AI Damage2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid filed 59 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 59
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 32% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 29% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 10% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 7% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 5% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- Steering: 19 complaints (32% of all).
- Air bags: 17 complaints (29% of all).
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (14% of all).
- Engine: 6 complaints (10% of all).
- Service brakes: 6 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 59 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 6 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Car slowed for a time but when speed was reduced to about 10 mph, the regenerative braking disengaged and car surged forward and rear ended truck causing substantial body damage. No warning lights were lite on dash. Dealers had inspected brake both before and after crash and reported no problems.
The ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with the ABS control module failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), but the VIN was not included.
The contact stated that the front driver's side door failed to open while pulling the interior door handle, requiring the contact to open the door using the exterior door handle.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering assist and driving track warning lights illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to his place of employment. The contact stated that after work he started the vehicle and, while driving, the steering seized.
The contact stated that while her husband was attempting to reverse, he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, and the vehicle displayed a message stating "Electric Power Steering Assist Fault". The EPS warning light was illuminated.
The contact stated that while his grandson was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the power steering control module was reprogrammed; however, the failure recurred.
The Service ABS warning light was illuminated; however, the contact stated that the vehicle was driven to her residence with caution. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer.
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,893 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 13% most complained about).
On average one model year of the MKZ Hybrid has 18 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 59, above average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, air bags, electrical system. Total complaints: 59. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (32%), warning lights, check engine (24%), door locks, latches, handles (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2012 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.