Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Lincoln MKX, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes39
- Engine32
- Electrical system27
- Service brakes, hydraulic22
- Unknown or other22
- Power train12
- Fuel/propulsion system12
- Wheels7
- Vehicle speed control6
- Exterior lighting6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 19 2016 MKX vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2016 Lincoln MKX failed the safety check 1.65% of the time — 16% less often than the average 2016 passenger car (1.97%). Median odometer at inspection: 72,814 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 2 variants; 2 of 2 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 Lincoln MKX SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 15.5 % |
| 2016 Lincoln MKX SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | 15.4 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 12.1–12.5 L/100 km (about 19 mpg US), CO₂ 283–293 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKX AWD · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 14.1 | 9.7 | 12.1 |
| MKX AWD · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 14.4 | 10.3 | 12.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 2016 Lincoln MKX.
| 2025435 22 Aug 2025 | Brakes Issue: On certain vehicles, the rear brake hoses could fail and cause a progressive brake fluid leak. If this happens, there could be reduced braking. Note:… |
| 2020373 13 Aug 2020 | Brakes Issue: On certain vehicles, the front brake hoses could fail, causing a progressive brake fluid leak. If this happens, the driver may experience a change in b… |
| 2020335 20 Jul 2020 | Seats And Restraints Issue: On certain vehicles, the wiring for the front seats could be damaged when a person uses the tilt function. As a result, certain system in the vehicle m… |
| 2019569 12 Nov 2019 | Electrical Issue: On certain vehicles built with a 3.7-L engine, the positive battery cable may rub against the transmission shifter cable bracket. This could cause a sh… |
| 2019431 27 Aug 2019 | Steering Issue: On certain vehicles, the bolts that attach the electric power steering assist motor to the steering gear may corrode and break. This could cause a loss … |
| 2017102 1 Mar 2017 | Airbag Certain vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 208 - Occupant Protection in Frontal Impacts. Certain … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture prematurely.
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.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Lincoln MKX vehicles equipped with 3.7L engines. The battery positive cable harness may contact the transmission shifter cable bracket resulting in a short circuit.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 Ford Edge, and 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles and 2017 Lincoln Continental vehicles. In the event of a crash, the driver's frontal air bag may not fully inflate or the air bag cushion may detach from the air bag module. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles manufactured September 24, 2015. An incorrect seat back trim cover was installed on the affected vehicles, blocking the child seat tether anchors in the second row center seating position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child restraint anchorage systems."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Lincoln told its dealers about the 2016 Lincoln MKX: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11010950 | Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs. Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs. |
| 11010917 | Some 2015-2017 Edge, 2016-2017 MKX, 2017 Fusion/MKZ/Continental vehicles equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost or 3.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an oil leak from the engine oil pan RTV seal. |
| 11008948 | While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. |
| 11001174 | This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty, and 2018-2019 EcoSport vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience various SYNC performance related concerns. related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns Phone connection issues Dropped phone connections Applink |
| 10251952 | For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and testing methods. Ford has evaluated turbochargers replaced for oil leak symptoms and although oil may collect on the external surface of a turbocharger, it is extremely rare for a turbocharger assembly to be the root cause of the oil leak. Careful inspection of the turbocharger oil feed and drain tubes should be performed along with the recommended WSM procedures as needed. Warranty claims for turbochar |
| 10251934 | During service and repair requiring removal and replacement of a crankshaft bolt and/or crankshaft damper, achieving proper torque of the crankshaft pulley bolt is critical. Incorrect torque may allow the bolt to loosen resulting in the timing gear breaking and engine damage. Replacement of the bolt is critical to the repair and accurately following the installation procedure in the Workshop Manual (WSM) Section, 303-01 is extremely important. The bolt torque procedure can be found in the crankshaft front seal removal and installation procedure or in the engine assembly procedure. |
| 10244801 | This article supersedes TSB 22-2181 to update the Service Procedure and Part List. Some 2015-2017 Edge, 2016-2017 MKX, 2017 Fusion/MKZ/Continental vehicles equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost or 3.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an oil leak from the engine oil pan RTV seal. This may be due to a lack of RTV adhesion. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure to replace the valve covers and replace the factory oil pan with a press in place gasket style oil pan. |
| 10235323 | Certain 2014-2020 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines 3G Telematics Control Unit to 4G Upgrade Kit REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT Program Terms & Urgency / Expiration Date: Program extension until July 31, 2023. Service Action: o IDS level 128 or higher is now required to address various programming issues encountered. o C-MAX Energi vehicles are now serviceable with new software and hardware. Labor Allowances: C-MAX labor has been updated. Parts Requirements / Ordering Information: o The C-MAX 4G Upgrade Kit is now orderable at this time with a new part number. o MKX Rear seat ba |
| 10235153 | For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a different vehicle. Most modules on these affected vehicles are VIN/vehicle specific and hardware variations between modules do exist. Swapping a module from a vehicle or ordering a module using a different vehicle/VIN can cause ineffective repairs and additional vehicle down time. Make sure all appropriate Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures are |
| 10228876 | Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00. The brake rotors should only be machined if directed by the WSM because one or more of the following conditions are present on the braking surface: scoring, excessive corrosion/rust or pitting, bluing/discoloration and/or heat spots. For additional information, refer to WSM section 206-00. |
| 10228866 | Some 2015-2020 Edge, 2016-2018 MKX, 2019-2020 Nautilus, 2018-2021 Expedition/Navigator, and 2020-2021 Escape/Corsair/Explorer/Aviator vehicles may exhibit an inoperative power liftgate. This may be due to the rear gate trunk module (RGTM) software. To correct the condition, reprogram the RGTM using the latest software level of the appropriate Ford diagnostic scan tool. For claiming, use causal part 14B291 and applicable labor operations in Section 10 of the Service Labor Time Standards (SLTS) Manual. |
| 10225540 | Certain 2015-2019 Model Year Edge and Lincoln MKX Vehicles and 2013-2018 Model Year Fusion and Lincoln MKZ Vehicles Front Brake Flexible Hose Replacement REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT Parts Requirements / Ordering Information: Part numbers for Edge and MKX vehicles have been added. Edge and MKX model year updated from 2018 to 2019, build dates remain the same. |
| 10224795 | Some 2015-2017 Edge, 2016-2017 MKX, 2017 Fusion/MKZ/Continental vehicles equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost or 3.0L EcoBoost engine vehicles may exhibit an oil leak from the engine oil pan RTV seal. This may be due to a lack of RTV adhesion. This article includes detailed steps to achieve proper RTV adhesion. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure steps to replace the oil pan. |
| 10222788 | Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00. The brake rotors should only be machined if directed by the WSM because one or more of the following conditions are present on the braking surface: scoring, excessive corrosion/rust or pitting, bluing/discoloration and/or heat spots. For additional information, refer to WSM section 206-00. |
| 10222518 | Certain 2015-2018 Model Year Edge and Lincoln MKX Vehicles and 2013-2018 Model Year Fusion and Lincoln MKZ Vehicles Front Brake Flexible Hose Replacement Submitting Owner Letters |
| 10218898 | Certain 2015-2018 Model Year Edge and Lincoln MKX Vehicles and 2013-2018 Model Year Fusion and Lincoln MKZ Vehicles Front Brake Flexible Hose Replacement In some of the affected vehicles, brake fluid may leak from one or both front brake flexible hoses. If the brake fluid reservoir is depleted below a predetermined level, the brake fluid warning indicator light will illuminate. The driver may experience an increase in pedal travel together with a reduction in the rate of deceleration over time. |
