2013 Lincoln MKZ Problems

What owners report

Owners of this 2013 MKZ most frequently describe problems with the electric power steering suddenly losing assist, doors that will not latch or that open while driving, and transmission or shifter faults that leave the car in the wrong gear. Many reports come at low mileage as well as higher mileage, and several owners mention that dealers had difficulty reproducing the fault or said parts for the related recalls were not yet available.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Door will not latch or opens while driving

   • 15 complaints (14%)
   • median 46,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • filed 2015–2023

   Complaints describe front or rear doors that will not latch, bounce back open, or open on their own while the car is moving; owners sometimes held the door shut with a strap to get home. Several say a dealer diagnosed a failed door latch, and others report that recall parts were on back order or that their vehicle was not included in the latch recalls. A few mention the interior door handle no longer sitting flush with the body. Reported from about 7,000 to 120,000 miles, including several cases at low mileage.

   Recall 20V331000Recall 17V210000Recall 15V246000

   What to check: Open and close every door several times and check that each latches firmly and sits flush; ask whether the door latch recalls were performed and whether any re-repair was needed after the earlier campaigns.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Recall on door latches but there are no replacement part available. Unknown when they will be in stock when I was notified of the recall I asked them to order parts but they have been on back order”

   NHTSA complaint #11000418, filed 2017-06, 49,000 miles

   “Interior driver door handle no longer sits flush with body. Periodically the door does not shut properly . I noticed a recall on that part. When asked gridley ford service (dwayne) he emphasized on your web posting it says certain vehicles and is not one of 'those' . I asked that since it is displaying same problem addressed how is my car not covered. He pulled up a printout that shows my vehicle and the recall is not listed. I asked him if there is anyone he can call to advocate for my vehicle and he said he doesn't call anybody for that. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11119922, filed 2018-08, 46,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Hard or missing shifts, shifter system faults

   • 13 complaints (12%)
   • median 30,000 mi at 1.9 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2020

   Owners describe the car shifting by itself out of drive into neutral or the manual gears, harsh engagement from park to drive, delayed or absent acceleration, and a shifter system failure message with the car refusing to go into drive. Some report the gear indicator not showing park after shutdown, and one describes the car lurching forward after park was selected. Dealers reportedly recalibrated the computer, test drove without reproducing the fault, or added transmission fluid. Mostly reported between about 4,000 and 30,000 miles, with some reports near 100,000 miles.

   Recall 13V5940004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test the shifter through every position several times, confirm the cluster shows the selected gear, and ask whether any transmission or shifter repairs or software updates have been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When driving the car it will shift from drive to s1, s2, s3, s4, it will decrease in speed, like a hesitation and slowing down. I am afraid if this constantly happens some one will hit me in the rear., causing a serious accident. We have taken this car in twice for repairs, still isn't fixed. First, oh its need to be put on the computer and recalibrated. Second, after test driving the dealership service department couldn't assess the cause and it didn't occur while they did a test drive. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10614566, filed 2014-07, 30,000 miles

   “The car was pulled into a parking space (space in front of a canal) and pushed buttoned into park and the car then lurched forward, going into the canal (front half only, the back half was stopped by the sea wall). We see there was a recall for the same problem for 2013 Lincoln MKZ hybrids (ours is not a hybrid).”

   NHTSA complaint #10643296, filed 2014-10, 16,420 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Fuel smell, leaks and stalling

   • 11 complaints (10%)
   • median 32,966 mi at 5.5 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2013–2025

   Complaints describe a gasoline odor with a stop-safely message and fuel found leaking at the fuel line, a fuel leak with check engine and fuel system warnings that shut the car down, and smoke or fire originating in the engine bay. Some owners report the engine cutting out or dropping power while driving; one describes being told recall parts were not available for the fuel system campaign. Spread widely, from a few hundred miles to over 130,000 miles, with several reports between about 3,000 and 35,000 miles.

   Recall 13V2270001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the fuel delivery module recall was completed and look for any fuel smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car; check for stored powertrain codes if a scan tool is available.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving time 11:00am to 11:45am, round trip 3.5 miles, side road, in motion, sunny 66. 3 times the motor dropped power, car could not move. Motor was still running, shaking and like it was not getting air. Had to stop in traffic and turn off vehicle and restart. This thing is a death trap. This is the third time I reported this problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #11364467, filed 2020-10, 33,416 miles

   “A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire the check engine and the fuel firing inlet warning lights illuminated. While driving the car two different times the system completely shut down causing me to pull over in the middle of driving. While car is idle system shuts down. A number of times”

   NHTSA complaint #11180830, filed 2019-02, 93,000 miles
4. 4
   Steering

   Power steering assist cuts out

   • 10 complaints (9%)
   • median 63,800 mi at 7.4 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2014–2026

   Owners describe a 'Service Power Steering Now' or power assist malfunction message appearing, after which the wheel becomes very hard to turn, sometimes at speed and sometimes when turning at low speed or after driving through a shallow puddle. Several owners report traction control, stability control or hill assist warnings lighting at the same time, and some say the dealer could not reproduce the fault on a test drive. Complaints also describe vibration or looseness in the steering wheel on some cars. Reported across a wide mileage range, from under 10,000 miles to over 130,000 miles, with many reports between roughly 55,000 and 70,000 miles.

   Recall 19V632000Recall 15V2500001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the electric power steering recall work was completed and whether the VIN is covered; on a test drive, check that no assist or stability warnings appear and that the wheel turns smoothly at low speed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving and my power steering service light came on and became very hard to steer and now my traction control light is on. It tells me to have serviced immediately but when I call Lincoln dealership they tell me they can't even get me in til october 16th. I am now concerned that I may end up in a crash. I can't believe this is not a recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #11255515, filed 2019-09, 91,186 miles

   “I was driving my car and all of a sudden my power steering goes out traction control and park hill assist all flash. This is the second time it has happened traveling 70 MPH . I was able to get off of the road but had a difficult time turning the wheel as it felt like it was almost locked. Please advise. Thanks”

   NHTSA complaint #11309208, filed 2020-02, 98,625 miles
5. 5
   Seat belts

   Rear seat belt retractor jams and seat sticks down

   • 6 complaints (6%)
   • median 62,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2026

   Owners report the rear seat belt retractor sticking so the belt will not release, which leaves the rear 2/3 seatback stuck in the folded position and limits rear seating. Others describe the front passenger belt reminder not lighting or chiming promptly, and one owner reports seat belt pretensioners that did not restrain occupants in a crash. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 62,000 miles; the retractor jams were reported on stationary vehicles after folding the seat.

   Recall 16V875000Recall 14V597000

   What to check: Fold and raise the rear seatback and pull each rear belt out and let it retract fully; ask whether the front seat belt pretensioner and anchor recalls were completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The seat belt retractor for the rear 2/3 seat is stuck in the down position. Seat belt will not release. Cannot get seat back up into upright position. Cannot sit more than 1 passenger in rear. Vehicle was stationary at the time seat was released to the down position.”

   NHTSA complaint #11195752, filed 2019-04, 62,000 miles

   “Front passenger seat belt warning does not does not light up or beep for around 4 blocks of travel. If most accidents happen close to home this could be serious or even fatal. The dealer says it is this way with all the other models he compared mine to. This does not make a safe situation. The driver's warning works right after motion begins. The passenger's belt warning should work the same way. The owners manual states it will light and beep if not connected and the seat is occupied.”

   NHTSA complaint #10627721, filed 2014-08, 6,300 miles

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.