2016 Lincoln MKZ Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other MKZ years
- Fewer complaints than other years 11th of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Lincoln MKZ. That ranks 11th out of 15 MKZ model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (12 complaints, 19%), typically at around 53,000 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 6 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 64owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 Lincoln MKZ problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 12 | 19% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 11 | 17% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 10 | 16% | 49,003 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 9 | 14% | 30,006 | — | — |
| Engine | 6 | 9% | 63,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 6 | 9% | 21,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 5 | 8% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 6% | 87,252 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 5% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 3% | 21,700 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 3% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 3% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 2% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 2% | 31,159 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Lincoln MKZ recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015 Fiesta, 2016 Fusion, and 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A component inside the door latches may break, which can make it difficult to latch or possibly allow the doors to open while driving.
Risk: Vehicle doors opening unexpectedly while driving can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the door latch date codes and if necessary, replace all four side door latches, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S15. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-177.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
Risk: A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S12.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Fiesta, 2014-2016 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford or Lincoln dealers will replace the side door latches, free of charge. The recall began September 21, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S15.
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 Ford Edge, and 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
Risk: If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist, requiring a greater steering effort, especially at lower speeds, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a wax sealer. If any of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S26.
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles. The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving.
Risk: A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer bolt, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S08.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to September 13, 2015, and 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured September 3, 2015, to September 12, 2015. The affected vehicles have a fuel tank that may have insufficent wall thickness. As a result, the fuel tanks may crack in the event of a crash and thus the vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
Risk: A fuel tank that cracks may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, 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 15C11.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
- Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures (RQ22004) — opened Aug 8, 2022, closed Mar 24, 2023, led to recall 23V162000.
- Door Latch Failures (RQ19005) — opened Dec 19, 2019, closed Feb 7, 2022, led to recall 20V177000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Catalytic Converter P0420 issue that cannot be fixed.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that the brake light had remained illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred while the vehicle was unoccupied. In addition, the contact stated that while the vehicle…
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear passenger's side door independently unlatched and opened. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to close the door, the door failed to close or latch as…
-The front bumper of the car is nearly coming off. This is attached by a "bra" covering the front bumper and if not on the whole front bumper would fall off. The tires/rims are also nearly run down and need to be replaced. -This is caused me great concern when transporting my children as a divorced…
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that the back over prevention camera would display a black screen whenever in reverse. The camera would fail the majority of the time when in reverse. The failure related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the…
Other Lincoln MKZ years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 MKZ | 2 | 1 |
| 2019 MKZ | 21 | 1 |
| 2018 MKZ | 35 | 2 |
| 2017 MKZ | 141 | 4 |
| 2016 | 64 | 6 |
| 2015 MKZ | 84 | 10 |
| 2014 MKZ | 97 | 13 |
| 2013 MKZ | 109 | 12 |
| 2012 MKZ | 146 | 5 |
| 2011 MKZ | 145 | 5 |
| 2010 MKZ | 169 | 7 |
| 2009 MKZ | 114 | 6 |
| 2008 MKZ | 281 | 4 |
| 2007 MKZ | 259 | 4 |
| 2006 MKZ | 0 | 4 |
See all Lincoln MKZ problems by year, every Lincoln model, or the Lincoln VIN decoder.
Similar Lincoln models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Lincoln MKZ?
Owners most often report steering, electrical system, service brakes problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 12 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Lincoln MKZ?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 Lincoln MKZ a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other MKZ model years, the 2016 has fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.