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Model file · LincolnUpdated · 16 sources

Selling a junk or broken Lincoln MKZ

Air bags make up 834 of the MKZ's 2,085 NHTSA complaints, four in every ten. Almost all of them, 817, are on the first generation, the 2006 to 2012 cars. Five inflator recalls reach those years, and four come with a Do Not Drive order.

A silver 2007 Lincoln MKZ sedan with a sunroof, parked in a lot beside a black SUV
Photo: IFCAR · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Model years in EPA data
2006-2020
Complaints filed with NHTSA
2,085
Complaints naming the air bags
834
Year with the most complaints
2008 (288)
Recall campaigns
32
Built in
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico

An MKZ with a failed engine, an open recall or crash damage can still go whole. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

2006-2012: the first generation

Wikipedia lists a 3.0 Duratec V6 for 2006, a 3.5 Duratec V6 for 2007-2012, and a 2.5 four-cylinder hybrid for 2011-2012. The gearbox was a 6-speed Aisin automatic. Every MKZ was built at Ford's Hermosillo plant in Mexico. This generation holds 1,453 of the model's complaints.

Air bags. They are the top complaint on every year from 2006 to 2012. Four passenger inflator campaigns tell owners to park the car until the inflator is replaced: 16V384000, 17V024000, 18V046000 and 19V001000. A fifth, 21V158000, replaces the driver's inflator on 2006-2012 cars. These are huge Ford campaigns. 16V384000 counts 1,892,343 vehicles across the Ranger, Fusion, Mercury Milan, Edge and MKX as well, and 21V158000 counts 2,602,668. Some of them only cover cars sold or ever registered in certain southern states.

Brakes. Service brake complaints reach 43 on the 2008 and 25 on the 2007. Recall 19V904000 says valves in the antilock brake control unit can react with some brake fluids on 2006-2010 cars. Dealers flush the brakes, refill with DOT 4 and put on a new reservoir cap. That campaign's 600,166 vehicles include the Fusion and Milan.

Wheels. Owners filed 24 wheel complaints on the 2006, 16 on the 2007 and 29 on the 2008.

Steering. On the last two years of this generation steering moves up, with 28 complaints on the 2011 and 31 on the 2012. Recall 15V340000 checks the power steering control module on 2011-2012 MKZ hybrids, in a 393,623-vehicle campaign that also covers the Fusion, Taurus, Flex and MKS.

2013-2020: the second generation

The redesign moved to a 2.0 EcoBoost turbocharged four, a 3.7 V6 for 2013-2016, and a hybrid with Ford's HF35 transmission. Its start was rough. Wikipedia says the launch was held to fix quality issues, and early cars were shipped from Hermosillo to Ford's Flat Rock plant for inspection before going to dealers. The 2013 has 12 recall campaigns, the 2014 has 13 and the 2015 has 10.

These eight model years drop to 632 reports. Part of it is time: a 2019 or 2020 MKZ hasn't been around long enough for many reports.

Steering, again. Recall 15V250000 replaces steering gear motor bolts on 2013-2015 cars. Recall 18V167000 warns that the steering wheel retaining bolt can loosen on 2014-2018 cars, letting the wheel come off while driving. That campaign counts 1,301,986 MKZs and Fusions together.

Doors and brakes. Three campaigns replace or check side door latches (15V246000, 20V177000 and 20V331000). Recall 23V162000 says the front brake hoses on 2013-2018 cars can rupture and leak fluid.

Engines on the 2017. The 2017 has 158 complaints, and 72 of them name the engine. The 2018 has 10 engine complaints and the 2019 has 7.

Complaints by model year

These numbers are the MKZ reports NHTSA held on October 10, 2026. Ford campaigns tend to cover a run of MKZ model years at once, so that MKZ column totals well past 32.

