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2017 Lincoln Mkz

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2017 Lincoln Mkz do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 109.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

41 reports with mileage · 97 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 76 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports4 fire reports4 injury reports

What owners actually said

138 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2023
Electrical SystemVisibility

Failed Components: Sunroof Drains become clogged and overflow into trunk well, causing electrical shortage, mold/mildew, and water damage along headliner and side airbags. Safety Risk: Electrical shortage causes fire risk, and mold mildew build up in car for asthmatic makes it damaging for air intake myself and others inside v…

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Failed Components: Sunroof Drains become clogged and overflow into trunk well, causing electrical shortage, mold/mildew, and water damage along headliner and side airbags. Safety Risk: Electrical shortage causes fire risk, and mold mildew build up in car for asthmatic makes it damaging for air intake myself and others inside vehicle. Side airbags at risk as over flooding runs down pillars along side wiring. Reproduced: This has occurred twice, in my 2013 & 2017 Lincoln MKZ. No documentation is listed in either manual for maintenance around drains or possible flooding risk. Symptoms: Shorted electrical components for audio systems, check engine light, putrid foul odor lingering in vehicle, soaked rear carpet in trunk (closest to back seat) headliner show signs of water damage near curtain airbags. Notice to Auto Manufacturer: I alerted Ford Motor Company the first time in my 2013 MKZ on several different occasions, after the vehicle was in repair 3x over $5k in damages, due to faulty connection of drains. 2017 MKZ, as of January 2023 has a flooded trunk, malfunctioning electrical systems, mold/mildew build up, with estimated repairs of $5k+. Advised that nowhere in the maintenance section is this listed considering the magnitude of damage this can result in from poor care and design.

NHTSA ODI #11503532

Mileage unknown · Oct 11, 2022
Engine

I haven’t had any issues but there are many online that have had to have the engine replaced and charged out of their pocket for the defect the manufacturer KNOWS is their own fault and refuses to do a recall on

NHTSA ODI #11488721

Mileage unknown · Sep 13, 2022
EngineInjury

I was driving and started smelling toxic fumes come inside my car, steering wheel started jerking. I didn’t think much of it until my 2 year old daughter in the backseat was looking as if she was about to pass out. Her eyes started rolling and her words were slur, more slur than normal. I immediately pulled over and saw the fume…

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I was driving and started smelling toxic fumes come inside my car, steering wheel started jerking. I didn’t think much of it until my 2 year old daughter in the backseat was looking as if she was about to pass out. Her eyes started rolling and her words were slur, more slur than normal. I immediately pulled over and saw the fumes were coming from my tail pipe. It was a huge cloud of smoke. It was my car that was the problem. I had to leave my car on the side of the road and get someone to take us home. It wasn’t safe to drive in the condition it was in. The next day I got it towed to the mechanic and he said my car lacked coolant and the engine needs to be replaced. I looked online and saw that this was an ongoing problem for the make and model of my vehicle and Ford is aware of it. The mechanic quoted my thousands of dollars to get it repaired. Ford won’t help. This incident could’ve killed my daughter and me. PLEASE HELP MAKE MY CAR A RECALL ON THE ENGINE! I have no transportation.

NHTSA ODI #11484238

Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2022
Engine

My engine is overheating, causing my steering wheel to jerk while on the highway. Took to dealership and they said loss of coolant and could potentially cause a fire if not treated. Looked online and saw that Ford is aware of the problem but will not correct it. The dealership is asking me to pay $8,000 to fix it for Ford initia…

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My engine is overheating, causing my steering wheel to jerk while on the highway. Took to dealership and they said loss of coolant and could potentially cause a fire if not treated. Looked online and saw that Ford is aware of the problem but will not correct it. The dealership is asking me to pay $8,000 to fix it for Ford initially putting in a faulty engine. I had to stop my car because smoke was coming out the tailpipe. The car isn’t safe to drive.

