Home · 2013 Lincoln Mks · Complaints

What 140 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Lincoln Mks

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (140)Crash / fire / injury (19)Steering (59)Electrical system (25)Engine (22)Fuel system (16)Transmission & drivetrain (9)Visibility & wipers (6)Lane Departure (4)Lights (4)Seats (4)Body & structure (3)

Newest first · 140 complaints · page 2 of 6

Jun 19, 2023SteeringLane Departure

While driving down the road, my car’s power steering gave out when pulling into the gas station. The information center stated that my power steering system had a failure. It also stated that my lane departure system had a failure when doing research on this problem I found there was a recall for my year and model, but once I reached out to the dealership they told me that my Vin was not covered so I am reaching out to see if there can be another recall put in place for the vehicles that have not been serviced

NHTSA ODI 11527679

Apr 5, 2023Electrical systemEquipment

The control panel that operates the heat/ac, audio controls and also houses the hazard light button has a high failure rate and will do its own thing or fail to operate all together. The volume will randomly max out by itself creating a blaring unbearable loudness and you have to hit the tap/hot the unit for it to stop. The heat /ac will also do whatever it wants randomly. The hazard light button will also not work randomly. I've talked to other MKS owners and this is very common issue to have.

NHTSA ODI 11515650

Mar 30, 2023Electrical systemSeatsEngine

Ford Port Richey overcharged for diagnosis. Claim on credit report still owe them. Same with Ferman Ford Clearwater overcharged key. Said need two in order to program ECM. Broke two other things. Wiper cord and guitar strings were cracked.

NHTSA ODI 11514599

Mar 26, 2023Electrical system

ECM ficum Went to Ford Port Richey, FLpaid $300 for diagnosis. Harassment with bill on credit report. Charge n charge but don't want to repair car. Same with Ferman Ford Clearwater FL there charged $300 just for new key an check everything. Back to Golden Oldies mechanic fixed ac sensor not ficum. Needs coolant sensor leaks out pressure due to ECM. They said it had a year warranty but not electronics.

NHTSA ODI 11513843

Mar 18, 2023Transmission & drivetrain

Craig Briones 7225 Catalina Isle Drive Lake Worth, Florida 33467 Al Packer Lincoln 1530 North Military Trail West Palm Beach, Florida 33409 3-14-2023 Lincoln MKS (VIN# 1LNHL9EK3DG617409) On March 1, 2023 I brought my 2013 Lincoln MKS with 61,350 miles to Al Packer Lincoln. I have been using Al Packer for routine maintenance and repairs for some time. I noticed a lot of oil coming from the PTU of my vehicle. I complained to Brian Bailes (service writer) and Tim Olson (fixed operation director) that this leak should have Been noticed when my engine oil and filter service was done. It should not have been me to identify a known defect. I explained I wanted the PTU diagnosed and if a new one was needed I wanted the latest model With a Drain plug. I further explained that this is a known Defect and I don’t want to put back the same unit just to have it fail again. I ONLY HAVE 61,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE. A unit was installed by Al Packer Lincoln but no one ever checked if it did in fact have a Drain port and no one ever called me to approve a unit without the drain. Lincoln/Ford now recommended PTU FLUID CHANGE at 20,000 to 30,000 miles. Hence the drain plug. I have a Lincoln extended service warranty. When I arrived at Al Packer Lincoln on March 14th 2023 I requested to see the unit installed onto my vehicle. I was told it was the latest model (AT4Z7251G). There is a DT4Z7251G, This model supposedly has the drain plug, why didn’t I get this one. Upon inspection there was no drain plug. The unit had paint pen markings all over it however NO STAMPED “G” UNIT ON THE INSTALLED UNIT. I REQUESTED THE parts invoice and was never given one. Where is the paper trail from Lincoln? Why would Lincoln install a non serviceable unit when it will just fail again. I was charged an additional $90.00 for Al Packer to inspect axle boots and the rear differential when this should be included in routine maintenance. Not a great way to protect customers from fut

NHTSA ODI 11512509

Mar 18, 2023Steering

while driving the power steering would lock , I check and found out that 2913 lincoln mks was recall but my vehicle ID did not match . I call lincoln company and was told nothing could be done for my car,

NHTSA ODI 11512524

Mar 7, 2023SteeringLane Departure

Power steering unavailable total fault at 140,000 miles. Warning came on that power steering assist was not available. Starting at 64000 miles this error would happen and it would clear by restarting the car, or disconnecting the battery for 15 minutes and restarting the car. This time it did not clear, and manual steering without power assist is unsafe and difficult. NHTSA recall 15V340 000 document states ALL 2013 Lincoln MKS but my vin is not coming up in OASIS for Ford/Lincoln recall #15S18. Marina Ford in CA diagnosed this is the steering gear sensor fault same as other vehicles with this recall but my VIN does not qualify. VINS in this range are not sequential and documentation says ALL 2013 Lincoln MKS are affected but my repair is denied due to VIN not being included. Requesting adding my vin to the recall as this is a $3700 repair not covered according to OASIS. Sadly, the gear sensor does is not able to be replaced by itself and the entire gear/steering rack has to be replaced to fix the sensor fault according to Marina Ford (Los Angeles) Service advisor/Manager. Without power steering on this vehicle, some safety features are disabled and car cannot make evasive turns. When the last fault occured I nearly caused an accident as I crossed a double yellow line into oncoming traffic before I could manually correct the position.

