RoadVitals

2010 Lincoln Mkz Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints 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.
11
Latest May 4, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 169 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2010 Lincoln Mkz submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Exterior lightingPowertrain (other)
Filed May 4, 2025

I bought this car and it started making a tick sound and when I got it home the drive train was hanging

NHTSA ID
11658733
Incident
Apr 30, 2025
Exterior lighting
Filed Jun 12, 2020

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT LOW BEAM GOES OFF WITH NO INDICATION DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER STOPPED OR MOVING. THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT BACK ON IS TURN LIGHTS OFF AND TURN BACK ON BUT IT DOES IT REPEATEDLY PER TRIP. DOES NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF THE CAR IS MOVING OR NOT. TOOK TO DEALER APPROX. THREE TIMES BUT COULD NOT FIND REASON FOR PROBLEM. DEALER SUGGESTED TO REPLACE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT COMPONENT AT A COST OF APPROXIMATE $3000. FIRST THE COST IS EXTREMELY HIGH, SECOND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS NO ANSWER TO WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. *TR

NHTSA ID
11328612
Incident
Oct 17, 2018
Mileage
72,233 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jun 26, 2017

RIGHT SIDE BRAKE LIGHT HAS FAILED.

NHTSA ID
11001399
Incident
Jun 15, 2017
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Apr 2, 2017

(1) DRIVER REAR CIRCUITBOARD LIGHTS ARE NOT ILLUMINATED,THE FIRST ROW,AND SECOND ROW..400 TO 500.00 REPAIR BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE LIGHTING.. (2) DRIVER SIDE FRONT WINDOW ARE NO LONGER AUTOMATIC UP OR DOWN..HAVE TO KEEP THE POWER WINDOW BUTTON DEPRESSED,FOR OPERATION OF THIS WINDOW.. STARTED WITH THESE PROBLEMS ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY 4/5 MONTHS OR SO AGO..

NHTSA ID
10970030
Incident
Nov 1, 2016
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 20, 2014

I WAS INFORMED BY FRIENDS FOLLOWING OUR VEHICLE THAT THE DRIVER SIDE RED BRAKE LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE WITH NO CHANGE IN BRAKE PEDAL FEEL AT NITE WHEN ALL THE CAR LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON. THIS I BELIEVE IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE DRIVERS FOLLOWING OUR VEHICLE WILL NOT BE AWARE WHEN THE VEHICLE ITSELF IS BRAKING. CONTACTED A FORD DEALER WHO INFORMED US THAT THE COST TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE $534.00 (THE WHOLE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I RESEARCHED WHETHER THIS WAS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH FORD VEHICLES AND FOUND THAT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN DATED 11-11-10 WAS ISSUED AND NHTSA # 10042506 APPLIED.

NHTSA ID
10667429
Incident
Dec 12, 2014
Mileage
44,200 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 3, 2014

DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHTS LED LIGHTS ARE OUT ALREADY THE COST 500.00 FOR 500.00 IT SHOULD AT LEAST WORK FOR 10 YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10641086
Incident
Sep 8, 2014
Mileage
66,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 17, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 LINCOLN MKZ. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND NO DIAGNOSTIC WAS DONE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10637093
Incident
Jun 26, 2014
Mileage
39,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 9, 2014

AT 56,000 MILES (JUST OVER WARRANTY) A FRIEND NOTICED THAT MY DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG THIS CONDITION EXISTED. BRAKE LIGHTS ARE A SAFETY ITEM AND I NOTE THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE REGARDING THE EARLY FAILURE OF THESE LED LIGHTS. FORD WOULD NOT WARRANTY THIS AND WITH A REPLACEMENT COST OF OVER $500.00, THERE IS A REAL DANGER THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY DELAY, OR ELECT TO NOT REPLACE THE LIGHT. THE IMPORTANCE OF FUNCTIONING BRAKE LIGHTS CAN NOT BE OVERSTATED. I ALSO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE LUMINOSITY OF THESE LIGHTS. I'M NOT AT ALL SURE THAT THEY MEET FEDERALLY MANDATED STANDARDS AND THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10631966
Incident
Aug 26, 2014
Mileage
56,000 mi
BrakesElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Sep 3, 2014

