2013 Lincoln MKT Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2013 Lincoln MKT most often report power steering problems, including steering that suddenly becomes hard to turn, a power steering warning light, and steering that locks or seizes, sometimes at low speed. Many of these owners say the steering recall (15V340000) did not list their VIN, and others describe recall repair parts that were not yet available, while smaller groups describe fuel pump stalls, electrical glitches, and water in the tail lights. The complaints range from under 1,000 to over 270,000 miles, and the steering complaints that give mileage fall between about 45,000 and 215,000 miles.

1. 1
   Steering

   Power steering assist fault, hard steering or lockup

   • 29 complaints (41%)
   • median 115,000 mi at 8.1 yrs old (19 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2026

   Owners describe the power steering warning light coming on, followed by steering that becomes hard to turn, goes out entirely, or locks or seizes, sometimes while driving at speed and sometimes while parking or pulling out. Many say a restart brought the assist back for a time, but the problem returned. Some complaints say the dealer or an independent shop found the steering rack, control module, or steering gear needed replacement, and in many cases the vehicle was not repaired. Sample mileage ranges from about 45,000 to about 215,000 miles, and some events happened at low speed while parking or pulling out.

   Recall 15V340000

   What to check: Ask whether the 15V340000 steering recall was checked against the VIN, and whether the power steering control module or rack has been replaced. During a test drive, check that the power steering warning light stays off and the steering feels normal at low speed and while parking.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I lost all steering control while driving and within one minute of the check steering light illuminating. I was in the road and could not even steer to get to the side of the road. I reported this extremely dangerous condition to Lincoln but got no helpful response and had to pay the full bill of nearly 2000 to make the car drivable again. I live in new york and this happened in ohio”

   NHTSA complaint #10925029, filed 2016-11, 115,000 miles

   “I was on a highway,going around 50~55 miles per hour.suddenly I lost power in steering wheel.there was no warning sign,no sound at all.I turned my right signal but it was stopped working as well.I put my flashers on and pulled over to right shoulder.it was impossible for me to move a steering wheel in either direction.had to tow the car back to my home.on friday the 17th,I called ford dealer in queens(,which happen to be near my home)she put me on hold and never came back on line.I had some important things to do today,which I did.I checked …”

   NHTSA complaint #10734838, filed 2015-07, 45,000 miles
2. 2
   Steering

   Recall repairs delayed, or VIN left out of recall

   • 40 complaints (57%)
   • median 89,000 mi at 6.9 yrs old (23 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,850 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2013–2026

   Owners describe receiving a recall notice but finding that the repair part was not yet available, or that the VIN was missing from the steering recall even though their steering symptoms matched. Some say the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable time for the repair, and others say they were told to pay for repairs or to contact the manufacturer directly. Some complaints also describe recall work that was reportedly not fully completed, including rear suspension and exhaust-related parts. Sample mileage ranges from about 28,600 to about 215,000 miles, and many of these complaints do not include mileage.

   Recall 20V072000Recall 14V393000Recall 15V340000

   What to check: Ask for the recall status of the VIN from the manufacturer or the NHTSA recall lookup, and confirm whether any recall parts were installed. Keep copies of recall notices and repair orders, since some owners describe delays waiting for parts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car would not start, so it was towed to local mechanic. Said no fuel was being sent to engine by fuel pump due to computer issue. Directed me to ford recall number 16s31, which states ford motor company is recalling some 2013 to 2015 model-year ford and Lincoln sedans and crossovers over an issue with fuel pump control modules that could fail, causing either a no-start or a random-stalling condition. When I search for my VIN, this recall doesn't show up. Please investigate to determine if the recall needs to be expanded. Thanks”

   NHTSA complaint #11010741, filed 2017-07, 75,000 miles

   “the electric power steering in my 2013 Lincoln MKT fails to operate.. making this vehicle very dangerous to drive.Ford has issued a recall 15s18 for this problem, but they say my car is not included in the recall. how can that be, I have the same problem on my car... why isn't my car included?”