NHTSA ODI 11510621

Mar 1, 2023Transmission & drivetrain

PTU power transfer unit failed at 58,478 miles

NHTSA ODI 11509650

Feb 21, 2023Transmission & drivetrainDriver assistance

Front differential leaking oil

NHTSA ODI 11508330

Jan 17, 2023Steering

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the steering wheel became difficult to turn while attempting to reverse the vehicle. The contact stated that the power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

NHTSA ODI 11502205

Oct 17, 2022Steering

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering intermittently failed to operate as needed, without warning. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The contact was provided an estimate for a diagnostic test. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) which he linked to the failure; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11489514

Sep 6, 2022Visibility & wipersEngine & cooling

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while attempting to close the front driver's side door, she heard a beeping noise. The contact then stated that when she placed the shifter in reverse(R), the screen failed to display an image and the defogger failed to operate. Additionally, the contact stated that she noticed that the vehicle was overheating and that the hood was discolored. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that when she placed the gear shifter into reverse(R) the defogger failed to operate as needed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 11483018

Aug 23, 2022Steering

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while driving approximately at 55 MPH, the contact lost power steering. The contact stated that the "loss of power steering" warning light was illuminated. The contact managed to steer the vehicle off the side of the road, however, the vehicle steering remained locked. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the failure as related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that he had experienced a loss of power steering before, but had managed to return the functionality by turning the vehicle off and on. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

NHTSA ODI 11480840

Aug 10, 2022SuspensionCrash

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while driving 55-60 mph, she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a guardrail. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. No air bags deployed. The contact did not sustain any injuries nor sought medical attention. No police report was filed. The contact stated she continued driving to her residence. The contact's father inspected the vehicle and noticed the toe link was fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

NHTSA ODI 11478662

Aug 10, 2022Steering

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while his wife was driving at 40 MPH, the steering wheel locked up, almost causing her to lose control of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact's wife slammed on the brakes and veered to the side of the road. The contact's wife wiggled the steering wheel and was able to continue driving. However, the failure reoccurred while driving at 65 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was it was diagnosed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The independent mechanic informed the contact that the failure was associated with a recall and referred the contact to the dealer. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

NHTSA ODI 11478693

Aug 4, 2022Steering

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the power steering assist failed without warning. The contact pulled over and restarted that vehicle but the failure persisted. The contact used excessive force to steer the vehicle home. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred him to a dealer. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with power steering assist failure. The contact was also informed that his vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11477514

Jun 10, 2022LightsBody & structure

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that water was leaking into the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that water was leaking through the sunroof as the drain had not been cleaned. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the front passenger's side headlight failed to illuminate. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the headlight failed due to water damage. The dealer diagnosed that the front passenger's side headlight needed to be replaced; however, the dealer declined to replace the headlight under the warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair was covered under warranty. However, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under the warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ODI 11468637

Apr 7, 2022Steering

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering assist fault warning message was displayed and the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The contact restarted the vehicle while attempting to correct the failure however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11460057

Nov 19, 2021

Power Steering Issues. Power steering completely locks up or totally doesn’t work most times. Unable to turn steering wheel. Have been told by several mechanics they have say the same issue with other Models that have been recalled. Some VIN numbers are not being recalled.

NHTSA ODI 11441114

Nov 16, 2021Visibility & wipers

The HVAC controls are touch sensitive/haptic. They fail with high frequency at low mileage. My vehicle has 70k miles, it started at 65k. They won't allow control of the HVAC system or activation of the front defrost/defog. The touchscreen controls can not over ride the fault which means no driver control. When it faults, the HVAC goes to the highest setting of 85deg F, the blower goes to high and can't be changed which is a defrost/defog safety issue. Sometimes it will stop if you continue pressing "OFF" for 5-10 minutes. It will continue beeping which is distracting and can be indistinguishable from other warning sounds. Also a safety issue. Very common problem on the 2013-up Lincoln MKS & MKT. If parts can be located, it's at least a $1,200 repair.

NHTSA ODI 11440656

Oct 26, 2021Electrical system

We just purchased this car and shortly after we were driving home and it just starts beeping and suddenly the heat comes on full blast, no one is touching the controls. This happens quite frequently and once it starts rising there doesnt seem to be a way to stop it. A simple google search shows that this is a well known problem by lincoln and happens a lot, there are a lot of forums and videos all showing the exact same issue. This is a major safety concern as it causes a distraction from the noise and sudden temp change, causes distractions as you frantically hit buttons trying to get it to stop, and could even cause the window to fog up. My dealer said its not covered by any recalls or warranty and wants $1000 to fix it. I called the lincoln help line and they said to report the issue to you.

NHTSA ODI 11438269

Oct 13, 2021Steering

while driving on highway power steering assist failure light went on after power steering stopped working. Vehicle has only 60000 miles and both dealer and ford were notified and both said vehicle was not covered by recall after vin was supplied to them.Analysis coeds U 0416 , U 0415 and u 3000 were found and dealer offered to replace steering gear at cost of $4000.00

NHTSA ODI 11436636

Oct 5, 2021Engine

Sudden loss of power and deceleration. This happens intermittently and sets a code P2111 every time. Can drive for days between incidents and never know when it will happen. Gives no warning just shuts down immediately. This is very dangerous and my wife almost got hit yesterday in traffic due to malfunction

NHTSA ODI 11435536

Sep 22, 2021Steering

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds, the "electric power steering assist system, service required" warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle while driving at various speeds. The contact had then taken his vehicle to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with a loss of electrical power steering assist and linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The contact then called a dealer and was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

NHTSA ODI 11433959

Aug 31, 2021Steering

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while driving, the steering wheel was difficult to turn and had switched to manual mode, and was inoperable. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the power steering sensor needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The contact stated that the failure was like NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

NHTSA ODI 11431161

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Working with the data? Download all 140 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 27, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Lincoln Mks verdict →