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Lincoln MKZModel year report

2008 Lincoln MKZ Problems

Compared with other Lincoln MKZ years

Typical for this model

50/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
281filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
80,400miles, 117 complaints with mileage
Recalls
42 do-not-drive
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
22 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl FWD · 18 city / 28 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 Lincoln MKZ (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a soft or low brake pedal — often after an ABS event on snow, ice or a wet road — with the pedal travelling to the floor and stopping distance getting longer. A second large group of complaints is about unrepaired airbag inflator recalls, where owners report long waits for parts. Chrome peeling and corrosion on the original wheels, causing repeated tire pressure loss, is also frequently reported, mostly at lower mileage.

  1. Brakes

    Soft/low brake pedal after ABS event (hydraulic control

    • 66 complaints (23%)
    • median 98,000 mi at 11.1 yrs old (51 state mileage)
    • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2010–2022

    Complaints describe the brake pedal sinking toward the floorboard, sometimes needing a second pump, and longer stopping distances, often starting after the ABS activated on snow, ice or a wet road. Several owners say rotors, pads, calipers and the master cylinder were replaced without a lasting fix, and that diagnosis later pointed to the ABS hydraulic control unit. Many mention recall 19V904000, with dealers reportedly telling them the remedy parts were not yet available. Most often reported between roughly 60,000 and 130,000 miles, frequently in cold or wet weather.

    Recall 19V9040001 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask whether recall 19V904000 was completed and whether the ABS hydraulic control unit has been replaced. On a test drive, press the pedal hard after an ABS stop and see whether it stays firm or sinks toward the floor.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Went to stop in winter conditions and the brake pedal went to the floor. Almost rear ended the car at the stop sign, had to go to the shoulder to avoid hitting them. Now the ABS, traction control, and brake system light come on as soon as I reach 15 MPH. I have had all the rotors, calipers, and break pads replaced. Still having the same issue.”

    NHTSA complaint #11157170, filed 2018-12, 150,000 miles

    “Upon braking my brake pedal goes to the floor and I hear the ABS .the vehicle slightly slows. The pedal remains spongy. Ford does think it could be the hcu . According to department of transport problem that hcu may be sticking open. This happens every time a heavy application is made when road surface is wet.”

    NHTSA complaint #11365133, filed 2020-10, 121,000 miles
  2. Air bags

    Airbag inflator recall not yet repaired

    Mentioned in 10 of 60 sampled complaints

    Many owners report receiving repeated recall notices for the front airbag inflators but being unable to get the work done because dealers said parts were unavailable. Some describe the airbag warning light staying on, and one owner says the warning light remained lit even after a recall repair was performed. Complaints mainly convey frustration over waiting rather than describing a symptom in the car. Reports cluster from about 18,000 to 110,000 miles; several owners mention hot, humid climates.

    Recall 21V158000Recall 17V024000 · DO NOT DRIVERecall 16V384000 · DO NOT DRIVE4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check with a dealer by VIN whether all open airbag recalls have been completed. Confirm the airbag warning light goes out after the instrument cluster self-test when the car is started.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Takata recall - 06/01/2016 - notified vehicle is involved in recall. 10/20/2017 - no dealerships I spoke to have parts and don't know when replacement parts will be available. Auto nation Lincoln in clearwater fl stated they have not replaced recalled airbags in 2 yrs. I live in seminole, fl - its hot, humid and my car is almost 10 yrs old.”

    NHTSA complaint #11035154, filed 2017-10, 54,000 miles

    “I've been getting airbag warnings from ford via mail for over a year. I made an appt at the ford svc dept in carson city nv over a year ago. I've made follow up calls but they don't have the right part & cannot / will not repair my car. All I get is paper in the mail & promises.”

    NHTSA complaint #11389356, filed 2021-01, 80,000 miles
  3. Wheels

    Chrome wheel peeling and corrosion causing tire pressure

    • 31 complaints (11%)
    • median 42,400 mi at 6.3 yrs old (24 state mileage)
    • filed 2012–2018

    Owners describe chrome flaking off the original alloy wheels and corrosion along the inner rim, which lets air escape so tires repeatedly lose pressure. Some say the tire pressure warning came on often and that tire shops could not get the bead to seal. Dealers reportedly denied a warranty remedy in some cases and, in one, sealed the rims as a temporary measure. Mostly reported between about 14,000 and 105,000 miles, often noticed through recurring low-tire warnings.

