LINCOLN MKZ · model year

2019 LINCOLN MKZ

15 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2019LINCOLNMKZ carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2019 MKZ is electrical system with 3 filings, followed by steering (3) and engine (2). 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 1 active recall campaign, 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 2019 MKZ, 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.

15
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
2019 LINCOLN MKZ — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2019 LINCOLN MKZ. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

15 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 — Top NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3
STEERING3
ENGINE2
POWER TRAIN2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS1
STRUCTURE:BODY1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1

Recalls (1)

25V44200027/06/2025

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2

Recent Complaints

20260217STEERING

The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while reversing, the steering wheel wobbled. The contact stated that the steering wheel was moving back and forth. In addition, the contact stated that while making a turn, the steering wheel turned in the intended direction without an issue. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,100.

Mileage: 116,100

20250923STEERING

Randomly my steering wheel will get stiff/lock up and pull the car and its hard to control it sometimes

20250911POWER TRAIN

My 2019 Lincoln MKZ check engine light came on. The repair shop said coolant was leaking into #3 cylinder from cracks in the engine block. Per alerts the shop receives from Ford, this is a known issue and there is no way to repair this issue. The engine will need to be replaced. My powertrain warranty ended 4 month earlier. My car has 45,500 miles on it. I talked to the dealership and they advised calling Lincoln directly. I call Lincoln and they confirmed this is a known issue. I was told that my car didn't meet the out of warranty criteria to receive any assistance to replace the defective engine. They wouldn't tell me what the parameters are and said I would need to pay the full cost to replace the engine. My understanding from the shop is they see many Escapes and MKZ with this engine issue but never seen one with this low of mileage. Lincoln told me to keep my replacement receipts in case there is a recall. I

20250911ENGINE

My 2019 Lincoln MKZ check engine light came on. The repair shop said coolant was leaking into #3 cylinder from cracks in the engine block. Per alerts the shop receives from Ford, this is a known issue and there is no way to repair this issue. The engine will need to be replaced. My powertrain warranty ended 4 month earlier. My car has 45,500 miles on it. I talked to the dealership and they advised calling Lincoln directly. I call Lincoln and they confirmed this is a known issue. I was told that my car didn't meet the out of warranty criteria to receive any assistance to replace the defective engine. They wouldn't tell me what the parameters are and said I would need to pay the full cost to replace the engine. My understanding from the shop is they see many Escapes and MKZ with this engine issue but never seen one with this low of mileage. Lincoln told me to keep my replacement receipts in case there is a recall. I

20250726POWER TRAIN

On models 2017-2019 Lincoln mkz’s there is a tsb known issue for coolant intrusion in the cylinders. I need an engine replacement. This should be a recall in these cars

20250712FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

On 10 May 2025 the car engine stalled at an intersection and would not restart. Had the car towed to the nearest Ford Dealership (Five Star Ford - Plano, Texas). The dealership repaired the failure by replacing the low pressure fuel pump. Failure is similar to 25V442000.

20241214STEERING

The steering wheel is loose and feels as if it wants to come apart from the steering column.

20241124ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The 2019 Lincoln MKZ electrical system is faulty in my vehicle. Despite having all doors locked with car on and running someone was still able to open my door from the outside and essentially was carjacked, robbed, and severely beaten by 6 men. I did file a police report so it’s all documented along with photographs of my injuries sustained.

20241124UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The 2019 Lincoln MKZ electrical system is faulty in my vehicle. Despite having all doors locked with car on and running someone was still able to open my door from the outside and essentially was carjacked, robbed, and severely beaten by 6 men. I did file a police report so it’s all documented along with photographs of my injuries sustained.

20241102ENGINE

Engine failed due to coolant intrusion into cylinders. This is a known design flaw in this engine

20240327STRUCTURE:BODY

I was driving in normal conditions with nothing near me and my glass sunroof (closed) exploded and shattered.

20230616CrashFORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

i put the car in park and it accelerated and hit the corner of my garage. when it was towed to the dealer for repair - i was told the message on the car was shift malfunction there was damage to the front grill, hood and passenger side quarter panel the vehicle is at Southgate Lincoln for repair and available for inspection i've asked the insurance company to investigate. there were no warning messages prior to impact someone could have been seriously injured and i could have had serious property damage

20230616CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i put the car in park and it accelerated and hit the corner of my garage. when it was towed to the dealer for repair - i was told the message on the car was shift malfunction there was damage to the front grill, hood and passenger side quarter panel the vehicle is at Southgate Lincoln for repair and available for inspection i've asked the insurance company to investigate. there were no warning messages prior to impact someone could have been seriously injured and i could have had serious property damage

20230420CrashFORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

2019 LINCOLN MKZ. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO DEFECTIVE COLLISION WARNING RADAR.

20190719ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED 2 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE. NO INDICATION OF SPEED NOR FUEL LEVEL.

Mileage: 176

Compare 2019LINCOLNMKZ to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2019 LINCOLN MKZ have?
The 2019 LINCOLN MKZ has 15 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2019 LINCOLN MKZ?
The 2019 LINCOLN MKZ received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2019 LINCOLN MKZ?
Yes, the 2019 LINCOLN MKZ has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 LINCOLN MKZ?
The most-complained component for the 2019 LINCOLN MKZ is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and ENGINE.
Is the 2019 LINCOLN MKZ safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2019 LINCOLN MKZ has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. 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.