NHTSA (USA)Medium Risk
At a glance
What can fail
This page covers 12 recalls, 84 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2015 Lincoln Mkz.
21–40 mpg combined
5.9–11.2 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 5 tested variants for this model year.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Electrical and steering issues top the complaint list for the 2015 Lincoln MKZ. On the electrical side, owners most commonly describe rearview camera problems, distorted, foggy, or briefly flickering images when reversing, which several owners say made backing up unreliable. Steering complaints center on electric power steering failures where assist cuts out suddenly, leaving the wheel noticeably heavier and harder to control; some owners report this happening after hitting a pothole or road imperfection. Seat belts round out the top three reported systems, though the complaints there are less concentrated around a single symptom. The camera distortion pattern and the abrupt loss of steering assist are the two issues that show up most consistently across multiple owner accounts.
84
Total Complaints
6
Crash-Related
2
With Injuries
By System
The 2015 Lincoln MKZ has 12 recalls, the most serious being a steering wheel that can detach while driving and front brake hoses that can rupture and leak fluid, both of which raise the risk of losing control.
Two additional steering concerns round out the chassis issues: corrosion on electric power steering gear bolts can cause the motor to separate from the housing, making the steering noticeably heavy, particularly at low speeds. This steering gear issue is limited to vehicles originally sold or registered in certain northern and coastal states where road salt or humidity is more prevalent.
On the restraint side, the front seatbelt anchor cables can fail when the pretensioners fire in a crash, leaving the belt unable to hold the occupant. A related and expanded recall covers the same underlying concern across a broader range of production dates.
Other recalls involve a brake pedal bumper that can fall away and cause the brake lights to stay on continuously, confusing drivers behind the vehicle, and a door latch that may not hold securely, allowing the door to open while moving.
For visibility, the parking lights on DRL-equipped vehicles can emit too much light alongside the headlights, potentially blinding oncoming drivers. The rearview camera can also display a distorted or blank image when reversing.
At a glance
What can fail
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Driver Assistance
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 →
The rearview camera may show a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when you put the vehicle in reverse.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front brake hoses at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
In certain high-temperature, high-humidity, or salt-air environments, the brake pedal bumper can corrode and separate from the brake pedal.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the brake pedal bumpers and clutch pedal bumpers at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A component inside the door latches can break, making doors hard to close or appearing closed when they actually aren't.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the side door latches at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Road salt and contaminants can corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts, potentially causing them to break or loosen.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts, apply wax sealer to protect them, and install a new steering gear if bolts are broken or missing.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
During a crash, heat from the seat belt pretensioner deployment can damage the front seat belt anchor cable, causing it to fail.
What the fix does
Dealers will apply a protective coating to the seat belt cable to prevent heat damage.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The cables connecting the front seat belts can be damaged when seat belt pretensioners activate during a crash, causing the belts to detach.
What the fix does
A protective coating will be applied to the front seat belt pretensioner cables at a dealer to prevent damage.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The steering wheel retaining bolt can loosen, potentially allowing the steering wheel to detach while you're driving.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer one at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
During a crash, heat from the seat belt pretensioner deploying may cause the front seat belt anchor cable to fail.
What the fix does
Dealers will apply a protective coating to the seat belt cable at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Parking lamps stay at high brightness (used for daytime running lights) instead of dimming to normal parking lamp brightness when headlamps are turned on. This bright light may distract oncoming drivers at night and in low light, increasing crash risk.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the vehicle's software to make the parking lamps dim properly when headlamps are activated.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Snow and water containing road salt may corrode the bolts that attach the electric power steering motor, potentially causing them to break or loosen.
What the fix does
Dealers will apply sealer and replace the steering motor bolts. If bolts are broken or missing, the entire steering gear will be replaced.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The parking lights stay too bright when the headlights are on, exceeding safety brightness limits.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the lighting control software at no cost to fix the brightness issue.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
