. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 59,000
Vehicle Speed Control 507 Read
Run away lincoln navigator. In light of toyota's problems, the same problem occurred in 2007. Out of control acceleration, unable to stop, unable to shift to neutral. SUV kept increasing speed despite not depressing the gas pedal
Ford motor company, had a cruise control deactivation switch that was defective, so they decided to do a recall. But in stages, as to not scare off the consumers. My son was driving my 1993 lincoln mark viii, to which the cruise control switch had been activating. On 12-9-06 my son was driving his girlfriend home when ___ called her sister telling her she was right down the road, and then ____ called me saying ___ called __ but somethings wrong with car jump or up and the call dropped. The car left the road hitting tree. I received my recall in august of 2007. Then the lab results stated internal failure of the 05s28 sdcs, death certificate states ________ cause of death; smoke inhalation, which means the car was on fire before it hit the tree,thermal injuries due to fire,motor vehicle collision. It's hard to drive when your being burned to death. Ford cruise control switch fire death as of this date ford denies this claim . *tr updated 11/8/2017
The contact owns a 2007 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the driver pressed the accelerator pedal the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration, causing the vehicle's speed to suddenly increase above 65 MPH. The driver shifted the transmission to the neutral position, but the vehicle continued to increase speed. The driver then pressed the brake pedal, causing the vehicle to spin multiple times before crashing into a ditch. During the incident, no injuries were reported. A police report was taken at the scene, and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTS Hotline. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 140,000
Unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA. Percentages are shares of all 11,632 Lincoln complaints.
Lincoln against the rest
| Measure | Where Lincoln sits | Out of |
|---|---|---|
| By complaint volume | #24 | 29 brands with 3,000+ complaints |
| By age at failure (later is better) | #5 | 29 brands |
| Complaints ending in a crash | 5.8% | across all 11,632 reports |
Ranking by volume says more about how many cars a brand sells than about how they hold up. Age at failure is the fairer of the two.
Lincoln problems by model
16 Lincoln models have owner complaints on file. Pick one for its worst years, failing systems and what owners actually wrote. Another 7 Lincoln models have no complaints on record at all.
| Model | Owner complaints | Years | Most reported system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Town Car | 1981–2011 | Electrical system | |
| Lincoln MKZ | 2007–2020 | Air bags | |
| Lincoln Continental | 1981–2026 | Exterior lighting | |
| Lincoln MKX | 2007–2018 | Air bags | |
| Lincoln Navigator | 1998–2026 | Tires | |
| Lincoln LS | 2000–2006 | Suspension | |
| Lincoln MKC | 2015–2019 | Engine | |
| Lincoln Aviator | 2003–2026 | Power train | |
| Lincoln Mark | 1981–1998 | Exterior lighting | |
| Lincoln MKS | 2009–2016 | Steering | |
| Lincoln MKT | 2010–2019 | Steering | |
| Lincoln Nautilus | 2019–2026 | Electrical system | |
| Lincoln Zephyr | 2006–2006 | Air bags | |
| Lincoln Corsair | 2020–2026 | Back over prevention | |
| Lincoln Mark LT | 2006–2008 | Engine | |
| Lincoln Blackwood | 2002–2003 | Electrical system |
Owners reported these. Find out if yours is one of them.
- Complaints matched to the exact production run, not just the model
- What the car is worth given what tends to fail on it
- The original window sticker and factory options
- Full research report as a PDF for the pre-purchase inspection
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
How we count
Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,115,943 of them, covering 2,019 models built between 1981 and 2026.
A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.
Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.
Frequently asked questions
How reliable is Lincoln?
Owners have filed 11,632 complaints across 23 Lincoln models. On its own that number reflects how many Lincoln cars are on the road — compare the average age at failure (6.50 years) instead.
What breaks most often on a Lincoln?
The most reported system is Air Bags with 1,489 complaints.
Do Lincoln problems show up under warranty?
23.3% of Lincoln complaints describe something that happened in the first three years, while the factory warranty was likely still running.
Which Lincoln model has the most complaints?
See the model list above — each card shows its complaint count, and the model page breaks it down by year and by system.
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