Lincoln Mkx Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 1,102 NHTSA complaints, the Lincoln Mkx years to avoid are 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2016 — the worst logged up to 2.7× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by brakes failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 253 | 81 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2009 | 65 | 17 | 7 | SOLID |
| 2010 | 111 | 43 | 7 | CAUTION |
| 2011 | 148 | 73 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2012 | 84 | 53 | 1 | CAUTION |
| 2013 | 162 | 107 | 1 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 34 | 21 | 1 | BEST |
| 2015 | 19 | 9 | 0 | BEST |
| 2016 | 145 | 98 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 52 | 25 | 5 | SOLID |
| 2018 | 29 | 16 | 5 | SOLID |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Lincoln Mkx. Full methodology.
Common Lincoln Mkx problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Lincoln Mkx are brakes, electrical, engine. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Brake booster failure
· Lincoln Mkx 2008–2018Corroborated by 32 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 216 brakes complaints across 2008–2018, typically 30,000–243,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $500–$2,000.
Backup camera inoperable or inverted display
· Lincoln Mkx 2012–2015Corroborated by 13 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 56 electrical complaints across 2012–2015, typically 100,000–119,000 miles.
Internal water pump failure with coolant leak into oil
· Lincoln Mkx 2008–2016Corroborated by 6 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 59 engine complaints across 2008–2016, typically 120,000–150,000 miles.
Why these years stand out
2008 Lincoln Mkx: 253 owner complaints on federal record, 81 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Lincoln Mkx.
2011 Lincoln Mkx: 148 owner complaints on federal record, 73 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Lincoln Mkx.
2013 Lincoln Mkx: 162 owner complaints on federal record, 107 of them severe, plus 1 recall campaign — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Lincoln Mkx.
2016 Lincoln Mkx: 145 owner complaints on federal record, 98 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Lincoln Mkx.
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FAQ
What years of the Lincoln Mkx should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Lincoln Mkx years to avoid are 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2016 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by brakes issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Lincoln Mkx?
The 2014 and 2015 Lincoln Mkx show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Lincoln Mkx verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Lincoln Mkx's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Lincoln Mkx before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Lincoln Mkx reliable?
The Lincoln Mkx's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 1,102 NHTSA owner complaints, 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2016 rate "avoid", while 2014 and 2015 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Lincoln Mkx?
The most-reported problem area for the Lincoln Mkx is brakes, followed by electrical and engine. Confirmed failures include brake booster failure, backup camera inoperable or inverted display, internal water pump failure with coolant leak into oil. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Lincoln Mkx across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Lincoln Mkx, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.