NHTSA has 170 owner complaints on file for the 2010 Lincoln MKZ[1]. Air bags are the biggest group, with 96 complaints[2].
Most reported problems
Owners filed complaints about a handful of areas. Here they are, biggest first.
- Air Bags. 96 complaints[2]. Owners describe side air bags that did not open in a hard hit, warning lights that stayed on, and waits for repair parts after a notice arrived.
- Brakes. 38 complaints[5]. In the stories we read, owners describe a parking brake that would not hold on a hill, a sudden loss of pedal pressure, and the car not slowing when they pressed the pedal.
- Exterior Lighting. 11 complaints[6]. Owners describe LED tail lights that went dark, stayed lit when they should not, or flashed like a turn signal. Some failed an inspection because of it.
- Speed Control. 10 complaints[7]. Owners describe the car surging forward or backward on its own, often while parking, with the brakes doing little to stop it.
- Electrical System. 10 complaints[8].
- Engine. 5 complaints[9].
- Power Train. 4 complaints[10].
- Structure. 4 complaints[11].
Recalls
Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2010 MKZ is necessarily included.
- Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module (21V158), March 2021. About 2,602,668 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.[12]
- Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (21V081), February 2021. About 1,067 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, a crash, injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.[13]
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit/Module (19V904), December 2019. About 600,166 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.[14]
- Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (19V001), January 2019. About 782,384 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.[15]
- Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (18V775), November 2018. About 215 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.[16]
- Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (18V046), January 2018. About 327,796 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.[17]
- Remedy pending
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (16V384), May 2016. About 1,892,343 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury, death. The remedy was not yet available when this record was filed.[18]
Fuel economy
EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.
Safety ratings
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR FWD/AWD[20] | n/a | n/a | n/a | 5 | 9.2% |
Engine and size
These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.
| Version | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Curb weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKZ 4DR SEDAN[21] | 191 in | 72 in | 56 in | 107 in | 3,600 lb |
How 2010 compares with other years
Show the numbers
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 259 | 4 |
| 2008 | 281 | 4 |
| 2009 | 114 | 6 |
| 2010 | 170 | 7 |
| 2011 | 185 | 5 |
| 2012 | 205 | 5 |
| 2013 | 122 | 12 |
| 2014 | 125 | 13 |
| 2015 | 97 | 10 |
| 2016 | 71 | 6 |
| 2017 | 158 | 4 |
| 2018 | 37 | 2 |
| 2019 | 23 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 | 1 |
NHTSA's counts for the MKZ show 170 complaints and 7 recalls for 2010[3]. Among the 14 model years listed, 9 have fewer complaints than 2010 and 4 have more[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2020 (3) and the most are for 2008 (281)[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.
Should you buy a used 2010 MKZ?
The complaint record for this MKZ centers on air bags, with 96 complaints[2] out of 170 in all[1]. Brakes come next with 38[5]. The speed control group is small at 10 complaints, but 9 of them mention a crash[7]. These are unverified owner reports, and they are not adjusted for how many cars were sold. Check the recall section on this page and make sure any open recall work is done before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the most common problems with the 2010 Lincoln MKZ?
- Owners filed 96 air bag complaints[2] and 38 brake complaints[5] out of 170 in total[1]. See the problems section above for the other groups.
- Does the 2010 Lincoln MKZ have recalls?
- Yes. The count is 7[3]. The recalls section on this page lists each one by code.
- What gas mileage does the 2010 Lincoln MKZ get?
- See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
- Is the 2010 Lincoln MKZ reliable?
- NHTSA lists 170 owner complaints[1]. Read the problems section to see where they cluster, and check the recalls section before buying.
- Are there safety concerns with the 2010 MKZ?
- Owners reported 14 complaints that mention a crash and 10 injuries[1]. See the safety section for crash test results.
Keep exploring
Other model years of the Lincoln MKZ
Compare all model years of the Lincoln MKZ
Similar cars from 2010: midsize cars
Facts and sources
- NHTSA has 170 owner complaints on file for the 2010 Lincoln MKZ (14 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 10 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
- 96 complaints name the air bags component group (6 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, median mileage at failure 66,500). NHTSA vehicle records
- Owner complaints and recalls for every Lincoln MKZ model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
- EPA rating for MKZ FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 27 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
- 38 complaints name the brakes component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 110,000). NHTSA vehicle records
- 11 complaints name the exterior lighting component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 56,000). NHTSA vehicle records
- 10 complaints name the speed control component group (9 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, median mileage at failure 44,000). NHTSA vehicle records
- 10 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 56,000). NHTSA vehicle records
- 5 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
- 4 complaints name the power train component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
- 4 complaints name the structure component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
- Recall 21V158, filed March 10, 2021: Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
- Recall 21V081, filed February 16, 2021: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
- Recall 19V904, filed December 18, 2019: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock / Traction Control / Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit / Module . NHTSA recall database
- Recall 19V001, filed January 7, 2019: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
- Recall 18V775, filed November 1, 2018: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
- Recall 18V046, filed January 11, 2018: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
- Recall 16V384, filed May 31, 2016: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
- EPA rating for MKZ AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 24 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD/AWD: rollover 5 stars; rollover risk 9.2%. NHTSA vehicle records
- Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, MKZ 4DR SEDAN: length 191 in, width 72 in, height 56 in, wheelbase 107 in, curb weight 3,600 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov