292 of the
2,025 complaints filed about the Lincoln MKZ
are about the braking system —
14% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2008.
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that the brake light had remained illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred while the vehicle was unoccupied. In addition, the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter independently shifted out of park. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a failed brake pedal bumper stop. The contact was informed that the brake pedal bumper stop was detached and caused the brake light to remain illuminated. The contact was advised to contact the dealer. The contact was informed of an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
NHTSA complaint #11750514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Under the following recall [XXX] Recall was performed in 2022 by Ford of Upland by replacing only the brake fluid. The problem resurfaced just as described in the recall a while back. I contacted Ford on 5/21 they contacted the dealer who refused to repair at no cost. Car is currently at independent respected shop who confirmed that the ABS pump/module is shot and is gummed up. Recall by ford of upland was not performed fully or wasn’t effective. Replacing the fluid only was not a fix. I contacted the dealer and the general manager refused to repair and fought with me on the phone. I told them I’d be filing a lawsuit if they wouldn’t provide the part at no cost and reimburse the repairs. Ford/Lincoln has stated there is nothing they can do without the dealers cooperation. I do not trust Ford of Upland to make any repairs, but that wasn’t even an option. Lincoln also stated that because Ford of Upland did the recall that they couldn’t send it to Performance Lincoln. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11739635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH the brake warning light had illuminated and the brake pedal extended to the floor and the vehicle did not immediately stop while pressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was slowly driven to a nearby garage who diagnosed that the rear brake hoses had failed causing brake fluid leak from the vehicle and the brake master cylinder had also failed. The mechanic informed that both rear brake lines were installed making contact with the transmission and eventually became damaged. The rear brake lines and master cylinder were replaced. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 153,000.
NHTSA complaint #11738017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle: Lincoln MKZ 2013 Dealer: Auto Quest Inc. Description of the Safety Issue: I am submitting this report regarding a vehicle safety concern involving a 2013 Lincoln MKZ that I purchased from Auto Quest Inc. in Renton, Washington. Shortly after purchasing the vehicle, within the first few days of ownership, the vehicle began experiencing significant mechanical problems including transmission issues and persistent brake noise that required multiple repair attempts. These problems appeared almost immediately after the purchase, which raises concerns that the vehicle may have had pre-existing mechanical or safety-related defects that were not disclosed at the time of sale. Since purchasing the vehicle I have had to spend thousands of dollars on repairs in order to keep the vehicle operational. Despite these repairs, the brake system has continued to produce abnormal noise and the vehicle has experienced ongoing mechanical issues. These types of issues may represent potential safety risks to drivers and passengers if the braking system or transmission were to fail while the vehicle is in operation. I am reporting this issue so that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration can evaluate whether this may represent a broader safety defect affecting this vehicle model or vehicles sold under similar circumstances.
NHTSA complaint #11723699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The electronic parking brake engages on its own and locks causing the rear tire to lock while driving which then causes friction and the tire to smoke heavily which could cause fire or bad accident. I have replaced caliper, caliper actuator, rotor, brake pad, wheel speed sensor, wheel bearing and nothing has fixed the issue
NHTSA complaint #11687237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT
The contact owns a 2010 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the ABS and the Traction Control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the ABS had failed and needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed and the contact was advised that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
NHTSA complaint #11679199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2009 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while parked in a semi-truck parking lot, another driver was reversing where she was blocking, and the contact then attempted to avoid the collision and drive forward. The accelerator pedal was depressed however, the vehicle accelerated excessively, and the brake pedal was then depressed but failed to respond. Upon a second attempt, the brake pedal went to the floorboard, accompanied by an abnormal vibration. Consequently, the vehicle crashed into a tree. No warning lights were illuminated prior to the incident. The driver mentioned a previous incident where the vehicle reversed into a gate. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The brakes had been checked previously and were reportedly functioning properly. During the crash, the air bags deployed, and the driver sustained a head injury but did not seek medical attention. No fire or police report was filed as the incident occurred on private property. The local dealer was contacted and mentioned an extended warranty. The dealer suggested towing the vehicle, but it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted multiple times, including their legal department, but no response was received. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
NHTSA complaint #11678711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Varsity Ford Lincoln is refusing to fix open recalls. My vehicle has been sitting with them for 90 days. Lincoln is refusing to help. Now the dealership in a letter is stating they are not going to fix the open recalls because I have to pay them money to fix my brakes before they'll do that in a text. They are extorting me.
