What are the most common problems with the 2012 Lincoln MKZ?

Air bags lead the complaints on file with 85, followed by steering with 39. See the problems section above for what owners describe.

Does the 2012 Lincoln MKZ have recalls?

Yes. The recall count for 2012 is in the by-year fact, and each recall is listed in the Recalls section on this page.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Lincoln MKZ get?

See the fuel economy section on this page, which is built from EPA data.

Is the 2012 Lincoln MKZ reliable?

The record shows 205 owner complaints on file. These are unverified and not adjusted for sales, so read the problems and recalls sections together.

2012 Lincoln MKZ Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 205 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Lincoln MKZ^[1]. The air bag group is the biggest, with 85 complaints^[2].

205owner complaints^[1]

5recalls^[3]

19–38MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

4★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here is how the complaints on file split by component group, biggest first. One complaint can name several groups.

Air Bags. 85 complaints^[2]. Owners describe air bag recall notices followed by waits for repair parts, and one owner says the air bags did not deploy in a crash.
Steering. 39 complaints^[6]. In the stories we read, the power steering quits suddenly, often with a warning message on the dash. Some owners say the steering came back after a restart, and some say the dealer replaced the steering gear.
Unknown Or Other. 28 complaints^[7]. These reports did not fit a single named component.
Brakes. 26 complaints^[8]. Owners describe a pedal that did not slow the car as expected, and one story links a lost brake and steering feel to a sudden engine stop.
Electrical System. 17 complaints^[9]. Owners describe stop-now warnings on the dash, a driver door that would not lock or open, and a cracked battery cable part.
Structure. 14 complaints^[10].
Engine. 11 complaints^[11].
Power Train. 6 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2012 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.^[13]
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.^[14]
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.^[15]
Remedy pending
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (17V024), January 2017. About 654,695 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.^[16]
Steering › Electric Power Assist System (15V340), June 2015. About 393,623 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, steering problems, loss of power. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[17]

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.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
MKZ AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[18]	17 / 24 / 19	$3,550
MKZ Hybrid FWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	41 / 35 / 38	$1,750
MKZ FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[19]	18 / 27 / 21	$3,200

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR AWD^[5]	4	3	4	5	9.2%
4 DR FWD^[20]	4	3	4	4	10.5%

How 2012 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each MKZ model year. The 2012 is highlighted^[3].

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 205 complaints and 5 recalls for 2012^[3]. Among the 14 model years listed, 11 have fewer complaints than 2012 and 2 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 2012 MKZ?

The complaint record for the 2012 MKZ is clearly weighted toward air bags and steering^[2]^[6]. The total of 205 complaints is a count of unverified owner reports, and it is not adjusted for how many cars were sold^[1]. Owners also describe sudden steering and braking trouble, which is worth a careful test drive and a check of the recall list above^[6]^[8]. Use this page as a checklist of what to ask about, not as a prediction for any one car.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Lincoln MKZ?: Air bags lead the complaints on file with 85^[2], followed by steering with 39^[6]. See the problems section above for what owners describe.
Does the 2012 Lincoln MKZ have recalls?: Yes. The recall count for 2012 is in the by-year fact^[3], and each recall is listed in the Recalls section on this page.
What gas mileage does the 2012 Lincoln MKZ get?: See the fuel economy section on this page, which is built from EPA data.
Is the 2012 Lincoln MKZ reliable?: The record shows 205 owner complaints on file^[1]. These are unverified and not adjusted for sales, so read the problems and recalls sections together.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Lincoln MKZ

2012 this page
2013 122 complaints, 12 recalls
2014 125 complaints, 13 recalls
2016 71 complaints, 6 recalls
2017 158 complaints, 4 recalls

Compare all model years of the Lincoln MKZ

All Lincoln models

Similar cars from 2012: midsize cars

2012 Buick Regal 92 complaints, 7 recalls
2012 Chevrolet Cruze 865 complaints, 7 recalls
2012 Chevrolet Malibu 907 complaints, 2 recalls
2012 Dodge Avenger 554 complaints, 3 recalls
2012 Dodge Challenger 253 complaints, 6 recalls
2012 Ford Fusion 2,617 complaints, 5 recalls

All midsize cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 205 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Lincoln MKZ (11 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 9 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
85 complaints name the air bags component group (4 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, median mileage at failure 42,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Lincoln MKZ model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for MKZ Hybrid FWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 41 city / 35 highway / 38 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $1,750. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR AWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 3 stars, side 4 stars, rollover 5 stars; rollover risk 9.2%. NHTSA vehicle records
39 complaints name the steering component group (5 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, median mileage at failure 65,000). NHTSA vehicle records
28 complaints name the unknown or other component group (2 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 53,000). NHTSA vehicle records
26 complaints name the brakes component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 58,000). NHTSA vehicle records
17 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 63,000). NHTSA vehicle records
14 complaints name the structure component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 54,000). NHTSA vehicle records
11 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 56,115). NHTSA vehicle records
6 complaints name the power train component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 51,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 21V158, filed March 10, 2021: Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator 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 17V024, filed January 10, 2017: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V340, filed June 2, 2015: Steering › Electric Power Assist System. 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
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
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 3 stars, side 4 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 10.5%. NHTSA vehicle records

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2012 Lincoln MKZ: problems, recalls and fuel economy