   NHTSA complaint #11487080, filed 2022-09
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults in controls, lights, and camera

   • 12 complaints (17%)
   • median 67,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2012–2025

   Owners describe a mix of electrical faults, including hazard lights that would not turn off, a start/stop button pushed into the dash, interior lights that came on while driving, and a battery drain that blocked trunk access. Some report the rear camera went black, blurred, or reversed before failing. According to complaints, dealers reset stored codes or said the system was working as designed, without a clear fix. Sample mileage ranges from about 900 to about 149,000 miles, and some of these faults are intermittent and appear while driving.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test the hazard lights, start/stop button, interior lights, and rear camera during a walk-around and a short drive. Ask whether the battery was tested after any drain, and whether the camera has been replaced before.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “All ability to control the HVAC is lost while in motion. The vehicle allows me to select any function I ask of it on the center stack like AC, heat, feet vents, defrost with a confirming light and boop sound, however only hot air blows out the defroster vent and it cannot be turned off without turning the whole vehicle off. In cooler weather, especially when raining, the windows fog up and visibility is lost. Other systems affected are the lock/unlock buttons inside the car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11268497, filed 2019-10, 88,000 miles

   “I applied my hazards when pulling over and once it was safe to resume, I went to turn off my hazards and they would not turn off. I tried shutting off the vehicle and restarting but nothing was clearing it. The button was not stuck either. After about 20 mins of driving with the hazards, I tried the button again and the hazards shut off. I believe there is an issue with the front control panel.”

   NHTSA complaint #11555955, filed 2023-11
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Stalls and no-start linked to fuel pump faults

   • 7 complaints (10%)
   • median 75,000 mi at 4.7 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2013–2020

   Owners describe engines stalling while driving, sometimes without warning, and some cars were towed without restarting. Some complaints tie the stall or no-start to the fuel pump or its electric module overheating, and others describe fuel fumes in the cabin from a ruptured fuel delivery system. Some report that a mechanic pointed to a fuel pump recall that did not appear for their VIN. Sample mileage ranges from about 23,500 to about 128,000 miles, and the stall events are described as happening while driving, including on the highway.

   Recall 13V227000Recall 15V812000Recall 16V621000

   What to check: Ask whether recalls 13V227000, 15V812000, or 16V621000 were checked against the VIN and completed. A pre-purchase check can include a scan for stored fuel-system codes and a restart test after a short drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Loss of power on the highway causing the car to stall then it kicked back in. Then it did not start after we parked it and tried to start it back up. We had it towed to a auto repair place that said it was the fuel pump electric module pem may have overheated causing a loss of electric power to the fuel pump”

   NHTSA complaint #11002628, filed 2017-07, 55,000 miles

   “Vehicle engine suddenly stopped while I was on road driving, survived the crash. Ford had recall for 3.5l engine , but not for 2.0 ecoboost engine according to dealer it is same as NHTSA campaign number: 16v621000. Fuel pump malfunction may cause engine stall”

   NHTSA complaint #11119686, filed 2018-08, 128,000 miles
5. 5
   Exterior lighting

   Tail light water buildup and headlight flicker

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe water collecting in tail light housings or the rear panel, leading to bulb failure, cracked lenses, or repeated failures after an earlier repair. A fire at a tail light housing while the vehicle was parked is also described, and the dealer reportedly said the whole rear panel needed replacement. Separately, headlights are described as flickering at any speed, with the failure recurring. Sample mileage ranges from about 50,000 to about 271,000 miles, and some owners say water got into the lights during rain or car washes.

   What to check: Check the tail light housings and rear panel for water or condensation, and look for hairline cracks in the lenses. Ask whether the lights or rear panel have been repaired or sealed before, and confirm the headlights stay steady during a night drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKT. While driving at any speed, the headlights flickered without warning. The failure recurred several times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to a local dealer. The failure was not diagnosed and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 271,400.”

   NHTSA complaint #10846124, filed 2016-03, 271,400 miles

   “The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKT. While parked for approximately nine hours, the vehicle caught fire on the driver side tail light housing. The owner extinguished the fire. The fire department arrived after the fire was extinguished. A report was filed by the fire department. There were no injuries. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10936284, filed 2016-12, 75,000 miles

Buying note. Because steering complaints make up the largest group, a buyer should confirm whether the steering recall (15V340000) applies to the specific VIN and ask whether the power steering control module or rack was replaced. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a low-speed steering check and a scan for stored power steering codes can help a buyer judge current condition.

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.