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Lincoln · NHTSA safety record

2019 Lincoln MKZ

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

18

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2019 Lincoln MKZ have filed 18 safety complaints with NHTSA between July 2019 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 5 of them (28%). The typical failure was reported at 58,138 miles, the median across the 2 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 1 recall covering this vehicle.

Recalls (1)

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

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 18.

ENGINE 5 28%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 4 22%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 17%
STEERING 3 17%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 11%
POWER TRAIN 2 11%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 6%
STRUCTURE 1 6%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 7.

2019 2026
2019 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.

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
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.

ENGINE
Vehicle model is prone to coolant intrusion which causes misfire and engine shut off while driving. Car shakes while accelerating.

NHTSA complaint 11728649. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I took my car to a Lincoln dealer because I was getting a drive control malfunction error every time I started my car. After a couple of days, I called the service dept. for a status update on the repair. The dealer told me that the car could not be repaired because they don't have a replacement part. They had me call the Lincoln Concierge, who also told me the same thing, they did not have a replacement part. When I researched the error message, is said that it is dangerous to drive the car without the repair. When I bought the car, I also purchased an extended warranty, which is now not worth the paper it's printed on. My car is only 7 years old and only has 53,000 miles, why can't they

NHTSA complaint 11723920, 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 32 2 —
2017 134 4 —
2016 63 6 —
2015 79 10 —
2014 97 13 —
2013 108 12 —
2012 146 5 —
2011 144 5 —
2010 169 7 —

Other 2019 Lincoln models

MKC 113 Nautilus 97 Navigator 72 Continental 32 MKT 13

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