Power Train Problems of Lincoln MKC - part 1

Vehicle unresponsive after sitting idol at traffic light. When trying to accelerate, no power. Vehicle was still running, but unable to accelerate. Finally able to accelerate after rpms up to nearly 3000 rpms, and slow to respond and accelerate. Engine warning code on dashboard soon after. Error code is p0751, shift solenoid a performance stuck or off. Similar issue when under warranty in 2022 with 22,000 miles.

See all problems of the 2015 Lincoln MKC 🔎.

I was driving home from work on December 24th 2025 and my 2018 Lincoln Mkc 2. 3l shut off on me while I was in motion. There were several cars that had to swerve and not hit me. The car would not start but I was able to put the vehicle in neutral and roll to the shoulder of the road. I was very scared and angry because this vehicle only has 54,646 miles currently, give or take 50 miles. I had to get the towed to my home. This needs to be resolved and fird/Lincoln needs to faithfully fix this dangerous defect, I could have died. Please please do something because I do not want anyone else to deal with this.

See all problems of the 2018 Lincoln MKC 🔎.

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln Mkc. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v572000 (back over prevention). The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the vehicle revved and then the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart. The contact's brother was following the contact and assisted with traffic. The sheriff’s department assisted with traffic control. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the flywheel had fractured. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was later informed that the steering power harness had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer pending the repair. The contact stated that afterwards, oil stains were found on the ground in the driveway. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

I got out of work and went to start my car. At first it did not want to start, and it acted like the alarm system had an issue. I locked my car, then unlocked it with the key fob, and when it started, it ran rough and was smoking out of the exhaust. I turned it off and quickly checked the fluids. I noticed the antifreeze was low, and since I always carry fluids in the car, I filled up the reservoir and then tried to restart my car. It did the same thing, not wanting to start until I locked and unlocked with the key fob. I drove home, but the check engine light was on the entire time. The following morning, I started my car and it was blowing white smoke out of the exhaust. I turned it off and contacted a local auto repair shop. It had to be towed to the shop so as to not cause damage. The auto shop said it was the head gaskets and since there was a known problem with the coolant leaking, I would have to get a whole new (used) engine. The total would be over $8000. I called another repair shop to see if they would be willing to replace the head gaskets, and after they agreed, I had it towed to their shop. After diagnostics, (no negligence on my part) this shop also refused to just replace the gasket citing an ongoing class action lawsuit due to a known head failure, and the repair with a new engine would be over $9000. I had purchased an extended warranty (power train) when I purchased this vehicle, and it included seals and gaskets. . . So I thought I was covered for this problem. The warranty company refused to cover it since it was a head problem. I still have 2 years of payments left on this vehicle.

The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Mkc. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a transmission specialty shop and was diagnosed with torque converter failure, which caused transmission failure. The torque converter was replaced. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, days after the vehicle was repaired, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled into a gas station and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine, which caused the cylinder head to crack, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.

See all problems of the 2017 Lincoln MKC 🔎.

After a repair/service visit at a national auto repair chain, my 2017 Lincoln Mkc developed ongoing severe drivability and safety issues. The check engine light began flashing (active misfire), and the vehicle was unsafe for highway travel due to risk of loss of power/engine damage. Independent shop documentation reports cylinder #4 misfire (p0304) and additional engine timing-related code(s), low oil condition, and notes indicating internal engine damage and that the engine may require replacement. The vehicle also had a vacuum/brake booster line issue that affected brake assist until corrected. The problem has been confirmed by independent service centers and the vehicle is available for inspection. There was a near crash, but no fire, injury, or police report occurred.

At 85,000 miles I was experiencing a grinding noise coming from my front end when making sharp turns to left or right. Took car to my mechanic immediately for diagnosis. They found the motor mounts and rear differential is binding and close to failure. My mechanic contacted fomoco to see about a replacement for the rear differential and was told that there were not any available due to a redesign of the product. He was asked to check back in two weeks! two weeks w/o my transportation! I replaced the motor mounts, (85kmi?) after researching on line, several Ford & Lincoln sites the problems I am experiencing are not unique or infrequent on Lincolns and Ford edges. It would seem to me that these problems are frequent enough to have the manufacturer ininitiate a recall on these products! my mechanic also works on our sherriff department vehicles and their Ford edge units are experiencing same problems. I would hope these problems will initiate an investigation into this matter!.

See all problems of the 2016 Lincoln MKC 🔎.

