2009 Lincoln MKS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
56 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 47 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 56 complaints (19.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 22 | 39.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 12.5% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 5.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 1.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 11 |
| Service Brakes | 9 |
| Air Bags | 8 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
| Unknown Or Other | 5 |
| Engine | 4 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Seats | 3 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 11; Service Brakes: 9; Air Bags: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Unknown Or Other: 5; Engine: 4; Electrical System: 3; Seats: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 17 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 7 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 7 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 4 |
Under 25,000: 17; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 4
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (17). 9 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 13 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2009: 3; 2010: 13; 2011: 1; 2012: 2; 2013: 2; 2014: 6; 2015: 6; 2016: 7; 2017: 2; 2018: 6; 2019: 3; 2020: 3; 2023: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 7 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10300267 · 2010-01-19 (January 19, 2010)
BRAKES AND SUPPORT BRACKETS ARE DEFECTIVE ON THE 2009 LINCOLN MKS...I HAVE HAD THE BRAKE PADS REPLACED TWICE IN THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS AND NOW THEY TELL ME THEY NEED TO INSTALL SPECIAL BRACKETS RELATING TO THE BRAKES. I HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM TRYING TO STOP MY VEHICLE LATE LAST YEAR IN 2009 AND REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG BUT DID CHANGE MY BRAKE PADS SHORTLY THEREAFTER FOR THE SECOND TIME...NOW THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO EXPEDITE THE PARTS FROM THE FACTORY WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS...I THINK THIS SH…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10300267 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10306484 · 2010-02-05 (February 5, 2010)
BRAKE PADS--I TOOK THE LINCOLN MKS 2009 TO THE DEALER COMPLAINING ABOUT THE NOISE OF THE BRAKES (6) TIMES. ON THE 5TH VISIT THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS-- AS I WAS DRIVING THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO MAKE NOISE THEN THE BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME- I RETURNED TO A DEALER ABOUT THIS AND WAS TOLD THE PADS THEY PUT ON DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND THEY HAD TO ORDER DIFFERENT PADS AND SOME OTHER PARTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM-- IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 2 WKS. TO GET THE PARTS IN. I TURNED THE CAR IN AND PURCHASED A 2010. I WAS TOLD I NEEDE…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10306484 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10297109 · 2009-12-28 (December 28, 2009)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LINCOLN MKS. AFTER HE PICKED UP HIS VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER, HE SMELLED ENGINE OIL BURNING. HE WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE IT WAS A NEW VEHICLE, IT WAS NORMAL. HE CONTINUED TO SMELL THE ODOR, AND THEN NOTICED LEAKAGE ON HIS GARAGE FLOOR. HE LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND SAW THAT THERE WAS A FLUID LEAKING ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE AND SMOKING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER DID NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG. HE NOTICED THE ISSUE AGAIN AND TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS CONF…
Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10297109 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10341860 · 2010-07-07 (July 7, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LINCOLN MKS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH APPROACHING A STOP SIGN HE ENGAGED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. HE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UP TO 4000 RPMS AND BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN. HE DID NOT CONTACT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH; YET, HE ENGAGED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. HE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL GEAR IN ORDER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED T…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10341860 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10255571 · 2009-01-19 (January 19, 2009)
NEW AUTO DELIVERED 8/11/08 HAS SPENT 21 DAYS IN DEALERS REPAIR SHOP TO DATE. DEFECTS THAT BECAME KNOW ARE STUCK ACCELERATOR PEDAL (FORD & DEALER CLAIM "IT NEVER HAPPENED") DELUXE AUDIO SYSTEM THAT WORKED SOME OF THE TIME (DEALER REPLACED) CRACKED STEERING COLUMN ( DEALER REPAIRED) NOT KNOWING WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT, REQUESTED THAT FORD TAKE BACK THE CAR, WHICH COMPANY REFUSED. CAR HAS DESIGN DEFECTS WHICH AFFECT THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVER & PASSENGERS. FRONT HEADRESTS AND MIDDLE WINDOW PILLARS MAKE SIDE VISIBILITY DIFFICULT. THE DAYTIME GLARE FR…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,292 miles reported. Look up ODI 10255571 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11064525 · 2018-01-23 (January 23, 2018)
THE TELESCOPING FEATURE OF THE STEERING WHEEL HAS A GEAR INSIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN THAT IS KNOWN TO FAIL IN THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE SAFETY CONCERNS IF THE STEERING WHEELS NEEDS TO BE RAISED IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION. THE FAILURE OF THE TELESCOPING GEAR PREVENTS THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE MOVED UP OR DOWN.
Owner-reported narrative. 124,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11064525 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11102795 · 2018-06-20 (June 20, 2018)
REAR DRIVER SIDE SUSPENSIN COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. ALSO ON THE ELECTRICAL END, THE POWER LOCKS RATTLE TO THE OPEN & CLOSE POSITION CONSTANTLY ON DRIVERS SIDE & REAR PASSENGER SIDE .
Owner-reported narrative. 112,938 miles reported. Look up ODI 11102795 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10885905 · 2016-07-19 (July 19, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LINCOLN MKS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, A LOUD WHISTLING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REDESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 182,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10885905 at NHTSA ↗