Home · 2016 Lincoln Mkz Hev · Complaints

What 54 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 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 (54)Crash / fire / injury (8)Brakes (13)Steering (11)Airbags (10)Electrical system (7)Engine (5)Seat belts (5)Wheels (4)Body & structure (2)Fuel system (2)Backup camera & sensors (1)

8 of 54 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Aug 3, 2023BrakesCrash

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, another vehicle intercepted his lane from the left, and when depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle independently shifted to the right causing the vehicle to hit a curb and damaging the front passenger side tire. No air bags deployed. The contact stated no one was injured nor sought medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

NHTSA ODI 11536310

Apr 27, 2023Body & structureCrash

Didn’t slow down right away

NHTSA ODI 11519226

Sep 22, 2022BrakesCrash

Sunday, Sept 11, 2022, 2:55 pm. Was stopped at light at 16/Mound in Warren, MI. My car lurched forward while I had my foot firmly on Brake, the brakes had failed, but no warning lamps were activated till after the crash. I bumped the vehicle in front of me, an older model Jeep. No one was injured. My hood was pushed in, front bumper and lighted were damaged. Little damage to back bumper of Jeep. Warren Police came and issued an Incident Report. I DID NOT receive a traffic ticket Insurance damage to my car was $7,000 I had received a Notice from Lincoln(attached) in early Sept, 2022 (Customer Satisfaction Program 22N02) warning that "brake fluid may leak from one or both front brake flexible hoses." I had noticed some drops of either oil or brake fluid and was going to schedule an appointment with Lincoln, but the crash happened. Since the vehicle is currently in the collision shop, the brake lines have not yet been examined. The Police officer did see the warning light THAT WENT ON AFTER THE CRASH and said he would note it in his report.

NHTSA ODI 11485863

Jul 29, 2021Crash1 injury

The contact owned a 2016 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated while exiting her employer's parking lot when the vehicle began to accelerate independently and she started to smell a burning smell. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated she was depressing the brake pedal to the floor and pressed the Park button but the vehicle continued to accelerate and move forward. The contact also stated the steering wheel seized when she crashed into a wooden guard rail, a metal fence, and a chain-link fence. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained injuries on the middle of the sternum and her right breast was bruised from the seat belt. The contact did seek medical attention for her swollen feet from depressing the brake pedal forcefully. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11426947

May 22, 2019AirbagsBrakesCrash3 injuries

A VEHICLE STOPPED SUDDENLY IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE A CAR DID THE SAME IN FRONT OF THEM. I BRAKED SUDDENLY BUT IT FELT LIKE MY VEHICLE WAS BEING PUSHED FROM BEHIND, MY STEERING WHEEL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED SO DID THE SIDES. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED BEFORE THE IMPACT BLINDING ME AS I REAR ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT. I SUFFERED BURNS, BRUISES, NECK INJURIES AND LOWER BACK PAIN. I WAS DRIVING NO MORE THAN 25-30 MILES PER HOUR. MY CAR WAS A TOTAL LOST AND I HAD OWNED IT FOR LESS THAN A YEAR.

NHTSA ODI 11209161

Oct 29, 2018AirbagsCrash1 injury

MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY RESULTING IN ME HAVING LIFE-LONG INJURIES. I HAD A CAR ACCIDENT IN AUGUST 31ST, 2017. I T-BONED A VEHICLE THAT CAME OUT OF A PARKING LOT ILLEGALLY RESULTING IN THE ACCIDENT. MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. IF THEY HAD I WOULD NOT HAVE SUSTAINED THE INJURIES THAT I DID. IT WAS OVER $17,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11143881

Nov 13, 2017AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 LINCOLN MKZ. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT STOPPED ABRUPTLY. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED (SHERWOOD AUTOMOTIVE, SALISBURY, MD, 410-548-46), BUT DID NOT ASSIST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A TAKATA SETTLEMENT NOTICE. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,000.

NHTSA ODI 11045621

Jun 29, 2016Electrical systemBrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 LINCOLN MKZ. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A POLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH MOTION SENSORS TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN AN OBJECT WAS NEAR, BUT THEY FAILED TO OPERATE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA ODI 10881524

Working with the data? Download all 54 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 2016 Lincoln Mkz Hev verdict →