Power Train Problems of Lincoln MKZ - part 1

Incident summary – vehicle fire date of incident: Thursday, September 4, 2025 context: I was driving to a scheduled service appointment for my car at murgado Lincoln dealership of chicago events leading up to the fire while driving, I heard loud metal noises coming from under the hood. The sound was either metal pieces falling off or grinding/chomping metal against metal. Concerned by the noises, I pulled over to the side of the road. Smoke and fire once stopped, the car began emitting gray smoke, which quickly turned into black smoke. The black smoke entered through the dashboard, filling the interior cabin. I realized the vehicle had caught on fire. Immediate actions taken I quickly gathered personal belongings from inside the car. I was lucky to have evacuated the vehicle immediately to ensure my safety, despite inhalation of potentially hazardous chemicals due to the fire/ plastic of the car. I then called 911 to report the fire and request emergency assistance. The car continued to catch fire and then there was a minor explosion, as the chicago fire department battled the fire.

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The torque converter/flex plate is bad rattles and apoarently can cause an accident. There are recalls for this same year same motor and midel but my vehicle is not included but should be. I had it checked by undioendent mechanic who confirmed issue. I have read numerous post online with the same issue with theirs also saying it not included in recall how is thus posdible obviously there is an issue and others should be covered. After vehicle started making noise and I seen it could cause a crash it was parked til looked at. How do they decide which ones are included in recall when some others made at same time are having same issue. This is crazy they arent included too many of the same issues happening to the same vehicle.

The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Mkz. The contact stated while driving 60 mph, the vehicle jerked abnormally with the powertrain warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. The contact stated that the steering wheel failed to function properly and became difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,168.

My 2019 Lincoln Mkz check engine light came on. The repair shop said coolant was leaking into #3 cylinder from cracks in the engine block. Per alerts the shop receives from Ford, this is a known issue and there is no way to repair this issue. The engine will need to be replaced. My powertrain warranty ended 4 month earlier. My car has 45,500 miles on it. I talked to the dealership and they advised calling Lincoln directly. I call Lincoln and they confirmed this is a known issue. I was told that my car didn't meet the out of warranty criteria to receive any assistance to replace the defective engine. They wouldn't tell me what the parameters are and said I would need to pay the full cost to replace the engine. My understanding from the shop is they see many escapes and Mkz with this engine issue but never seen one with this low of mileage. Lincoln told me to keep my replacement receipts in case there is a recall. I.

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Transmission slipping, side airbags deployed, seatbelt cut, tpms light on, unsafe to drive.

On models 2017-2019 Lincoln Mkz’s there is a TSB known issue for coolant intrusion in the cylinders. I need an engine replacement. This should be a recall in these cars.

I purchased my 2017 Lincoln Mkz select on November 11, 2024. The vehicle was determined to need a new engine, per murgado Lincoln of chicago. They had my car for over 48 days while putting in a new engine. After this was completed the car had to be sent back due to a mistake the mechanics made by not attaching a gasket properly. After this, I began experiencing odd noises underneath the hood and throughout the vehicle; delayed timing belt in both acceleration and deceleration, and so forth. I was then involved in a hit-and-run car accident (not my fault). All side airbags deployed and my passenger side rear wheel is destroyed. I had this car assessed just a few days ago by a certified auto care company who said I needed a completely new transmission and that this car is not street legal at the moment. . . Insurance is not helping me at all.

I purchased a 2017 Lincoln Mkz select which has been a continuous source of mechanical problems. After recently having a new engine installed, the vehicle has now developed significant transmission issues, making it unsafe and difficult to drive. Despite being sold this car under the assumption it was reliable, I am struggling with costly repairs and reduced functionality, effectively driving a “lemon. ” I believe the vehicle’s condition and recurring failures qualify it for protection under consumer lemon laws or warranties, and I am seeking resolution or compensation due to these defects that have severely impacted the vehicle’s usability and my safety.

My 2018 Lincoln Mkz with the 2. 0 ecoboost engine incurred premature engine failure at only 40k miles. My safety as well as other drivers' safety at risk due to ecoboost engine in certain model year 2013-2019 Ford and Lincoln vehicles have an inherent design defect which makes them predisposed to leak coolant, including allowing the coolant to seep into the engine cylinder, which causes overheating and cylinder head cracking, and can cause the engine to misfire, suddenly stall, or even catch fire while driving. In April the car began to "shake" at start up. The shaking was intermittent. After a few days of this, the check engine light came on. I took it to the mechanic (t&h) to have it looked at. They said the "shaking" is the car misfiring at start up. They were not able to locate any leaks or identify the cause of the misfire. They code on the check engine light was code p0301-cylinder #1. During April and may the misfires have continued and got worse. I was going back and forth to t&h trying to diagnose the issue. On may 12th, while taking the kids to school, I went to pull out into traffic and the car would not accelerate. The dashboard lights said the engine was overheating. The car would not go above 10mph. Luckily my mechanic is down the street. They were concerned about excessive use of coolant and not seeing a leak anywhere. They filled the coolant, and I made a follow up appt in one week to do a borescope inspection. On may 19th, t&h did a borescope inspection and visually confirmed coolant in cylinder #1. They provided me a copy of a TSB 22-2229 that states the engine block needs to be replaced. The cost of the engine block replacement was estimated at $8k. Engine failure at 40k miles is unacceptable. An engine block replacement due to a manufacturing/design flaw should be covered by Lincoln motor CO as a goodwill repair regardless of warranty status.

