2013 Lincoln Mks Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2013 Lincoln Mks, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Steering6034.7%
- Electrical2514.5%
- Engine2413.9%
- Fuel system169.2%
- Powertrain (other)95.2%
- Driver assistance95.2%
- Visibility63.5%
- Interior & seats42.3%
- Exterior lighting42.3%
- Other / unspecified42.3%
- Body & structure31.7%
- Suspension31.7%
- Brakes21.2%
- Airbags21.2%
- Heating & air conditioning10.6%
- Tires & wheels10.6%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
Lose the ability to control the steering of the vehicle
The Lincoln was parked. When I started the car, the steering wheel would not move at all to the right or left. Simultaneously, the warning appeared that said, Power steering fault. The car was towed to the dealership. They diagnosed the car and fixed the software and replaced the steering module. Apparently, there was a recall on Lincoln MKS vehicles in 2015. I did not own the car at that time. The dealership service person said there was no recall on the VIN for this car. The notice on this website said No Unrepaired Recalls. My concern is that if the car was in motion and the power steering turned off there could have been an accident and injuries as a result.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Lose the ability to control the steering of the vehicle
The climate control system malfunctions by raising the temperature for the heater without any input. When turned off, it turns on by itself and resumes raising the temperature until it maxes out. This occurs when first started and also while driving, causing a severe distraction as the beeping is distracting and the temperature will not stop rising even when the My Temperature buttons are pressed to decrease the temperature. Other MKS owners have complained online. The car is available for inspection upon request. Sustained distraction while trying to find the temperature adjustment buttons and the off button lasts too long, creating a serious driving danger and large potential for an accident, even a head on accident. I have only experienced this when using the heater. It has not happened to me in the summer yet. I have not taken it to a dealer, yet. I will soon to find out how much they want to charge me for their vehicle design failure. The vehicle has not been inspected by others. There were no warnings or messages or symptoms. They first appeared within the last six months and have gotten worse with time. Now the runaway climate control occurs more frequently while driving.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
Water pump failure or malfunctioned causing the engine to over heat and then to engine stall going 75 mph. After having it towed it was determined the water pump was leaking. It put myself and others at risk of an accident. The water pump sits directly in the center of the engine so it can’t be inspected so easily and only option is to just replace. The water pump was confirmed by a licensed Lincoln Certified Dealer and failed at 69,639 miles. Many others have reported having this same issue. There was a warning signal that flashed as the engine reach an overheating temp, but there were none prior the incident .
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while reversing, there was a huge blast of white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for routine maintenance and was diagnosed and determined that the water pump was leaking, the turbo charger was losing power, the power transfer unit was overheating, and the water pump was overheating. The water pump was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V227000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool showed no open recall.
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was restarted and driven without further failure. Additionally, the contact stated that recently after the vehicle was started, the power steering assists failure warning light illuminated. The contact checked the power steering fluid level, and the level was sufficient. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact researched and discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V621000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 15V34000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the repair was not included in the recalls. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,698.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while reversing, there was a huge blast of white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for routine maintenance and was diagnosed and determined that the water pump was leaking, the turbo charger was losing power, the power transfer unit was overheating, and the water pump was overheating. The water pump was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled with several undisclosed messages displayed on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer but was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle remained with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
Rear camera backup camera fails to show, says to contact dealership and does not display image although camera is properly intact.
Power steering assist faulty. To regain power steering control turn the car off. Throughout the past six months, this happened several times.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the defroster setting malfunctioned, and the contact was unable to defrost and clear the windows, creating a visibility hazard. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 157,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while attempting to close the front driver's side door, she heard a beeping noise. The contact then stated that when she placed the shifter in reverse(R), the screen failed to display an image and the defogger failed to operate. Additionally, the contact stated that she noticed that the vehicle was overheating and that the hood was discolored. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that when she placed the gear shifter into reverse(R) the defogger failed to operate as needed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
Ford Port Richey overcharged for diagnosis. Claim on credit report still owe them. Same with Ferman Ford Clearwater overcharged key. Said need two in order to program ECM. Broke two other things. Wiper cord and guitar strings were cracked.
DRIVER'S SEAT FOLDED IN ON DRIVER WHILE IN MOTION. FIRST INCIDENT WAS MARCH 25 WHEN RETURNING FROM DINNER AS ENTERING THE DRIVEWAY. MARCH 30 THE SEAT FOLDED AS WE WERE DRIVING 70 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE ON INTERSTATE 295 OUTSIDE RICHMOND, VA. MARCH 31, THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED AS LEAVING THE DRIVEWAY AND ON THE STREET. APRIL 1, 2014 CAR TAKEN TO WILLIAMSBURG FORD WHERE IT WAS LEFT TWO DAYS. CUSTOMER INVOICE NOTES: NOTES: A: CUSTOMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE SEAT BACK WILL FOLD FORWARD/INWARD TOWARDS STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONCERN, NO EVIDENT FAULTS. B: PERFORM MULTI-POINT INSPECTION. 99P PERFORM MULTI-POINT INSPECTION C: QUICK ALIGNMENT CHECK 31 QUICK ALIGNMENT CHECK THIS IS VERY SCARY WHEN IT HAPPENS ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED IN TRAFFIC. CAR NEEDS TO STOP AND SEAT NEEDS TO BE READJUSTED. SOME LOCAL ROADS IN THIS AREA DO NOT HAVE SAFE PLACES TO PULL OFF TO ADJUST THIS SEAT. HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM??? *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that water was leaking into the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that water was leaking through the sunroof as the drain had not been cleaned. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the front passenger's side headlight failed to illuminate. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the headlight failed due to water damage. The dealer diagnosed that the front passenger's side headlight needed to be replaced; however, the dealer declined to replace the headlight under the warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair was covered under warranty. However, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under the warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. The VIN was unavailable.
EVERY RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2013 LINCOLN MKS I HAVE WRONG WITH MY VEHICLES. BUT WHEN I CALL TO HAVE IT SERVICED THEY TELL ME MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS, BUT YET MY VEHICLE HAS ALL THE RECALL PROBLEMS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
Ill be driving and my car will whip me right off the road
The control panel that operates the heat/ac, audio controls and also houses the hazard light button has a high failure rate and will do its own thing or fail to operate all together. The volume will randomly max out by itself creating a blaring unbearable loudness and you have to hit the tap/hot the unit for it to stop. The heat /ac will also do whatever it wants randomly. The hazard light button will also not work randomly. I've talked to other MKS owners and this is very common issue to have.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that water was leaking into the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that water was leaking through the sunroof as the drain had not been cleaned. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the front passenger's side headlight failed to illuminate. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the headlight failed due to water damage. The dealer diagnosed that the front passenger's side headlight needed to be replaced; however, the dealer declined to replace the headlight under the warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair was covered under warranty. However, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under the warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. The VIN was unavailable.
PAINT ON THE HOOD IS CORRODING AND PEELING IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while driving 55-60 mph, she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a guardrail. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. No air bags deployed. The contact did not sustain any injuries nor sought medical attention. No police report was filed. The contact stated she continued driving to her residence. The contact's father inspected the vehicle and noticed the toe link was fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
lost complete control of my steering on my car can not drive it i had to havve the car towed to hoffman linclon ford in East Hartford Ct i have repair estimate from them i the amount of 3309,11 hear is a break down of the repairs (Primary)steering-steering $140.00 power steering control module:power rack and pinion,both outer tie rod ends $2808.79 alignment check alignment $129.00 total before taxes $3078.74 shop charges $34.87 ct taxes $195.50 i call linclon and they said that the car was not covered on the recall the car has less then70,000 thousand miles on it
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
WAS PARKING CAR IN DRIVEWAY AND WHEN TRYING TO BACK INTO SPACE STERRING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO MANEUVER.
WHENEVER I DRIVE 55 MILES PER HOUR OR HIGHER DEPENDING ON WHERE I AM AND I ATTEMPT TO STOP THE VEHICLE OR I HAVE TO COME TO AN ABRUPT SLOW DOWN, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SLOW DOWN PROPERLY AND IT MAKES A REVVING NOISE UNTIL THE VEHICLE SPEED GETS TO APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES PER HOUR. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE LINCOLN SERVICE DEPARTMENT SEVEN (7) TIMES, SIX (6) TIMES FOR BRAKES, THEY HAVE DUPLICATED THE ISSUE SIX (6) TIMES, THEY SHAVED THE FRONT ROTORS THREE (3) TIMES AND REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS ONCE. THE LINCOLN DEALER HAS STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN OVER 60 MILES PER HOUR. I ALSO TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT HE DUPLICATED THE ISSUE AT HIGH SPEEDS AND THE ISSUE COULD BE THE TYPE OF BRAKES THE VEHICLE HAS ON IT. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE AND I FEARED FOR MY LIFE EACH TIME I GOT BEHIND THE WHEEL.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LINCOLN MKS. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WITH THE SEAT BELT FASTENED, A DEER CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE CORNER PANEL, GRILL, WINDSHIELD, AND BUMPER. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE AIR BAGS IMPACTED THE CONTACT'S ABDOMEN AND PELVIC AREA, BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND SMOKE EMERGED FROM THE AIR BAGS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
MY FATHER PULLED AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN ON A CITY STREET, CROSSED TRAFFIC AND HIT THE BACK BUMPER OF A PICKUP TRUCK AFTER WHICH HIS FOOT SLIPPED ON TO THE ACCELERATOR AND DROVE HIS CAR DIRECTLY INTO A UTILITY POLE. THE IMPACT WITH THE POLE WAS HARD ENOUGH TO SHEER OFF POLE AND THE FRONT OF HIS CAR WAS DAMAGED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE BUMPER TO THE FRAME PUTTING A V-SHAPED INDENTATION AND THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. HE WAS GOING FAST ENOUGH TO SHEER OFF THE WOODEN UTILITY POLE AND THE WIRES WERE HANGING DOWN OVER THE CAR.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LINCOLN MKS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER UNIT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER WOULD CHANGE FROM COOL TO EXTREMELY HOT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GENE MESSER FORD OF AMARILLO (3400 SONCY RD, AMARILLO, TX 79119, (806)-355-7471) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT CONTROL INTERFACE MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LINCOLN MKS. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT OBSERVED AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WHILE TURNING. THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STREP BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .