RoadVitals

2016 Lincoln Mkx

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.
150
+5 complaints in 30 days
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.
7
Latest Aug 22, 2025
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.
1
1 currently open
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.
9
3 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 150 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Lincoln Mkx, most frequently naming the brakes, engine and electrical categories. 7 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 220 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

7 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Aug 22, 2025
499,129 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The rear brake jounce hose may rupture and leak brake fluid.
The risk: A brake fluid leak can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake jounce hoses and adjust brake jounce hoses with no damage present, free of charge. Interim owner letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed September 8, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S87.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 25S87View on NHTSA.gov

SERVICE BRAKES; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Aug 10, 2020
488,594 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture prematurely.
The risk: A ruptured front brake hose will cause a brake fluid leak, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front brake hoses with the new hoses that have a revised braid material, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 13, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S42.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 20S42View on NHTSA.gov

AIR BAGS; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH; SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

Jul 17, 2020
19,299 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company, Inc. (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2019-2020 Nautilus vehicles equipped with 16-way electric tilt seats. The seat cushion frame edge may contact the wire harness when the seat occupant uses the tilt function of the seat, potentially damaging one or more wires within the harness, which can result in either inadvertent deployment of the air bag or nondeployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
The risk: An air bag that deploys inadvertently increases the risk of a crash. An air bag that does not deploy in the event of a crash increases the risk of injury.
The remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective flocking tape onto the exposed edge of the 16-way seat cushion frames, and inspect the wire harness for damage, and repair or replace it as needed, free of charge. This recall began August 12, 2020. Owners may contact Ford/Lincoln customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S37.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 20S37View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA21002OpenEngineering Analysis

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

Opened Sep 17, 2021

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Recent owner complaints

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

Brakes
Filed Aug 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V544000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID
11755967
Incident
Aug 22, 2025
Brakes
Filed Aug 5, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V544000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle slowly responded, requiring hard braking, causing the stopping distance to become extended. Several warning lights illuminated with the message "Parking Aid" displayed. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID
11754901
Incident
Jul 5, 2025
Brakes
Filed Aug 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard, and the vehicle slowly stopped. The vehicle almost rear-ended another vehicle. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that there was brake fluid on the ground at the rear passenger’s side of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a cracked brake hose. The contact was informed that the brake hose needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that parts were unavailable to repair the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V544000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

NHTSA ID
11754664
Incident
Jul 21, 2026
Mileage
109,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Aug 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V544000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The vehicle was scheduled for the recall repair. The contact was later informed that parts were unavailable to repair the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive with the open recall repair. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID
11754502
Incident
Aug 3, 2026
Brakes
Filed Aug 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V544000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while coming to a complete stop and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal went to the floorboard, requiring hard braking to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times while driving. The message "Hydraulic Brake Fluid Low" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the rear flexible brake hoses and the corroded rear brake calipers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 64,200.

NHTSA ID
11754378
Incident
Jul 16, 2026
Mileage
64,200 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 30, 2026

Tuesday June 2, 2026 my car went into the shop. At which time the viscous coupler was replaced for the rear AWD differential. This was a Ford OEM Part that had failed. Upon replacing it shut up they found the rear differential gear assembly was in fact also in need of being replaced. The needed part is called a rear final drive. It is now June 30, 2026. My car has been in the shop now for 28 days. The rear final drive part needed is on backorder. “We are more than 100 on the list.” Therefore, I will not be getting my car back any time soon. Upon researching and discussions with dealerships, this is and has been a known problem with the Lincoln and Ford vehicles. However, there has never been a recall, or any justification for this known problem. I would like some answers to why anyone would have to wait that long for a part for their vehicle! I am without a car and will be for an extended period time!

NHTSA ID
11747526
Incident
Jun 2, 2026
Brakes
Filed Jun 16, 2026

I am writing to file a formal safety complaint regarding the extreme delay in the recall remedy for my vehicle. Despite the recall being issued months ago, Ford Motor Company/Lincoln has failed to resolve this critical safety issue in a timely manner. Here are my vehicle details: Year/Make/Model: 2016 Lincoln MKX VIN [XXX] NHTSA Recall Number: 25V544 Manufacturer Recall Number: 25S87 Component Affected: Rear Flexible Brake Hoses Description of the Safety Concern: The recall notice explicitly states that a failure in the rear flexible brake hoses can lead to a loss of brake fluid, resulting in increased brake pedal travel and significantly increased stopping distances, which greatly elevates the risk of a crash. Recently, I have started experiencing a noticeable softening in the brake pedal ("increased pedal travel"), which makes driving the vehicle extremely hazardous. When I contacted my local Lincoln dealership, I was informed that they do not have the necessary parts in stock and could not provide a definitive timeline for the repair. As a consumer, I am being forced to drive a vehicle with a known, severe braking defect because the manufacturer has failed to supply the remedy parts. This is a direct threat to my life, my family’s safety, and the safety of others on the road. Furthermore, this prolonged delay is causing me significant financial hardship and stress. I urgently request NHTSA to intervene and hold Ford Motor Company accountable for expediting the parts distribution for this critical safety recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11744532
Incident
Jun 16, 2026
Brakes
Filed Jun 12, 2026

My vehicle is very hard to stop . The recall was in August of2025 for my back break hoses, as of today Ford/Lincoln doesn't have the part . This is very Dangerous. I'm financing my vehicle therefore I don't have funds to repair it myself. I'm at risk of crashing and I take my kids to school daily, I'm putting my family life in danger every time I get behind the wheel Please can someone help me keep my family safe

NHTSA ID
11743642
Incident
Mar 6, 2026

Manufacturer communications

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

25N17

BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING; BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS; LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION

Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation

SSM 54504

EXTERIOR LIGHTING; FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Some 2016-2017 Edge/MKX, 2017 Continental/Fusion/MKZ vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or 3.0L EcoBoost engine and built on 1-Apr-2016 and through 1-Jan-2017 may exhibit white or blue smoke from the exhaust, rough idle in neutral or park at normal operating temperature or after a hot restart. The vehicle may also exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304, P0305, P0306 and/or P0316, P0524 and/or P06DD with excessive oil consumption. Oil consumption may be 1 Liter (1 quart) in less than 4,800 km (3,000 miles). This may be due to the valve guides. To correct the condition replace the cylinder heads. During service and repair, achieving proper torque of the crankshaft pulley bolt is critical. Incorrect torque may allow the bolt to loosen resulting in timing gear failure and engine damage. Replacement of the bolt is critical to the repair. The bolt requires a 4 stage torque procedure. Hold the pulley using a universal holding tool OTC 4754 or equivalent. Refer to Workshop Manual, Section 303-01. The bolt torque procedure can be

TSB 25-2570

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to:  Display operation concerns  Navigation inoperative  Voice recognition concerns  Phone connection issues  Dropped phone connections  Applink related performance  Travel Link not present or showing incorrect traffic  Slow system response NOTE: Ford has found some of the APIMs replaced and returned for inspection contained an outdated software level and the APIM did not require replacement. The customer concern may have been resolved by updating the APIM with latest level of software. The SYNC 3 universal thumb drive will be able to update the APIM software without the use of a scan tool and does not require the process to be monitored. Ford will be monitoring APIM replacements to confirm TSB directed software updates have been performed.

25E02

POWER TRAIN

The affected vehicles have an emissions control system that does not account for certain in-use conditions and might not control tailpipe emissions effectively over time.

SSM 54366

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; POWER TRAIN

Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) or in Section 303-14 of the Workshop Manual (WSM) has been updated to address this concern.

25E02

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

The affected vehicles have an emissions control system that does not account for certain in-use conditions and might not control tailpipe emissions effectively over time.

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 Mkx by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2020010
2019010
2018295062.4
2017525162.5
2016Viewing1507168.0
2015190151.7
2014351047.6
20131631044.5
2012841039.4
20111483051.3
20101117052.6
2009657045.0
20082537254.7
20072986258.0

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.