2016 Lincoln MKZ recalls and problems

The 2016 Lincoln MKZ has 6 safety recalls and 65 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Lincoln dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

Crashes / fires

8 / 0

Injuries / deaths

6 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2016 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2016 Lincoln MKZ recalls

Recall 23V-775: Latches/Locks/Linkages

Reported Nov 17, 2023 · 45,173 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

Risk: Vehicle doors opening unexpectedly while driving can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Fix: 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.

Recall 23V-162: Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Reported Mar 10, 2023 · 1,280,726 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.

Risk: A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Recall 20V-177: Latches/Locks/Linkages

Reported Mar 23, 2020 · 288,110 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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 fact, it is not.

Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Fix: 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.

Recall 19V-632: Steering

Reported Aug 29, 2019 · 116,160 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 18V-167: Steering

Reported Mar 12, 2018 · 1,301,986 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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.

Risk: A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Recall 15V-618: Fuel System, Gasoline

Reported Oct 1, 2015 · 658 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: 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."

Risk: A fuel tank that cracks may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.

Fix: 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.

2016 Lincoln MKZ problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Steering	13
Electrical System	11
Service Brakes	10
Air Bags	9
Engine	6
Unknown or Other	6
Back Over Prevention	5
Wheels	4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	4
Seat Belts	3
Fuel/Propulsion System	2
Structure	2

Most reported parts

Structure › Body — 2
Back Over Prevention › Rearview System Braking — 2
Steering › Electric Power Assist System — 1
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch — 1
Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs — 1
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 60,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2016 Lincoln MKZ complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Service Brakes · at 72,000 miles · reported Jul 15, 2026

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…

Latches/Locks/Linkages · at 115,000 miles · reported Jun 25, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear passenger's side door independently unlatched and opened. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to close the door, the door failed to close or latch as intended. The contact stated that the contact's grandson was seated in the rear passenger's seat during the failure that occurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not inspected. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall…

Wheels · reported May 11, 2026

-The front bumper of the car is nearly coming off. This is attached by a "bra" covering the front bumper and if not on the whole front bumper would fall off. The tires/rims are also nearly run down and need to be replaced. -This is caused me great concern when transporting my children as a divorced father to and from the other party's premise. At every turn I believe the bumper may fall off or one of the tires. -UNKNOWN -UNKNOWN -This problem has been happening for at least a year, and I would like for the (front bumper) of the vehicle to be replaced along with four (tires/rims) at the…

Back Over Prevention · at 140,000 miles · reported May 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that the back over prevention camera would display a black screen whenever in reverse. The camera would fail the majority of the time when in reverse. The failure related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Steering · at 110,000 miles · reported Mar 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became loose, and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The contact stated that the front end made an abnormal humming sound. The vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist functionality. The contact pulled over, and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was…

Other Lincoln MKZ years

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Compare all Lincoln MKZ years · All Lincoln models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Lincoln MKZ have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2016 Lincoln MKZ: 23V-775 (latches/locks/linkages), 23V-162 (service brakes, hydraulic), 20V-177 (latches/locks/linkages), 19V-632 (steering), 18V-167 (steering) and more. Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Lincoln MKZ?

Owners report steering problems most often (13 reports), followed by electrical system (11). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 60,000 miles.

Are Lincoln recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Lincoln dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.