The 2018 Lincoln Mkz has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 2,582,712 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC23V1620002023-03-101,280,726 affected
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
Consequence
A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S12.
STEERING18V1670002018-03-121,301,986 affected
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles. The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving.
Consequence
A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer bolt, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S08.
Complaints by component
ENGINE
9
POWER TRAIN
9
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
4
1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2
AIR BAGS
1
1crashes
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:BULBS
1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
1
Total complaints38
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“My 2018 lincoln mkz began misfiring on startups. Eventually the check engine light came on with a code of p0302. About a week later while driving, the engine temp gauge reached the hottest temp reading on the gauge. I had to immediately pull over. Upon pulling over I immediately checked the…”
“My check engine light came on, I took my car to the dealership that I have using for eight years with less than 38k miles on it and I was told by the service technician who gave the diagnose as, there was coolant in the cylinder where the spark plug #3 is housed. He stated that the car is…”
“My check engine light came on, I took my car to the dealership that I have using for eight years with less than 38k miles on it and I was told by the service technician who gave the diagnose as, there was coolant in the cylinder where the spark plug #3 is housed. He stated that the car is…”
“Scanned codes p0741, p1450, p1744, & p2196. Check the transmission fluid level and condition. No fluid drained from hole, added a little fluid, and retrieved a sample of the fluid. The fluid is very dark. Identifix states, if the fluid smells or has the appearance of being black due to internal…”
“Scanned codes p0741, p1450, p1744, & p2196. Hard starts after fuel refills.”
“Car only has 97k miles and the transmission fluid has been leaking for some time causing loud noises from the transmission which took time to locate. The transmission leaked fluid and only had about half a liter of fluid when it should be around 4.5 liters. The fluid leaked from the transmission…”
“The car had an internal transmission failure and caused most of the transmission fluid to leak out between inspections. Upon removing the cv axle on driver’s side, the seal was fine and replaced along with cv axle. The fluid drained and was only about half a liter (needs about 4.5l normally).…”
“Wheel lug nuts get swollen due to the material used causing problems when the wheels need to be removed. I was lucky to not be in an emergency situation needing to change a wheel out. This could have easily happened and I would have been unable to change a wheel on the side of the road. I went to…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationRQ22004 Opened 2022-08-08 · closed 2023-03-24
Front Brake Jounce Hose Failures
On August 8, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 50 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging front brake jounce hose ruptures on model year (MY) 2013-2018 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. A ruptured front brake hose results in a brake fluid leak. As a result,…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2018 Lincoln Mkz as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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