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2012 Lincoln MKZProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 146 owner complaints about the 2012 Lincoln MKZ, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-024 the manufacturer reports only 22% of affected cars repaired.

2012 Lincoln MKZ
46
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.2× the MKZ median · #4 of 13 years by complaints
Safety recalls5Lowest repair rate 22%Owner complaints14619 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage42kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 6, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2012 Lincoln MKZ has problems

146 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags685
Steering205
Service brakes172
Structure101
Electrical system91
Engine52
Power train41
Vehicle speed control31
Service brakes, hydraulic30
9 other systems154

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

5 recalls

2012 Lincoln MKZ recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

27%repaired · 2023 Q1

Driver side: inflator module

Recall 21V-158 · Mar 10, 2021 · 2,602,668 vehicles · 699,731 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

67%repaired · 2020 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 19V-001 · Jan 7, 2019 · 782,384 vehicles · 527,515 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

100%repaired · 2019 Q3

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 18V-775 · Nov 1, 2018 · 215 vehicles · 215 repaired

Risk. If the air bag does not inflate as intended, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

22%repaired · 2019 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 17V-024 · Jan 10, 2017 · 654,695 vehicles · 144,579 repaired

Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 1 more recall
69%repaired · 2016 Q4

Steering: electric power assist system

Recall 15V-340 · Jun 2, 2015 · 393,623 vehicles · 272,633 repaired

Risk. If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Lincoln.

Best & worst years

2012 vs. every other MKZ year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the MKZ median. How we score

'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2012 Lincoln MKZ safety ratings

2012 Lincoln MKZ 4 DR AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
  • Rollover: 5 stars (9.2% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2012 Lincoln MKZ, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
  2. Electric power steering failurePE14030 · closed Sep 10, 2015
    Led to recall 15V-340
In owners' words

What MKZ owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I was notified April 2021, that my vehicle had an airbag safety recall repair. To date, I have not been notified to bring my vehicle in for the repair to be performed. The parts were to be in the third quarter of 2021, I have been patient. But, this recall addresses the driver side airbag. I am…
Complaint 11477937 · Aug 6, 2022
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKZ. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags) 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…
Complaint 11444492 · Dec 20, 2021
Due to the open recall without a known solution, I am unable to ensure the safe use of my vehicle for my family and my business, and have lost income due to this problem.
Complaint 11424699 · Jul 13, 2021

Own a 2012 MKZ?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.