Page 2 of 2 · complaints 51–59 of 59

2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2012 record →

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jun 27, 2015CA

APPROXIMATELY MARCH OF 2013. I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON MOULTON BLVD, SUDDENLY THE CAR LOST SPEED AND A RED TRIANGLE SHAPED CAME ON AND STATED "DRIVE TO SIDE OF ROAD SAFELY AND SHUT OFF THE CAR ENGINE" I TOOK IT TO LINCOLN GARAGE AND THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR A WEEK, WAITING FOR DIRECTIONS OF PROCEDURE FROM DETROIT, THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD REPLACED THE HYBRID BATTERY. THE CAR RAN GREAT AGAIN. JUNE 15, 2015 IT SHUT DOWN AGAIN, LIKE BEFORE, I TOOK IT TO THE LINCOLN DEALER, THEY SAID THERE WERE NOT ANY CODES, BUT TOLD ME IT WAS A BAD THROTTLE BODY, OF WHICH THEY CHANGED. JUNE 24,2015, THE CAR SHUT DOWN AGAIN, THE RED TRIANGLE SHAPE LIGHT CAME ON, TOOK IT INTO LINCOLN DEALER THE SAME DAY, THEY TOLD ME THE COMPUTER SAID THE CAR SHUT DOWN, BUT NO COMPUTER CODES. THIS MAKES ME THINK THAT A NEW THROTTLE BODY WAS NOT NECESSARY. A LINCOLN TECHNICIAN HAS BEEN DRIVING MY AUTOMOBILE FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS AND WILL DO SO OVER THIS WEEK-END. HE HAS A COMPUTER ATTACHED TO THE AUTO ENGINE, LOOKING FOR THE CAUSE. WHEN THE CAR SHUTS DOWN, PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR GETS NO RESPONSE.

Engine
Filed Jun 19, 201556,115 milesTX

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY, RED TRIANGLE WITH "!" IN THE MIDDLE WITH TEXT "STOP SAFELY NOW" APPEARED ON DASHBOARD. AT THE SAME TIME THE ENGINE SHUT OFF (ALONG WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER AND RADIO). THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART IN NEUTRAL. I HAD TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY TO STOP, PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURN THE KEY TO RESTART AND THEN DRIVE AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN 45 MINUTES. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LINCOLN DEALERSHIP. THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG OTHER THAN RECOMMENDING I PURCHASE A NEW BATTERY. I WAS SKEPTICAL, BUT DID SO JUST IN CASE. I PICKED UP THE CAR ON 6/16/15. ON 6/19/15 THE CAR TURNED OFF AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. THIS HAD HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY IN 2013 AND 2014. BOTH TIMES THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. IT IS NOT SAFE FOR A CAR TO TURN OFF ON A HIGHWAY.

Steering
Filed May 18, 201532,000 milesWI

THIS HAPPENED TO ME ONCE BEFORE IN APRIL OF 2015, DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE. HOWEVER ALSO ON FRIDAY MAY 15TH, 2015, I WAS BACKING MY LINCOLN MKZ 2012 HYBRID OUT OF THE CHURCH PARKING LOT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN. I DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT SAID POWER STEERING NOT FUNCTIONING OR SOMETHING SIMILAR. IT HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE IN APRIL, AND AT THAT TIME, I WAS ALSO PARKED, STARTED UP THE CAR AND IT WOULDN'T STEER. I STOPPED THE CAR, STARTED IT UP AGAIN AND THAT TIME IT CORRECTED ITSELF. I READ A REPORT ON THE INTERNET ABOUT 508 CASES BEING REPORTED AND UNDER INVESTIGATION SO I THOUGHT I WOULD ALSO SUBMIT A COMPLAINT. LUCKY FOR ME ON FRIDAY MAY 15TH, 2015 I WAS ACROSS THE STREET FROM A LOCAL INDEPENDENT CAR REPAIR SERVICE STATION. THEY CALLED HUDSON FORD IN HUDSON, WISCONSIN AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THERE SAID IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND TO BRING IT UP TO THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I CALLED AT THE END OF THE DAY AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEREFORE COULDN'T FIX IT. THE INDEPENDENT SERVICE STATION WHERE IT FIRST ENDED UP, DID A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC ON IT AND SAID IT WAS THE STEERING BOARD, OR CHIP. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR IN THE EVENT THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT WHEN I AM DRIVING. IT COULD CAUSE A HORRIBLE CRASH!! I SENT THE ARTICLE I FOUND ON THIS ISSUE TO THE HUDSON FORD DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE MANAGER'S EMAIL, AND THEN TALKED TO HER ABOUT THE ARTICLE. SHE SAID SHE'D READ IT. AT THIS POINT THEY STILL HAVE MY CAR. I PRAY THEY FIX IT. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Sep 30, 201491,000 milesNJ

