2018 Lincoln MKX problems & reliability
29 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Lincoln MKX, alongside 5 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles were involved in 9 fatal crashes with 8 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown OR Other | 8 | 28% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 14% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 14% |
| Engine | 3 | 10% |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 10% |
| Air Bags | 2 | 7% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 7% |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 7% |
| Wheels | 2 | 7% |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V544000(SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) However, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Jun 1, 2026
“Faulty catalytic converters. Ford has a CSP for the 2018 Lincoln mkx 3.7L engine and only included police driven Mkx's which is totally unfair when they're well aware that Faulty/failing emissions catalytic converters were installed on all of them and they fail and produce p0430 codes regardless of driving habits…”
Engine · filed Apr 14, 2026
“My vehicle has had emissions vehicle since before I owned it up to now. The catalytic converter has been replaced 4 times which is unheard of. Its presently giving the same codes/issues. The last catalytic converter replacement was November of 2024. It has to be a computer programming issue as my mechanic express. Im…”
Engine · filed Apr 4, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
141 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Lincoln MKX. The 10 most recent:
Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation
25N17 · Other · issued Mar 25, 2026
This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display…
TSB 25-2570 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 26, 2025
The affected vehicles have an emissions control system that does not account for certain in-use conditions and might not control tailpipe emissions effectively over time.
25E02 · Emissions · issued Nov 25, 2025
Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in…
SSM 54366 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 12, 2025
The affected vehicles have an emissions control system that does not account for certain in-use conditions and might not control tailpipe emissions effectively over time.
25E02 · Emissions · issued Oct 13, 2025
Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement during repairs. Various vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt replacement…
SSM 53174 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 27, 2024
Some 2018-2024 F150/Edge, 2018 MKX, 2019-2023 Nautilus, 2020-2025 Explorer/Aviator, 2021-2024 Bronco, and 2024 Ranger vehicles equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost or a 3.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an engine oil leak from…
TSB 24-2331 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 24, 2024
While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024…
SSM 53040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 10, 2024
This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ…
TSB 24-2165 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 27, 2024
For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and testing methods. Ford has…
SSM 52335 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 6, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2018 Lincoln MKX has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2018 Lincoln MKX?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.