2018 Lincoln Mkc Owner Complaints

Engine has a known defect causing coolant to leak into cylinders. Car is not safe to drive as car can overheat, blow gasket, loose power, catch fire while operating.

NHTSA ID

11765368

Incident

Aug 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKC. The contact stated that upon attempting to start the vehicle, the engine misfired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that coolant intrusion had resulted in the engine failure, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 73,617.

NHTSA ID

11764723

Incident

Sep 9, 2026

Mileage

73,617 mi

I own a 2018 Lincoln MKC equipped with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine. The vehicle currently has approximately 72,326 miles. The check-engine light initially illuminated and an OBD scan produced code P0303, indicating a misfire in Cylinder 3. No other diagnostic codes were reported. Following mechanical evaluation, all four spark plugs and ignition coils were replaced. Approximately 145 miles later, the check-engine light returned with the same P0303 code. The code was cleared to confirm recurrence, and approximately 111 miles later the check-engine light illuminated again. I subsequently took the vehicle to a Ford/Lincoln dealership for further diagnosis. The dealership determined that coolant is leaking into Cylinder 3 and advised that the required repair is replacement of the engine/long-block assembly, at an estimated cost of approximately $8,900. I have since learned that Ford issued Technical Service Bulletin 19-2346 addressing certain 2017–2019 Lincoln MKC vehicles equipped with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine that may exhibit coolant intrusion into the cylinders, an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp, and misfire diagnostic codes including P0303. The prescribed repair under the bulletin may require replacement of the long-block engine assembly. A search of NHTSA's recall database using my VIN does not presently identify my vehicle as subject to a safety recall for this coolant-intrusion condition. I am submitting this complaint so that NHTSA has a record of another 2018 Lincoln MKC 2.0L EcoBoost experiencing a dealer-confirmed coolant-intrusion failure consistent with Ford's published technical guidance. I am particularly concerned about whether this failure mode has safety implications and whether the population of potentially affected vehicles has been adequately identified. The vehicle had not exhibited significant drivability problems, rough cold starts, or other obvious warning symptoms before the recurring P0303 check-engine indication.

NHTSA ID

11763701

Incident

May 8, 2026

My engine failed. At the time I did not know this. I was driving to work, and although I knew I was not out of gas according to the gas gauge, I thought maybe something was wrong with the gauge when my Lincoln began to putter like when you are running out of gas. I was approaching a stop light in the left turn lane when the car died. Which could have caused a multi car pileup considering the intersection in my town I was at. I got the car to start again but it smelt terrible and started smoking from the exhaust. A white smoke. I was not far from work at all so I made it there and had a mobile mechanic come to look at it. Upon inspecting it, he found oil build up in my spark plugs. When he tested the compression there was no compression at all in cylinder 4. There were no prior indicators such as check engine lights or any other lights. I had just financed this vehicle not even 6 months prior so not only did being stuck at a busy intersection full of anxiety and praying no one hit me, it has caused tremendous financial hardship as I have still been faithfully making my loan payments and paying full coverage on the vehicle. And has left my husband and I without a vehicle. He works 50 minutes from where we live and I work 20mins from where we live and in opposite directions. I since found out there are class action lawsuits for this year,make,model, and engine. I contacted the only shop in my town which is a Ford Lincoln dealership about the issues and was informed that most likely the cost of repairs/replacement would be $10,000 and to contact Ford corporate. Which I did and was denied any sort of assistance with cost when they should have to cover the whole thing as it is a major safety issue. Let alone the financial burden their defective engines are placing on people such as myself. This could have caused a major car accident potentially resulting in severe injuries to myself and others. I did not know until now I could report these types of safety issues.

NHTSA ID

11761460

Incident

Nov 17, 2025

I am experiencing a coolant-intrusion problem with my 2018 Lincoln MKC, equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine. The vehicle has only 63,900 miles. •The check-engine light repeatedly came on and went off over a two-week period. •A Lincoln dealer performed a diagnostic evaluation and identified the same problem reported in other Ford and Lincoln vehicles with this engine. •An independent automotive service provider confirmed the diagnosis and advised me that Ford had issued a service bulletin addressing this exact issue. •Both assessments indicated that the engine needs to be replaced. When I asked the dealer what could happen if I did not replace the engine, I was warned of serious safety risks, including a possible fire or complete engine failure. This is not a routine wear-and-tear issue; it appears to be a known design defect. The problem has reportedly led to class-action lawsuits and has left many vehicle owners facing significant repair costs without financial assistance. Ford/Lincoln has stated that it will not cover the cost of replacing my engine because the vehicle is no longer under warranty.

NHTSA ID

11754417

Incident

Jul 21, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKC. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant leaking into the engine, causing a misfire. The contact was informed that the long block needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact not to drive the vehicle out of town and stated that the vehicle might stall while driving. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,500.

NHTSA ID

11754060

Incident

Jul 21, 2026

Mileage

37,500 mi

My 2018 Lincoln MKC has an exhaust leak. Ford and the dealership told me it was safe to drive, but I did not drive it because exhaust leaks can cause carbon monoxide exposure. My vehicle has been at the dealership since January 19, 2026 waiting for a warranty exhaust part. I have an email showing the part was ordered, but Ford still has not supplied it. The vehicle has been out of service for over six months and Ford denied my buyback request.

NHTSA ID

11754051

Incident

Jan 19, 2026

I am thoroughly disappointed and overwhelmed. My vehicle has 122,000 miles on it. Yes that may be considered many for some but this vehicle has been taken care of extensively and all routine scheduled maintenance has been performed. I purchased from Preston Ford in Pittsville, MD and the vehicle had 48000 miles as a used vehicle. I have had many minor issues,(fuel flap), A/C issues and 2 recalls for back up camera and the vehicle had a recall stating the car may catch on fire so don't park near other structures. Supposedly both recalls were taken care of by the seller of my vehicle. Now I am told I need a new engine, my engine light came on and I thought it was the purge valve assembly. Now this is my first Ford product so I am sad to report this. I still owe on this car and was told a new engine would cost about 10,000. I use the car for work and is my livelihood. I do not know who to contact and would hate to see someone else with this same experience. I feel if you take care of your vehicle it should get more than 122,000 miles.

NHTSA ID

11748159

Incident

Jun 15, 2026

Misfiring and then smoke in tail pipe. Just hit 70,000 miles and the engine needs replacing. A defect that's been known since I bought the car.

NHTSA ID

11748109

Incident

Jun 23, 2026

Check engine light came on. Next day had a diagnostic run on it and found the coolant intrusion into cylinder 2. A new TSB 19-2208 was recommended. Talked with dealership and they advised to contact Ford Customer Care, who had Roadside Assistance come and pick up the 2018 Lincoln MKC and take to dealership. Dealership called to advise that the cost to me would be $9400!!!. Called Ford Customer Care again and was told that there is no recall or program to assist with repair, BUT....if enough people make a call in then down the road there "might" be a recall. My info will go to Corporate, however, being as the car is years, 9 months old --there probably won't be any help. My vehicle ONLY has 59, 300 miles on it.!!!! While it is NOT a customer issue, but a FORD issue, and FORD has replaced OTHER TSBs, this one doesn't seem have enough "call-ins" yet to get FORD's attention.

NHTSA ID

11740666

Incident

May 25, 2026

Dealer confirmed there is a coolant intrusion in the engine and the engine needs to be replaced due to a known defect.

NHTSA ID

11735495

Incident

Apr 28, 2026

The check engine light came on and car started to over heat when taken into shop was told need to replace entire engine this is a known issue in these make / model cars with these engines and it is not being addressed

NHTSA ID

11723290

Incident

Mar 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKC. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while shifted in reverse(R), the rearview camera failed displayed a distorted image. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer for routine maintenance; however, the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

NHTSA ID

11715220

Incident

Aug 15, 2025

Mileage

47,000 mi

Ford is well aware of the scam and refuses to fix the faulty engine for millions of these vehicles. 2018 MKC is trash. Already rebuilt the engine, turbo is garbage and the coolant will continue to leak with new engine because it’s a flawed design. They are fully aware but greed is more important than safety or a satisfied customer. I pray the are held accountable eventually.

NHTSA ID

11714419

Incident

Jun 1, 2023

The check engine light came on and it would run rough when started. It was determined the number four cylinder head was cracked, allowing antifreeze to leak into the engine block. I bought the car new in January 2019. The problem appeared with under 57,000 actual miles. The car has always been serviced on time at the dealership. The cost to fix the problem with a new engine is approximately $10,000. I bought the car new so that I would not have problems. It is my only form of transportation. In researching, I have found this is a reoccurring problem on the echo boost four-cylinder engine since 2017. It didn’t matter whether it was low mileage or high mileage the cracks would appear. There had been a recall on later models, but no recall for the 2018. I believe it should be under recall.

NHTSA ID

11711534

Incident

Nov 18, 2025

I was driving home from work on December 24th 2025 and my 2018 lincoln mkc 2.3l shut off on me while I was in motion. There were several cars that had to swerve and not hit me. The car would not start but I was able to put the vehicle in neutral and roll to the shoulder of the road. I was very scared and angry because this vehicle only has 54,646 miles currently, give or take 50 miles. I had to get the towed to my home. This needs to be resolved and Fird/Lincoln needs to faithfully fix this dangerous defect, i could have died. Please please do something because I do not want anyone else to deal with this.

NHTSA ID

11707235

Incident

Dec 24, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKC. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle revved and then the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart. The contact's brother was following the contact and assisted with traffic. The Sheriff’s Department assisted with traffic control. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the flywheel had fractured. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was later informed that the steering power harness had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer pending the repair. The contact stated that afterwards, oil stains were found on the ground in the driveway. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

NHTSA ID

11702721

Incident

Nov 16, 2025

Mileage

92,000 mi

The contact owned a 2018 Lincoln MKC. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse out of their driveway in the rain at approximately 2 MPH, the back-over prevention camera display of the rear view of the vehicle was distorted, and the contact was only able to see a black image. The contact was unable to identify what the image was, and the back-over prevention system did not notify the contact of any objects with its chime/alarm. The vehicle continued to move in reverse and ended up crashing into a tree. The vehicle's rear passenger side was damaged. The contact was able to exit the vehicle and had not received any physical injuries. The contact stated they had suffered anxiety as a result of the crash, and medical attention was needed. The vehicle was towed and totaled. A police report was filed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was informed of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

NHTSA ID

11696082

Incident

Apr 7, 2025

Mileage

42,000 mi

Coolant intrusion in engine

NHTSA ID

11695499

Incident

Oct 24, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKC. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID

11694841

Incident

Oct 21, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKC. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the failure was due to coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. In addition, the contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V685000 (Equipment); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

NHTSA ID

11694667

Incident

Oct 1, 2025

Mileage

42,000 mi

Car had engine light come on, was told from dealer need completely new engine despite only 70k miles. Is a known issue, please protect US consumers.

NHTSA ID

11691037

Incident

Oct 1, 2025

Check engine light came on. The engine has coolant intrusion and the engine would have to be replaced, quoted me $17,240.83 I called [XXX] Lincoln client relationship center and I was told there was nothing they can do to help me. After doing some research, this has been a known problem by Lincoln and they have not put out any recalls. They also have a class action lawsuit against them INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11689803

Incident

Sep 17, 2025

The engine light has appeared approximately in April 2025. The inspection advised that the engine code indicated a misfire in cylinder 4. The engine rough idles when started. The coolant loss is extensive due to an engine issue and must be constantly filled.vwe were told by, iPaul's Repair shop, that upon calling Ford, that there was a Lincoln technical service bulletin re: the 2 liter eco boost engine. It was re coolant intrusion into the cylinders. Service bulletin # 19-2346. We have also replaced the spark plugs and coils. The engine light still came on with the same issue. It did not solve the problem of a DEFECTIVE ENGINE.

NHTSA ID

11689237

Incident

Apr 15, 2025

I am writing regarding my 2018 Lincoln MKC, VIN # [XXX] which is experiencing clear symptoms of coolant intrusion into the cylinders. These include low coolant levels, white exhaust smoke, engine misfires, and a rough-running condition. According to **Technical Service Bulletin 19‑2346** (NHTSA ID 10169807, dated December 20, 2019), this issue is a known defect affecting MKC models with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine and recommends replacement of the long‑block assembly to correct the problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11685168

Incident

Aug 30, 2025