CSR

Lincoln · NHTSA safety record

2018 Lincoln MKX

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

29

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2018 Lincoln MKX have filed 29 safety complaints with NHTSA between August 2018 and June 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 4 of them (14%). The typical failure was reported at 17,914 miles, the median across the 8 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 5 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (5)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

25V544000 · August 22, 2025

The defect
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.
The risk
A brake fluid leak can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
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 September 8, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S87.

Ford Motor Company · up to 499,129 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES

20V469000 · August 10, 2020

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture prematurely.
The risk
A ruptured front brake hose will cause a brake fluid leak, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
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. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S42.

Ford Motor Company · up to 488,594 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

20V414000 · July 17, 2020

The defect
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 seat, potentially damaging one or more wires within the harness, which can result in either inadvertent deployment of the air bag or nondeployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
The risk
An air bag that deploys inadvertently increases the risk of a crash. An air bag that does not deploy in the event of a crash increases the risk of injury.
The remedy
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 as needed, free of charge. This recall began August 12, 2020. Owners may contact Ford/Lincoln customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S37.

Ford Motor Company · up to 19,299 vehicles across all model years covered

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

18V612000 · September 11, 2018

The defect
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 Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components" potentially resulting in the doors opening in the event of a crash.
The risk
If the doors open in the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury.
The remedy
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 number for this recall is 18C06.

Ford Motor Company · up to 503 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

18V548000 · August 20, 2018

The defect
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.
The risk
An electrical arc can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
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 recall began September 26, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S25.

Ford Motor Company · up to 87 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 29.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8 28%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 4 14%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 4 14%
ENGINE 3 10%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 10%
AIR BAGS 2 7%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 7%
WHEELS 2 7%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 3%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 3%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 8.

2018 2025 2026
2018 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

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

SEATS

1 injured · crash · towed · 14,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 LINCOLN MKX. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, A 2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE BOTTOM OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT SLID ALL THE WAY BACK AND THE SEAT BACK RECLINED. AS A RESULT, THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN THE CONTACT BECAUSE HE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD IN THE SEAT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE BACK, KNEES, WRIST, AND NECK. THE CONTACT ALSO SUFFERED A CONCUSSION. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT LOT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOOK POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE AND DEEMED IT A TOTAL LOSS. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS INFORMED OF THE

NHTSA complaint 11253641, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

crash · towed · 16,000 miles

VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING W/B ON NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY WHEN A DEER JUMPED IN FRONT OF AND WAS HIT BY CAR. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ( STEERING WHEEL, KNEE BAGS AND PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN.) PROBLEM IS THEY DID NOT DEFLATE ! THIS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR DRIVER TO STEP ON BRAKES OR TO SEE ! VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION EXTREMELY LUCKY NO SERIOUS INJURY OR OTHER VEHICLE INVOLVED DRIVER HAD HARD TIME GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE (OBSERVED BY STATE POLICE)

NHTSA complaint 11329980. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V544000(SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) However, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA complaint 11741242. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Faulty catalytic converters. Ford has a CSP for the 2018 Lincoln mkx 3.7L engine and only included police driven Mkx's which is totally unfair when they're well aware that Faulty/failing emissions catalytic converters were installed on all of them and they fail and produce p0430 codes regardless of driving habits, I've never driven any of my vehicles harshly and maintain my vehicles, yet since I've owned this 2018 mkx since September of 2024, the rear catalytic converter had to be replaced and now the front catalytic converter is giving the same p0430 permanent code. Its bias of Ford to only extend police vehicles coverage and not regular consumers knowing that this emissions part is faulty

NHTSA complaint 11730994, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
My vehicle has had emissions vehicle since before I owned it up to now. The catalytic converter has been replaced 4 times which is unheard of. Its presently giving the same codes/issues. The last catalytic converter replacement was November of 2024. It has to be a computer programming issue as my mechanic express. Im asking that this be looked into by Ford. I've owned 1973 Ford Pinto as a teenager, a 1998 Ford Explorer, 2000 Lincoln navigator, 2005 Lincoln aviator and now this 2018 Lincoln mkx has been the only vehicle with this type of issue. Maintenance records can prove this vehicle has properly been maintained before and during my ownership. I only use Shell, sunoco and other top tier

NHTSA complaint 11729226, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The 2018 Lincoln MKX Third Brake Light lens cracked off in 3 pieces while going through the automatic car wash dryer on the evening of Friday March 20, 2026. This appears to be an Engineering design issue.

NHTSA complaint 11726271. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V544000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA complaint 11723786. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact's husband owns a 2018 Lincoln MKX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V544000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA complaint 11702187. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Lincoln MKX

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2017 52 5
2016 151 7
2015 19 0
2014 35 1
2013 163 1 1
2012 84 1
2011 149 3
2010 111 6

Other 2018 Lincoln models

Every Lincoln on this site — 84 vehicles, 269 recall campaigns and 2 open investigation s.

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. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

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