Engine light came on. Took it to mechanic. Was told there is a well documented mechanical issue affecting my 2017 , Mkc. My vehicle is experiencing a misfire and cylinder three accompanied by signs of colon intrusion into the engine, as well as transmission slippage. I have heard these are known and widespread issues in 2015 to 2019 Lincoln Mkc models equipped with the 2. 0l eco boost engine. I am aware of several technical service bulletins, including TSB 19-2346 and tbs 22-2229, that detail this defect. Numerous lincon customers have reported identical issues at similar mileage, often requiring full engine or transmission replacement. My trusted mechanic has verified that my vehicle exhibit symptoms consistent with this engine defect.

Was at the drive-thru ordering speaker and the car would not shift out of park and could not manually be shifted into neutral so the car could be moved. Drive-thru ordering window was blocked for 16 hyrs. Had to have the car towed with dolly. Vehicle was inspected by independent mechanic and found that the bushing was damaged.

The engine in my 2017 Lincoln Mkc (2. 0l ecoboost) has a documented manufacturing defect where the cylinder block design allows coolant to leak into the combustion chambers. This has caused persistent, unexplained coolant loss and rough engine performance on cold starts since February 2025, matching the diagnostic criteria in Ford TSB 19-2346. The defective engine assembly is available for inspection. This condition creates a significant safety hazard, including sudden power loss (limp mode) in traffic and a risk of engine fire from cracked cylinder heads. While Ford provided a service program (21n12) for 1. 5l engines, they have failed to issue a safety recall for the 2. 0l variant despite identical failure modes. This vehicle is part of the class in the consolidated litigation miller, et al. V. Ford motor company (case no. 2:20-cv-01796). I am filing this to assist NHTSA in determining the necessity of a mandatory safety recall.

1st engine failure Dec 2021 due to coolant intrusion and the long block engine needed to be replaced. After the repair I came to look at it & I found, bolts were missing—including from the undercarriage, battery mount, & power steering reservoir, splash guard, inner wheel well shield. Tools (10mm snap-on socket & unidentified loose bolts) were left inside the engine bay. The coolant hose came loose, which your team tried to charge $4,000 to fix, despite it being clearly related to poor installation of the engine. The engine mounts—normally last 10-14 yrs before needing to be replaced—suddenly failed. Wiring harnesses weren’t secured, not informed of new engine warranty coverage being only for 1 yr. 2nd engine failure (Dec 2024): less than 22k miles later, the engine failed again—this time 4 months outside the so-called 1-yr warranty that I was never told about. Now, I’m expected to pay out of pocket for another engine, which would conveniently include a 3-yr warranty this time. Why wasn’t the 1st replacement engine covered under the same terms? purchased with: 45,000 miles 1st engine failed 53,594 miles, coolant hose/engine mount issues: 61,000 miles, 2nd engine failed 84,193 miles if inspection is needed, I have photos. It has been confirmed by northpark Lincoln dealership. It was inspected by the manufacturer and other mechanics, not affiliated with dealership. No warning signs no warning lamps no codes thrown no nothing until the loss of acceleration and torque combined with the amount of white smoke coming out of the tailpipe in the middle of the summer. It was the only notification it was too late by that point the damage has been done. On both occasions, the exact same thing happened no warning lights no check engine lights no mil lights, or codes thrown just simply a huge cloud of dust coming from the tailpipe, and you lose almost all power and acceleration. Symptoms appeared after the damage had been done so no way to tell that something wrong prior.

When driving you could smell fumes, it would jerk, and kick in and out of gear and would have no heat. Coolant was always low with no visible leaks to the mechanic.

My car was vibrating and shifting weird. I recently repaired the brakes thinking that was the source of the vibration however the vibration escalated and the car shakes violently when stopped and jerk forward after releasing the brakes. My mechanic said this was a known issue with my model and pointed me to customer satisfaction program 20n07. I spoke with Ford who indicated my VIN was not eligible for this csp.

Engine light came on and showed misfire in cylinder 4. Changed spark plug and engine coil. Still had engine light on and misfiring. Car drove in power safety mode. After much diagnosis and inspection, master mechanic found coolant leaking into the cylinder walls due to a faulty (poorly manufactured) head gasket. Coolant intrusion caused white exhaust smoke, damage to the engine block and risk of fire. Shop replaced head cylinder and gasket with current oem parts that appeared to be revised. Vehicle remains to drive in poor condition with 54k miles. Powertrain warranty did not cover this expense being the vehicle met the 6 year mark in March 2024.

The coolant/ transmission fluid is found to be leaking into the engine. Now I to pay for a new engine when I have had the car 1 year and 8 months. I still owe $22,000 on the vehicle, and while it’s said that Lincoln knew about this problem, no recall was ever issued. I am 3,000 miles over the warranty, but there are no security message popping up to say this is a problem. The dealership said nothing is firing of to warn of a problem in the computer either. I had the oil changed 1 month ago but was not told or warned of an engine defect either ( I was under mileage that time). I am asking for assistance to replace this engine. I feel there should have been a recall to replace the models effected. Others have had their engines replaced free of charge I asking to extended that same courtesy free of charge. And a recall should be issued for theses bad engines when the problem was known prior to sale. I have purchased Ford vehicles in the past and but I was married at the time but he too has a lmkc right now. Please advise on some type of assistance. Thank you.