NHTSA ODI #11484039

Mileage unknown · Sep 9, 2022
Service Brakes

On Tuesday, March 1 2022, as I was attempting to stop at a stop sign, I noticed loss of pressure on the brake pedal. As I accelerated and applied my brakes again there was no pressure feedback on the brake pedal and my vehicle took a prolonged time and distance to stop. After a few minutes, a warning message appeared on the dash…

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On Tuesday, March 1 2022, as I was attempting to stop at a stop sign, I noticed loss of pressure on the brake pedal. As I accelerated and applied my brakes again there was no pressure feedback on the brake pedal and my vehicle took a prolonged time and distance to stop. After a few minutes, a warning message appeared on the dashboard to let me know of low brake fluid. After I got the vehicle home, I noticed a lot of brake fluid in the driver's front wheel well. Upon further inspection, a rupture in the line at the metal crimping was evident. The event happened as I was coming home from ice hockey practice with my 5 yr old and 8 yr old in the vehicle. The roadway that the failure occurred at was a service road to I-35E in Farmers Branch which at that time of day has moderate traffic moving at high speed. Had the brake blown out a few minutes later, I would have been on I-35E with my children. The speed limit on that road is 70 MPH and it was the tail end of rush hour which means a mix of slow traffic and high speed traffic requiring the ability to brake at a moments notice. I still have the faulty brake line in case anyone needs it for inspection.

NHTSA ODI #11483739

75,489 miles · Aug 19, 2022
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, there was smoke coming from the exhaust pipe, and the steering wheel was vibrating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact safely pulled over and exited the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to her residence. The next day the …

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The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, there was smoke coming from the exhaust pipe, and the steering wheel was vibrating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact safely pulled over and exited the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to her residence. The next day the vehicle started; however, the failure reoccurred and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer and diagnosed with no coolant and a faulty engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,489.

NHTSA ODI #11480178

Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 2022
Service Brakes

Front left brake hose had an immediate large leak during driving causing vehicle to lose all braking during driving. There was no warning prior to this or during the failure, no lights on dashboard, brake pedal went all the way to the floor. Placed flashers on, and rolled to a stop. Vehicle needed to be towed. Vehicle is on …

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Front left brake hose had an immediate large leak during driving causing vehicle to lose all braking during driving. There was no warning prior to this or during the failure, no lights on dashboard, brake pedal went all the way to the floor. Placed flashers on, and rolled to a stop. Vehicle needed to be towed. Vehicle is on the way (today August 11) to Apple Ford in Shakopee, MN to be fixed on August 16th.

NHTSA ODI #11478729

Mileage unknown · Aug 7, 2022
Engine

In April 2022 my steering wheel started jerking and I felt my car starting to drive unusual. By the end of April my check engine light was on so I went and got it checked out. Code P0217, P0302, P0316 showed up. I thought this must be a mistake so I took it to the dealership for another look and they told me that this is a commo…

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In April 2022 my steering wheel started jerking and I felt my car starting to drive unusual. By the end of April my check engine light was on so I went and got it checked out. Code P0217, P0302, P0316 showed up. I thought this must be a mistake so I took it to the dealership for another look and they told me that this is a common problem with my vehicle and I got the short end of the stick with this vehicle. THE LONG BLOCK NEEDS REPLACING FOR COOLANT INTRUSION INTO CYLINDER 2. I need a brand new engine. The supervisor in the service department said there’s a technical service bulletin that reads that, TSB#22-2133, Issue: Some 2015-2018 Edge and 2017-2019 Fusion/MKZ/Escape/MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit a low coolant level, white exhaust smoke and/or a runs rough condition with or without an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL). Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) may include P0300, P0301-P0304, P0316, P0217, P1285 and/or P1299 stored in powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to coolant intrusion into the cylinder. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure steps to replace the long block engine assembly. Action: Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition on vehicles that meet all of the following criteria: • One of the following vehicles: - 2015-2018 Edge - 2017-2019 Fusion/MKZ built on or before 8-Apr-2019 - 2017-2019 Escape built on or before 16-May-2019 - 2017-2019 MKC built on or before 18-Apr-2019 • 2.0L EcoBoost engine • Presence of coolant in the engine cylinders, white exhaust smoke and/or a runs rough condition with or without an illuminated MIL. I didn’t create this issue, it’s a know problem and I’m now without a car because I have to replace the engine before using the vehicle again.

NHTSA ODI #11477983

115,200 miles · Jul 19, 2022
Power Train

The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated intermittently. The contact was able to continue driving to her destination. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V427000 (Power Trai…

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The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated intermittently. The contact was able to continue driving to her destination. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V427000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where the vehicle was diagnosed with needing the transmission and torque convertor to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 115,200.

NHTSA ODI #11474765

47,000 miles · Mar 10, 2022
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard. The contact stated the braking distance was extended due to the failure. The contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who stated …

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The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard. The contact stated the braking distance was extended due to the failure. The contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who stated that the failure was caused by the front driver’s side brake rubber hydraulic line that needed to be replaced due to damage. The contact stated that the vehicle was currently at the dealer for the repair. The manufacturer was notified and stated that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V469000 (Service Brakes, Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The approximate failure mileage was 47,000.

NHTSA ODI #11456065

Official recalls

4

23V162000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Mar 10, 2023

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: 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.

18V390000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:torque Converter

Jun 11, 2018

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford Edge and 2017 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. On vehicles with 2.0L gas engines and six-speed automatic transmissions, the torque converter weld studs may have been inadequately welded.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the torque converter weld studs fail, the torque converter will not be connected to the engine flexplate and the vehicle will lose the ability to move, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque converters, free of charge. The recall began on July 5, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S16 (S2). Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 17V-427.

18V167000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar

Mar 12, 2018

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: 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.

17V427000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:torque Converter

Jul 6, 2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Edge and Fusion vehicles. On vehicles with 2.0L gas engines and six-speed automatic transmissions, the torque converter weld studs may have been inadequately welded.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the torque converter weld studs fail, the torque converter will not be connected to the engine flexplate and the vehicle will lose the ability to move, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford or Lincoln will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque converters, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S16.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

RQ22004 · Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures

Opened Aug 8, 2022 · Closed Mar 24, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

On August 8, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 50 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging front brake jounce hose ruptures on model year (MY) 2013-2018 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. A ruptured front brake hose results in a brake fluid leak. As a result, the driver may experience an increase in pedal travel and a reduction in the rate of deceleration, increasing the risk of a crash. It should be noted that the subject vehicles identified fell outside the scope of NHTSA Safety Recall 20V-469, which addressed front brake hoses rupturing on certain MY 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The result causes a brake fluid leak, lengthening the distance needing to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.On March 10, 2023, Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted to NHTSA Safety Recall 23V-162 (Ford Recall 23S12) to address front brake jounce hoses that may rupture. Ford found the rupture occurs from a localized failure of the internal reinforcement braid due to cyclic fatigue through tensile/bending and torsional inputs during suspension and steering articulations. The supplier for the front brake jounce hoses is Hitachi. This recall affects the subject vehicles equipped with non-hybrid engines and the suspect front brake jounce hoses (a total of 1,280,726 vehicles). The recall covers subject vehicles built from February 3, 2012 to July 19, 2017 when the suspect hoses were used in vehicle production. The remedy is for dealerships to replace both front brake jounce hoses with new hoses that have a revised braid material at no cost. The vehicles equipped with hybrid engines are excluded from the recall because the internal hose pressure is much lower due to the regenerative braking provided by the hybrid brake system. No failures of brake hoses on hybrid vehicles have been reported to ODI or Ford.Ford's actions address ODIs concerns at this time. Hybrid vehicles will be monitored for related failures. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by new circumstances.The 103 ODI numbers cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following ID numbers:11511014, 11510867, 11510318, 11509030, 11505993, 11504989, 11504400, 11502147, 11502082, 11501820, 11501283, 11498439, 11498296, 11496842, 11496335, 11494931, 11494851, 11494252, 11493001, 11492084, 11492070, 11491444, 11491274, 11488858, 11488027, 11487627, 11487416, 11487233, 11486150, 11484924, 11484526, 11484080, 11483948, 11483926, 11483739, 11483723, 11482773, 11482690, 11481077, 11480788, 11480294, 11480052, 11479338, 11479334, 11479252, 11479247, 11479187, 11479094, 11479048, 11478985, 11478953, 11478729, 11478216, 11476892, 11476282, 11470558, 11468994, 11467109, 11466294, 11462746, 11461217, 11456065, 11455367, 11444848, 11436419, 11436376, 11430685, 11428329, 11425083, 11421026, 11420738, 11420735, 11420298, 11418197, 11403926, 11397549, 11366991, 11366757, 11361016, 11359968, 11354569, 11352165, 11350344, 11348799, 11343929, 11343205, 11331947, 11329020, 11319596, 11310529, 11292271, 11288455, 11254787, 11253479, 11253244, 11234622, 11230669, 11230050, 11228240, 11221111, 11143630, 11129392 and 11120228.