YearToAvoid

Lincoln Best and Worst Years by Model

12 Lincoln models, 5,848 NHTSA owner complaints and 193 recall campaigns for model years 2005–2025. Pick a model to see which years to avoid and which are the safest bets.

Lincoln models ranked by owner complaints

Sorted by popularity. Years to avoid / best years come from each model’s own Complaint Index.

Verdicts are based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, compared within each model. This is not a reliability rating. How the Complaint Index works.

ModelYearsComplaintsRecallsYears to avoidBest yearsTop issue
Lincoln MKX2007–20201,416232007, 2008, 2010, 20162014, 2015Airbags
Lincoln MKZ2006–20201,661322007, 2008, 2009, 20102018, 2019Airbags
Lincoln Aviator2005–2025290492020, 2022—Electrical System
Lincoln Corsair2020–2025170342020, 20222023, 2025Electrical System
Lincoln MKC2015–2019594142017, 2019—Engine
Lincoln MKS2009–2016374112011, 20132012Steering
Lincoln MKT2010–2019293142010, 2013, 20142011, 2018Steering
Lincoln Town Car2005–201139052005, 20072010Engine
Lincoln Continental2017–2020134520172020Structure & Body
Lincoln LS2005–20061081——Engine
Lincoln MKZ Hybrid2011–202017802011, 2012, 2014—Steering
Lincoln Zephyr2006–201224052006—Airbags

Lincoln model years with the most complaints

Raw complaint counts (not adjusted for age or sales). Click through for the breakdown.

  1. 2007 Lincoln MKX · 298 complaints · 5 recalls Avoid
  2. 2008 Lincoln MKZ · 281 complaints · 4 recalls Avoid
  3. 2007 Lincoln MKZ · 259 complaints · 4 recalls Avoid
  4. 2008 Lincoln MKX · 253 complaints · 6 recalls Avoid
  5. 2006 Lincoln Zephyr · 229 complaints · 4 recalls Avoid
  6. 2017 Lincoln MKC · 190 complaints · 3 recalls Avoid
  7. 2010 Lincoln MKZ · 169 complaints · 7 recalls Avoid
  8. 2013 Lincoln MKX · 163 complaints · 1 recalls Caution
  9. 2016 Lincoln MKX · 155 complaints · 7 recalls Avoid
  10. 2011 Lincoln MKX · 149 complaints · 3 recalls Caution

How we rank Lincoln years

For each model we compare its own model years using the Complaint Index: complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and “Do Not Drive” recalls reported to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. The top quarter of a model’s years is marked Avoid, the bottom quarter Best. Because NHTSA publishes no sales data, models are not ranked against each other. Full details in the methodology.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.