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Vehicle began to feel as if it was losing the ability to get any power to the engine. I would push the pedal to accelerate but even fully compressed the vehicle would not go above 30mph. I attempted to drive the vehicle in to be inspected at a dealership and while on the way the steering wheel completely locked and an emergency light appeared on the dashboard stating "safely park vehicle". It was a horrifying experience to be driving in traffic and lose control of the vehicle but luckily I was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the road to safety without crashing! although the vehicle was fully powered, it would not move and I had to call aaa in order to get the vehicle towed to the closest aaa approved facility which was autoworks diagnostics & repair in kittery, me. They observed fluids had leaked out but were unable to locate where the leak was coming from and very loud noises that appeared to be coming from in between the engine and transmission . After researching online they found that there were two recalls involving the welds on the torque converter detaching from the engine. They also found a recall on the front brake hoses rupturing & leaking brake fluid as well as a recall with the steering wheel retaining bolt loosening & detaching while driving which could also have contributed to the issues experienced with the vehicle and the safety concerns associated as I was driving in traffic and lost total control of the vehicle which could very likely have caused a major accident! unfortunately none of these recalls have been associated with the VIN connected to this vehicle and the manufacturer; Lincoln, to this point has refused to discuss any of the issues having to do with the four recalls being associated to my specific 2017 Lincoln hybrid premier 2. 0l gas engine with 6 speed transmission although this specific year, make & model has each of these reported recalls.

I bought this car and it started making a tick sound and when I got it home the drive train was hanging.

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I own a 2018 Lincoln Mkz. The vehicle engine overheating warnings came up, and I took the car to the dealership. They informed that the Lincoln Mkz vehicle had a frequent problem with coolant leaking into the engine due to faulty power train assembly. The dealer has seen and repaired hundreds of vehicles with this problem. Lincoln company denies responsibility for this manufacturing defect. The vehicle is only 7 years 3 months and 30 days old with 67914 miles used by single owner. A reputed company like Lincoln should be held responsible for manufacturing and marketing vehicles where the power train and engine fails on a fairly new vehicle.

Initially when buying the vehicle in 2021, it had 30k miles. Car continued to give me a "cylinder 2 misfire code" after numerous trips to different garages and then the car beginning to start up rough and anti freeze missing I came across a "service bulletin" regarding it being a faulty ring in the engine. I took the vehicle to Ford and they replaced the engine. My car just hit 100k miles all of the sudden one day when trying to stop at a red light the car was shaking . There was no codes and only happened while in drive and at a red light or stop sigh:( complete stop) I took the card to Ford, who diagnosed it and open up my tranny and found out there was no fluid ,was burnt and had metal in it. There is still no code on my dash board and I need to pay 7k to replace a transmission. The fluid is housed internally , there was no leaks, and no codes was thrown on the dash. How was I to know transmission fluid was leaking and wher was it going?.

I purchased this vehicle on November 11, 2024. About one month later, I began experiencing severe problems. The engine started overheating, which marked the beginning of a downward spiral of issues. To address the overheating, a new engine was installed by murgado Lincoln dealership, which took approximately 48 days to complete. While the new engine resolved the overheating, a serious transmission problem has persisted and worsened. Since I purchased the car, the transmission has been slipping constantly, shifting gears on its own unpredictably, making loud noises under the hood and throughout the entire vehicle. These issues create a major safety hazard, putting me and others at significant risk. On June 25, 2025, I was involved in a hit-and-run incident that likely worsened the vehicle’s condition. During this incident, the side airbags on both sides of my vehicle deployed, but the front airbag did not deploy at all, which is highly concerning and increased the danger during the impact. Additionally, the car has a cracked shock absorber head, likely from the accident, which has led to instability and potential fishtailing. I am now afraid to drive the vehicle due to unpredictable handling and further mechanical failure. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. These problems have been confirmed and partially addressed by the dealer when the engine was replaced, but the transmission issues have never been fully resolved. There were no specific warning lamps for the transmission before the failure, but the slipping and erratic gear changes started about one month after purchase and have become progressively worse.