    What to check: Inspect the inner bead area of each wheel for peeling chrome and corrosion, ask how often tires need air, and check whether the wheels are the original factory units.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “After getting a low tire pressure warning, I went to tire store and they showed me the corrosion to the chrome and explained how it will affect the tire and the wheel. I was notified that I am going to constantly have issues with low tire pressure unless I replace the wheels.”

    NHTSA complaint #10609693, filed 2014-07, 44,154 miles

    “Chrome plating is flaking off, and tires consistently lose air pressure. I contacted ray price ford in stroudsburg, pa and they said this sometimes happens, but not a warranty issue. I contacted my tire person and he tried to brush off the excess chrome around seal to get a bead, but no luck. A new wheel is around $400, so I got a used one. Similar issues, but not as frequent. However, other wheels are beginning to have the same issue (losing air pressure). A set of new wheels would be over $1500, which is not a viable option. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10669263, filed 2014-12, 98,000 miles
  4. Brakes

    Recall repairs delayed by parts availability

    Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

    A number of complaints are about the recall process itself: owners say they were told the remedy parts were on back order, that the car sat at the dealership waiting, and that no timeline was given. Some describe continuing to drive with the brake symptom while waiting. Others report similar delays with the airbag inflator recall, including limits on using the front passenger seat. Reports concentrate around 2020-2021 filings at mileages from about 8,000 to 100,000.

    Recall 19V904000Recall 17V024000 · DO NOT DRIVE

    What to check: Get the recall status in writing from a dealer before purchase, and keep the repair order showing any completed campaign work.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Recall notice19s54. Hcu unit gone. Part is on back order 889 cars are waiting on this part. Car has been in dealership for two weeks with no eta of parts delivery. People like me are not giving rental to cover until car gets fix we are financially stuck ford is not offering rental car or nothing. Car is at leith Lincoln for almost two weeks. Please amend to cover for loss of use or rental car.”

    NHTSA complaint #11415088, filed 2021-05, 45,000 miles

    “My brakes have excessive brake pedal travel with a lot of noise. I took my MKZ to the dealer paid for all new brakes 4 months before the recall letter came. I had to return my car 3 times telling them something was not right ! After I received the safety recall notice 19s54/ntsa recall 19v-904 in jan 20 I was told I could pay for the parts and service because they didn't have the parts to do it ? What ? If I could pay they clearly could make my car safe and fix it with the recall protocol. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11342814, filed 2020-08, 10,100 miles
  5. Body and structure

    Interior door handle breaking

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    A few owners report an interior door handle failing so the door could not be opened from inside, requiring the window to be rolled down and the outside handle used. One complaint describes a plastic part inside the handle fracturing, and another reports a door that would not stay closed. Dealers are not described as offering a remedy in these accounts. Reported from roughly 63,000 to 130,000 miles on vehicles with no reported collision history.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Open and close each door from the inside several times and check that the handles feel solid and the latches hold.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Without warning, the driver's door would not open. I was trapped in the vehicle. The only way to exit the car was to roll down the window and use the exterior handle. The vehicle had not been in an accident and is in good working condition. There was no prior warning that the door handle was worn or had a defect. I have disassembled the door and I see that an interior section of the interior door handle has fractured. This section acts as a cam to pull the cable that opens the door. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10641448, filed 2014-10, 108,632 miles

    “Both front doors have a problem the handle on the driver door broke u cannot open the door from the inside. Then today the passenger door want stay close.”

    NHTSA complaint #11014067, filed 2017-08, 130,679 miles

Buying note. Have a dealer confirm by VIN that both the brake (19V904000) and airbag inflator recalls are closed out, since owners report long waits for parts. A brake pedal that sinks after an ABS stop and corroded original wheels are the two things most worth checking on a test drive and inspection.

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.