NHTSA complaint #11646784 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On Jan. 10, 2025 all the brake fluid leaked out of my MKZ. Fortunately, this occurred a few miles from my home and was able to get the car into the drive. I was first alerted of the problem by the "low brake fluid" message on the dash panel and virtually no braking power. On 1/13/25 I had the car towed to a local Ford Dealer and was informed that the brake lines to both rear wheels were indeed severely rusted thru and had to be replaced. (Approx. 117K mi) (The front hoses were also replaced as per a recall notice on 9/26/23.)
NHTSA complaint #11636641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Car is inoperable due to the brake issue and airbag issue. Lincoln refuses to assist with getting it towed or working with the dealership. They will say that they do these things or are trying to help but they do not. This has been going on for 5 years. Dealerships will not fix the vehicle because the vehicle is too old they are telling me. The car is sitting and cannot be driven and nobody will help. I can't sell it I can't drive it I can't use it I can't do anything.
NHTSA complaint #11630926 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2024 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to function as intended. In addition, the contact stated that there was an abnormal play in the steering wheel. The contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact later noticed fluid on the ground underneath the front driver’s side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the leak was close to the brake line. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11623428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Car (93,000 miles) was operating fine, no check engine nor any other lights. I go into pharmacy come back out get in car to shift gears into drive and I notice the brake pedal sink to floor. As I am driving I notice that when braking it continues to take a longer distance to stop (brake light comes on). I recently had a spinal fusion so my safety and others was put into jeopardy. There was no waring of potential problems and I regularly have the car maintenance with no indication of needing any work done. I noticed all brake fluid was gone so I refilled hoping for the best but the fluid leaked out of the front passenger side brake line causing the fluid to be sprayed everywhere. Since, the problem happened so suddenly I checked for any brake problems concerning my vehicle type and I found that it has a recall for this problem. This has been an inconvenience due to being my only source of transportation, I need to get my meds, recovering from back surgery, now this!
NHTSA complaint #11621749 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2010 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, several unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, on several occasions, while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed, and the brake pedal remained on the floorboard. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ABS system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was determined that the ABS system and the HECU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11608299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Have tried to schedule an appointment with my local Lincoln dealer to have the recall on my car fixed but they told at this time they have no way to fix it.
NHTSA complaint #11599550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln MKZ. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
NHTSA complaint #11598621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was stopping at a stop sign and was unable to stop immediately, instead I coasted a little bit before stopping. Then the brake warning lights and ABS and traction lights came on. I pulled over to a parking lot and turned the car off and turned it back on: all the lights came back on. I put on my flashers and very carefully and slowly drove my car to Jiffy Lube. They did an $108 oil change and checked the brake pads and brake fluid levels and said everything was fine and I would need to take it to a larger shop. I contacted the Apple Ford dealer near me and had my family follow me as I dropped it off. They said it would be a total of $310 for diagnostic and brake flush. I did the flush and it didn’t work. They said it would cost just shy of $3k to replace the entire hydraulic system. I took the car home because that is too much for a 2011 vehicle. I ended up having to get a new car because I need transportation for me and my two young children. My neighbor took a look at the car (he works on trucks) and the battery wouldn’t work. I bought a new battery for the car at $238.14. The lights are still on. I would like to have this car fixed or be able to trade it in. I am now being recommended to run a computer test on it to reset the codes. I would like to have this fixed as this seems to be a known issue with this car and I could have crashed if I wasn’t already driving slowly.
NHTSA complaint #11595694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving a complete loss of brake incident occurred. The brake pedal got still, and the car would not stop. Luckily, we were close to home and was able to slow down enough to turn around and get home slowly. Upon investigation it was found the coupler (Part that connects camshaft to brake pump) failed causing the brake pump to not work. This situation is extremely dangerous as we had no prior warning to failure. Even the complete loss of brakes did not have any indicator lights during the incident. Considering the operation of the coupler, how could something so small and so important be weak enough to snap internally, causing a complete loss of brakes with no warning.
NHTSA complaint #11582280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the parking brake malfunctioning, service immediately warning light illuminated. The contact was driving on a busy highway when the failure occurred. The contact stated that when the vehicle was brought to a complete stop, the contact noticed that the rear passenger's side tire was cracking. The contact stated that the side wall was completely detached from the tire, however the cracked tire was still attached to the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,989.
NHTSA complaint #11578934 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.