RoadVitals

2012 Lincoln Mkx Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
84
Latest Sep 1, 2025
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.
2
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
2
Reports on file since Nov 14, 2011

What this page shows

Our database holds 84 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2012 Lincoln Mkx. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 84 · page 1 of 4

Brakes
Filed Sep 1, 2025

Recalled master cylinder brake booster was repaired at the dealership under the recall approx 4 or 5 years ago. The same issue has began again. Out of nowhere while braking, the pedal will become soft and press to the floor. During this time, the car will not slow down. This is resembling a defective part.

NHTSA ID
11684240
Incident
Aug 31, 2025
Electrical
Filed Aug 29, 2025

The camera change from vertical to horizontal, the camera shutdown while in motion.

NHTSA ID
11683970
Incident
Mar 14, 2025
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 23, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that the back over prevention camera was reversed. The contact stated that the image was upside down and the camera was flickering. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact believed that the failure was weather-related. The contact called an unknown local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 185,000.

NHTSA ID
11668525
Incident
Jan 1, 2025
Mileage
185,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 10, 2025

Backup camera faulty won’t connect just black screen

NHTSA ID
11635348
Incident
Dec 19, 2024
Brakes
Filed Dec 13, 2024

brake booster

NHTSA ID
11630580
Incident
Dec 13, 2024
Brakes
Filed May 30, 2024

What system Failed: Hydraulic Control Unit within the braking system. Brake Pedal and Master cylinder in good working order. Safety Concern: Vehicle failed to stop. Peddle completely to the floor. Accident avoided. Problem Reproduced or confirmed by Service Center: Yes, at a cost of $1,699.00 Inspected: Yes. Vehicle has low miles. Odometer: 114,591 Warnings: No lights or warnings, attempted to stop and brake pedal to the floor. Stopped driving until repairs made. Unsafe! Vehicle failed to stop in normal traffic without warning, speed was approximately 45 mph. Personal Information: Site stated do not list personal information. Therefore, repair invoice available upon request. No upload given at this time.

NHTSA ID
11591518
Incident
May 3, 2024
AirbagsBody & structureElectrical
Filed Nov 10, 2023

DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR SENSOR SAYS CAR DOOR IS OPEN EVEN WHEN DOOR IS FIRMLY SHUT. CAUSES DOORS NOT TO LOCK, INTERIOR AND PUDDLE LIGHTS REMAIN ON, DRAINS BATTERY, DOORS WON'T LOCK EVEN WITH CAR IN MOTION. Severe Rust problems under carriage Air Bag light remains on

NHTSA ID
11554554
Incident
May 1, 2023
EngineFuel system
Filed Jun 22, 2023

Entering I-294 express ramp, vehicle was not accelerating beyond 40mph. then as I entered highway it shut down completely. I coasted to the right shoulder. The dash displayed a "low oil pressure" alert. So I did not attempt to restart the car. When I had it towed home, I checked the oil level and it was full. Nothing like this happened before. The vehicle is almost 12 years old with 167,000 miles. Had this happened in traffic on the expy, I could have been creamed by other cars or a truck. I am going to the dealer today to investigate but this seems like an anomaly where the engine shuts down because the computer thinks there is a catastrophic failure that is not really happening.

NHTSA ID
11528289
Incident
Jun 21, 2023
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jun 12, 2023

I am having issues with my touch screen. My screen will go black every other week, for about a day and the the SNYC will update. This time, it’s been over a week, and the screen is still black. I have tried changing fuses to no avail. Also, the rear camera does not work. Along with the blind spot warning or the rear cross traffic warning. How should I proceed? I believe it may be a faulty chip in the computer board.

