NHTSA (USA)Critical
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's side air bag inflator may explode. This can happen when the propellant degrades after prolonged exposure to high heat, humidity, and temperature changes.
This page covers 6 recalls, 184 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2011 Lincoln Mkz.
19–38 mpg combined
6.2–12.4 L/100km
Midsize Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 3 tested variants for this model year.
4/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
For the 2011 Lincoln MKZ, the dominant complaint pattern centers on the airbag and restraint system, which accounts by far for the largest share of owner reports. Owners frequently describe airbag warning lights illuminating and staying on, along with concerns about whether the system would deploy correctly in a crash. Electric power steering is the second most-reported area, with owners describing a sudden loss of assist, increased steering effort, and the EPS warning light coming on while driving, several say the steering rack was diagnosed as the failure point. Service brake complaints follow, where owners report the brake pedal sinking unusually low or requiring excessive force, sometimes accompanied by a brake warning light. A smaller cluster of reports involves the engine shutting off unexpectedly while driving, with the vehicle requiring a restart to continue, and some owners note dealers had difficulty reproducing the condition.
184
Total Complaints
12
Crash-Related
3
Fire-Related
5
With Injuries
By System
The 2011 Lincoln MKZ has 6 recalls, the most serious being a Takata airbag defect affecting both the driver and passenger sides, where the inflators can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, causing serious injury or death.
The airbag recalls are closely related and cover several overlapping situations. The core issue is that frontal airbag inflators on both sides can explode rather than deploy cleanly, particularly in vehicles that have spent time in high-heat, high-humidity regions. A separate but related recall covers vehicles where a prior replacement passenger airbag was installed under an earlier repair campaign: in those cases, the replacement inflator may also fail to perform correctly and can leave the passenger without adequate protection in a crash. Note that some of these airbag recalls apply specifically to vehicles registered in certain warm-climate states and territories.
On the mechanical side, the electric power steering system can lose its assist function, which makes the steering wheel much harder to turn at low speeds and raises the risk of losing control. This recall only affects MKZ hybrid models within this trim.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's side air bag inflator may explode. This can happen when the propellant degrades after prolonged exposure to high heat, humidity, and temperature changes.
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Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with a new one at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breaking down after prolonged exposure to humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The bracket holding the passenger air bag inflator to the module housing may bend during a crash, causing the inflation gas to escape instead of deploying the air bag.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the entire passenger air bag module at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost. Ford will mail recall notices and notify owners when parts are available.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost once parts become available.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The electric power steering assist system may shut down due to a steering motor sensor fault, potentially eliminating power steering.
What the fix does
Dealers will check the steering control module for fault codes. If found, the steering gear is replaced. If none are found, the steering control module software is updated.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.