NHTSA recorded 281 consumer complaints for the 2008 Lincoln MKZ. 117 of the complaints include a mileage, and 28% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 80,400 miles. Of all complaints, 12 involved a crash, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns (2 marked do-not-drive) and 21 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 10 Lincoln MKZ model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 50 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Tires (3), Engine cooling (1), Fuel system (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Seat belts (1), Seats (1), Steering (1), Suspension (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “First recall was june 2016-nearly two years later no repair. I was advised to not allow passengers in the front seat....excellent cya for takata, but very inconvenient for me/family/friends. Please help my complaint ihas been action to replace airbag, except rare notice the part is not available.”

NHTSA complaint #11096618, filed 2018-05, 45,000 miles

Brakes: “Was driving on a non-highway road about 45mph when I was coming up to a stop light. My brakes felt like they completely just gave out! Pedal went straight to the floor, there was no firmness or resistance on the brake pedal. I had to swerve and almost ended up in on coming traffic. It seems as though this is not a priority until there is a fatality!”

NHTSA complaint #10937058, filed 2016-12, 108,000 miles

Wheels: “Air pressure issues on 3 of my tires. The rim?s chrome plating is flaking off, and tires consistently lose air pressure. I contacted my dealer, but not a warranty issue. I purchased this auto new and it has always has been garaged. I do live in the boston area so do have extreme weather. This is a quality issue and a driving hazard. A recall should be issued to remedy this situation.”

NHTSA complaint #10681868, filed 2015-02, 78,845 miles

Electrical system: “Bought this car from a Lincoln dealer ship in norman, oklahoma. Later moved to texas to be closer to my daughter. The car had not done this before, but one night while I was at their house, walked out and the car started by its self. Several times I have been shopping and have come out and my sun-roof and all of my windows are down. This has happened several times since. I regularly take it to a Lincoln dealer here in houston. I have asked them several times what the problem is, and they say that it is related to the programmed key, and their is nothing they can do about it. …”

NHTSA complaint #10859984, filed 2016-04, 15,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

28% of the 117 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 47,000 and 113,000 miles.

2%0–109%10–2518%25–5015%50–7521%75–10028%100–1508%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (117 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 80,400 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’09’12’14’1690’18’20’22’24
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 Lincoln MKZ. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
MKZ · sedan FWD/AWDnot rated5 / 5——5 · 9.2% risk
MKZ · sedan FWD/AWDnot rated4 / 4——5 · 9.2% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2008 Lincoln MKZ version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
MKZ AWD3.5L 6-cyl6-speed automatic172419$3,550
MKZ FWD3.5L 6-cyl6-speed automatic182822$3,050

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2008 Lincoln MKZ → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 21 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 21 bulletins →

Other model years of the Lincoln MKZ

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20192158,1381524—Rising
20183633,00025240 · FewerRising
201714174,000452446 · TypicalRising
20166456,500652639 · TypicalRising
20158459,0001052643 · TypicalStable
20149760,5001352651 · TypicalStable
201310944,5001252660 · TypicalStable
201214653,750542150 · TypicalFalling
201114568,500542153 · TypicalFalling
201017072,6167—2175 · MoreFalling
200911468,0006—2153 · TypicalFalling
200828180,4004—2250 · TypicalFalling
200725977,4564—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Lincoln MKZ model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Lincoln MKZ?

Owners of this model year most often describe a soft or low brake pedal — often after an ABS event on snow, ice or a wet road — with the pedal travelling to the floor and stopping distance getting longer. The issues reported most often: Soft/low brake pedal after ABS event (hydraulic control; Airbag inflator recall not yet repaired; Chrome wheel peeling and corrosion causing tire pressure.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 Lincoln MKZ have?

NHTSA recorded 281 consumer complaints for the 2008 Lincoln MKZ as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 Lincoln MKZ is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 166 complaints (59% of the total), followed by brakes with 73.

Has the 2008 Lincoln MKZ been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 of them with a do-not-drive advisory. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Lincoln MKZ get?

The EPA rates the 2008 Lincoln MKZ (MKZ FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 22 mpg combined, 18 city and 28 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 Lincoln MKZ reported?

Among the 117 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 80,400 miles and the middle half falls between 47,000 and 113,000 miles; 28% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.