The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Mkz. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed a whining sound that came from under the hood. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. The contact stated that on the following day, the vehicle was started, the contact stated that while driving at 30 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle speed did not increase above 30 mph. The vehicle was driven to the contact place of employment. The contact stated that after his work shift was completed, the vehicle was started, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. The contact stated that on the following day, the vehicle was started, however the vehicle did not move forward. The contact stated that the vehicle just rolled backwards. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle is not drivable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact referenced a recall which had a similar failure description, NHTSA campaign number:18v390000 (power train) however the contact's VIN was not associated with the recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.

Torque converter stuck off pcm code 6f35 transmission VIN look up doesn't show recall but it has same transmission installed with the same problem as 2017 model.

The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln zephyr. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake was depressed and was inoperable with service abs warning light illuminated; however, the contact stated that the vehicle was driven to her residence with caution. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that after researching, she discovered a safety recall NHTSA campaign number: 23v162000 (service brakes, hydraulic) in which her vehicle experienced the same failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

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The contact owns a 2014 Lincoln Mkz. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 mph the power steering had failed. The contact stated she saw the abs and "traction" lights illuminated. The contact stated that she stopped the vehicle and had to turn it off and on several times and regained functionality. Additionally, the contact stated that the brake pedal had become stiff at any speed. The contact stated that she had depressed the brake pedal to the floorboard and heard an abnormal snapping sound "like a coiled spring" and the brake function had returned. The contact stated that the "abs" and "traction" lights were illuminated. Also the contact had noted that when she placed the vehicle into park (p) with the vehicle still turned on the shift indicator would pop out of park (p) into drive (d) and also into reverse (r). The contact stated that the vehicle would move in the direction of the gear that it had inadvertently shifted into. The contact stated that all of the failures were intermittent but recurring. The contact had researched online and related the three failures to NHTSA campaign number: 15v250000 (steering); NHTSA campaign number: 22v011000 (service brakes, hydraulic); NHTSA campaign number: 13v594000 (power train). The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 161,280.

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Vehicle is awd, part is transfer case/power transfer unit. Many issues from customers online and what was marketed as a lifetime part was changed to maintenance at 30,000 miles since the amount of gear oil is minuscule and the heat this part has to contend with is extreme due to location. Car becomes undriveable very quickly and is very dangerous. A leak began and due to small amount of oil it starts to grind, jerk and tires won’t move very rapidly. Extremely dangerous! instead of a change it should be a recall. This part is also about $1600 alone which means Ford is making money on this to top it off. The mechanic said it was starting to melt the parts and could have been a fire if I didn’t drive it right over.

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After some research I noticed that the 2017 Lincoln Mkz was part of a recall for faulty torque converters (Lincoln Mkz, Ford fusion, edge torque converter recall (fordauthority. Com Ford recall number: 17s03-). My dad took his car to napleton Lincoln Mercury river oaks, illinois and they confirmed he needs to replace the torque converter and transmission. However, my dad whose 85 years-old, was informed his car does not fall under the recall for various reasons. How can that be when it’s the same, year, make, model and issue? my dad has taken his car to the dealer for all appropriate service appointments and has less than 100,000 miles on his car. It's obvious the issue is a defect and is not an issue associated with regularly wear and tear. He's faithfully purchased Ford products and routinely got over 200,000 miles without any problems. This issue puts my dad's life and any other owner of this car at extreme risk due to the uncertainty of the transmission operation. I feel Ford Lincoln Mercury should be held accountable for repairing his car.

I experienced unintended acceleration upon entering a highway. The vehicle accelerated normally in first gear, but upon shifting into second gear, acceleration exceeded pedal input, as though the cruise control 'resume' function had activated. Acceleration continued with my foot completely off the accelerator pedal and with full brake application. The event stopped when I kicked the accelerator pedal, suddenly, to full deflection, and engine operation returned to normal. I experienced three separate occurrences of this problem within a few hours. No codes were generated to activate the 'check engine' light, or any other warning light. Cruise control was off at the time of the events.

Unknown. I purchased the car like this from a car dealership. When turning the tires are rubbing against something that makes the car start shaking every time it turns. The seat started going sideways and won’t move anymore the tires make an ugly noise when you press on the brakes.

The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Mkz. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, the check engine warning light was illuminated intermittently. The contact was able to continue driving to her destination. The contact took the vehicle to independent mechanic and associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 17v427000 (power train), however the VIN was not included. The vehicle not repaired. The contact took the vehicle to local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission and torque to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 115,200.

1) every used miz I test drove had a super hard jerk out of first gear including the one I purchased, I was told it was fine, went to another dealership and was told the transmission clutch was gone, repaired under warranty. 2) gas tank door spring failed, saw its a common problem with Ford Lincoln vehicles, dealer replaced entire door housing sleeve, not covered under warranty, had to be installed twice after coming out after incorrectly installed. 3) front headlights lens spider web cracking. When purchased I saw small stress cracks at top by hood 3 to 7 months later entire lens/globe housing look like shattered glass but still in tacted, not covered under warranty, now passenger light starting to look the same. Only had the car 13 months. Dealer service rep ask do I drive car alot or drive in the rain, I was shocked. 4) rear trunk tail light across entire back end full of moisture. Not covered under warranty. Every since 2007 this seem to be a common problem with every car I had to poor designed product that consumer have to pay for and shouldn't. It will cost thousands of dollars to replace.

The contact owned a 2016 Lincoln Mkz. The contact stated while exiting her employers parking lot, when the vehicle began to accelerate independent and she started to smell a burning smell. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated she was depressing the brake pedal to the floor and pressed the park button but the vehicle continued to accelerate and move forward. The contact also stated the steering wheel seized, when she crashed into a wooden guard rail, a metal fence and chain link fence. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained injuries on the middle of the sternum and her right breast was bruised from the seat belt. The contact did seek medical attention for her swollen feet from depressing the brake pedal forcefully. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000. The VIN was not available.

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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.

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Light engine on. . When I took it in they told me it was the catalytic converter. Theirs a recall for the converter but they claim not on my model. My girlfriend has same car same year and hers has a recall but she has no issues right now. . I have an issue but no recall?.

Tl- the contact owns a 2013 Lincoln Mkz. The contact stated that on Monday they had taken the vehicle to an auto shop to have oil placed in their transmission and have it examined. The contact their transmission was cleared, however, the next day when they turned on their vehicle and attempted to place the gear in drive, however, the vehicle failed to shift into the drive. The vehicle's warning light stating that a shifter system failure had occurred and to check the manual. The contact contacted the dealership (west herr Ford Lincoln service address: 10 campbell blvd, getzville, NY 14068 phone: (716) 688-5464) who informed the contact that there was no recall on their vehicle, however, they had not officially diagnosed as of yet. The contact contacted the manufacturer who confirmed no recall. The approximate failure mileage 103,270. Gl.

Mkz 2013 Lincoln with same symptoms and required component (bushing) change as safety recall 18s20. Please include the Mkz 2013 Lincoln series in the recall 18s20 (view attached).

Tl- the contact owns a 2010 Lincoln Mkz. The contact stated that while driving the contact stated that the vehicle was able to shift from park to drive without the brakes. The vehicle would also shift into drive and roll away on it's own. The contact stated that their vehicle's shiftier nob bracket had detached from the vehicle. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and attempting to shift the vehicle into drive when the shiftier nob bracket had detached from the vehicle. The contact contacted with te\he dealership (carson Dodge Chrysler Jeep ram 3059 s carson st, carson city, nv 89701; (775) 883-2020) who informed the contact that there was no recall and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware and confirmed what the dealer had stated then referred the contact to NHTSA. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000. Gl.

Ptu (power transfer unit) keeps failing initially Lincoln stated it wasn't a serviceable part. No drain plug present. If left unchecked or serviced by sucking out the oil that gets burnt because of heat from the catalytic converter, the transmission and engine with only 1 quart of 70/140 fuild it could seize up and cause catastrophic failure the ptu could either bust open or lock up causing a severe accident as the ptu is just the the right of the gas peddle under your foot. Simce there isn't a fix form this part it must be warrantied for life fluid changed annually people need to know. They attempted a fix in 2018 with a water jacket attached to the side I have seen ptus with 25,000 miles on them already turning black. The oil is an amber see through color new. The ptu sits in a 5 sided box cooking away everytime you drive it there isn't even any passive airflow over it on 2016 and 2017 Mkz's and Ford fusions and Ford explorers all having all time awd.

Jerks hard into second gear and jerks when put in reverse in motion.

Picture of amwrench came up on the dash indicating to check owners manuel. Powertrain issue. There is a recall for this (2014 Lincoln Mkz hybrid recall # 13vs94000) but my VIN is not listed. Warning light came on while driving in town.

The contact owns a 2007 Lincoln Mkz. The contact stated that after having the rotors replaced, while driving approximately 30 mph and attempting to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The vehicle coasted before coming to a complete stop. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that there was a grinding sound coming from the rear of the vehicle while reversing. Additionally, was a slight delay while shifting gear. The contact also stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure was persistent during cold weather. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The brake pads and rotors had been replaced approximately 3 to 4 times. The vehicle was returned to the dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.

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Wrench apoears and car suddenly goes in limp mode while driving.

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