RoadVitals

2011 Lincoln Mkz Hybrid

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.
40
Latest Aug 7, 2025
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.
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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.
2
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.
1

Overview

Our database contains 40 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Lincoln Mkz Hybrid, most frequently naming the airbags, steering and brakes categories. 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 7 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

  • Airbags1840.9%
  • Steering1329.5%
  • Brakes49.1%
  • Suspension24.5%
  • Electrical24.5%
  • Interior & seats24.5%
  • Other / unspecified12.3%
  • Exterior lighting12.3%

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.

Safety investigations

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

DP22005ClosedDefect Petition

Pedestrian alert sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023
Closed Aug 7, 2023

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEMLed to recall 22V063000
EA12009ClosedEngineering Analysis

Floor mat interference with accelerator

Opened Dec 12, 2012
Closed Jun 12, 2014

On May 27, 2014, Ford Motor Company submitted recall 14E-028 (Ford recall #14S07) to correct a safety-related problem with certain driver's side Ford optional all-weather floor mats sold for use in model year 2006 through 2011 model year Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr, and Lincoln MKZ vehicles built at Hermosillo Assembly Plant (HAP) from November 9, 2007, to October 31 ,2010.NHTSA testing determined that the original accessory all-weather mat with a single retention clip (Figure 1), may interfere with accelerator pedal return to idle with the mat retained by the clip and rotated clockwise.Both the single- and double-clip (Figure 2) all-weather floor mats may interfere with the accelerator pedal return to idle when the mats are not secured by the retention clip(s).Testing showed that this can occur if the mats are moved forward from the clipped position approximately two inches into a position in which the rear edge of the mats will abut the retention clip(s) when installed singly and align with the clip(s) when stacked on another floor mat.The pedal interference incidents reviewed by the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) include 1 crash and 9 incidents with allegations of brake friction materials smoking and/or requiring repair for heat related damage.The crash incident occurred after the parking brake was applied at speed, resulting in loss-of-control vehicle yaw event caused by lock-up of the rear tires.The spin-out resulted in a side impact collision with an oncoming vehicle in an opposing lane of traffic. For the 29 incidents with sufficient information available to make an assessment; 23 (79%) were controlled by the driver either shifting to neutral, turning the engine off, or both; 4 (14%) were ended by the driver either kicking the pedal free (2) or pulling the mat away from the pedal (2); and 2 (7%) were ended by the pedal freeing itself from the mat with no apparent driver action.None of the drivers who reacted to the incident by shifting to neutral or turning the engine off reported any difficulties with either action.The subject mats were sold by Ford and Lincoln dealers directly to customers as an optional accessory equipment item or, beginning in November 2007, the mats were also available as a factory installed accessory if ordered with a new vehicle.Ford estimates that approximately 82,579 affected driver's side all weather floor mats were sold worldwide; either over the counter through Ford dealerships or as original equipment.Owners that purchased the subject all-weather floor mats as a factory installed accessory with their new vehicle will be notified to return their all weather floor mats to their Ford or Lincoln Dealership in exchange for replacement mats.Owners of all other potentially affected vehicles will be notified that, if they have an affected Ford driver's side all weather floor mat, they should return their mats to the dealership in exchange for replacement mats.The VOQs associated with the closing of this investigation are: 10327597, 10332233, 10334211, 10335336, 10339330, 10348772 (and duplicate 10342572), 10372674, 10379562, 10415911, 10426255, 10434107, 10521053, 10554966.This investigation is hereby closed.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDALLed to recall 14E028000

Recent owner complaints

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

Steering
Filed Aug 7, 2025

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring an increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The EPS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the steering rack. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000.

NHTSA ID
11679126
Incident
Aug 7, 2025
Mileage
130,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 26, 2025

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the brake service warning light illuminated. The contact used excessive force on the brake pedal and the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 168,258.

NHTSA ID
11669507
Incident
Jun 2, 2025
Mileage
168,258 mi
Brakes
Filed Aug 11, 2023

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal went down to the floorboard and the stopping distance was extended. The "Check Braking System" and "Service Advancetrac" messages were displayed. The ABS, brakes, and the electronic stability control warning lights were illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and engaged the electronic parking brake. The contact stated that when she turned off and restarted the vehicle, the warning lights turned off and the vehicle operated as needed. The contact stated that the failure recurred on two separate occasions; however, on the last occasion, the warning lights remained illuminated upon restarting the vehicle, and the brake failure persisted. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000. The contact stated the ABS module failed, the older model years were under the recall but the newer cars were not included in this recall. The contact is requesting reimbursement for repairs made to this vehicle.

NHTSA ID
11537859
Incident
Dec 11, 2019
Mileage
95,000 mi
Brakes
Filed May 16, 2023

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the brakes failed to operate upon depression of the brake pedal with several unknown warning lights flashing on the instrument panel. The contact immediately applied the parking brake and drifted the vehicle off to the roadway. The contact restarted the vehicle three times and the warning lights reappeared on the instrument panel. The contact drove the vehicle home and later had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The dealer inspected the vehicle and informed him that the ABS hydraulic control unit was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 69,500. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired.

NHTSA ID
11522318
Incident
May 12, 2023
Mileage
69,500 mi
Steering
Filed Mar 17, 2023

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering failure message was displayed. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V34000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not repaired under the recall, and that the recall had expired. The approximate failure mileage was 128,000.

NHTSA ID
11512380
Incident
Mar 16, 2023
Mileage
128,000 mi
Steering
Filed Oct 15, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LINCOLN MKZ HYBRID. WHILE THE CONTACT ENTERED THE DRIVEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 3 MPH, THE STEERING SEIZED AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING ASSIST FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. GRIFFIN PHILLIS FORD (PA-257, SENECA, PA 16346, (814) 676-9295) REPROGRAMMED THE STEERING THREE ADDITIONAL TIMES, BUT THE SAME FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH CASE NUMBER: 24287519. THE CONTACT MENTIONED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V340000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 74,700.

NHTSA ID
11268631
Incident
Jun 24, 2019
Mileage
74,700 mi
Steering
Filed Mar 29, 2019

GOT IN MY CAR PUT IT IN REVERSE AND LOST POWER STEERING. FORD SAID ONLY SOME MKZ HYBIRDS ARE RECALLED BUT MINE ISN'T ON THE LIST. EVIDENTLY FROM WHAT I READ ALL OF THEM SHOULD BE RECALLED. MY CAR ONLY HAS 76,000 MILES ON IT SOME PEOPLE WAS A LOT LESS. I WAS LUCKY I WASN'T DRIVING AT THE TIME. WE LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME AND CAN'T AFFORD THE COST TO GET IT FIXED AT THE DEALERSHIP WHO WILL CHARGE A FORTUNE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR A MONTH AGO USED AND NOW AM OUT THE MONEY I PAID FOR IT. I PAID CASH.

NHTSA ID
11192479
Incident
Mar 29, 2019
Mileage
76,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 13, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LINCOLN MKZ HYBRID. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V001000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
11179831
Incident
Feb 1, 2019

Manufacturer communications

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

22G04

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

Certain 2010 – 2012 Model Year Fusion / MKZ / Milan Hybrid Vehicles Hybrid Battery Reduced Electric Vehicle Operation BECM and PCM Software Update In all the affected vehicles, outdated software may result in reduced EV-only mode performance earlier in the life of the vehicle than intended.

22B05

AIR BAGS

Certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2005-2006 GT, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion & MKZ/Zephyr, 2006-2011 Milan, and 2007-2010 Edge & MKX Vehicles Driver & Passenger Airbag Module Quality Control Inspection: Ford Motor Company has determined that some vehicles claimed by dealers as repaired under Takata Airbag Safety Recalls 15S21, 17S42, 18S02, 19S01, and 21S12 may not have received the claimed repairs. The propellant in certain Takata airbag inflators can experience an alteration over time with exposure to certain climate conditions. A combination of time, high temperature fluctuations, and humidity contribute to the degradation of the propellant in the inflators. This degradation can cause the propellant to burn too quickly, creating high pressure inside the inflator, and in extreme cases causing the inflator to rupture in the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment. A ruptured inflator can send inflator parts toward vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death. Additional information regarding Takata recalls can be found at www.nhtsa.gov and www.safercar.gov.

TSB 20-2142

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some 2010-2012 Fusion hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), 2010-2011 Milan HEV and 2011-2012 MKZ HEV vehicles may experience reduced electric vehicle operation and increased gasoline engine operation around 10 years of vehicle age and beyond. This may be due to software in the battery energy control module (BECM) and the powertrain control module (PCM). To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure to reprogram the BECM and PCM.

SSM 48238

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Some 2010-2012 Fusion hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), 2010-2011 Milan HEV and 2011-2012 MKZ HEV vehicles may experience reduced electric vehicle operation and increased gasoline engine operation. Do not attempt repairs at this time. Engineering is investigating, monitor OASIS for updates.

44863

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

FORD: NO SERVICE ACTION IS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS CONDITION. PLEASE USE AT YOUR DISCRETION. VARIOUS 2010-2015 VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A TURBULENCE NOISE, SIMILAR TO AN HELICOPTER NOISE, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THE REAR DOOR WINDOW(S) OR SUNROOF ARE OPEN. *TA

ASI-45113

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

FORD/LINCOLN: WHEN FLAT TOWING VEHICLE, BATTERY WILL DRAIN, DUE TO MANUAL INSTRUCTION OF KEY REMAINING IN ACCESSORY POSITION. MODEL 2010-13 FUSION, 2010-11 MILAN, 2011-12 MKZ. *PE

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 Mkz Hybrid by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2020101
2019201
2018202
2017170234.1
2016504
2015120458.4
2014260451.5
2013120542.8
2012590340.3
2011Viewing400238.3

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.