2014 Lincoln MKZ problems & reliability
97 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2014 Lincoln MKZ, alongside 13 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.
3 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2014 Lincoln MKZ vehicles were involved in 16 fatal crashes with 12 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 25 | 26% |
| Electrical System | 17 | 18% |
| Unknown OR Other | 11 | 11% |
| Engine | 10 | 10% |
| Power Train | 9 | 9% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 8% |
| Structure | 6 | 6% |
| Back Over Prevention | 5 | 5% |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 5% |
| Wheels | 5 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 62,000 miles (middle 50% between 28,375 and 79,825 miles), based on 58 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owned a 2014 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while idle at a stop sign, a nearby aggressive driver had lost control attempting to pass another nearby vehicle; however, lost control and T-boned the front Driver-side door. No warning lights illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the impact of…”
Air Bags · filed May 28, 2026
“Back up camera freezes or goes blacks in the middle of use. In the middle of backing up, it goes out or does not even turn on when put in reverse. When it doesnt come on, it has an error message or just goes black.”
Unknown OR Other · filed Apr 28, 2026
“The transmission is slipping my car is only has 53,000 miles on it, the radio doesn’t work I had to pay over $1000 to fix the trunk latch and my brakes are fine but not working properly”
Suspension · filed Feb 14, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures
Recall Query RQ22004 · opened Aug 8, 2022 · closed Mar 24, 2023 · led to recall 23V162000
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
- Door Latch Failures
Recall Query RQ19005 · opened Dec 19, 2019 · closed Feb 7, 2022 · led to recall 20V331000
Technical service bulletins
142 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2014 Lincoln MKZ. The 10 most recent:
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
Certain 2014-2015 Model Year Fiesta, 2014-2016 Model Year Fusion, MKZ and 2014-2016 Model Year Transit Connect Vehicles Not Covered in Safety Recall: 20S15 or 23S36 Door Latch Replacement and Inspection
20R01 S1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 8, 2024
For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle…
SSM 51536 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 4, 2023
Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00. The…
SSM 51261 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 16, 2022
Some 2013-2016 Escape/Fusion/MKZ vehicles may display an error message when updating the All Wheel Drive-ATC Barcode using the IDS service function after installing a new rear drive unit assembly (RDU) or active torque…
SSM 51181 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 4, 2022
Some 2013-2020 Fusion, MKZ and 2013-2018 C-Max vehicles equipped with an HF35 transmission may exhibit a thumping/rubbing or grinding noise coming from the transmission. The noise may be present in all gear ranges…
TSB 22-2396 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 25, 2022
Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00. The…
SSM 51120 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 6, 2022
Certain 2015-2019 Model Year Edge and Lincoln MKX Vehicles and 2013-2018 Model Year Fusion and Lincoln MKZ Vehicles Front Brake Flexible Hose Replacement REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT Parts Requirements / Ordering…
22N02 S1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 5, 2022
Certain 2015-2018 Model Year Edge and Lincoln MKX Vehicles and 2013-2018 Model Year Fusion and Lincoln MKZ Vehicles Front Brake Flexible Hose Replacement Submitting Owner Letters
22N02 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 30, 2022
Certain 2015-2018 Model Year Edge and Lincoln MKX Vehicles and 2013-2018 Model Year Fusion and Lincoln MKZ Vehicles Front Brake Flexible Hose Replacement In some of the affected vehicles, brake fluid may leak from one…
22N02 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 24, 2022
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 2014 Lincoln MKZ has 13 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 2014 Lincoln MKZ?
- · 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 62,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.