YearComplaintsRecall campaignsNamed mostNamed second
20062294Air bags (141)Wheels (24)
20072624Air bags (181)Service brakes (25)
20082884Air bags (167)Service brakes (43)
20091146Air bags (64)Service brakes (17)
20101697Air bags (96)Service brakes (23)
20111865Air bags (83)Steering (28)
20122055Air bags (85)Steering (31)
201312112Structure (14)Electrical, steering (13 each)
201412513Steering (22)Electrical (17)
20159510Electrical, back-over prevention (11 each)Service brakes (9)
2016706Air bags (10)Service brakes (9)
20171584Engine (72)Power train (18)
2018372Engine (10)Power train (8)
2019231Engine (7)Steering, other (3 each)
202031Seats, steering, other (1 each)

Should you repair it?

  1. Search the VIN on NHTSA's recall page. A Lincoln dealer does recall work. With a Do Not Drive inflator recall still open, have the car seen where it sits or towed in.
  2. Engine trouble on a 2017-2019? Get it diagnosed in writing. Our blown engine guide explains how to weigh a major engine repair.
  3. Hybrid trouble on a 2011-2012? Get it diagnosed in writing. See hybrid battery failed.
  4. Compare the estimate with a working MKZ of your year and about your mileage. If they come out near each other, read repairs cost more than it's worth.

How to sell your MKZ whole

  1. Note the VIN and miles, plus FWD or AWD. EPA lists both drive layouts and a hybrid.
  2. Describe the fault. Mention a deployed air bag or a lit warning lamp, and the spot the car sits in, so the driver knows how to reach it.
  3. Don't strip it. Keep the wheels, converter and battery on. Missing parts change the offer.
  4. Ask for an offer online or call (877) 421-6008. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
  5. Have the title ready, and check after you sell for your state's plate and insurance steps. No title? See selling with no title.

Other Lincolns: the MKX, LS, MKS, or all Lincoln models.

Questions people ask

Which MKZ years have the most air bag complaints?
The 2007, with 181, then the 2008 (167) and 2006 (141), counted October 10, 2026. Across 2006 to 2012, owners filed 817 complaints naming the air bags. After 2012 the air bags drop off the top of the list.
What does Do Not Drive mean on an MKZ air bag recall?
It means park it. Four campaigns on first-generation MKZs (16V384000, 17V024000, 18V046000 and 19V001000) say to park the car until a dealer swaps the passenger-side inflator. The nhtsa.gov/recalls lookup will tell you if that MKZ fix is still pending once you enter the VIN. If it is, call a Lincoln dealer instead of driving there.
Will you buy an MKZ whose inflator recall was never done?
Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US. Mention the hybrid badge if it has one, and whether the wheels turn.
Was the MKZ ever sold under another name?
Early cars appear as the Zephyr in EPA data, and NHTSA's recall notices name the Lincoln Zephyr alongside the MKZ for the 2006 model year.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.

  1. NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), Lincoln MKZ 2006-2020, downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
  2. NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
  3. NHTSA recall 16V384000: passenger air bag inflator, Do Not Drive nhtsa.gov
  4. NHTSA recall 17V024000: passenger air bag inflator, Do Not Drive nhtsa.gov
  5. NHTSA recall 18V046000: passenger air bag inflator, Do Not Drive nhtsa.gov
  6. NHTSA recall 19V001000: passenger air bag inflator, Do Not Drive nhtsa.gov
  7. NHTSA recall 21V158000: driver air bag inflator nhtsa.gov
  8. NHTSA recall 19V904000: ABS hydraulic control unit, 2006-2010 nhtsa.gov
  9. NHTSA recall 15V340000: power steering control module, 2011-2012 nhtsa.gov
  10. NHTSA recall 15V250000: steering gear motor bolts, 2013-2015 nhtsa.gov
  11. NHTSA recall 18V167000: steering wheel bolt, 2014-2018 nhtsa.gov
  12. NHTSA recall 23V162000: front brake hoses, 2013-2018 nhtsa.gov
  13. NHTSA recall 20V331000: side door latches, 2013-2014 nhtsa.gov
  14. NHTSA recall 25V442000: rearview camera software, 2019-2020 nhtsa.gov
  15. EPA fuel economy data (model years and name variants) fueleconomy.gov
  16. Wikipedia: Lincoln MKZ (generations, engines, Hermosillo plant, 2013 launch hold) en.wikipedia.org