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Lincoln · NHTSA safety record

2015 Lincoln MKS

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 18 safety complaints about the 2015 Lincoln MKS with the US government. Of those, 1 mentions a fire, 1 person was injured and no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it, covering the gasoline fuel system and the parking brake.

The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 5 complaints, 28% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 49,000 miles, the median across the 8 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers October 2017 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

18 complaints on file

18

Complaints

0

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

1

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 5 · 28%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 4 · 22%
POWER TRAIN 3 · 17%
AIR BAGS 2 · 11%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 2 · 11%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 · 11%
STEERING 2 · 11%
STRUCTURE 2 · 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 · 11%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 · 6%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 · 6%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 1 · 6%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 18.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 6.

8 6 4 2
17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2017 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2015 Lincoln MKS, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4 DR AWD 4 DR FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 11.3% 11.3%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

3 on file

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

16V621000 · August 25, 2016

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI Ecoboost engines and 2013-2015 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor vehicles. A component within the fuel pump electric module (PEM) may overheat causing a loss of electrical power to the fuel pump.
The risk
A loss of power to the fuel pump will cause the engine to stall or prevent the vehicle from starting, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel PEM part number and replace the fuel PEM, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S31.

Ford Motor Company · up to 77,502 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING

15V605000 · September 28, 2015

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS, and 2016 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured on July 24, 2015. During vehicle production, the fuel tank attachment bolts may not have been properly tightened. As a result, the fuel tank straps may fracture and the fuel tank could separate from the vehicle.
The risk
If the fuel tank separates from the vehicle, a fuel leak may occur, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the fuel tank attachment bolts, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S26.

Ford Motor Company · up to 203 vehicles across all model years covered

PARKING BRAKE

15V464000 · July 24, 2015

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 23, 2015, Lincoln MKT vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 21, 2015, and 2015-2016 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 23, 2015. The affected vehicles have a parking brake that may not fully engage when applied. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
The risk
If the parking brake does not fully engage and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while on a slope, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will test the operation of the parking brake system, and if necessary, replace the parking brake control assembly, free of charge. The recall began on September 4, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C07.

Ford Motor Company · up to 7,165 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:UREA INJECTION SYSTEM (DEF)

1 injured

The vehicle is exhausting leaked fluid through the vents inside cabin at 23,000 miles causing headaches and fatigue. The Power transfer unit does not allow for maintenance and has no drain plug. The unit seems to fail alot with Fords when looking online. It is dangerous for the driver to smell this inside the cabin.

NHTSA complaint 11489760. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 92,325 miles

I TOOK MY 2015 LINCOLN MKS TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE A WATER PUMP. AFTER THEY INSPECTED MY VEHICLE, THEY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS INDEED A BAD WATER PUMP. THEY QUOTED THAT IT WOULD TAKE 15 HOURS FOR THE REPAIR AND COST $2,500. I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO HAVE MY CAR REPAIRED AND PAID $2,547. 5 DAYS LATER MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR STOPPED AND FILLED THE CAR WITH GAS. HE DROVE THE CAR 1000 FT AND NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE PARKED THE CAR AND GOT OUT AND THE CAR IGNITED WITH THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE FIRE DESTROYED THE ENTIRE CAR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE.*DT*JB

NHTSA complaint 11338431. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rear-view camera displayed a distorted or upside-down image. The failure was intermittent at first but later became a constant failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired.

NHTSA complaint 11764075. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
LINCOLN IS CURRENTLY RECALLING 2015 CARS FOR REAR CAMERA FAILURES. MINE FAILED ON [XXX]. I AM [XXX] AND USE THE CAMERA FOR BACKING UP AND PARKING. MY MODEL IS NOT IN THE RECALL. I HAD THE REPAIRS DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR $857.00! ON THE REPAIR ORDER IT STATES; "CUSTOMER STATES THAT REAR CAMERA IS UPSIDE DOWN AND HAS NO COLOR AND SCREEN WILL GO BLACK." THIS IS EXACTLY THE REASON FOR THE RECALL #25V695. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY 2015 MKS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL , AND WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRS. THANK YOU, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint 11699874. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
Water leaks from the drip rail moldings down into the side airbags which could cause a shortage and unintentional air bag deployment.

NHTSA complaint 11696540. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Backup camera fails to initialize in reverse causing a safety concern by not knowing what’s behind you.

NHTSA complaint 11696542. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
In early 2024 the parking aids failed. Then the heater air conditioning buttons. Now the voice commands, Navigation and back up camera have failed. No accidents resulted , but this ia a large car and when shifting from reverse to drive screen remains blank.

NHTSA complaint 11695667. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH or faster, the vehicle lost automotive power. During the failure the vehicle was coasted over to the side of the road and turned off for one minute before the vehicle restarted and continued driving. The failure was intermittent but had occurred twice within 10 minutes during the most recent failure. An unidentified warning light was illuminated during the failure. The failure occurred mainly while driving on highways or freeways. The rear-view camera intermittently failed to display an image of the rear of the vehicle. The failure had become more persistent over time. During an oil change, it was

NHTSA complaint 11690252, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Lincoln MKS

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2014 44 2 —
2013 142 7 18
2012 17 3 —
2011 43 3 40
2010 51 0 —

Other 2015 Lincoln models

MKC 131 MKZ 82 MKT 24 Navigator 21 MKX 19 MKZ Hybrid 12

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Lincoln on this site — 85 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst