LINCOLN MKX · model year

2008 LINCOLN MKX

303 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports, and 7 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2008LINCOLNMKX carries 303 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 2 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 MKX is air bags with 157 filings, followed by power train (27) and service brakes (17). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 7 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 2008 MKX, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

303
Complaints
3
Crashes
2
Fires
6
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

303 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS157
POWER TRAIN27
SERVICE BRAKES17
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM16
ENGINE15
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL13
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11
UNKNOWN OR OTHER6
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE5
SEATS5
SUSPENSION4
WHEELS3
STEERING3
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2

Recalls (7)

16V38400031/05/2016

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever register

14V68200029/10/2014

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Lincoln MKX, and Ford Edge vehicles, manufactured June 15, 2006, to September 22, 2008, and originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michi

21E01300016/02/2021

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain air bag inflator and/or module replacement service parts that may have been used as part of a collision repair. The parts include certain driver-side air bag inflators and/or modules, designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang and Mustang GT500. It also i

21V08100016/02/2021

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as

21V15800010/03/2021

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to

17V02400010/01/2017

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marian

08V30100003/07/2008

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

FORD IS RECALLING 142 MY 2008 EDGE AND LINCOLN MKK ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES. THE FUEL TANK WELD FIXTURE MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO A CONTAMINANT DURING PRODUCTION WHICH COULD CAUSE A DIMPLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK AT A SPOT WELD.

Recent Complaints

20251204FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that there was an abnormal fuel-burning odor on the interior and exterior of the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the abnormal fuel-burning odor was on the interior and exterior of the vehicle. While the contact was attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel tank had fractured and was leaking fuel. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of fuel. The vehicle remained with the independent mechanic unrepaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The independent mechanic i

Mileage: 180,000

20250501UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I am reporting a serious mechanical defect in my 2008 Lincoln MKX involving the internal water pump. This vehicle uses the Ford 3.5L V6 Cyclone engine, where the water pump is mounted inside the engine and driven by the timing chain. My water pump failed unexpectedly, causing coolant to leak into the engine oil. This design flaw poses a serious safety risk due to potential engine failure while driving. This could lead to the engine seizing without warning, loss of power steering and braking, and increased risk of a crash. Ford and Lincoln are aware of this issue, and many owners have reported similar failures, but no recall has been issued. Repairs cost thousands of dollars and often require full engine replacement. This is a known design defect that puts drivers and passengers in danger. I urge NHTSA to investigate and mandate a recall before someone is seriously injured or worse. This failure is unpredictable, dangerous, and affects many vehicles using this engine platform

20250501FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

I am reporting a serious mechanical defect in my 2008 Lincoln MKX involving the internal water pump. This vehicle uses the Ford 3.5L V6 Cyclone engine, where the water pump is mounted inside the engine and driven by the timing chain. My water pump failed unexpectedly, causing coolant to leak into the engine oil. This design flaw poses a serious safety risk due to potential engine failure while driving. This could lead to the engine seizing without warning, loss of power steering and braking, and increased risk of a crash. Ford and Lincoln are aware of this issue, and many owners have reported similar failures, but no recall has been issued. Repairs cost thousands of dollars and often require full engine replacement. This is a known design defect that puts drivers and passengers in danger. I urge NHTSA to investigate and mandate a recall before someone is seriously injured or worse. This failure is unpredictable, dangerous, and affects many vehicles using this engine platform

20250501LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION

I am reporting a serious mechanical defect in my 2008 Lincoln MKX involving the internal water pump. This vehicle uses the Ford 3.5L V6 Cyclone engine, where the water pump is mounted inside the engine and driven by the timing chain. My water pump failed unexpectedly, causing coolant to leak into the engine oil. This design flaw poses a serious safety risk due to potential engine failure while driving. This could lead to the engine seizing without warning, loss of power steering and braking, and increased risk of a crash. Ford and Lincoln are aware of this issue, and many owners have reported similar failures, but no recall has been issued. Repairs cost thousands of dollars and often require full engine replacement. This is a known design defect that puts drivers and passengers in danger. I urge NHTSA to investigate and mandate a recall before someone is seriously injured or worse. This failure is unpredictable, dangerous, and affects many vehicles using this engine platform

20250501ENGINE

I am reporting a serious mechanical defect in my 2008 Lincoln MKX involving the internal water pump. This vehicle uses the Ford 3.5L V6 Cyclone engine, where the water pump is mounted inside the engine and driven by the timing chain. My water pump failed unexpectedly, causing coolant to leak into the engine oil. This design flaw poses a serious safety risk due to potential engine failure while driving. This could lead to the engine seizing without warning, loss of power steering and braking, and increased risk of a crash. Ford and Lincoln are aware of this issue, and many owners have reported similar failures, but no recall has been issued. Repairs cost thousands of dollars and often require full engine replacement. This is a known design defect that puts drivers and passengers in danger. I urge NHTSA to investigate and mandate a recall before someone is seriously injured or worse. This failure is unpredictable, dangerous, and affects many vehicles using this engine platform

20240912POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.

Mileage: 165,000

20240501SERVICE BRAKES

The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the brake pedal was firm when depressed, and the vehicle was slow to respond. There was an abnormal hissing noise detected from the dashboard. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called another local dealer, Cavalier Ford Greenbrier (1515 S Military Hwy, Chesapeake, VA 23320), who informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN and to schedule an appointment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V469000 (Service Brakes, Service Brakes, Hydraulic) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

Mileage: 91,000

20240501SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the brake pedal was firm when depressed, and the vehicle was slow to respond. There was an abnormal hissing noise detected from the dashboard. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called another local dealer, Cavalier Ford Greenbrier (1515 S Military Hwy, Chesapeake, VA 23320), who informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN and to schedule an appointment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V469000 (Service Brakes, Service Brakes, Hydraulic) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

Mileage: 91,000

20230410STRUCTURE:BODY

My front sliding panaromic sunroof glass blew right off the vehicle while I was driving on the highway. Not to mention my sunroof was closed. I heard a gust off wind and then my sunshade started flobbing from the wind ans thats when I noticed something was wrong. I pulled over and the glass was completely gone off the car. It could have caused a major accident or even hit and killed someone. Definitely a manufacturing defect. No warning signs or problems with it beforehand as well.

20221117CrashAIR BAGS

The contact owned a 2008 Lincoln MKX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V001000 (Air Bags) and later Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags) however, the parts to do the repairs were unavailable. The contact had made several attempts to set up recall appointments, however, the dealer kept advising her that the parts were not available. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH and following a right bend on the road she crashed into a parked vehicle. The contact stated that it was raining and the road surface was wet. The contact's vehicle crashed into the driver's side of the parked car, damaging the rear quarter panel and both doors. The contact's vehicle had damage to the front driver-side bumper and headlight, and the passenger door which was crushed by the impact. The contact stated that both side-impact air bags deployed but did not inflate and that the driver and passenger front air bags had not deployed. The contact stated that she rece

Mileage: 230,000

20221109CrashAIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while his son was pulling up to a stop sign prior to pulling into oncoming traffic and noticed a dump truck speeding that lost control and eventually crashed into the passenger side door. No air bags deployed. The driver had received injuries to their shoulder, arm, and minor whiplash. No medical attention was needed. The driver of the truck had not received any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle had been towed to a body shop. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

Mileage: 75,000

20220623VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

MKX has 75000 miles on it and the tss and oss sensors have gone out. Car goes into limp mode and will barely move, it shifts very hard, speed odometer quits and all the warning lights come on. If you stop let it sit and restart car it resets issue but you never know when it will happen again. It can happen at cruising speed or at start of car. VERY unsafe

20220623POWER TRAIN

MKX has 75000 miles on it and the tss and oss sensors have gone out. Car goes into limp mode and will barely move, it shifts very hard, speed odometer quits and all the warning lights come on. If you stop let it sit and restart car it resets issue but you never know when it will happen again. It can happen at cruising speed or at start of car. VERY unsafe

20220613AIR BAGS

I sold this vehicle over three years ago to Enterprise Car Sales in Santa Clara, CA. I have responded to these recall statements without success. Please tell me what I need to do ??

20220325AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the ABS, air bag, and check engine warning lights remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the ABS sensor; however, the failure persisted. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 134,000.

Mileage: 134,000

20220325SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT

The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the ABS, air bag, and check engine warning lights remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the ABS sensor; however, the failure persisted. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 134,000.

Mileage: 134,000

20220325ENGINE

The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the ABS, air bag, and check engine warning lights remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the ABS sensor; however, the failure persisted. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 134,000.

Mileage: 134,000

20220120AIR BAGS

Takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags) and contacted the manufacturer for assistance with locating a dealer who had the parts for the recall repair; however, the manufacturer informed her that the local dealers did not yet have parts for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

20210621FireUNKNOWN OR OTHER

The fuel system was faulty on my 2008 MKX, my life as well as my family life was almost loss due to the fact that my MKX caught on fire. Everytime I would put gas in my truck when i got back in the cabin I always smell gas. One time when i was on my way to work I walked outside and smelled gas and when I looked under my truck I could see the gas leaking out at an alarming rate, i put a pan under it and went to work to tell them i need some time off cause if someone walk by my car smoking they would blow up, I got it fix and it was the fuel system and cost me 800 dollars and at that time the mileage was around 117000. Yesterday on fathers day I watch my MKX burn to the ground and me and my family almost didnt make it out. Lincoln knew about this problem since 2013 and have done nothing about it, to this day there are Innocence people driving these MKX and their life is in danger just like my family life was put in danger and they knew about the problem NHTSA campaign number 14V68200

20210512SEATS

MY MKX DRIVER SEAT AND PASSENGER SEAT KEEP ROCKING BACK AND FORTH. MY FIANC WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WE START TO SLOW DOWN ON A CITY STREET AND AS HE IS STOPPING HIS SEAT ROCKS BACK AND HIS FOOT COMES OF THE BREAK AND ALMOST HITS THE BACK OF ANOTHER CAR. I'M SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT ALSO FEELING MY SEAT MOVE AS WELL. I LOOK OVER AT HIM AND SEE HIS FACE AND YOU CAN TELL HE GOT SCARED FOR A SECOND BECAUSE HE IS WONDERING WHY HIS SEAT ROCKED BACK AND HE ALMOST HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF HIM.IT IS ALSO HAPPENING WHEN ACCELERATING. MAKING IT A SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL BECAUSE YOU ARE SLOWING DOWN WHILE THE DRIVER BEHIND US IS SPEEDING UP AND COULD POSSIBLY HIT US BECAUSE OUR FOOT IS NO LONGER ON THE GAS.

Compare 2008LINCOLNMKX to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 LINCOLN MKX have?
The 2008 LINCOLN MKX has 303 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 2 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 LINCOLN MKX?
Yes, the 2008 LINCOLN MKX has 7 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 LINCOLN MKX?
The most-complained component for the 2008 LINCOLN MKX is AIR BAGS with 157 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2008 LINCOLN MKX safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.