2013 Lincoln MKZ problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
108 owner complaints analyzed
12 distinct recall campaigns
44,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 70 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 17 of 108 complaints (15.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 17 | 15.7% |
| Braking behavior | 9 | 8.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 5.6% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 3.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 3.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.9% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 17 |
| Steering | 16 |
| Power Train | 15 |
| Seat Belts | 12 |
| Engine | 10 |
| Structure:Body | 10 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
| Wheels | 7 |
Electrical System: 17; Steering: 16; Power Train: 15; Seat Belts: 12; Engine: 10; Structure:Body: 10; Unknown Or Other: 8; Wheels: 7
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 20 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 17 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 15 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 7 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 20; 25,000 to 49,999: 17; 50,000 to 74,999: 15; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 2
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 38 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 |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 15 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2013: 4; 2014: 15; 2015: 6; 2016: 3; 2017: 13; 2018: 6; 2019: 9; 2020: 14; 2021: 7; 2022: 7; 2023: 10; 2024: 6; 2025: 6; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 17 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 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 10596288 · 2014-06-05 (June 5, 2014)
INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER TURNING RIGHT FROM A FULL STOP AT A STOP LIGHT ONTO CURVY ROAD WITH MODERATE DOWNHILL SLOPE AND CONSTRUCTION BARRICADES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING IN OPPOSITE LANE. ROAD WAS CURVING TO THE RIGHT. FRONT COLLISION AVOIDANCE AUDIBLE ALARM AND FLASHING RED LIGHT ACTIVATED. AT THE SAME TIME, ANOTHER ALARM SOUNDED AND A WARNING SCREEN CAME THE DASHBOARD INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION IN THE POWER ASSIST STEERING. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN, AND THE CAR BEGAN TO VEER INTO ON…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,071 miles reported. Look up ODI 10596288 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10596460 · 2014-06-05 (June 5, 2014)
THE WRENCH ICON APPEARED ON THE STEERING WHEEL DASHBOARD, PROMPTING TO CHECK OWNERS' MANUAL. WHEN YOU LOOK UP THE INCIDENT IT READS POWERTRAIN FAULT OR AN AWD FAULT HAS BEEN DETECTED. CONTACT DEALERSHIP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. OTHER PAST RECALLS HAVE MENTIONED THIS TO BE A TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR ISSUE. AN ISSUE THAT CAN RESULT IN A SHIFT OUT OF PARK--USING THE PUSHBUTTONS ON THE DASHBOARD THAT THE MKZ SUBSTITUTES FOR A TRADITIONAL SHIFT LEVER--WITHOUT THE DRIVER FIRST HAVING TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10596460 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10532498 · 2013-07-30 (July 30, 2013)
2013 LINCOLN MKZ. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DAY HE AND HIS WIFE PICKED UP THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT READ PARK BRAKE LIMITED FUNCTION SERVICE REQUIRED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND THE MESSAGE WOULD RECYCLE AND WOULD NOT APPEAR AFTER A DAY OR SO. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE SALESMAN AT HIS WORD AND DROVE AWAY. THE WARNING DID NOT GO AWAY AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. IT WAS DETERMINED, …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10532498 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10578677 · 2014-04-09 (April 9, 2014)
VEHICLE LOCKED OUT OF ABILITY TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO REVERSE. THE CAR NEEDED TO BE RESTARTED SEVERAL TIMES OVER 20 MINUTES IN ORDER TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. CAUSED OBSTACLE TO TRAFFIC. BLIND CROSS TRAFFIC ALERT AND FORWARD COLLISION WARNING ALARM IS ACTIVATED WITHOUT PROPER STIMULUS, SLOWING THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY WHEN THERE IS NO THREAT OF COLLISION. THIS ALMOST CAUSED THREE SEPARATE ACCIDENTS. LINCOLN SERVICE SUGGESTED DISABLING THIS SAFETY FEATURE. NOTE THAT THE FORWARD COLLISION WARNING DOES NOT MEET NHTSA STANDARD ACCORDING TO JD POWER…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10578677 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10524543 · 2013-07-12 (July 12, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LINCOLN MKZ. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE POWER LINE TO THE BATTERY JUNCTION WAS LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175.
Owner-reported narrative. 175 miles reported. Look up ODI 10524543 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10574988 · 2014-03-26 (March 26, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2013 LINCOLN MKZ. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, HIS HAND ERRONEOUSLY BRUSHED AGAINST THE PUSH-TO-START BUTTON. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE ONCE IT WAS SECURED IN PARK. THE RENTAL COMPANY WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ADVISED IF THE MANUFACTURER. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,865. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 8,865 miles reported. Look up ODI 10574988 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10579667 · 2014-04-14 (April 14, 2014)
CAME TO A STOP AT STOP SIGN. MADE A LEFT HAND TURN AT APPROX. 7 MPH. WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING AT WENT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO PARK. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IT HAS HAPPENED. CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO DEALER ON 4/14 FOR REPAIRS. THIS IS ALSO THE 3RD ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. *JS
Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10579667 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11180830 · 2019-02-18 (February 18, 2019)
A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE THE CHECK ENGINE AND THE FUEL FIRING INLET WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR TWO DIFFERENT TIMES THE SYSTEM COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN CAUSING ME TO PULL OVER IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. WHILE CAR IS IDLE SYSTEM SHUTS DOWN. A NUMBER OF TIMES
Owner-reported narrative. 93,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11180830 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11397342 · 2021-02-22 (February 22, 2021)
NOTED A NATURAL GAS SMELL IN MY CAR ONLY WHEN HEAT ON IN CAR AND NOT CONSTENT, JUST IN SPIRTS I WOULD GET A STRONG SMELL. THEN LAST WEEK MY CAR STARTED MAKING A WEIRD WHINNING NOISE THAT HAS GOTTEN LOUDER AND MORE CONSISTENT OVER THE PAST WEEK. I NOTED THE 2013 MKZ HAD RECALLS FOR ISSUES LIKE THIS BEFORE. I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR USED 3 MONTHS AGO.
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11397342 at NHTSA ↗