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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)

10 of 140 complaints match · Engine · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Mar 20, 2019SteeringEngineFuel systemFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LINCOLN MKS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED GREY SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FUEL LEAK. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

NHTSA ODI 11190225

Oct 26, 2018Engine2 deaths

TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF THE VEHICLE OWNERS OF A 2013 LINCOLN MKS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE CONTACT'S PARENTS LEFT THE VEHICLE UNATTENDED AND ENTERED THEIR HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH KEYLESS ENTRY THAT DID NOT CHIME TO ALERT THE DRIVER THAT THE ENGINE REMAINED ACTIVE. AS A RESULT, CARBON MONOXIDE FILLED THE GARAGE AND THE HOME, CAUSING FATAL INJURIES TO THE CONTACT'S PARENTS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, BUT NO RESULTS WERE AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. *DT UPDATED 12/03/18*JB

NHTSA ODI 11142853

Oct 5, 2018Engine2 deaths

KEYLESS IGNITION DEATHS, RINA & PASQUALE FONTANINI PASS RULES & REGULATIONS ON KEYLESS AUTOS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

NHTSA ODI 11133542

May 29, 2018Electrical systemEngine1 injury2 deaths

[XXX] DIED AS WELL AS 30 OTHERS LIKE GUINEE PIGS FOR BIG AUTO PROFIT OVER SAFETY. THEY HAD THE CHANCE TO REGULATE IN 2011 AND FAILED THANKS [XXX] CELL [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11098615

Jan 25, 2018Engine1 injury2 deaths

SAFETY FEATURES FOR KEYLESS IGNITION EXIT FROM CAR FAILURE. NO AUDIBLE & NO ENGINE SHUT OFF 2 DEATHS

NHTSA ODI 11064843

Apr 6, 2017Engine2 deaths

MY PARENTS DIED DUE TO NHTSA NOT PASSING REGULATIONS ON KEYLESS IGNITION CAR SYSTEMS..(GOOGLE FONTANINI KEYLESS IGNITION DEATH) FOR FULL STORY. THIS WAS PREVENTABLE AND MORE DEATHS HAVE HAPPEN SINCE. WAKE UP AND PASS REGULATIONS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10970957

Sep 12, 2016Engine1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LINCOLN MKS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PUSH BUTTON START FAILED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE ENGINE WAS OFF WHEN IT WAS STILL ON, CAUSING CARBON MOXIDE TO FILL THE GARAGE. THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER BECAME ILL DUE TO THE CARBON MONOXIDE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ALARM THAT ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON NOR DID IT HAVE A TIMER THAT WILL SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AUTOMATICALLY IF LEFT ON. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,900.

NHTSA ODI 10905728

May 18, 2016Engine2 deaths

PLEASE PASS SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR KEYLESS IGNITIONS. BOTH MY PARENTS DIED FROM THIS, YOU HAD THE CHANCE IN 2011 TO DO IT AND 6 MORE PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN THIS MANNER.

NHTSA ODI 10865691

Mar 30, 2016Engine2 deaths

MY PARENTS DIED FROM KEYLESS IGNITION DEATH 6/15/2015. THEY BOUGHT THIS CAR AND WERE NOT TOLD THAT IT HAD NO SAFETY FEATURES LIKE LOUD AUDIBLE OR ENGINE SHUT OFF ONCE THEY WALKED AWAY WITH THE KEY-FOB. MAKE NEW REGULATIONS !!!!!!!!!!!

NHTSA ODI 10852360

Oct 23, 2015EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 LINCOLN MKS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FLAMES WERE EMERGING FROM THE ENGINE. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. UPDATED 12/03/15*LJ UPDATED 01/27/16*LJ UPDATED 03/04/16.*JB UPDATED 05/21/18*JB

NHTSA ODI 10785588

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 →