What are the most common problems with the 2018 Lincoln MKZ?

The engine group has the most complaints at 15, followed by the power train group at 9, out of 37 total.

Does the 2018 Lincoln MKZ have recalls?

Yes. The by-year facts list 2 recalls. See the Recalls section on this page for the details.

What gas mileage does the 2018 Lincoln MKZ get?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.

Is the 2018 Lincoln MKZ reliable?

NHTSA has 37 owner complaints for this year, with the engine group the largest. These are unverified reports, so use them as a guide and see the by-year section to compare model years.

Is 2018 the best year for the Lincoln MKZ?

See the by-year comparison on this page. It lays out each model year side by side.

2018 Lincoln MKZ Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 37 owner complaints on file for the 2018 Lincoln MKZ^[1]. The engine group is the biggest, with 15 complaints^[2].

37owner complaints^[1]

2recalls^[3]

20–40MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups in the owner reports, biggest first.

Engine. 15 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe warning lights, rough starts, odd smells and white exhaust, and some say a shop told them fluid was getting into the engine.
Power Train. 9 complaints^[6]. Owners describe the car stalling, shifting oddly, or rolling to a stop in traffic. Some also report engine trouble that a dealer tied to this group.
Unknown Or Other. 5 complaints^[7]. These reports do not fit a named part group.
Brakes. 3 complaints^[8]. Owners describe a pedal that feels inconsistent or a car that was slow to stop.
Electrical System. 2 complaints^[9].
Exterior Lighting. 2 complaints^[10].
Lane Departure. 2 complaints^[11]. One owner describes a driver assist warning switching off unexpectedly.
Structure. 1 complaint^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2018 MKZ is necessarily included.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings (23V162), March 2023. About 1,280,726 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.^[13]
Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar (18V167), March 2018. About 1,301,986 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, loss of steering, steering problems. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]

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 FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[15]	21 / 31 / 24	$2,800
MKZ AWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[16]	20 / 28 / 23	$2,900
MKZ Hybrid FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	41 / 38 / 40	$1,700
MKZ AWD, 3.0L 6-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[17]	17 / 26 / 20	$3,350
MKZ FWD, 3.0L 6-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[18]	18 / 27 / 21	$3,200

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR AWD^[5]	5	4	5	4	10.9%
4 DR FWD^[19]	5	4	5	4	10.9%

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 2.0L AWD 4DR SEDAN^[20]	194 in	73 in	58 in	112 in	3,909 lb
MKZ 3.0L AWD 4DR SEDAN^[21]	194 in	73 in	58 in	112 in	4,200 lb
MKZ HYBRID 4DR SEDAN^[22]	194 in	73 in	58 in	112 in	3,878 lb

How 2018 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each MKZ model year. The 2018 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 37 complaints and 2 recalls for 2018^[3]. Among the 14 model years listed, 2 have fewer complaints than 2018 and 11 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 2018 MKZ?

The 2018 Lincoln MKZ has 37 complaints on file^[1]. Most of the weight sits in the engine group with 15 complaints^[2] and the power train group with 9^[6]. These are unverified owner reports, and the counts are not adjusted for sales. Check the recalls section on this page, since the by-year facts list 2 recalls^[3]. A careful pre-purchase inspection that looks at the engine and the transmission behavior is a sensible step for any buyer.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2018 Lincoln MKZ?: The engine group has the most complaints at 15^[2], followed by the power train group at 9^[6], out of 37 total^[1].
Does the 2018 Lincoln MKZ have recalls?: Yes. The by-year facts list 2 recalls^[3]. See the Recalls section on this page for the details.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Lincoln MKZ get?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
Is the 2018 Lincoln MKZ reliable?: NHTSA has 37 owner complaints for this year^[1], with the engine group the largest^[2]. These are unverified reports, so use them as a guide and see the by-year section to compare model years.
Is 2018 the best year for the Lincoln MKZ?: See the by-year comparison on this page. It lays out each model year side by side.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Lincoln MKZ

2007 259 complaints, 4 recalls
2008 281 complaints, 4 recalls
2010 170 complaints, 7 recalls
2011 185 complaints, 5 recalls
2012 205 complaints, 5 recalls
2013 122 complaints, 12 recalls
2014 125 complaints, 13 recalls
2015 97 complaints, 10 recalls
2016 71 complaints, 6 recalls
2017 158 complaints, 4 recalls
2018 this page

Compare all model years of the Lincoln MKZ

Other Lincoln models from 2018

2018 Lincoln MKX 31 complaints, 5 recalls
2018 Lincoln Navigator 52 complaints, 12 recalls

All Lincoln models

Similar cars from 2018: midsize cars

2018 Toyota Camry 778 complaints, 8 recalls
2018 Volkswagen Passat 46 complaints, 4 recalls
2018 Chevrolet Malibu 711 complaints, 6 recalls
2018 Ford Fusion 508 complaints, 2 recalls
2018 Mazda 6 58 complaints, 2 recalls
2018 Nissan Maxima 36 complaints, 2 recalls

All midsize cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 37 owner complaints on file for the 2018 Lincoln MKZ (1 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 1 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
15 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Lincoln MKZ model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for MKZ Hybrid FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 41 city / 38 highway / 40 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $1,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 10.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
9 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
5 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
3 complaints name the brakes component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
2 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
2 complaints name the exterior lighting component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
2 complaints name the lane departure component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the structure component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 23V162, filed March 10, 2023: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines / Piping, And Fittings. NHTSA recall database
Recall 18V167, filed March 12, 2018: Steering › Steering Wheel / Handle Bar. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for MKZ FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 21 city / 31 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for MKZ AWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 28 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for MKZ AWD, 3.0L 6-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 26 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for MKZ FWD, 3.0L 6-cyl turbo, 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 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 10.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, MKZ 2.0L AWD 4DR SEDAN: length 194 in, width 73 in, height 58 in, wheelbase 112 in, curb weight 3,909 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, MKZ 3.0L AWD 4DR SEDAN: length 194 in, width 73 in, height 58 in, wheelbase 112 in, curb weight 4,200 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, MKZ HYBRID 4DR SEDAN: length 194 in, width 73 in, height 58 in, wheelbase 112 in, curb weight 3,878 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

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.

2018 Lincoln MKZ: problems, recalls and fuel economy