2016 Lincoln Mkz: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2016 Lincoln Mkz
On the 2016 Lincoln Mkz, the failure owners report most often is other brake problem, with 11 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 32,500 miles. Overall it scores 71 out of 100, high risk for a 2016.
High risk for a 2016 — 146th riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. 78 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2016 Lincoln Mkz
Owners have reported 27 named failure modes on the 2016 Lincoln Mkz, and the three most-reported carry 33% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other brake problem leads with 11 reports and about 0.1 per 1,000 vehicles.
Airbag inflator rupture follows with 8 reports, median 30,000 miles.
Other engine problem follows with 7 reports, median 40,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into steering (14), airbag (13) and brakes (12).
At what mileage it happens
29 of the reports on the 2016 Lincoln Mkz came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 32,500 miles.
Cumulatively, 69% by 50,000 miles, 86% by 100,000 miles and 97% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 1 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 30,000 and 40,000 miles, which alone holds 38% of the dated reports.
69% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 27. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 1 report came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
What happens when these parts fail
Across the named modes, 8 mention a crash and 3 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 5.38, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other brake problem at $300–$1,800, airbag inflator rupture at $0–$0, other engine problem at $300–$4,000 and other steering problem at $350–$2,400. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
15% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other brake problem | brakes | 11 | 4 | — | 51k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 8 | 7 | — | 32k | — | 0.1 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Other engine problem | engine | 7 | 2 | — | 39k | — | 0.1 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 7 | 2 | — | 78k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Loss of power steering | steering | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,800 | Critical |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 3 | 3 | — | 18k | — | 0.0 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 3 | 1 | — | 11k | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 3 | 2 | — | 29k | — | 0.0 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 2 | 2 | — | 185k | — | 0.0 | $200–$900 | High |
| Wheel, stud or lug nut failure | wheels | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,500 | Critical |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 2 | 1 | — | 11k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Engine bay fire | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $4,000–$20,000 | Critical |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Overheating | cooling | 1 | 1 | — | 120k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 60k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Infotainment screen failure | infotainment | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,600 | Low |
| Brake line, hose or caliper failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Critical |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 1 | 1 | — | 31k | — | 0.0 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Unclassified problem | other | 5 | 2 | — | 26k | — | 0.0 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2016 Lincoln Mkz draws about 0.6 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 70th percentile of complaint rates among 2016 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 130,198 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2016 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Airbag inflator rupture
Tl* the contact owned a 2016 lincoln mkz. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the contact's vehicle rear ended another vehicle that stopped abruptly. The air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a body shop. The dealer was contacted (sherwood automotive, salisbury, md, 410-548-46), but did not assist. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact received a takata settlement notice. The VIN was not provided. The failure mileage was approximately 9,000.
Other engine problem
While traveling on the the highway the engine went to low idle. The places the operator in a very precarious situation when trying to navigate the car to to the shoulder of the road. At issue was the throttle body. Ford and lincoln seem to know that there is an issue. There should be a service bulletin or a recall for the issue. Ford has nothing up on their web site.
Recalls on the 2016 model year
NHTSA has issued 7 recall campaigns covering the 2016 Lincoln Mkz, affecting an estimated 298,916 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch, service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines and exterior lighting:headlights. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
45,173 vehicles 2023-11-17- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- Vehicle doors opening unexpectedly while driving can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- 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
1,280,726 vehicles 2023-03-10- Defect
- 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
- 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.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
130 vehicles 2020-04-24- Defect
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Replacement Headlamps, part number DP5Z-13008-T and DP5Z-13008-V, sold for use with 2013-2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The headlamps may have an improper beam pattern and incorrect horizontal adjustment, the side markers may not illuminate and DOT markings may be missing. As such, these headlamps fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Consequence
- The incorrect headlamps may reduce the driver's visibility or make the vehicle less visible, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify vehicle manufacturers, and dealers will inspect the headlamps, and replace the headlamps, as necessary, free of charge. Additionally, Ford will instruct dealers to return all improper headlamps and not to install them on any vehicles. The recall began June 3, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C10.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
288,110 vehicles 2020-03-23- Defect
- 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…
- Consequence
- A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
- Remedy
- 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
116,160 vehicles 2019-08-29- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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
1,301,986 vehicles 2018-03-12- Defect
- 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
- 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.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
658 vehicles 2015-10-01- Defect
- 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."
- Consequence
- A fuel tank that cracks may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2016 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
High risk for a 2016 — 146th riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 13 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2018 comes out best at 64 and 2019 worst at 73, with 2016 itself at 71.
If the model year is negotiable, 2018, 2007, 2008, 2014 and 2015 score lower than 2016 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2013–2016 generation specifically, 2014 is the strongest year at 66 and 2016 the weakest at 71.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2013-2016 generation, 2014 Lincoln Mkz scores best at 66 and 2016 Lincoln Mkz worst at 71.
What this page cannot tell you
78 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 78 reports, 29 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 37% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Lincoln Mkz?
The most-reported failures are other brake problem (11 reports, median 50,000 miles), airbag inflator rupture (8 reports, median 30,000 miles) and other engine problem (7 reports, median 40,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2016 Lincoln Mkz reliable?
It scores 71 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 146th riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2016 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Lincoln Mkz is best?
Within the 2013–2016 generation, 2014 scores best at 66 out of 100 and 2016 worst at 71. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed