CSR
Check a VIN

Look up

About

Lincoln · NHTSA safety record

2019 Lincoln MKZ

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

Owners have filed 20 safety complaints about the 2019 Lincoln MKZ with the US government. Of those, 2 describe a crash, 1 person was injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering back-over prevention.

The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 7 complaints, 35% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers July 2019 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

20 complaints on file

20

Complaints

2

Describe a crash

0

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 7 · 35%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 4 · 20%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 · 15%
STEERING 3 · 15%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 · 10%
POWER TRAIN 2 · 10%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 · 5%
STRUCTURE 1 · 5%
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 20.

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 2026 at 9.

12 9 6 3
19 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2019 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 2019 Lincoln MKZ, 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 10.9% 10.9%
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

1 on file

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

25V442000 · June 27, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
The risk
A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

Ford Motor Company · up to 200,237 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.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 injured

The 2019 Lincoln MKZ electrical system is faulty in my vehicle. Despite having all doors locked with car on and running someone was still able to open my door from the outside and essentially was carjacked, robbed, and severely beaten by 6 men. I did file a police report so it’s all documented along with photographs of my injuries sustained.

NHTSA complaint 11627144. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

crash · towed

i put the car in park and it accelerated and hit the corner of my garage. when it was towed to the dealer for repair - i was told the message on the car was shift malfunction there was damage to the front grill, hood and passenger side quarter panel the vehicle is at Southgate Lincoln for repair and available for inspection i've asked the insurance company to investigate. there were no warning messages prior to impact someone could have been seriously injured and i could have had serious property damage

NHTSA complaint 11527368. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

crash

2019 LINCOLN MKZ. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO DEFECTIVE COLLISION WARNING RADAR.

NHTSA complaint 11518033. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
In August 2026, my 2019 Lincoln MKZ equipped with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine, with approximately 39,000 miles, began experiencing repeated coolant loss, rough shaking during startup, engine misfires, temperature-gauge fluctuations toward hot, and an “Engine Coolant Over Temperature” warning while the vehicle was being driven. The warning appeared and then cleared, creating concern that the vehicle could continue operating without a persistent warning even though the engine was overheating. The climate-control system also began blowing hot air while the air conditioning was selected. Before the over-temperature warning, coolant had required frequent replacement, at times approximately once per

NHTSA complaint 11761444, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
On XXX, the engine in my 2019 Lincoln MKZ (Mileage 58,089) with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine suffered a catastrophic, sudden failure while driving. The vehicle began to overheat & run extremely rough, triggering multiple warning lights. It is now inoperable and unsafe to drive. The vehicle was towed to a Lincoln dealership (Tasca Lincoln in [XXX]) for diagnosis. The work order number is RO #XXX. The dealership confirmed the failure is due to a well-documented manufacturing defect known as "coolant intrusion," where the engine block cracks internally, allowing coolant to leak directly into the engine cylinders. The diagnostic trouble codes stored were P0217 (Engine Overheat Condition), P0302

NHTSA complaint 11758064, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
My engine has failed at less than 40,000 miles due to coolant leaking into the engine.

NHTSA complaint 11753851. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The shifter cable bushing was broken. Car would not move out of Park. Same as Recall 22543 but this vehicle was not included. I have sent this before with the repair order from the dealership but the mileage was incorrect on that form by the service adviser. I am enclosing the corrected mileage with the receipt

NHTSA complaint 11749036. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The shifter cable bushing was broken and car was stuck on Park

NHTSA complaint 11748245. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Technical Service Bulletin 19-2387 My vehicle has this defect which is an ongoing problem and at the time of this correspondence my vehicle has under 13,000 miles. Seepage around the perimeter of the oil pan which in time will result in a steady leak and in turn loosing enough oil will cause engine damage. Technicians refer to this as the oil pan sweating. As per the Technical Service Bulletin this problem exists on 2017 to 2019 Lincoln MKZ 3.0 which Ford installed a plastic oil pan on all new vehicles to reduce the weight of the vehicle. The 2017 to 2019 Lincoln MKZ 2.0 were fitted with metal oil pans and there is no issue. I notified Lincoln customer service and they are aware of this

NHTSA complaint 11731011, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Lincoln MKZ

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2018 35 2 —
2017 139 4 —
2016 64 6 —
2015 82 10 —
2014 97 13 —
2013 109 12 —
2012 146 5 —
2011 145 5 —
2010 169 7 —

Other 2019 Lincoln models

MKC 121 Nautilus 102 Navigator 81 Continental 32 MKT 16

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