general problems of the 2011 Lincoln MKZ

Seven problems related to engine and engine cooling have been reported for the 2011 Lincoln MKZ. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2011 Lincoln MKZ based on all problems reported for the 2011 MKZ.

1 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 08/15/2024

As I was traveling home from work, I noticed the car jerk slightly and immediately decelerate. The engine temperature gauge light came on the dash and the temperature gauge immediately moved to the “h” position on the dash. Due to the fact that I was in rush hour traffic on the highway, I was worried I wouldn’t have enough speed to get to the median. I turned on my hazards and coasted safely to the side of the road but was nearly ran over by other vehicles not realizing the issue I was having. I was unable to accelerate out of the way and at the mercy of other drivers being courteous and give me space to move. I turned the car off and looked under the hood locating the coolant reservoir. It appeared empty. I was able to get a ride to the nearest auto parts store and buy coolant. When I returned to my car, I emptied coolant into the reservoir and cranked the vehicle. Within a minute the gauge returned to normal temp and carefully got back in flow of traffic but stayed close to the emergency lane. Within a couple hundred yards of driving again, the lights and gauges indicated another overheating issue. At the next stop, I pulled into a gas station. And parked the car to have it towed. My mechanic informed me that the coolant was leaking from the coolant pump into my oil pan. Now the engine is flooded with a mixture of oil and coolant and I will need a new engine. He said this issue has been reported before but wasn’t sure what Ford/Lincoln may be doing about it. I’m lucky I didn’t have an engine fire or some sort of collision while driving along a highway during rush hour traffic.

2 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 07/01/2024

While traveling on interstate at70 mph a red triangle appears on dash engine turns off warning on dash to stop ASAP. All you have is electrical power which is not much. Car needs to be turned off and restarted. This may occur again in a few minutes or not. Took to dealer they said they replaced an O2 sensor. It still turns off. Back to dealer. They can’t reproduce. Has happened to me at least 8 times on surface streets and highways. Extremely dangerous to loose power on highways. This started about 6 months ago. Still happening. Last incident was today.

3 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 04/30/2024

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln Mkz. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a knocking sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact stated on another occasion while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact was informed that it might have been an axle leak. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who in turn advised her to take the vehicle to a dealer. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with water pump failure. The contact was informed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

4 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 04/11/2022

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln Mkz. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking noise detected and the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that water had entered the engine and the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.

5 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 04/01/2022

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln Mkz. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed the water pump needed to be replaced. The water had leaked into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000. VIN was not available.

6 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 07/01/2019

The hybrid mode does not work anymore after 9 years. The vehicle hesitates upon acceleration. It will only run on the internal combustion engine even though the battery is fully charged. Ford knows about the problem as noted in their oasis 8922.

7 Engine And Engine Cooling problem

Failure Date: 04/28/2014

The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln Mkz. The contact stated that propane fumes were emitted into the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician stated that the catalytic converter might have failed but was unaware how to remedy the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure and current mileage was 20,000.


Other Engine And Engine Cooling related problems of the 2011 Lincoln MKZ



Safety Ratings of MKZ Cars
Fuel Economy of MKZ Vehicles
MKZ Service Bulletins
MKZ Defect Investigations