NHTSA ID
11526703
Incident
Jun 5, 2023
Brakes
Filed Jan 19, 2023

While leaving out my driveway my brakes went straight to the floor before stopping. After I put the car in park and put my foot on the break again it was hard to push the brake pedal. I also hear air coming from the break pedal area. I had no warning and still do not have any warnings. I’ve noticed after reading a lot of reviews this seem to be a common problem and it’s not safe. Mileage 104,000

NHTSA ID
11502644
Incident
Oct 5, 2022
Brakes
Filed Jan 4, 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that the brake pedal would depress to the floorboard without warning. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the brake master cylinder was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was then diagnosed with a defective ABS system; however, the part for the repair was on backorder. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and provided the same information as the dealer. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ID
11500171
Incident
Jun 1, 2022
Mileage
130,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 29, 2022

The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The All-Wheel Drive (AWD) warning light and the power train warning light were illuminated. The contact stated that he veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle and waited for 15-20 seconds. The contact then continued driving; however, the failure recurred increasingly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who test drove the vehicle and informed the contact that they could not duplicate the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under an unknown NHTSA Campaign because the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 97,400.

NHTSA ID
11481754
Incident
Aug 15, 2022
Mileage
97,400 mi
Brakes
Filed May 25, 2022

The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, there was a brake booster fault and the contact depressed the brake pedal to the floor. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who diagnosed the failure with the brake booster. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 138,300.

NHTSA ID
11466118
Incident
May 20, 2022
Mileage
138,300 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 15, 2022

The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the brake pedal became firm and difficult to depress. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the failure to be brake booster and brake master cylinder failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000. The contact stated the brake booster was replaced.

NHTSA ID
11460937
Incident
Apr 15, 2022
Mileage
67,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 1, 2022

The braking system failed to adequately stop the car. In contacting the Lincoln Customer Service, this failure mode is associated with a Lincoln Customer program # 13N02. This program has a 10 years or 150000 miles limit for repair. The vehicle (MKX - 2012) has 65000 miles and was purchased 12/20/2011. It is 1 month out of the defined period. The car has only been driven a few hundred miles since 2020 due to illness and death of the owners. The brake system is a safety device and should not be considered a "Customer Care" program with limits as noted above. The failure of a breaking system will cause potential personal injury including death and should be reconsidered as a safety recall or the program should be extended. The incident of a major traffic accident on the highway was avoided that would have involved multiple cars if not taking evasive action in the median. The problem was confirmed by a dealer, verbally given the operation of the brake system. There were no warning lamps or any other indication prior to the incident. The VIN: [XXX] Thank you for your follow-up of this situation. [XXX], [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID
11449752
Incident
Jan 28, 2022
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 9, 2021

I have a 2012 Lincoln MKX and a piece of the transmission broke off while I was driving on the highway at night. I was able to get the vehicle to the shoulder but this could have caused a serious accident even resulting in fatalities. I have contacted the dealership but he is not cooperating and says that he is going to do nothing about it. I have an estimate from the repair where I had to have the vehicle towed. There were no type of warning lights at all on the dash board.

NHTSA ID
11443238
Incident
Nov 12, 2021
Brakes
Filed Oct 8, 2021

Brake pressure loss without warning

NHTSA ID
11436105
Incident
Oct 7, 2021
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 6, 2021

The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while reversing the vehicle, the backup camera was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the backup camera assembly and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,000.

NHTSA ID
11435729
Incident
Sep 21, 2021
Mileage
109,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 2, 2021

I had to slam on the brakes due to a driver pulling out in front of me without looking. The brakes went to the floor and I had difficulty getting the car stopped. I took it in to my mechanic and they diagnosed as a master cylinder, which I had replaced 7 months prior for a similar incident. But, replacing the master cylinder didn’t solve the problem. After more work, they replaced the entire ABS system for the rear brakes ($1900). I drove it 3 times and the brakes locked up on their own while I was driving at 60 miles an hour. When we got to the side of the road, smoke was billowing out of the brakes and the car would not move even though we were pushing the gas. We had the car towed ($300) back to the mechanic. They said the brake fuel line had gotten clogged and the front master cylinder needed to be replaced ($900). Drove twice and same issue, this time smoke billowing out of rear brakes. All brake fluid has completely drained and car needs to be repaired again. It is not drivable, so we will have to have it towed again. I’m so frustrated because this is extremely dangerous and I am stuck with a vehicle that seems to be irreparable and not drivable. Shame on Ford for not recalling this when it is obviously such an issue.

