RoadVitals

2010 Lincoln Mks

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
51
Latest Feb 1, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
8
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 51 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2010 Lincoln Mks, most frequently naming the steering, driver assistance and engine categories. 26 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Steering
Filed Feb 1, 2026

No power steering and Power steering assist failure warning message. Took to dealer, and they said the epas needed to be replaced. Also, that the oem part was no longer available, so they had to use after market part and would not guarantee the labor. 3 months later same problem. There is a recall for 2011-2013 same car with the same problem, but not for 2010. Defective epas system causing the failure. Spoke to Lincoln concierge and Ford concierge and they would not help with a remedy or with dealer support.

NHTSA ID
11714754
Incident
Oct 28, 2025
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Oct 11, 2023
Crash reported

There have been 2 separate incidents involving a front collision at high speeds. Both times, the air bags did not deploy as they should have. The 2nd incident was today. The car is now totaled. The impact Both times should have deployed the air bags. My son was injured today due to this. A truck ran a stop sign and we hit him. None of the bags deployed. Speed was 45 mph. The whole front of the car and hood are completely crushed. There were no alarms during or before impact. This is the 2nd wreck.

NHTSA ID
11549383
Incident
Oct 11, 2023
Mileage
104,272 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed Sep 3, 2022

The 2011 through 2013 Lincoln MKS were recalled for the electric power steering assist suddenly going out and it is the same on this car and could have gotten someone seriously hurt these need to be added to the recall thanks for looking.

NHTSA ID
11482781
Incident
Jul 30, 2022
ElectricalSteering
Filed Aug 29, 2022

My car will intermittently (more times than not) lose its power steering assist, making it almost impossible for me to drive. I've had the car looked at, replaced the rack and pinion assembly, put on new tires, ran a diagnostic, and the car still lacks power steering most of the time. When starting the vehicle, the wheel will lock up, and the message "Power Steering Assist Fault" displays, no matter how many times I try to restart the car and allow the computer to reset, the fault does not go away. I rarely have times when I can drive with a power steering assist. The car has become a serious problem because I cannot get to work or school safely; when driving the other day, the power steering went out, and I was almost in an accident. I believe that there is a defect in the 2010 MKS, just like there was with the other years that were recalled, the fact that this issue has cost me so much money (and I cannot get out from under the car, I would if I could), and still puts me at risk for serious injury is seriously concerning.

NHTSA ID
11481899
Incident
Aug 26, 2022
Engine
Filed Jul 21, 2022

The contact owns a 2010 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that upon placing her vehicle into park(P), the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was hot. The engine then failed to restart after the failure. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer where she was informed that the water pump was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ID
11475091
Incident
Jul 19, 2022
Mileage
50,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Oct 6, 2021

exhaust manifold leaks gas fumes into the cabin via a/c

NHTSA ID
11435803
Incident
Oct 4, 2021
Steering
Filed Mar 23, 2021

I STARTED MY CAR AND THE ERROR "POWER STEERING FAILURE" CAME ON, I WAS COMPLETELY UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND I CAN'T TURN IT AT ALL. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WERE DRIVING IT! THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND IF THE 2011'S WERE RECALLED, AND IT IS HAPPENING TO THIS MANY PEOPLE WITH A 2010, MAYBE THEY SHOULD DO A RECALL ON IT AS WELL!

NHTSA ID
11404491
Incident
Mar 23, 2021
Mileage
135,000 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 6, 2021

ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WENT OUT. TOOK TO LOCAL DEALER 3 TIMES---COMPUTER RESET FIRST TIME; SECOND TIME CAME UP 'ELECTRICAL ISSUE'. THIRD TIME COMPUTER SAID REPLACE RACK AND PINION. CAR PURCHASED AS CPO IN 2013 FROM ROCHESTER, MN DEALERSHIP WITH 17000 MILES. SEVEN YEARS LATER IT HAS 47000 MILES. THIS MODEL WAS INCLUDED IN A RECALL STARTING WITH 2011 VEHICLES. PERHAPS 2010 VEHICLES SHOULD BE AS WELL. VERY DANGEROUS TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

NHTSA ID
11394950
Incident
Dec 21, 2020
Mileage
47,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

SSM 51536

STRUCTURE

For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a different vehicle. Most modules on these affected vehicles are VIN/vehicle specific and hardware variations between modules do exist. Swapping a module from a vehicle or ordering a module using a different vehicle/VIN can cause ineffective repairs and additional vehicle down time. Make sure all appropriate Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures are followed when diagnosing the condition prior to all module replacements and only order modules using the correct VIN.

SSM 49210

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Some 2009-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbochargers may exhibit an oil leak from the turbocharger oil supply or return tubes, O-rings or 6.7L pedestal gasket. Although oil may collect on the turbocharger, it is very rare for a turbocharger to leak oil. To isolate the source of the leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 General Information > Diagnosis and Testing > Engine > Engine Oil Leaks - Fluorescent Oil Additive Method procedure. When an oil leak is present at a turbocharger oil supply or drain tube, remove the affected oil tube and inspect for damage, and replace the O-ring seals, pedestal gasket or oil tube as required. Refer to WSM, Section 303-04. For claiming, use the affected oil tube or pedestal gasket as the causal part and applicable labor operations in Sections 6 and 9 of the Service Labor Time Standards (SLTS) Manual.

SSM 48130

VISIBILITY; VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

Some 2010-2020 vehicles may exhibit distorted glass with a subtle orange peel pattern or streaking etched into the surface. This is caused by hydrofluoric acid which is used in some car wash solutions as a cleaning agent. Hydrofluoric acid can attack the glass and cause visual distortion and/or discoloration on the outer surface which cannot be removed by further cleaning. If this type of distortion is found, inspect the area of the glass that is covered by the cowl and/or molding. The portion of glass that is covered by the cowl or molding will not be affected by the acid. Hydrofluoric acid damage is not a defect in material or workmanship and is not a warrantable condition.

SSM 47976

POWER TRAIN

On vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission it is imperative that the converter pilot hub be greased with Motorcraft Multi-Purpose Grease Spray XL-5-A even if grease was not applied from the factory. Also verify that the engine/transmission alignment dowel pins are present as well as the engine crankshaft dowel pin, if equipped, when installing the transmission. Failure to adequately lubricate the converter hub greatly increases the likelihood of the flexplate cracking in the future. Missing dowels may cause a misalignment issue also resulting in a premature failure. Refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 307-01.

SSM 47948

ENGINE

SSM 47948 - 2010-2019 Various Vehicles - Turbocharged Engines - Oil Supply Filter Replacement When Replacing The Turbocharger Or The Turbocharger Oil Supply Tube For 2010-2019 vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines, when diagnosing and/or replacing turbo related concerns, all steps within the Workshop Manual (WSM) procedure must be followed including replacement of all mandatory discarded parts. When specified in the WSM, the turbocharger oil supply filter must be replaced whenever the turbocharger or the turbocharger oil supply tube are replaced. Turbocharger bearing failure may occur if oil starvation occurs due to a restricted filter.

SSM 47662

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

For 2010-2019 vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines, when diagnosing and/or replacing turbo related concerns, all steps within the Workshop Manual (WSM) procedure must be followed including replacement of all mandatory discarded parts. For all turbocharged engine applications, the turbocharger oil supply filter (6C683 gas engine/6L625 connector style or 6A968 diesel engine) must be replaced whenever the turbocharger or the turbocharger oil supply tube are replaced. Turbocharger bearing failure may occur if oil starvation occurs due to a restricted filter.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Lincoln Mks by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2016300
2015173063.9
2014442050.0
20131417058.7
2012173051.3
2011433056.8
2010Viewing510043.3
2009561043.7

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.