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2012 Lincoln Mkx

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2012 Lincoln Mkx do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 75.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

61 reports with mileage · 23 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine complaints

8 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jun 22, 2023
EngineFuel/propulsion System

Entering I-294 express ramp, vehicle was not accelerating beyond 40mph. then as I entered highway it shut down completely. I coasted to the right shoulder. The dash displayed a "low oil pressure" alert. So I did not attempt to restart the car. When I had it towed home, I checked the oil level and it was full. Nothing like this h…

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Entering I-294 express ramp, vehicle was not accelerating beyond 40mph. then as I entered highway it shut down completely. I coasted to the right shoulder. The dash displayed a "low oil pressure" alert. So I did not attempt to restart the car. When I had it towed home, I checked the oil level and it was full. Nothing like this happened before. The vehicle is almost 12 years old with 167,000 miles. Had this happened in traffic on the expy, I could have been creamed by other cars or a truck. I am going to the dealer today to investigate but this seems like an anomaly where the engine shuts down because the computer thinks there is a catastrophic failure that is not really happening.

NHTSA ODI #11528289

50,000 miles · Feb 16, 2018
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LINCOLN MKX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE TO REGAIN NORMAL FUNCTION, BUT THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MAYAGU…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LINCOLN MKX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE TO REGAIN NORMAL FUNCTION, BUT THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MAYAGUEZ FORD CALLED MARGINAL MAYAGUEZ, PUERTO RICO, 00681; PHONE 787-805-3673. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC, WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE ENGINE PURGE VALVE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE PURGE VALVE AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. *TT *AS

NHTSA ODI #11073209

37,000 miles · Nov 20, 2017
EnginePower Train

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND TO THE ACCELATOR- NO POWER TO THE VEHICLE AND A "WRENCH" APPEARED ON THE DASH BOARD. POWER TRAIN PROBLEM. TAKE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR LINCOLN DEALER. THE CAR STOPPED AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. IT SEEMED TO BE CHOKING THEN STOPPED. TOWED IT TO DEALER - THEY RAN DIA…

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WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND TO THE ACCELATOR- NO POWER TO THE VEHICLE AND A "WRENCH" APPEARED ON THE DASH BOARD. POWER TRAIN PROBLEM. TAKE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR LINCOLN DEALER. THE CAR STOPPED AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. IT SEEMED TO BE CHOKING THEN STOPPED. TOWED IT TO DEALER - THEY RAN DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND FOUND "NOTHING WRONG WITH IT". TWO WEEKS LATER SAME THING HAPPENED. FORTUNATELY I WAS ON A CITY STREET AGAIN AND ABLE TO MOVE OVER. HAD THIS HAPPENED N THE FREEWAY I AM SURE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. DEALER AGAIN COULD FIND NOTHING AGAIN. APPARENTLY THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS ARE NOT EFFECTIVE. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE "THROTTLE". THAT "MIGHT" BE THE PROBLEM. I AM NOW VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND STAY ALWAYS IN THE RIGHT LANE JUST IN CASE IT DECIDES TO DIE AGAIN. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE NOW. APPARENTLY LINCOLN EXPECTS AN OWNER TO KEEP REPLACING PARTS - EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT NOT BE DEFECTIVE - AND HOPE EVENTUALLY THE CORRECT PART IS REPLACED. I AM WONDERING ABOUT ALL THE ELECTRONIC "PROGRESS" WE HAVE SUPPOSEDLY MADE, WHY DEFECTIVE PARTS CANNOT BE ACCURATELY DETECTED. WAY TOO MUCH UNNECESSARY FUNCTIONS ON VEHICLES - CREATING TOO MANY CHANCES FOR ELECTRICAL ERRORS. WHERE DOES IT END? THE CAR HAS ONLY 37,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS VERY RELIABLE - UNTIL NOW- NOW IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY - EACH REPLACEMENT PART, I AM SURE, WILL BE COSTLY - THIS IS GOING TO BE A GUESSING GAME FROM NOW ON.

