Lincoln MKZ years to avoid
Across the 2015–2017 Lincoln MKZ, the 2017 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 153, about 1.9× the 81 median of the other two model years with enough complaints to compare. The most-reported components that year were the engine and the powertrain. The 2016 drew the fewest of the years with enough complaints to compare, at 68. NHTSA holds fewer than 40 complaints for 2018, 2019 and 2020, too few to read as a quiet year rather than a gap in the records. Separately, the 2015 carries the most recall campaigns, 11. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
The 2017 MKZ is the outlier of the 2015–2017 Lincoln MKZ, with 153 complaints against the model's 94 median.
Every MKZ model year, ranked
Every MKZ model year NHTSA holds records for, most complaints first. Counts are NHTSA records as of 2026-09-15; recall campaigns and complaints are counted separately because a recall is the manufacturer acting and a complaint is an owner reporting. Years with enough on record have a page of their own.
| Model year | Owner complaints | vs the 94 median | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 MKZ | 153 | 1.6× | 4 | the engine |
| 2015 MKZ | 94 | 1× | 11 | the electrical system |
| 2016 MKZ | 68 | 0.7× | 7 | steering |
| 2018 MKZ | 34 — too few to compare | — | 2 | — |
| 2019 MKZ | 22 — too few to compare | — | 1 | — |
| 2020 MKZ | 3 — too few to compare | — | 1 | — |
Buying a Lincoln MKZ? Check its VIN.
Model-year complaint totals do not describe one car. Confirm its identity free, then decide whether to review its reported title, mileage and auction history before you buy.
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See what the paid report includes →How to read these numbers
- A higher count is not proof of a worse car. Complaint volume rises with sales volume and with years on the road.
- The comparison is between years of the MKZ only. It says nothing about how the MKZ compares with other models.
- NHTSA publishes owner reports without verifying them. A complaint is an allegation, not a defect finding.
- Recall campaigns cover production ranges. Only a VIN lookup shows whether one vehicle is included and whether the work was done.
Primary sources behind this page
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
Lincoln MKZ year-by-year questions
Which Lincoln MKZ year should I avoid?
Across the 2015–2017 Lincoln MKZ, the 2017 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 153, about 1.9× the 81 median of the other two model years with enough complaints to compare. The most-reported components that year were the engine and the powertrain. The 2016 drew the fewest of the years with enough complaints to compare, at 68. NHTSA holds fewer than 40 complaints for 2018, 2019 and 2020, too few to read as a quiet year rather than a gap in the records. Separately, the 2015 carries the most recall campaigns, 11. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
Which Lincoln MKZ year is the safest bet?
Of the 2015–2017 Lincoln MKZ, the 2016 drew the fewest owner complaints to NHTSA — 68, against the model's 94 median. Years NHTSA holds fewer than 40 complaints for (2018, 2019 and 2020) are left out: too few reports is a gap in the records, not a quiet year. Newer years have had less time on the road, which lowers their count on its own, so treat this as a starting point and check the individual VIN.
Do complaint counts mean the Lincoln MKZ is unreliable?
No. NHTSA complaints are unverified owner reports, and the count rises with how many vehicles were sold and how long they have been on the road. They are useful for comparing years of the same model — which is what this page does — not for ranking one model against another.
How do I check a specific MKZ?
Take the 17-character VIN from the windshield or driver-door label and run it through NHTSA's free recall lookup. That reports open campaigns for that exact vehicle, including whether the repair is still outstanding. A model-year page cannot tell you that.