SEPTEMBER 25, 2014 - WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES PER HOUR, THE "STOP CAR SAFETY NOW" WARNING CAME. I HAVE ABOUT 91,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MAPLECREST FORD LINCOLN. THEY HAVE CHECKED THE VEHICLE, DRIVEN IT, CHECK FOR CODES AND HAVE FOUND NOTHING IN THREE DAYS OF CHECKING. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY CONTACTED LINCOLN'S TECH TEAM FOR ASSISTANCE. THE TECH TEAM CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE TWO OPTIONS THAT I HAVE BEEN GIVEN ARE 1. DO NOTHING AND SEE IF THE PROBLEM RECURS OR 2. CHANGE THE EXHAUST PURGE VALUE REFLESH & POWER CONTROL MODULE. BUT THEY HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS IS CORRECT ANY PROBLEM. LINCOLN IS NOT GUARANTEEING THAT CHANGING THIS MODULE WILL FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I HAVE RECEIVED THE "STOP CAR SAFELY NOW" WARNING. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN AUGUST OF 2013. I FILED A COMPLAINT THEN, WHICH WAS AS FOLLOWS: AUGUST 19, 2013 WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE STOP CAR SAFELY NOW WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT FAILURE AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000. HOWEVER, I DID HAVE THE CAR "REPAIRED". LICCARDI FORD REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AIR INTAKE .. ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 20, 2013. *TR

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 6, 201437,000 milesAL

WHILE DRIVING ON TWO LANE ROAD APPROX. 50 MPH, ENGINE STOPPED, ADVANCE TRACK LIGHT CAME ON , LOST STEERING AND BREAKING, COASTED TO STOP. RESTARTED AND DROVE HOME. CARRIED TO DEALER , WHO REPLACED. *JS STEERING GEAR. COMPUTER SHOULD SHOW YOU WARNING BUT NOT SHUT VEHICLE DOWN LOOSING BREAKING AND STEERING. IF THERE HAD BEEN TRAFFIC OR HAD BEEN ON BUSY ROAD TRAVELING INT. SPEED COULD HAVE BEEN LIFE TAKING FOR MY FAMILY AND OTHERS ON SAME ROAD.

Engine
Filed Jun 10, 201423,924 milesOH

5 JUNE 14: ENGINE DIED WHILE STOPPED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. RESTARTED IN PARK ON THIRD TRY. BRAKE AND CROSS TRAFFIC FAULT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. 7 JUNE 14: ENGINE DIED SECOND TIME AFTER ENTERING ENTRANCE STREET TO PARKING LOT AT 10 MPH. RESTARTED AFTER STOPPING AND PUTTING TRANSMISSION IN TO PARK. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed May 14, 201423,300 milesNJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LINCOLN MKZ HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, HIS FOOT WAS CAUGHT ON SOMETHING UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD WHILE HE WAS MOVING IT FROM THE ACCELERATOR TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,300. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,348. UPDATED 7/25/14*CN UPDATED 8/28/2017*CN

Steering
Filed Sep 16, 201311,200 milesNC

WHILE DRIVING NEAR MY HOME THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITH NO WARNING AND THE SERVICE ADVANCETRAC MESSAGE CAME ON. I HAVE THE CAR EXACTLY 2 YEARS AND HAVE ONLY A LITTLE OVER 11,000 MILES ON IT! THANK GOODNESS I WASN'T ON A HIGHWAY AND I WAS ONLY BLOCKS FROM MY HOME. *TR

Steering
Filed Sep 16, 201311,200 milesNC

POWER STEERING QUIT WITH NO WARNING AND SERVICE ADVANCETRAC MESSAGE CAME ON. FORD SAYS THE RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NOW I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR, NO CONFIDENCE IN THE QUALITY AND SAFETY. *TR

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid → · Every MKZ Hybrid year → · How the figures are calculated →