What breaks most · 2011 to 2017 model years
Lincoln MKZ Hybrid problems by year
Owners have filed 116 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid across model years 2011 to 2017. Three years stand out: 2012 for air bags complaints, 2011 for air bags complaints and 2013 for steering complaints. The quietest years are 2015 and 2014.
- Years to check closely: 2012, 2011, 2013
- Fewest complaints: 2015, 2014
- Complaints on file
- 1162011 to 2017, all trims
- Worst year
- 201243 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 101 fires · 7 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 51kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 0Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 1 | 0 | Air bags (18) | |
| 43 | 1 | 0 | Air bags (16) | |
| 12 | 0 | 0 | Steering (3) | |
| 12 | 6 | 0 | Brakes (3) | |
| 7 | 2 | 0 | Electrical system (3) | |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | Seat belts (2) | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Steering (1) |
What fails on the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 37% |
16 | 0 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 23% |
10 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 16% |
7 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 14% |
6 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid |
| Unknown or other | 14% |
6 | 0 | — |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 9% |
4 | 0 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid |
| Stability controlABS and wheel speed sensors | 7% |
3 | 0 | Shop stability control parts for the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 7% |
3 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Power steering went without any warning has recall on other mkz of that year but not mine. I put it reverse and had no power steering lucky i was not driving when it went out.
-
Takata recall. My defective airbags have never been remedied. Offer of temporary rental car never done. Dealership sas they don't have any available to them. I can't drive car. What am i supposed to do? Need help.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Lincoln MKZ Hybrid years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2012, 2011, 2013 carry the most filings on the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. The 2012 alone has 43 complaints, led by air bags.
What is the most common Lincoln MKZ Hybrid problem?
On the 2012 model year, the most-reported component is air bags with 16 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Lincoln MKZ Hybrid problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Lincoln MKZ Hybrid complaints that include mileage is about 51,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.