2011 Lincoln MKS problems

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Power Steering While driving yesterday, doing shopping and online order deliveries, the steering wheel started having slight resistance during turns. It became worse shortly after. As I attempted to leave a grocery store, less than 5 minutes away from home, the steering wheel was extremely difficult to turn. I didn't see any leaks under the hood nor on the ground underneath my car. Nor was there any smells nor odors. On 5/1/2026, I did hear a slight noise when I turned the steering wheel to back into the driveway at home. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Steering wheel became difficult to turn right or left. I barely made it home to park it, as the longer I drove to get home, the more difficult it became to make turns. I parked it immediately as I didn't want to make too wide of a turn on a road, risking any accidents. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Not yet. I will need the car towed to a local Ford/Lincoln dealership for assessment. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not yet, in the process of contacting my auto insurance about it. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? The message on the dashboard was "Service Power Steering" and it appeared on 5/2/2026 for the very first time. Also, the power steering icon showed in a stable amber color. This message did not appear before.

NHTSA complaint #11735344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Power Steering While driving yesterday, doing shopping and online order deliveries, the steering wheel started having slight resistance during turns. It became worse shortly after. As I attempted to leave a grocery store, less than 5 minutes away from home, the steering wheel was extremely difficult to turn. I didn't see any leaks under the hood nor on the ground underneath my car. Nor was there any smells nor odors. On 5/1/2026, I did hear a slight noise when I turned the steering wheel to back into the driveway at home. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Steering wheel became difficult to turn right or left. I barely made it home to park it, as the longer I drove to get home, the more difficult it became to make turns. I parked it immediately as I didn't want to make too wide of a turn on a road, risking any accidents. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Not yet. I will need the car towed to a local Ford/Lincoln dealership for assessment. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not yet, in the process of contacting my auto insurance about it. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? The message on the dashboard was "Service Power Steering" and it appeared on 5/2/2026 for the very first time. Also, the power steering icon showed in a stable amber color. This message did not appear before.

NHTSA complaint #11735344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while reversing into a parking space, the power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was later restarted, and the traction control and power steering warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle then experienced a loss of power steering assist. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the steering gear had failed and that the steering rack needed to be replaced; however, the steering rack was no longer manufactured so the vehicle required an aftermarket steering rack. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 212,000.

NHTSA complaint #11704251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

I was driving and I hear a beeping sound,and my steering just stopped working and made it difficult to control the vehicle in a curve.. Recall Details: 2011–2013 Power Steering Electric Assist Loss •In June 2015, Ford issued Recall #15S18 (NHTSA Campaign 15V340000) for a range of vehicles—including the 2011 Lincoln MKS—due to a potential intermittent electrical connection in the steering gear. This defect could cause loss of electronic power steering assist, increasing steering effort and potential crash risk , I never received notification of this potential risk and it was lucky that my grandchildren was not in the car because I usually pick them up from school about the time this occurred. Just want to know what action can I take and how can you assist me?

NHTSA complaint #11686253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION

I was driving and I hear a beeping sound,and my steering just stopped working and made it difficult to control the vehicle in a curve.. Recall Details: 2011–2013 Power Steering Electric Assist Loss •In June 2015, Ford issued Recall #15S18 (NHTSA Campaign 15V340000) for a range of vehicles—including the 2011 Lincoln MKS—due to a potential intermittent electrical connection in the steering gear. This defect could cause loss of electronic power steering assist, increasing steering effort and potential crash risk , I never received notification of this potential risk and it was lucky that my grandchildren was not in the car because I usually pick them up from school about the time this occurred. Just want to know what action can I take and how can you assist me?

NHTSA complaint #11686253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

the steering system locks up and loses power assist,and the brakes and traction control sys also malfunction, and several failure lights all come on ,as I was making a left turn in front of a police car the steering locked up and I almost hit the police car,the vehicle isn't driveable,the policeman advised me not to drive the car,he verified the steering didn't work,when the problem occurs the steering gets extremely hard and at the same time lights and bells start ringing in the car and it's very scary because between the steering and brakes not working the bells and lights are very distracting

NHTSA complaint #11584452 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

the steering system locks up and loses power assist,and the brakes and traction control sys also malfunction, and several failure lights all come on ,as I was making a left turn in front of a police car the steering locked up and I almost hit the police car,the vehicle isn't driveable,the policeman advised me not to drive the car,he verified the steering didn't work,when the problem occurs the steering gets extremely hard and at the same time lights and bells start ringing in the car and it's very scary because between the steering and brakes not working the bells and lights are very distracting

NHTSA complaint #11584452 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

the steering system locks up and loses power assist,and the brakes and traction control sys also malfunction, and several failure lights all come on ,as I was making a left turn in front of a police car the steering locked up and I almost hit the police car,the vehicle isn't driveable,the policeman advised me not to drive the car,he verified the steering didn't work,when the problem occurs the steering gets extremely hard and at the same time lights and bells start ringing in the car and it's very scary because between the steering and brakes not working the bells and lights are very distracting

NHTSA complaint #11584452 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

In 2015 a recall was done to repair the power steering failure issue. In October of 2021, while driving the vehicle down the highway, the power steering went out making the vehicle almost impossible to steer. Had the vehicle towed to the dealership where they verified the issue and pulled code U3000 for steering gear failure. With 68827 miles, I was charged for the entire repair with not one mention about the extension to the power steering recall. The parts and labor that were charged were those mentioned in the recall. Fast forward to November 2022, had the vehicle towed to the same dealership for the same issue. Lights on the dash were present, and concern verified that the power steering was completely inoperative. No communication with the unit told me that the power steering control needed to be replaced. Again there was no mention or advocating involving the power steering recall that involved this exact issue. This time was told that they installed a part that was used in the previous repair so again I had to pay the entire cost. Currently, there are no issues with the vehicle but I have been looking to sell it because I have not driven it much due to the cost of these repairs. It was during my research to sell that I came across all the recall information on my vehicle and do not understand why all of these costs were not covered and why the dealership did nothing to advocate for me.

NHTSA complaint #11573415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

Woke up to leave house and steering wheel was very stiff and hard to control

NHTSA complaint #11571167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

Woke up to leave house and steering wheel was very stiff and hard to control

NHTSA complaint #11571167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

Woke up to leave house and steering wheel was very stiff and hard to control

NHTSA complaint #11571167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING. Had a difficult time pulling vehicle over after failure. Notice I missed recall by 90 days.

NHTSA complaint #11563746 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly. The contact's daughter was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, and after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the power steering control module and gear. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 94,000.

NHTSA complaint #11556262 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

Was driving my 2011 Lincoln MKS (build date 06/07/2010) when the steering froze up and then a message appeared in the center stack indicating a possible steering gear failure. Luckily, I was able to get home and pull it on my driveway with great difficulty. Recall 15S18 starts with build dates of 09/2010. This recall should be extended. Repair quote: $1900 part 6.2 hours labor + Alignment ($120) from Local Ford dealer.

NHTSA complaint #11552929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the steering wheel became firm. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and had the vehicle towed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The contact was informed that the recall repair was previously performed on the vehicle. The contact was advised to contact the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was already repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) and provided no additional assistance. The failure mileage was 110,000.

NHTSA complaint #11537862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while making a left turn, the steering wheel seized, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving to her destination. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

NHTSA complaint #11535415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while making a left turn, the steering wheel seized, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving to her destination. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

NHTSA complaint #11535415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Engine/Coolant Reservoir, Yes you can inspect it. When driving, or stop at a traffic light or just parked, the car will just start smoking and getting hot, the temperature gauge would not show it was getting hot until after it started smoking. The car would stop in the middle of the street or on the freeway. All the Antifreeze would leak out of the Reservoir and be all over the Engine and the ground, when you put Antifreeze in the reservoir the next day, you can drive for a little distant, but it will start doing the same thing all over again. The Cooling Fan would come on and never goes off, it gets louder and louder, it has never done this before. I have taken my car to the Dealer 3 times and they charged me over $4.000 and still couldn't fix it. They told me that they do not know what's wrong with it. The Engine Cooling System / Reservoir should be Recalled.

NHTSA complaint #11515682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Engine/Coolant Reservoir, Yes you can inspect it. When driving, or stop at a traffic light or just parked, the car will just start smoking and getting hot, the temperature gauge would not show it was getting hot until after it started smoking. The car would stop in the middle of the street or on the freeway. All the Antifreeze would leak out of the Reservoir and be all over the Engine and the ground, when you put Antifreeze in the reservoir the next day, you can drive for a little distant, but it will start doing the same thing all over again. The Cooling Fan would come on and never goes off, it gets louder and louder, it has never done this before. I have taken my car to the Dealer 3 times and they charged me over $4.000 and still couldn't fix it. They told me that they do not know what's wrong with it. The Engine Cooling System / Reservoir should be Recalled.

NHTSA complaint #11515682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the temperature gauge would rise from cool(C) to hot(H) and the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that once she turned off the cooling fans, the vehicle would cool off while idle; however, the temperature would rise once she resumed normal driving. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where she was informed that the failure could not be duplicated. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who informed her that there was a service bulletin on the vehicle and referred her back to the dealer. The dealer was again notified about the failure and referred her to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred her to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA complaint #11485845 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

As I was returning home from a haircut, my 2011 Lincoln MKS shut off as I was attempting to stop at a red light. I was able to get the car to complete stop. I looked at the dash to see if any warning signs, alerts or any gauges we abnormal. When nothing alarmed me I started my vehicle and proceeded when the light turned green approximately 1/2 mile the car stalled again as I was driving at 35 mph. I had a difficult time getting the car to stop as the steering wheel locked and the brake pedal was hard to push in. I eventually was able to get it to a complete stop on the right side of the road, by pushing extra hard on the brake and pulling the steering wheel to the right. Which the driver side of my vehicle still in the path of other vehicles I knew my car wasn’t safe there and could possibly cause an accident. I called my husband who came to the location of the car and raised the hood when he noticed the coolant in the overflow reservoir was empty. We filled the reservoir. We started the vehicle which ran normal and didn’t not illuminate any warning light or raise any gauges. Drove vehicle home which was approximately 3 miles as pulling into my driveway the temperature gauge slowly began rising above normal line. I shut car off immediately got out and raised the hood when I seen smoke emerging from under the hood. The coolant reservoir was completely empty again. My husband pulled the dipstick to check the oil where we observed antifreeze covering the entire length of dipstick. This is impossible to prevent or fix if there are no signs or symptoms given to the driver that there is a problem. We have our vehicle serviced regularly and have all the receipts to prove. Ford need to fix and /or replace these engines. People work hard everyday and depend on there vehicles for there daily lives. It’s not an honest sales when a faulty water pump is placed inside and engine knowing water pumps are a commonly replaced part and that if this water pump fails it would ruin engin

NHTSA complaint #11442685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

While driving the vehicle at normal speed with my wife and baby, car suddenly made a weird noise and started to smoke, the car lost power. I had to pull over right away , as car was smoking we smelled a propane like smell, and we noticed black grease leaking from the bottom. Soon as I got the car towed home , I looked under and notice the transfer box or PTO was busted with grease pouring out. I looked online and it’s a common issue with these cars. The transfer case is so close to the cat converter that it over heats the grease.

NHTSA complaint #11440168 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.