NHTSA ID
11435249
Incident
Aug 15, 2021
Brakes
Filed Sep 14, 2021

I was driving and when I pressed on the brake, the pedal went far down and had no indication of the care stopping. It did, but it took a long time to brake. I took it for repair at Firestone, because my dealer warranty was expired. However, the Firestone let me know there is a booster brake replacement letter; the number of the recall is: 13N02. My car still qualifies as it is under 150,000 miles. The dealership repair denies my car is eligible; the main Lincoln office customer service representative also denied my car based on the vin. Is this correct? The letter of Customer Satisfaction Warranty shoes no exception based on vin?

NHTSA ID
11432991
Incident
Sep 4, 2021
Brakes
Filed Aug 13, 2021

Driving late at night from dinner, brakes failed. Took MKX to servicing dealer, replaced m/cyl problem still there, order brake controller two weeks ago, part on shortage no due date. Part fit alot of models and years. FMC should pay for parts, very safety failure, we live in rural area and have the car serviced at Ford/Lincoln. no warning lights

NHTSA ID
11429022
Incident
Jul 29, 2021
Brakes
Filed Feb 8, 2021

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN CAUSE THE TRAFFIC WAS STOPPED ,AS I HIT THE BRAKE IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT STOP I HAD TO PULL OFF TO THE SHOULDER TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR, I ALSO HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES A NUMBER OF TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP THIS WAS N THE 3RD OR 4TH TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME AND 2 TIMES WITH MY WIFE DRIVING THE SUV THIS IS CAR WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER IN 2018 FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID
11395212
Incident
Jan 1, 2021
Mileage
109,705 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 11, 2021

DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR SENSOR SAYS CAR DOOR IS OPEN EVEN WHEN DOOR IS FIRMLY SHUT. CAUSES DOORS NOT TO LOCK, INTERIOR AND PUDDLE LIGHTS REMAIN ON, DRAINS BATTERY, DOORS WON'T LOCK EVEN WITH CAR IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID
11387541
Incident
Jan 6, 2021
Mileage
110,000 mi
Body & structureBrakes
Filed Dec 31, 2020

MY 2012 LINCOLN MKX IS EXPERIENCING AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP. THE BRAKE PEDAL IS REQUIRING EXTREME FORCE TO STOP AND GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, FOLLOWED BY A HISSING AIRY SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LINCOLN DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A BRAKES AND CHARGED ME $900. AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE AND TEST DRIVING IT, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. AFTER RE-DIAGNOSING THEY POINTED THE FINGER TO A HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT. THIS ISSUE POSES GREAT DANGER AND THE INABILITY TO STOP WITHOUT LITERALLY STANDING AND APPLYING FORCE TO THE BRAKES. I HAVE HAD TO STOP DRIVING THE CAR BECAUSE WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT ANY SPEED, THE FORCE NEEDED TO STOP AND A COUPLE CLOSE CALLS WITH RAMMING IN THE BACK OF SOMEONE, THE CAR IS JUST TOO DANGEROUS. ADDITIONALLY, I'VE HAD OTHER ISSUES WITH THIS CAR WHERE THE TRUNK WILL NOT STAY OPEN. IT DOES NOT DETECT A PERSON PUTTING THINGS IN THE TRUNK AND I'VE HAD TO RUN AND PUSH IT UP TO SAVE A KID WHO WAS LOADING SPORTS EQUIPMENT.

NHTSA ID
11385756
Incident
Nov 3, 2020
Mileage
11,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 27, 2020

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR BOARD. REPLACED ROTORS BRAKE PADS AND CALIPERS. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, PEDAL GOES TO FLOORBOARD AGAIN. REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER, BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY THE ABS BOOSTER. NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. THIS IS THE 60 TH COMPLAINT. ALSO BACK UP CAMERA IS UPSIDE DOWN.

NHTSA ID
11376636
Incident
Nov 1, 2020
Mileage
129,000 mi

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.

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