See all problems of the 2019 Lincoln MKC 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln Mkc. The contact stated that after driving at undisclosed speeds and pulling into a gas station and turning off the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart. The instrument cluster warning lights were illuminated. The lights on the shifter cable failed to turn off. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the shifter cable bushing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact there was no recall coverage for the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 51,445.

Out lf nowhwere with 68,000 miles on my vehicle the transmission basically failed about 12 miles from my house. A wrench came on and by the time I made it home I could barelt make it up the driveway. For this mileage this is ridiculous and I have read online about many other people reporting the same issues.

Transmission torque converter needs replacement I brought it to the dealer for inspection after feeling repeated hard shifts and feeling as though there is a severe vibration when accelerating. The dealer stated the torque converter needs to be replaced.

A gasket failed which allowed coolant to leak into the engine. Due to lack of coolant, two of the cylinder heads cracked and warping of the engine block occurred. No coolant in the engine could result in a engine seizure or fire which poses an extreme risk to one's safety. The check engine light came almost immediately before the cylinders started to misfire. 11/25/2023. The vehicle and components have been inspected by the dealers service department and the warranty inspector. The car needs a full engine replacement which only half is covered under the warranty. I am out of pocket the other half. . Read more...

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Mkc. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke entering the cabin through the vents. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 40 mph. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that an unknown brake part had melted, and the electrical system was damaged. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 23v378000 (engine). The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Mkc. The contact stated that she started the vehicle and when she shifted the gear shifter into drive, the gear shifted into neutral instead. The contact stated that she noticed that the park mode light was displayed. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and was able to drive the vehicle to her destination. The contact stated when leaving her destination, the gear shifter would not shift into any gear and was inoperable. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with a failed cable shifter bushing. The contact was informed that the cable shifter bushing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 117,524.

My car shakes and hesitates at times, especially when going uphill or when it is attempting to shift gears. This has put me and my passengers at risk as my car will not pick up, and other vehicles behind me have been forced to brake suddenly or swerve as my car has become an obstacle in front of them. I've been told that it's the transmission. I've also been told that this is a very common problem with 2015 Lincoln Mkcs and that Lincoln knows about it but refuses to issue a recall. He knows of at least 4-5 Lincoln Mkcs that have this problem--and he is a small repair shop. Car owners should not be forced to pay thousands of dollars for a new transmission when Lincoln knows that this is a problem specific to the 2015 Lincoln Mkc. This happens all of the time and has been occurring for quite a while now.

The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln Mkc. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for routine maintenance, the dealer determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. Additionally, the vehicle was jerking while driving. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

This vehicle with less than 100,000 miles, that is less than 8 years old has an engine failure. This is due to a design defect which is known to Lincoln and Ford motor company as they have a technical service bulletin in regards to the coolant intrusion and engine failure. Lincoln is doing nothing to help fix the car with a faulty engine. This car will sputter when accelerating.

In 2019 I bought a used 2016 Lincoln Mkc reserve 2. 0 ecoboost engine w 34k miles. In 4 years I've driven 11,400k miles. A few weeks ago my vehicle would not start. I had a tow to a Ford retailer because the service tech at a Lincoln retailer informed me they were backed up having 10 vehicles waiting to replace failed ecoboost engines all with coolant leaks most likely I would need the same. After the $400 diagnostics I was told that I needed a new engine! unlike the Lincoln tech, fords would not discuss anything about all the news, recalls or tsbs on failed ecoboost engines. My powertrain warranty had recently expired well under mileage I would be responsible to pay. My Mkcs decline happened suddenly and rapidly went downhill. First I noticed it was loud at start up which was odd and was running very rough. I checked underside and the rear to see if something was hanging and noticed a bluish gray smoke come out of exhaust for under a minute then then all symptoms cleared. Next for the 1st time a check engine light came on which indicated a misfire in cylinder 4. Finally I had no heat in the cabin yet the engine was starting to overheat this time the check engine light was blinking rapidly while driving at night in the freezing cold with my young daughter with me. It was very dangerous with supercold tempuratures being winter in the northeast with icy roads. I started to smell a chemical burning odor. I have never experienced an overheating engine before in my life. I was scared and panicking not wanting to risk my engine blowing up or catching fire especially with my young child. I had no choice but to put all the windows down and pull over on the side of the road which had no sidewalks.  the hood was very hot to touch. Next I am under the hood with a flashlight to check the fluids when I first became aware of the coolant reservoir was near empty, which explained the lack of heat and overheating. I owe $10k and it will cost $10k to replace fords faulty engine.

