Home · 2013 Lincoln Mkz Hev · Complaints

What 115 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Lincoln Mkz Hev

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 (115)Crash / fire / injury (6)Steering (18)Electrical system (16)Transmission & drivetrain (16)Body & structure (14)Seat belts (13)Engine (11)Latches & locks (10)Brakes (8)Fuel system (8)Wheels (8)

8 of 115 complaints match · Brakes · clear filters

Oct 24, 2024Brakes

Car (93,000 miles) was operating fine, no check engine nor any other lights. I go into pharmacy come back out get in car to shift gears into drive and I notice the brake pedal sink to floor. As I am driving I notice that when braking it continues to take a longer distance to stop (brake light comes on). I recently had a spinal fusion so my safety and others was put into jeopardy. There was no waring of potential problems and I regularly have the car maintenance with no indication of needing any work done. I noticed all brake fluid was gone so I refilled hoping for the best but the fluid leaked out of the front passenger side brake line causing the fluid to be sprayed everywhere. Since, the problem happened so suddenly I checked for any brake problems concerning my vehicle type and I found that it has a recall for this problem. This has been an inconvenience due to being my only source of transportation, I need to get my meds, recovering from back surgery, now this!

NHTSA ODI 11621749

Apr 21, 2023Brakes

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKZ. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11518288

Apr 18, 2023Brakes

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKZ. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number:23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11517592

Feb 1, 2023Brakes

The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle however, the brake pedal went to the floorboard and the vehicle failed to stop within a reasonable distance. The contact allowed the vehicle to independently slow down before pulling over to the side of the roadway and activating the parking brake. The vehicle was turned off and then towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was a hole in the brake line. The brake line was replaced, and brake fluid was added to the reservoir. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 43,000.

NHTSA ODI 11504989

Oct 27, 2020Brakes

WAS BACKING DOWN A SLOPED PAVED DRIVEWAY WHEN THE BREAK PEDAL WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND COULD BARELY STOP. INSPECTED AND FOUND THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE HOSE SPLIT/RUPTURED AND LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE RUPTURE WAS ON THE TOP SIDE OF THE HOSE WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE METAL BRAKE LINE.

NHTSA ODI 11366757

Mar 1, 2018SteeringElectronic Stability Control (esc)Brakes

I HAVE ADVANCETRAC SERVICE WARNING, HILL ASSIST AND ABS DISABLED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEING HEAVIER THAN NORMAL PLUS THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING WHILE ACCELERATION AND BRAKING. THE PROBLEM USUALLY HAPPENS AT WET OR COLD WEATHER. IT STARTED ONCE A DAY BUT NOW AT LEAST 50 TIMES A DAY. MANY TIMES THAT HAPPENS WHEN I START THE CAR AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL BUT IT ALSO KEEP HAPPENING DURING DRIVING. I WENT TO THE LINCOLN DEALER AT FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE AND THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS AND AFTER THAT THEY DID NOTHING AND TOOK $140 FOR DIAGNOSIS!!!!!!!! THEY GIVE ME THE CAR BACK AND TOLD WE CAN'T GET THE PROBLEM SO KEEP DRIVING AND RECORD YOUR NOTES FOR THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11075689

Aug 27, 2015SteeringTransmission & drivetrainBrakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LINCOLN MKZ. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO PROPERLY ADJUST TO THE DESIRED SPEED LEVEL. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEAL TRAVELED ABNORMALLY TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED AND THE STEERING WHEEL REQUIRED EXCESSIVE FORCE IN ORDER TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY AND FAILED TO DRIVE OVER 35 MPH. THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO READ PROPERLY THE ACCURATE READING LEVELS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V250000 (STEERING) AND 13V594000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10759743

Jul 30, 2013BrakesParking Brake

2013 LINCOLN MKZ. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DAY HE AND HIS WIFE PICKED UP THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT READ PARK BRAKE LIMITED FUNCTION SERVICE REQUIRED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND THE MESSAGE WOULD RECYCLE AND WOULD NOT APPEAR AFTER A DAY OR SO. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE SALESMAN AT HIS WORD AND DROVE AWAY. THE WARNING DID NOT GO AWAY AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. IT WAS DETERMINED, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER EXPLAINED THAT THE FAULT WAS WITH THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND IT ALSO ADVERSELY IMPACTED THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM.

NHTSA ODI 10532498

Working with the data? Download all 115 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 21, 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 Mkz Hev verdict →