2012 Lincoln Mkz reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2012 Lincoln Mkz — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 176
- 36 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- AIR BAGS
- 68 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 5
- see below
- Reported harm
- 17 reported crashes · 16 injuries · 5 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#2,867
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Lincoln median
-4
median 180 across 71 Lincoln records
Vs 2010-2014
-116
median 292 complaints in 613 records
Top component share
39%
Air Bags: 68 complaints
What owners report fails — 2012 Lincoln Mkz
- AIR BAGS 68
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 22
- STEERING 20
- SERVICE BRAKES 17
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9
5 recalls on record for the 2012 Lincoln Mkz
- NHTSA 21V158000 · 2021 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MO An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious i
- NHTSA 19V001000 · 2019 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious in
- NHTSA 17V024000 · 2018 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- NHTSA 18V775000 · 2018 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR If the air bag does not inflate as intended, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- NHTSA 15V340000 · 2015 · STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, incr
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2012 Lincoln Mkz
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2012 Lincoln Mkz units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Lincoln Mkz reliable?
NHTSA has 176 consumer complaints on record for the 2012 Lincoln Mkz and 5 recalls. The most-reported problem area is air bags (68 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2012 Lincoln Mkz units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Lincoln Mkz?
Owners most often report problems with: air bags (68), unknown or other (22), steering (20), service brakes (17). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2012 Lincoln Mkz?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.