Automatic shift lever bushing broke disconnecting the shifting cable from shift arm. Immediately disabled vehicle while in motion. There has already been a recall for this for Ford products of this era, why not Lincolns? very dangerous if this had happened at high speed!.

There is a design flaw in the way coolant flows around the engine block which allows coolant to leak into cylinder 3 the result of which is the mix of coolant and motor oil damages the engine with no probability of repair. The only recourse is engine replacement. A Ford service bulletin as to this issue has been issued by Ford to its service departments. A design change in the motor block has supposedly corrected the problem. It affects all ecoboost 2. 0 4 cylinder engines used by Ford, but may apply to other Ford 4 cylinder engines as well. The engine in my 2017 Lincoln Mkc has the problem at 77k miles. At present the car is not safe to drive as the engine could seize at any time. There are several youtube videos on the subject showing the damage to the engine due to this problem. A copy of the service report from the local Ford dealer, chestatee Ford, dahlonega, GA can be provided.

Transition stalls when cold.

The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln Mkc. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a defective transmission pump. The dealer informed the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

2016 Lincoln Mkc parked on driveway for over 24 hours, when my father was outside gardening he noticed smoke and flames coming from under the hood, the fire department was called who out the fire out and stated it was "totaled". Fire department conducted their own investigation to determine the cause of the fire. The report returned indicating the "engine" was the origin of the fire. Thank the lord my father was outside or our garage and house could have burnt down with all of us in it. This is a huge safety issue!! I opened two claims with carmax maxcare warranty which were denied. I have one case open with Ford motor company which is still pending. Car is currently at autoshop undergoing another diagnosis of the the orgin of fire for my carmax maxcare warranty.

I've brought my car back numerous times for the same problem, a problem that began within the first month or purchase. I've asked for documentation off all the �repairs� to no avail. Some of the ways the problem presents its self include the following- soon after starting the car & beginning the drive it completely stalls and shuts off, it could take numerous tries before restart. Or other times while driving it suddenly slows down and shuts off in the middle of traffic, with my children in the car, this happened and it would not restart! I had to push it to the adjacent gas station and wait almost 2 hours for dealers repair to send a tow truck. The other way this issue manifests itself is after filling the tank with gas. It starts, sputters and shuts off! the last time I brought it in they refused a rental, took about 6 weeks to repair. I had to pay out of pocket for a rental. They finally reimbursed me but it took weeks after the 6 weeks of shelling out well over $1,000.

When starting the vehicle the wrench light appears and also the advance autotrac warning. Also my signal lights blink very fast. They both go off for awhile and the signal lights blink slow again, but will reappear once starting the vehicle again. Car seems to stall when this happens. Dealer says they can't find and issue and bulbs seem to work fine.

I was pulling away from my house after backing out of my driveway, and the power steering practically froze. I almost hit my other car that was parked in front of my house. Three warnings came up on the dash: 1. Service advancetrac, 2. Steering assist fault service required, 3. Hill start assist not available. I had it towed to my local service station and he diagnosed that it was the "electronics" in my rack and pinion. He advised that I take it to Ford/Lincoln, because it may, or should be under warranty. I then towed my car to the closest Ford dealer that I was able to make an appointment with, because all the dealers in queens, NY are backed up, 4-6 weeks. I received an immediate response: "we found the problem. Internal failure with the electronic rack and pinion. That's why it is causing all the warning lights while driving and hard steering. The rack can't communicate with the vehicle. Parts and labor with an alignment and diagnostic is $2,106 plus tax. It's electronic. Can't control and don't know what causes it to go bad. It is only covered under the basic 3yr. /36k mile warranty. It's an internal issue with the rack. It's all complete with new rack and electronic unit built into it. I know it's expensive. It's the same set up as the Ford explorer. Just did one the other day. The part alone is $1296. 00 and it takes 2 days to get. They (Ford) know of it but no recall. Part includes 1yr. /12k warranty parts and labor. " I am getting the car repaired. I was told it should be ready by Tuesday, September 15th, 2020.

The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Mkc. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle from second to third gear, there was an abnormal banging sound heard. The transmission was slipping gear while driving at various speeds. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the transmission was slipping when shifting from second to third gear. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 100,100.

The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln Mkc. The contact stated while driving at lower speeds and attempting to accelerate to 20 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle reoccurred several times while driving at lower speed and while driving from a complete stop. The vehicle vehicle was taken to the dealer where the transmission software was updated three times. However, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.