| 10218617 | Some 2013-2017 C-MAX Energi, 2013-2018 Focus battery electric vehicle (BEV), 2013-2020 Fusion plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), 2015-2017 MKZ/MKZ Hybrid/MKC, 2016-2017 MKX and 2017 Continental vehicles equipped with 8 inch or larger center display screen may be unable to complete modem authorization after 3G to 4G modem upgrade was performed. No Authorization Pop-up will be displayed on the center display screen during the Authorization process. The vehicle may also not have proper functionality of remote app features such as remote start, return odometer, fuel information, or vehicle lo |
| 10216851 | Certain 2014-2020 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines - 3G Telematics Control Unit to 4G Upgrade Kit. The North America 3G cellular service began decommissioning in August 2021 and a complete shutdown of the 3G network took place in February 2022. Vehicles on the road equipped with a 3G telematics control unit (TCU) / embedded modem will lose mobile app functionality/connectivity. |
| 10214758 | Some 2013-2017 C-MAX Energi, 2013-2018 Focus battery electric vehicle (BEV), 2013-2020 Fusion plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), 2015-2017 MKZ/MKZ Hybrid/MKC, 2016-2017 MKX and 2017 Continental vehicles equipped with SYNC screens 8 inch or larger may be unable to complete modem authorization after 3G to 4G modem upgrade was performed. No Authorization Popup will be displayed on SYNC infotainment screen during the Authorization process. The vehicle may also not have proper functionality of remote app features such as remote start, and return odometer and fuel information to the app. This m |
| 10214492 | Some 2015-2016 vehicles equipped with 6F50/6F55 transmission and built on 2-Nov-2015 and through 1-Feb-2016 may exhibit no reverse, 3rd and 5th gear with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0715,P0717,P0756 and/or P2701. This may be caused by the direct clutch cylinder/tone wheel (7F283) inadvertently forcing the snap ring out of position resulting in damage to the direct clutch hub (7G384). Service part (7J250) complete rotating 3-5-R clutch module is now available. Refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 307-01. For claiming, use causal part 7F283 and applicable labor operations in Section 7 of |
| 10212957 | Some 2013-2023 Ford or Lincoln vehicles with modems activated through FordPass or LincolnWay may experience 12 volt battery drain symptoms when the customer uses non-Ford/Lincoln phone applications as an alternate channel to access vehicle commands such as door lock/unlock, remote start, vehicle location, etc. The battery drain may be caused by excessive calls for data through the vehicle network keeping it in an activated state. Recommend that the customer uninstall the app to ensure this is not contributing to battery symptoms experienced. Advise the customer that unaffiliated third-party ap |
| 10211709 | Some 2014-2017 C-MAX Energi, 2014-2020 Fusion plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), 2015-2017 MKZ/MKZ Hybrid/MKC, 2016-2017 MKX, 2016-2018 Focus battery electric vehicle (BEV) and 2017 Continental vehicles equipped with SYNC screens 8 inch or larger may be unable to complete modem authorization after 3G to 4G modem upgrade was performed. No Authorization Popup displayed on SYNC infotainment screen during the Authorization process. This may be due to the Sync Software. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure to toggle Valet Mode. |
| 10209209 | This article supersedes TSB 21-2236 to update the models and year affected. Some 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2020 Fusion/MKZ, 2013-2022 Escape, 2015-2018 Focus, 2015-2019 MKC, 2015-2022 Edge/F150/Mustang, 2016-2018 MKX, 2016-2019 Explorer, 2017-2022 F-Super Duty, 2018-2022 EcoSport/Expedition, 2019-2022 Ranger/Nautilus, 2021-2022 Bronco/Bronco Sport/Mustang Mach-E, 2022 Maverick vehicles may experience seat pan looseness, lateral movement, or a clunk/thump noise on turns. This may be due to the seat pan track. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure steps to install a reinforcement. |
| 10205694 | Some 2016-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may exhibit a condition where the navigation voice prompts are inoperative after a SYNC map update. This may be due to an incomplete installation of the SYNC map software. If possible, using the original USB that installed the update, reperform the update and verify the navigation voice prompts have returned. Multiple reboots are expected when this update is being performed. Verify the Installation Is Complete message displays in the touch screen. If the original USB is not available, go to website https://syncnavigation.com/ford/ho |
| 10205042 | Claimate controlled seats - lack of cooling /heating from front seat bottom cushion - built on or before 03/31/2016 |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation