2015 Lincoln MKC Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about engine stalls and starting problems, a transmission that shudders or jerks, and a rearview camera that goes distorted or blank in reverse. Many complaints center on recalls for the camera, the battery monitor sensor and the engine block heater, with owners saying parts were not yet available when they asked for the repair. Reports appear across a wide mileage range, from a few thousand miles to well past 100,000.

1. 1
   Back-over prevention (rear camera)

   Rearview camera distorted or blank in reverse

   • 12 complaints (9%)
   • median 55,000 mi at 9.6 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2022–2026

   Complaints describe the rearview image going black, distorted, inverted or showing a 'Contact Dealer' message when the vehicle is shifted into reverse. In some cases it happens intermittently and becomes more persistent over time, and one owner noted it appearing in hot weather above 85F. Owners say dealers told them the recall repair parts were not yet available, and one dealer reported no fault found. Reported from about 5,000 to 160,000 miles, sometimes linked to hot weather.

   Recall 25V572000Recall 25V2700001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Shift into reverse and check the image on the screen when the car is warm. Ask whether either rearview camera recall (25V572000 or 25V270000) has been completed on the vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln MKC. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V270000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rear-view camera displayed a distorted image with the message Contact Dealer displayed. Several dealers were contacted and informed the contact that the parts were not yet available. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11765194, filed 2026-09, 70,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln MKC. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a black screen while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, preventing the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11693570, filed 2025-10, 160,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Engine stalls or fails to restart

   • 15 complaints (11%)
   • median 49,400 mi at 4.5 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2015–2026

   Complaints describe the engine cutting off while driving or at a stop, sometimes with no warning, and sometimes with difficulty restarting afterwards. Several owners say dealers could not reproduce the problem or retrieve fault codes, and one noted an oxygen sensor was replaced without fixing it. Some complaints reference recalls for the fuel pump or the battery monitor sensor even where their vehicle was not covered. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 155,000 miles, at varied speeds including highway driving.

   Recall 15V005000Recall 14V525000Recall 23V3780002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether recall 23V378000 (battery monitor sensor) has been completed and check the vehicle's VIN against the fuel pump recalls 15V005000 and 14V525000. Note any stored fault codes at a pre-purchase inspection.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We purchased a 2015 MKC on march 31st, 2016 new. We were driving the car on the highway at 70 MPH on april 10th, 2016 and the engine shut off. It was very dangerous. We were able to move the car off to the side of the road so that traffic could go around us but the situation was very dangerous. Our car was towed to a dealer. The diagnostic ran on the car said the fuel pump had an issue. We googled our issue and found that a recall exist for 2015 mkcs for fuel pumps. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10855170, filed 2016-04, 1,058 miles

   “This has happened 2xs within the last 4 weeks. Car only has 49,000 miles. Car starts to shake when driving speed of 50 mileshr appox. Then car shuts off, no brakes, and cannot steering. Drifted to the side of the road. Tried to start..it did start up again aftr 5 minutes. Had it into 2 dealers(Lincoln) and could not find a problem, no computer errors about what had happened. Now car has been in another dealer garage for 8 days. Cannot find the problem. Afraid to drive on the highways. Need this addressed before someone gets killed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11190218, filed 2019-03, 49,400 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Battery drains and the car will not start

   • 7 complaints (5%)
   • median 33,000 mi at 4.1 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2015–2024

   Owners report the battery going flat after the vehicle is parked, leading to jump starts or tows, and in some cases low-battery warnings followed by displays, lights and steering assist shutting down while driving. Complaints describe batteries and alternators being replaced without solving the problem, and dealers reporting they could not find the source of the drain. Some mention lights coming on without the key present. Reported from about 1,000 miles up to roughly 60,000 miles, on both new and used vehicles.

   Recall 23V3780002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask how recently the battery was replaced and whether any parasitic drain was diagnosed; leaving the car parked for a couple of days before purchase is a useful test. Confirm recall 23V378000 was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Since I purchased this vehicle in september of 2018 it has been towed to the dealer twice and I have driven to the dealer 3 times. The battery continues to go dead after I park and lock the vehicle in my garage. I have went into the garage and the vehicle lights would come on without the key fob. I have had the battery replaced and it continues to happen. My car is at the dealer as I write this complaint. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11190152, filed 2019-03, 33,000 miles

   “My vehicle has had 4 instances where it will not start and vehicle notes that the battery is low. This has left me stranded and needing a tow or jump. Dealership had been unable to determine the draw and had replaced the battery but issue has occurred since. I have contacted Lincoln but they have not been able to assist with getting this fixed as it is an intermittent issue. The car has failed to start at the dealership once. A search online will show this is a common issue and no one has found a solution to the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #11183590, filed 2019-03, 35,000 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shudder, jerking or harsh shifting

   • 5 complaints (4%)
   • median 53,000 mi at 8.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2018–2024

   Owners describe jerking, shaking or hesitation while driving, especially on inclines or during gear changes, and some report a loss of power that made the car an obstacle to traffic behind. Several say a dealer diagnosed a transmission or transmission pump problem and recommended replacement or rebuild. Complaints also mention a wrench light or warning message appearing with the symptoms. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 155,000 miles.

   6 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive at highway speed and up a grade, feeling for shudder or delayed shifts, and ask for service records showing whether the powertrain control module reprogram and extended torque converter warranty programs were applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11539505, filed 2023-08, 152,286 miles

   “I am the owner of a 2015 Lincoln MKC with 50,406 miles with a bad transmission. The car would 'jerk' as it automatically shift into gear when driving on a highway or on a local road. This is a serious problem for any driver.having a 2015 model car with 50,406 miles having a transmission rebuilt, the safety of this car need to be investigated.”

   NHTSA complaint #11113167, filed 2018-07, 49,000 miles
5. 5
   Body and structure

   Door latches and door opening or locking faults

   • 9 complaints (7%)
   • median 70,000 mi at 7.3 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2016–2025

   Complaints describe doors that will not latch, open, or unlock as expected, including a front door that opened while driving and a driver door that could only be entered from the passenger side. Owners say dealers declined to cover repairs, with one told only the rear doors were part of a recall, and another told a diagnostic fee would apply. Mostly reported between about 67,000 and 80,000 miles.

   Recall 20V331000Recall 16V643000

   What to check: Open and close every door several times, checking that each latches firmly and that the handles and locks work from both outside and inside. Ask whether door latch recalls 16V643000 and 20V331000 were completed and, if so, whether the repair was reinspected.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Hatch back won't open with key dash button or manually. Now car is unable to start. Will not allow gear change. Lights flash. Interior lights don't come on when door is opened. Towing to ford dealer. Car was in garage at standstill. Lock recall performed 5days ago.”

   NHTSA complaint #11052595, filed 2017-12, 350,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln MKC. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V331000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The contact stated that the rear driver's side door failed to open as needed. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that she would need to pay for the diagnostic test and repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11447384, filed 2022-01, 70,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection that checks for stored engine and transmission codes, verifies the rearview camera and door latches work, and confirms which open recalls were completed on the specific VIN will tell you more than mileage alone on this model year.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.