The 2008 Lincoln MKZ has 5 safety recalls and 281 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is air bags (167 complaints).
Recalls5safety recalls
Complaints281filed by owners
Crashes · fires12 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths3 · 0reported in complaints
2 recalls for this model year carries an NHTSA do not drive advisory. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Safety recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
NHTSA recall 21V158000 · Mar 10, 2021 · 2,602,668 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: 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 temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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 November 14, 2022 for the driver side. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S12.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
NHTSA recall 19V904000 · Dec 18, 2019 · 600,166 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not close properly.
Risk: If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid and install a new brake fluid reservoir cap. In addition, the HCU will be tested to detect a possible stuck valve condition, replacing the HCU as necessary. All services will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S54.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
NHTSA recall 17V024000 · Jan 10, 2017 · 654,695 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
NHTSA advisory: do not drive affected vehicles until repaired.
Problem: 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. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain 2009 Ford Ranger, Edge, Fusion and Mustang, Lincoln MKX, MKZ and Zephyr and Mercury Milan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Ford is recalling certain 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ, 2005-2008 Ford Mustang and 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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 owners of the recall and that parts are not yet available began mailing March 1, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
NHTSA recall 16V384000 · May 31, 2016 · 1,892,343 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
NHTSA advisory: do not drive affected vehicles until repaired.
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang 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. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles and 2005-2008 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Any vehicle not included in "Zone A", or "Zone B" is not included in the safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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. Ford mailed interim letters informing owners that parts are not yet available on July 15, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.
Equipment
NHTSA recall 14E028000 · May 29, 2014 · 82,579 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain all weather driver side accessory floor mats sold for use in model year 2006-2011 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, 2006 Lincoln Zephyr, and 2007-2011 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured November 9, 2007, through October 31, 2010. The affected floor mats may move and possibly interfere with the accelerator pedal.
Risk: The floor mat could shift such that it could interfere with the accelerator pedal, preventing its return to an idle position, which could result in unintended vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install new replacement mats, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S07. NOTE: Vehicles built after October 31, 2010, while potentially equipped with the same floor mats, are equipped with a Brake Over Accelerator (BOA) feature that prevents simultaneous accelerator and brake application, allowing the vehicle to be safely stopped by pressing firmly and steadily on the brake pedal.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2008 Lincoln MKZ 4-DR. w/SAB (Later Release)
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
★★★★★
Rollover risk
9.2%
2008 Lincoln MKZ 4-DR. w/SAB (Early Release)
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
★★★★★
Rollover risk
9.2%
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
MKZ FWD
22mpg combined
City / highway
18 / 28 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
3.5 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 6-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,050/year to fuel
MKZ AWD
19mpg combined
City / highway
17 / 24 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
3.5 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 6-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Air bags Frontal; Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
167
3
0
3
70,000 mi
Service brakes
52
8
0
2
100,400 mi
Wheels Rim
32
0
0
0
43,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module; Brake fluid low warning › Lamp
25
3
0
0
78,000 mi
Electrical system Instrument cluster/panel
8
0
0
0
70,098 mi
Structure Body; Body › Door
6
1
0
0
78,000 mi
Unknown or other
6
0
0
0
47,000 mi
Power train
6
0
0
0
100,622 mi
Vehicle speed control
5
1
0
0
100,000 mi
Engine
5
1
0
0
138,000 mi
Tires Pressure monitoring and regulating systems
3
0
0
0
43,000 mi
Exterior lighting
3
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Feb 3, 2024Service brakes 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.
Jul 1, 2024Structure › Body 2008 Lincoln MKZ AWD. Driver's door won't open from inside. Multiple Online mentions of this dangerous problem. Can't get out of vehicle in case of emergency.
Jun 1, 2023Air bags Bought vehicle from owner 02/2023. Check brake system light came on a few months after, breaks started to skip and making a sound. Took it in to Ford dealership and they showed 2 recalls but never said it would be fixed.
Jan 13, 2023Power train Vehicle is AWD, part is Transfer Case/Power Transfer Unit. Many issues from customers online and what was marketed as a lifetime part was changed to maintenance at 30,000 miles since the amount of gear oil is minuscule and the heat this part has to contend with is extreme due to location. Car becomes undriveable very quickly and is very dangerous. A leak began and due to small amount of oil it starts to grind, jerk and tires wonât move very rapidly. Extremely dangerous! Instead of a change it should be a recall. This part is also about $1600 alone which means Ford is making money on this to top it off. The mechanic said it was starting to melt the parts and could have been a fire if I…
Sep 8, 2022 · 122,416 miles · crashService brakes, hydraulic The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle overheated, and smoke was coming inside the cabin through the A/C vents. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road to inspect the vehicle and noticed that coolant was leaking onto the ground. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the thermostat was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred on four other occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who refilled the coolant in the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that on 5 separate occasions while driving, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle hesitated to…
Aug 19, 2022Power train I experienced unintended acceleration upon entering a highway. The vehicle accelerated normally in first gear, but upon shifting into second gear, acceleration exceeded pedal input, as though the cruise control 'Resume' function had activated. Acceleration continued with my foot completely off the accelerator pedal and with full brake application. The event stopped when I kicked the accelerator pedal, suddenly, to full deflection, and engine operation returned to normal. I experienced three separate occurrences of this problem within a few hours. No codes were generated to activate the 'Check Engine' light, or any other warning light. Cruise control was off at the time of the events.
Dec 18, 2019Service brakes, hydraulic The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKZ. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and 21V158000 (Air Bags) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Mar 23, 2022Air bags I called ford dealerships to fix the problems back in 2019 but the two recalls have not been fixed yet. Recently, my car was almost failing to stop while I was breaking down.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
EA18002 · opened Apr 18, 2018 · closed Jan 15, 2021 · led to recall 19V904000Extended Braking Distance On April 18, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA) 18-002 to investigate reports of braking concerns in model year (MY) 2006-12 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, and MY 2006-11 Mercury Milan vehicles manufactured with Continental Automotive System?s ABS hydraulic control units (HCUs). Complainants report that after an ABS braking event (initiated by slippery or uneven surfaces) the brake pedal moved towards the floor and the vehicle stopping distance increased beyond driver expectations.Inside the HCU are four hydraulic normally closed (NC) valves with zinc-coated moving armatures that control the flow of brake fluid. Unstable brake fluid can degrade over time, allow the brake fluid to gel, and corrosion to form on the armatures. The high-viscosity gelation and corrosion can cause the armatures to become stuck (open). In some cases, braking returns…
EA12009 · opened Dec 12, 2012 · closed Jun 12, 2014 · led to recall 14E028000Floor mat interference with accelerator On May 27, 2014, Ford Motor Company submitted recall 14E-028 (Ford recall #14S07) to correct a safety-related problem with certain driver's side Ford optional all-weather floor mats sold for use in model year 2006 through 2011 model year Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr, and Lincoln MKZ vehicles built at Hermosillo Assembly Plant (HAP) from November 9, 2007, to October 31 ,2010.NHTSA testing determined that the original accessory all-weather mat with a single retention clip (Figure 1), may interfere with accelerator pedal return to idle with the mat retained by the clip and rotated clockwise.Both the single- and double-clip (Figure 2) all-weather floor mats may interfere with the accelerator pedal return to idle when the mats are not secured by the retention clip(s).Testing showed that this can occur if the mats are moved forward from the clipped position approximately two…
PE10019 · opened May 28, 2010 · closed Jan 11, 2013Accel Pedal Interference - Acc Floormat Unsecured mats may interfere with accelerator pedal return to idle. A heel blocker in the floor pan provides a platform that may lift an unsecured mat into contact with the pedal. Ford introduced new pedals as a running change early in model year (MY) 2010 vehicles. Analysis of complaints received by ODI and Ford show elevated rates of pedal entrapment incidents in MY 2008 through early 2010 production vehicles. Incidents typically occur following hard pedal applications to pass slower traffic or when merging into faster traffic. Drivers allege continued high engine power after releasing the accelerator pedal and difficulty braking, including reports that the incident was controlled by shifting to neutral or turning the engine off. Drivers and service technicians reference observing evidence of mat interference or note unsecured Ford or aftermarket all weather floor mats in…
PE08060 · opened Oct 14, 2008 · closed Apr 9, 2009TIRE VALVE CRACKING ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES…