2012 Lincoln Mkz Recalls, Complaints & Specs
5 safety recalls list the 2012 Lincoln Mkz, and owners have filed 146 complaints with NHTSA. At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. Check your own VIN below.
5 safety recalls for the 2012 Lincoln Mkz
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Inflator module (air bags)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the passenger side, and…
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Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A."…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February…
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Inflator module (air bags)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ vehicles that previously received a replacement passenger air bag under recall 16V-384, 17V-024 or 18V-046. In the event of a crash requiring deployment of the passenger air bag, the bracket that secures the air bag inflator to the…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 21, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this…
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Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S.…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Interim letters informing…
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Electric power assist system (steering)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC). If dealers find any loss of steering assist DTCs, the steering gear will be replaced, free of…
146 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2012 Lincoln Mkz have filed 146 complaints with NHTSA; 10 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 9 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 65,646 miles. Complaints peaked in 2017 with 42 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became difficult to steer in either direction. No warning light was illuminated.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 6, 2025 · Steering
“My car has lost powering steering three times now. I have replaced the rack and pinion module twice and I’m fixing to a third time. This has happened all within the last 3.5 years”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 15, 2025 · Steering
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2012 Lincoln MKZ (MKZ AWD, MKZ FWD, MKZ Hybrid FWD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19–38 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17–41 / 24–35 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 4/6 cyl, 2.5/3.5 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S6); Automatic (variable gear ratios) |
Compare Lincoln Mkz model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Lincoln Mkz model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 Lincoln Mkz | 4 | 0 |
| 2007 Lincoln Mkz | 4 | 259 |
| 2008 Lincoln Mkz | 4 | 281 |
| 2009 Lincoln Mkz | 6 | 114 |
| 2010 Lincoln Mkz | 7 | 169 |
| 2011 Lincoln Mkz | 5 | 145 |
| 2012 Lincoln Mkz | 5 | 146 |
| 2013 Lincoln Mkz | 12 | 109 |
| 2014 Lincoln Mkz | 13 | 97 |
| 2015 Lincoln Mkz | 10 | 83 |
| 2016 Lincoln Mkz | 6 | 64 |
| 2017 Lincoln Mkz | 4 | 141 |
| 2018 Lincoln Mkz | 2 | 35 |
| 2019 Lincoln Mkz | 1 | 20 |
| 2020 Lincoln Mkz | 1 | 2 |
Checking a specific 2012 Lincoln Mkz
How do I know if my 2012 Lincoln Mkz has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 2012 Lincoln Mkz; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Lincoln dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 15V340000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Lincoln models
- Town Car3,308 complaints
- Continental1,678 complaints
- Mkx1,417 complaints
- Navigator1,353 complaints
- LS982 complaints
- Mark VIII826 complaints
- Mkc599 complaints
- Aviator488 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.