YearToAvoid

2008 Lincoln MKZ Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

93/100

#2 most-complained of 15 MKZ years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2008 Lincoln MKZ has 281 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 93 out of 100 — #2 highest of 15 MKZ model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is airbags (166 complaints, 59% of the total). Complaints report 12 crashes and 3 injuries.

Complaints
281
Recalls
4
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
12 / 0
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20.5
17.5 city / 26 hwy

Top 2008 Lincoln MKZ problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags166 (59%)
  2. Brakes73 (26%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires33 (12%)
  4. Electrical System11 (4%)
  5. Engine10 (4%)
  6. Structure & Body7 (2%)
  7. Other6 (2%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain6 (2%)
  9. Fuel System1 (0%)
  10. Seat Belts1 (0%)
2008 Lincoln MKZ complaints: complaints filed per quarter542009 Q32013 Q22015 Q12016 Q32018 Q12019 Q32021 Q12022 Q3
316 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q3 to 2024 Q3; peak 2017 Q4 (54).

2008 Lincoln MKZ recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V158000Mar 10, 2021Airbags2,602,668 vehicles

    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 high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the passenger side, and November 14, 2022 for the driver side. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S12.

  2. NHTSA 19V904000Dec 18, 2019Brakes600,166 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not close properly.

    Risk: If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid and install a new brake fluid reservoir cap. In addition, the HCU will be tested to detect a possible stuck valve condition, replacing the HCU as necessary. All services will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S54.

  3. NHTSA 17V024000Jan 10, 2017Airbags654,695 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    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 Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain 2009 Ford Ranger, Edge, Fusion and Mustang, Lincoln MKX, MKZ and Zephyr and Mercury Milan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Ford is recalling certain 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ, 2005-2008 Ford Mustang and 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners of the recall and that parts are not yet available began mailing March 1, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.

See all 4 recalls for the 2008 Lincoln MKZ →

2008 Lincoln MKZ fuel economy and fuel cost

City
17.5 MPG
Highway
26 MPG
Combined
20.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,175
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2008 compared with other MKZ years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006No verdict704 !—
2007Avoid862594 !19.5
2008Avoid932814 !20.5
2009Avoid791146 !20
2010Avoid1001697 !20

All Lincoln MKZ years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Lincoln MKZ a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Lincoln MKZ ranks #2 of 15 among MKZ model years (Complaint Index 93/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 281 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Lincoln MKZ?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (166 complaints), brakes (73 complaints), and suspension, wheels & tires (33 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 80,400 miles.
Does the 2008 Lincoln MKZ have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2008 Lincoln MKZ, most recently reported 2021, covering airbags and brakes. At least one carries a Do Not Drive advisory.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Lincoln MKZ?
EPA rates the 2008 Lincoln MKZ at 20.5 MPG combined (17.5 city / 26 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,175. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.