NHTSA ODI #11047509

13,600 miles · Jun 15, 2017
EnginePower Train

STOPED AT A RED LIGHT ON A SLIGHT GRADE. CAR SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY W/LOSS OF STEERING & BRAKES. DRIFTED BACKWARD UNTIL I PUSHED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. LOCAL DEALER RAN DIANOSTICS, NOTHING FOUND LINCOLN PROVIDED ZERO HELP IN RESOULVING THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10995286

65,000 miles · Apr 10, 2017
Engine

DRIVETRAIN WARNING LIGHT (WRENCH) ILLUMINATEDWHILE DRIVING WITH ASSOCIATED LIMP MODE AND ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. FORD REPAIR STATED THROTTLE BODY NEEDED REPLACING , NOT COVERED UNDER DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY, AND COMMON ITEM FAILURE ON MKX'S. THIS IS A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION REPLACEMENT ITEM ON PREVIOUS YEARS OF THE MKX BUT NOT FOR 20…

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DRIVETRAIN WARNING LIGHT (WRENCH) ILLUMINATEDWHILE DRIVING WITH ASSOCIATED LIMP MODE AND ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. FORD REPAIR STATED THROTTLE BODY NEEDED REPLACING , NOT COVERED UNDER DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY, AND COMMON ITEM FAILURE ON MKX'S. THIS IS A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION REPLACEMENT ITEM ON PREVIOUS YEARS OF THE MKX BUT NOT FOR 2012. OBVIOUS THAT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. 65,000 MILES ON VEHICLE AND ALL MAINTENANCE COMPLETED AT DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ODI #10971669

56,000 miles · Apr 28, 2016
EngineVehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LINCOLN MKX. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED. THE WRENCH LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND RESUMED DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED AND NEEDED …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LINCOLN MKX. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED. THE WRENCH LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND RESUMED DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

NHTSA ODI #10862070

46,700 miles · Nov 7, 2014
EngineService Brakes

I NOTICED A FEW DAYS AGO WHEN I WAS IN TRAFFIC MY BRAKES DIDN'T WANT TO HOLD. I PRESSED REALLY HARD AND ONLY THEN DID MY CAR STOPPED. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE CHECKED IT OUT AND SAID MY BRAKES LOOKED GREAT. TWO DAYS AGO I WAS DRIVING AND MY CAR JUST SHUT OFF AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER TO HAV…

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I NOTICED A FEW DAYS AGO WHEN I WAS IN TRAFFIC MY BRAKES DIDN'T WANT TO HOLD. I PRESSED REALLY HARD AND ONLY THEN DID MY CAR STOPPED. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE CHECKED IT OUT AND SAID MY BRAKES LOOKED GREAT. TWO DAYS AGO I WAS DRIVING AND MY CAR JUST SHUT OFF AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A FAULTY VALUE AND THAT MY BRAKES WERE FINE. WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE THE DEALER MY CAR SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND MY BRAKES FAILED I WAS THANKFUL THAT THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE MANAGER CAME AND CHECKED IT OUT AND HE SAID THE BOOSTER PART OF THE BRAKES WERE DEFECTED AND MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR IS NOW IN THE SHOP. I NOTICED WHEN I CHECKED ONLINE THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES. MY FEAR WAS HAVING AN ACCIDENT! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10653408

15,200 miles · Aug 13, 2013
Electrical SystemEngineFuel System, Gasoline

VEHICLE POWER & COMPUTER FAILED (SHUT OFF) WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH IN CLEAR WEATHER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10535100

Official recalls

1

14V393000 · Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft

Jul 2, 2014

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles manufactured September 2, 2010, to November 30, 2013; 2013-2014 Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured August 25, 2011, to November 30, 2013; and 2013-2014 Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT vehicles manufactured September 12, 2011, to November 30, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the halfshaft retention circlip may not have been properly installed, and as a result, the halfshaft may move outward and disengage from the linkshaft while driving and without prior warning.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the halfshaft and linkshaft become disengaged while driving, power will no longer be transmitted to the wheels, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. Additionally, if the parking brake is not applied before exiting the vehicle, the vehicle may roll away despite the transmission being placed in 'Park', increasing the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to make sure that the halfshaft is properly retained. If it is not, dealers will replace the linkshaft and also replace the halfshaft if it shows evidence of spline damage, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S10.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.