YearToAvoid

2015 Lincoln MKC Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 18 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2015 Lincoln MKC, 14% of its 131 total complaints for the year. The median mileage at failure is 53,000 miles, and there are no related recalls tied to this component for this year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
18
14% of 131
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
53,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Vehicles jerk or shudder while shifting during highway or local driving, in some cases leading to a full transmission rebuild or replacement.
  • Owners report the transmission failing outright, sometimes preceded by an abnormal noise diagnosed as a defective transmission pump.
  • The vehicle stalls or fails to move when the accelerator is pressed, occasionally paired with a dashboard wrench warning light.
  • A shift lever bushing reportedly broke, disconnecting the shifting cable from the shift arm and disabling the vehicle while in motion.
  • Cars shake, hesitate, or fail to pick up speed going uphill or during gear changes, which owners say forced other drivers to brake or swerve.
  • Some owners describe the vehicle losing power at highway speed, requiring them to pull off the road and restart it, with the failure recurring.

When 2015 Lincoln MKC transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Apr 10, 2017, latest Feb 9, 2026.

2015 Lincoln MKC transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month2Apr 2017Feb 2021May 2022Dec 2022Feb 2023May 2023Jan 2024Sep 2025
18 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2017 to Feb 2026; peak Jul 2018 (2).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2015 Lincoln MKC

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by MKC model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201518 (14%)
  2. 201612 (15%)
  3. 201710 (5%)
  4. 20185 (7%)
  5. 20195 (4%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are transmission problems on the 2015 Lincoln MKC?
NHTSA records 18 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2015 MKC, which is 14% of all 131 complaints filed for that model year.
At what mileage do 2015 Lincoln MKC transmissions typically fail?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this component is 53,000 miles.
Is there a recall for the 2015 Lincoln MKC transmission?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this component on the 2015 model year, despite some owners believing one should apply.
Did the transmission issue cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data shows 2 crashes and 1 injury associated with Transmission & Powertrain complaints on the 2015 MKC, with no fires reported.
How does the 2015 MKC compare to other years for this problem?
The 2015 MKC's 14% share of complaints in this area is higher than the 2017 (5%), 2018 (7%), and 2019 (4%) model years, though close to the 2016 model year's 15% share.

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.