Home · 2017 Lincoln Mkz Hev · Complaints

What 115 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 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)Engine (50)Brakes (17)Transmission & drivetrain (16)Engine & cooling (11)Steering (8)Electrical system (7)Wheels (6)Airbags (4)Fuel system (4)Lights (4)

6 of 115 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jul 15, 2025Transmission & drivetrainAirbagsEngineCrash

I purchased my 2017 Lincoln MKZ Select on November 11, 2024. The vehicle was determined to need a new engine, per Murgado Lincoln of Chicago. They had my car for over 48 days while putting in a new engine. After this was completed the car had to be sent back due to a mistake the mechanics made by not attaching a gasket properly. After this, I began experiencing odd noises underneath the hood and throughout the vehicle; delayed timing belt in both acceleration and deceleration, and so forth. I was then involved in a hit-and-run car accident (not my fault). All side airbags deployed and my passenger side rear wheel is destroyed. I had this car assessed just a few days ago by a certified Auto Care Company who said I needed a completely new transmission and that this car is not street legal at the moment... insurance is not helping me at all.

NHTSA ODI 11673818

Sep 13, 2022Engine1 injury

I was driving and started smelling toxic fumes come inside my car, steering wheel started jerking. I didn’t think much of it until my 2 year old daughter in the backseat was looking as if she was about to pass out. Her eyes started rolling and her words were slur, more slur than normal. I immediately pulled over and saw the fumes were coming from my tail pipe. It was a huge cloud of smoke. It was my car that was the problem. I had to leave my car on the side of the road and get someone to take us home. It wasn’t safe to drive in the condition it was in. The next day I got it towed to the mechanic and he said my car lacked coolant and the engine needs to be replaced. I looked online and saw that this was an ongoing problem for the make and model of my vehicle and Ford is aware of it. The mechanic quoted my thousands of dollars to get it repaired. Ford won’t help. This incident could’ve killed my daughter and me. PLEASE HELP MAKE MY CAR A RECALL ON THE ENGINE! I have no transportation.

NHTSA ODI 11484238

Feb 16, 2022Engine1 injury

I own a Lincoln mkz reserve it started running rough and i was informed it had a misfire code and the recommendation was to change the coils and spark plugs, after that was done it still wasn't fixed after multiple items on vehicle changed it stopped running altogether and i was told the engine lost compression and that this is common flaw on 2017-2019 Lincoln engines and that ford even has a service bulletin and my sole remedy was to buy a new engine this isn't right someone could be inured if vehicle dies in traffic on top of the fraud by ford they are selling vehicle that intentionally blow there engine after the warranty period, i have send hundred of other poor soul that this has happened to online . the us government needs to take action to stop this fraud

NHTSA ODI 11452290

Dec 29, 2021Crash

2017 Lincoln MKZ had the "Auto Hold" on and the car came to a complete stop at an intersection with a red traffic light. One other vehicle was in front of me and we had been stopped for at least 30 seconds. Without notice the Lincoln MKZ quickly lunged forward and struck the vehicle in front of me. I kept applying the brake but the car would not stop, it kept hitting the car in front 3 times before it stopped. Auto Hold button was still illuminated. The car was then turned off. The person in the car in front of me stated that they thought I was hit from behind and pushed into their car. I also thought that I was hit from behind and pushed into the car in front. There were no injuries. If I would have been the first car at the light, chances are my car would have been T-boned. I have not driven the car since the incident. No warning signals were given prior to the incident. I would like to have the EDR , black box, evaluated to determine why the Auto Hold malfunctioned. Air bags did NOT deploy. The car is scheduled for service on January 10, 2022.

NHTSA ODI 11445416

Nov 5, 2020AirbagsSeatsCrash1 injury

I WAS STATIONARY BEHIND A CAR TURNING LEFT ON HWY 154 S IN COWETA CO, GA, WHEN I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE GOING APPROXIMATELY 50+ MPH. THE DRIVER WHO HIT ME NEVER APPLIED HIS BRAKES, WHICH PUSHED MY CAR INTO THE SUV IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR I WAS PUSHED INTO WAS SHOVED 30+ YARDS DOWN THE ROAD. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE.

NHTSA ODI 11373156

Jul 13, 2017Speed controlCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 LINCOLN MKZ. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PARKED CORRECTLY AND DECIDED TO STRAIGHTEN THE VEHICLE. WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL DING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND DROVE OVER A CURB. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE CURB WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL STILL DEPRESSED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL DING NOISE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED IN REVERSE AND FAILED TO STOP. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ROLLED INTO TWO PARKED VEHICLES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HINES PARK LINCOLN (40601 ANN ARBOR RD, PLYMOUTH, MI 48170, (734) 619-6272) WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SHE COULD FILE A SUBROGATION INSURANCE CLAIM. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/06/17*LJ *CN

NHTSA ODI 11005181

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 2017 Lincoln Mkz Hev verdict →