NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2011–2020
Lincoln MKZ Hybrid complaints and VIN decoding
NHTSA lists 178 owner complaints for the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid from model years 2011 to 2020, and no vehicle recall campaigns filed under this model name. The 2012 model year drew the most complaints (59), and Steering is the component owners name most often.
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.
See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.
- 178 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
- 10 model years with data (2011–2020)
- most complaints: 2012 (59 for that model year)
- top component: Steering (40 complaints)
- 10 complaints reporting a crash (5.6%)
- 1 complaint reporting a fire (0.6%)
- 6 complaints reporting an injury (3.4%)
- 0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)
The 2012 model year has the most complaints: 59 of 178, or 33.1%. Next come 2011 (40) and 2014 (27). The fewest are for 2020, with 1 complaint.
| Model year | Complaints | Reporting a crash | Reporting a fire | Reporting an injury | Reporting a death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 59 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All model years | 178 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.
Steering is the component named most often, in 40 complaints (22.5% of all 178), followed by Air Bags (36) and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (19).
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 40 | 22.5% |
| Air Bags | 36 | 20.2% |
| Unknown or Other | 20 | 11.2% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 19 | 10.7% |
| Electrical System | 18 | 10.1% |
| Engine | 11 | 6.2% |
| Power Train | 11 | 6.2% |
| Service Brakes | 11 | 6.2% |
| Structure | 11 | 6.2% |
| Wheels | 9 | 5.1% |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 7 | 3.9% |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 3.9% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 5 | 2.8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 2.8% |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | 4 | 2.2% |
One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.
What NHTSA owner complaints mean
These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.
- They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
- Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
- Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
- One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
- Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.
Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.
Are there any recalls for the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid?
NHTSA lists no vehicle recall campaigns filed under the model name MKZ Hybrid. NHTSA sometimes files versions of a model under other names, so check the brand’s other models too, and use NHTSA’s VIN lookup (opens in a new tab) for any particular vehicle.
Which Lincoln MKZ Hybrid model year has the most complaints?
The 2012 model year, with 59 of the 178 complaints in NHTSA’s file (33.1%). The next are 2011 (40) and 2014 (27). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.
What is the most common Lincoln MKZ Hybrid complaint?
Steering is the component named most often: 40 complaints, or 22.5% of all 178. Air Bags (36) and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (19) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.
How many Lincoln MKZ Hybrid complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?
Of the 178 complaints, 10 report a crash, 1 a fire, 6 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.
The Lincoln models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Lincoln VIN decoder with every Lincoln model page, WMI code and VIN note.
- Lincoln Town Car 1995–2011 · 27 recalls · 2,048 complaints
- Lincoln MKZ 2006–2020 · 32 recalls · 1,661 complaints
- Lincoln MKX 2007–2020 · 23 recalls · 1,416 complaints
- Lincoln Navigator 1997–2027 · 68 recalls · 1,350 complaints
- Lincoln LS 2000–2006 · 3 recalls · 982 complaints
- Lincoln MKC 2015–2019 · 14 recalls · 594 complaints
- Lincoln Continental 1995–2020 · 13 recalls · 590 complaints
- Lincoln Aviator 2003–2027 · 51 recalls · 485 complaints
All Lincoln models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year
Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.