PASSENGER SIDE OUTSIDE LED TAILLIGHT/BRAKE LIGHT IS NOW FLASHING, AS IF A RIGHT TURN SIGNAL WERE ACTIVATED, BUT WHEN NO TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO A PRIOR REPORTED DEFECT WHERE THE SAME PASSENGER SIDE LED TAILLIGHT DISPLAYS A LIGHT CONDITION AS IF BRAKING, WHEN CAR IS NOT ACTUALLY BRAKING. THIS SAFETY DEFECT IS ALSO OBSERVED ON SOME 2008-2010 MKZ AND MERCURY MILAN VEHICLES IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS. THE LED LIGHTS ARE NOT OWNER REPLACEABLE; INSTEAD THE ENTIRE TAILLIGHT MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST TO THE OWNER OF OVER $500. THIS CONFUSES OTHER DRIVERS AND THEN CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10630487
Incident
Aug 26, 2014
Mileage
75,000 mi
BrakesElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Aug 20, 2014

MKZ RIGHT SIDE OUTER LED TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS DISPLAYING ALL THREE BANDS OF LED'S AT ALL TIMES, INSTEAD OF ONLY WHEN BRAKING. THE CORRECT DISPLAY WITHOUT BRAKING IS ONLY THE CENTER LED BAND. ALSO, AT RANDOM TIMES, THE THREE LED BANDS FLASH AS IF A TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED, WHEN IT IS NOT. THESE CONDITIONS CAUSE OTHER DRIVERS TO NOT UNDERSTAND WHETHER THE CAR MIGHT BE BRAKING OR TURNING, WHEN IT IS ONLY PROCEEDING STRAIGHT AHEAD. THIS IS AN INTEGRATED LED TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY THAT HAS NO REPLACEABLE BULBS. THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED BY A DEALER AT A COST OF $500.00 BULBS CANNOT BE REPLACED BY AN OWNER, EVEN IN AN EMERGENCY. THE LEFT SIDE (DRIVER SIDE) OUTER LED ASSEMBLY OPERATES CORRECTLY, WITH THE CENTER BAND OF LED'S OPERATIVE AND THREE BANDS LIGHTING ONLY WHEN BRAKING. THIS ADDS TO THE CONFUSION OF OTHER DRIVERS FOLLOWING THE VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR AND LINCOLN DIVISION REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM, AND STATE THAT UNLESS IT IS WITHIN A WARRANTY PERIOD, NO REPLACEMENT WILL BE MADE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO LINCOLN MOTOR DIVISION FOR THE PAST 18 MONTHS AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO DATE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10626830
Incident
Jan 1, 2013
Mileage
56,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Oct 3, 2013

I TOOK MY 2010 LINCOLN IN TO A LOCAL GARAGE FOR ANNUAL STATE INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO BOTH REAR BRAKE LIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONING WHEN PARKING/HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. I THEN TOOK IT TO AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER. THEY ALSO FAILED IT FOR A SAFETY INSPECTION STICKER AND I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED BOTH REAR QUARTER MOUNT LED TAIL LIGHTS. THEY WOULD COST ME APPROXIMATELY $525. EACH. I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO LOOK FOR PROPERLY FUNCTIONING USED LIGHTS. I HAVE RETURNED 2 LIGHTS SO FAR BECAUSE THEY MALFUNCTIONED THE SAME AS MINE. THIS TELLS ME THAT MINE IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE AND MANY LINCOLN MKZ DRIVERS ARE OPERATING UNSAFELY, UNKNOWN TO THEM. I FEEL THIS IS A DIRECT SAFETY HAZARD IN LIGHT THAT I WAS DRIVING WITHOUT ANY BRAKE LIGHTS FOR AN UNDETERMINED TIME. MY 2010 LINCOLN MKZ IS ONLY 6,000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED BY FORD MOTOR CO. *TR

NHTSA ID
10546661
Incident
Aug 31, 2013
Mileage
56,000 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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .