Second generation
2016 Lincoln MKX
The most reported problem on the 2016 Lincoln MKX is brake wear, with 56 complaints, usually around 66,000 miles.
- 156owner complaints
- 7recalls
- 6involved a crash
- 24,000median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 28, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your MKX doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2016 model year.
Is the 2016 Lincoln MKX reliable?
The 2016 Lincoln MKX has 156 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, below the median of 248 for 2016 SUVs on this site. Of the 5 MKX model years since 2014, it has the most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2017
- At 14 complaints for each year on the road, the 2016 runs 2.7 times the 2017 (5). That's the only adjacent model year with enough complaints to set beside it.
- Top problem
- One problem takes up much of the file: brake wear, named in 56 of the 156 complaints (36%). A quarter of the 19 owners who gave a mileage for brake wear saw it by about 49,000 miles, and half by about 66,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 11 of the 156 complaints (7%) report a crash, a fire or an injury, about the 6% typical of vehicles on this site. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 6 reports mention a crash, 3 mention a fire and 3 people were hurt. The most crash reports, 4 of 6, fall under brake wear.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- Brake wear, the one problem here with enough reports to check, has a recall on the same system (20V-469 and 25V-544). A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2016 at 28 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 18. So far in 2026, 27 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: brakes grind, pulse or wear early, 56 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
156 complaints is 1.6 times fewer than the median 2016 model on this site and 1.6 times fewer than the median 2016 SUV. Among the 1 MKX model years here it ranks 1st for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2016 Lincoln MKX
Lincoln filed 220 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2016 Lincoln MKX. 55 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 3 bulletins · 56 complaints
Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00.
Some 2013-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit noise when the brakes are applied. When diagnosing and repairing brake noise conditions, use the Workshop Manual (WSM) and the appropriate pinpoint test in section 206-00.
1 more on this problem
SOME 2008-2017 FORD/MERCURY/LINCOLN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SYNC MAY GENERATE A VHR THAT IDENTIFIES A CONCERN WITH THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION CATEGORY INDICATING SERVICE IS REQUIRED DUE TO A BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LAMP BEING ILLUMINATED.
Engine stalls or loses power while driving 1 bulletin · 23 complaints
SOME 2015-2016 F-150, C-MAX, EDGE, MKS, TAURUS, AND FLEX AND 2016 EXPEDITION, EXPLORER, ESCAPE, FUSION, MUSTANG, MKZ, MKX, NAVIGATOR, TRANSIT AND TRANSIT CONNECT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.0L, 2.5L, 3.5L OR 3.7L GASOLINE ENGINE AND BUILT ON OR BEFORE ...
Brake fluid leaks or a brake line bursts 1 bulletin · 17 complaints
Certain 2015-2018 Model Year Edge and Lincoln MKX Vehicles and 2013-2018 Model Year Fusion and Lincoln MKZ Vehicles Front Brake Flexible Hose Replacement In some of the affected vehicles, brake fluid may leak from one or both front brake flexible hoses.
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 38 bulletins · 11 complaints
Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns Phone connection issues Dropped phone ...
Some 2013-2017 C-MAX Energi, 2013-2018 Focus battery electric vehicle (BEV), 2013-2020 Fusion plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), 2015-2017 MKZ/MKZ Hybrid/MKC, 2016-2017 MKX and 2017 Continental vehicles equipped with 8 inch or larger center display ...
36 more on this problem
Some 2014-2017 C-MAX Energi, 2014-2020 Fusion plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), 2015-2017 MKZ/MKZ Hybrid/MKC, 2016-2017 MKX, 2016-2018 Focus battery electric vehicle (BEV) and 2017 Continental vehicles equipped with SYNC screens 8 inch or larger may be ...
Some 2016-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may exhibit a condition where the navigation voice prompts are inoperative after a SYNC map update. This may be due to an incomplete installation of the SYNC map software.
Some 2016-2021 Ford or Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 or SYNC 4 may exhibit a blank screen or other various SYNC symptoms only when the vehicle is in transport mode.
Some 2016-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with a SYNC 3 Touchscreen may experience the volume control unresponsive from the Front Control Interface Module (FCIM) and steering volume controls when using Apple Car Play.
Some 2016-2019 vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience a map displayed on the left half of the SYNC screen with no other information/soft buttons present after updating to the latest version of V3.0 software.
Some 2015-2019 vehicles may experience a no crank concern due to a security access key table error. When attempting to program keys or perform a parameter reset, the procedure may fail and the appropriate Ford diagnostic scan tool may display an error 232: ...
Some 2016-2019 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 not at the latest software level may exhibit Various Performance Related concerns such as Display Operation, Navigation, Voice Recognition, Phone Pairing, Applink, Travel Link, Slow System ...
Some 2015-2017 vehicles may experience a no crank concern due to a security access key table error. When attempting to program keys or perform a parameter reset, the procedure may fail and the Integrated Diagnostic System (IDS) scan tool may display an error ...
Some 2016-2018 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may exhibit the Android Auto Preference menu selection is not present after an update to version 3.0 software.
Some 2016-2018 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 not at the latest software level may exhibit Various Performance Related concerns such as Display Operation, Navigation, Voice Recognition, Phone Pairing, Applink, Travel Link, Slow System ...
Plus 26 older ones not listed here.
Check engine light or misfire 10 bulletins · 6 complaints
Some 2016-2017 Edge/MKX, 2017 Continental/Fusion/MKZ vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or 3.0L EcoBoost engine and built on 1-Apr-2016 and through 1-Jan-2017 may exhibit white or blue smoke from the exhaust, rough idle in neutral or park at normal operating ...
Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025.
8 more on this problem
Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025.
Some 2015-2020 F150/Edge/Fusion, 2016-2018 MKX, 2019-2020 Nautilus, and 2017-2020 Continental vehicles equipped with 2.7L EcoBoost engines may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and/or Engine Coolant Over Temperature warning with ...
Some 2013-2019 vehicles equipped with a EVDC air conditioning (A/C) compressor may exhibit poor A/C performance/improper climate function and/or a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P06A0 in the powertrain control module (PCM).
Some 2015-2019 F150/Edge, 2016-2018 MKX, 2019 Nautilus and 2017-2019 Fusion/Continental vehicles equipped with a 2.7L engine may exhibit a malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and/or wrench lamp with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0116, P0117, P0118, P0119, ...
Some 2016-2017 Edge/MKX, 2017 Continental, and 2017 Fusion/MKZ vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or 3.0L gasoline turbocharged direct injection (GTDI) engine and built on 1-Apr-2016 and through 1-Jan-2017 may exhibit white or blue smoke from the exhaust, rough ...
Some 2015-2018 F150/Edge, 2016-2018 MKX and 2017-2018 Fusion, Continental vehicles equipped with a 2.7L engine may experience a malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and/or wrench lamp with Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs): P0116, P0117, P0118, P0119, P0217, P0330, ...
SOME 2016 EDGE/MKX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.7L ENGINE AND BUILT ON 1-APR-2016 AND THROUGH 1-OCT-2016 MAY EXHIBIT A ROUGH IDLE IN NEUTRAL OR PARK AT NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE OR AFTER A HOT RESTART, WHITE OR BLUE SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST, EXCESSIVE OIL ...
SOME 2016 MKX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.7L DURATEC ENGINE AND BUILT ON OR BEFORE 4/21/2016 MAY EXHIBIT AN ILLUMINATED MIL WITH DTC P013C STORED IN THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM).
Battery dies or the car will not start 2 bulletins · 5 complaints
Some 2013-2023 Ford or Lincoln vehicles with modems activated through FordPass or LincolnWay may experience 12 volt battery drain symptoms when the customer uses non-Ford/Lincoln phone applications as an alternate channel to access vehicle commands such as ...
Some 2016 MKC, MKX and MKZ vehicles built on or before 11/28/2015 and equipped with a TCU may exhibit an intermittent battery draw that can be isolated to the TCU, an inoperative MyLincoln Mobile app, a MyLincoln Mobile app deep sleep message, an inaccurate ...
Complaints filed by year
28 complaints came in 2016, 9.3 times the year before. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture. Open.
NHTSA summary
Recalls that include the 2016 Lincoln MKX
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The rear brake jounce hose may rupture and leak brake fluid.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake jounce hoses and adjust brake jounce hoses with no damage present, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 17, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S87.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture prematurely.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front brake hoses with the new hoses that have a revised braid material, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 13, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S42.
Ford Motor Company, Inc. (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2019-2020 Nautilus vehicles equipped with 16-way electric tilt seats. The seat cushion frame edge may contact the wire harness when the seat occupant uses the tilt function of the seat, potentially damaging one or more wires within the harness, which can result in either inadvertent deployment of the air bag or nondeployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective flocking tape onto the exposed edge of the 16-way seat cushion frames, and inspect the wire harness for damage, and repair or replace it as needed, free of charge. This recall began August 12, 2020. Owners may contact Ford/Lincoln customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S37.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Lincoln MKX vehicles equipped with 3.7L engines. The battery positive cable harness may contact the transmission shifter cable bracket resulting in a short circuit.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the battery harness clips and elbow guide, and install a wire channel shield and protective sleeve to the battery cable harness, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on December 2, 2019. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available, currently expected to be the end of April 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S41.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 Ford Edge, and 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a wax sealer. If any of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S26.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles and 2017 Lincoln Continental vehicles. In the event of a crash, the driver's frontal air bag may not fully inflate or the air bag cushion may detach from the air bag module. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began June 16, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C02.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles manufactured September 24, 2015. An incorrect seat back trim cover was installed on the affected vehicles, blocking the child seat tether anchors in the second row center seating position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child restraint anchorage systems."
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat back trim cover and tether cover bezel on the second row, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C09.
All 7 recalls on the 2016 Lincoln MKX, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide NHTSA has an open investigation on this car. What the investigation stages mean
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2016 Lincoln MKX?
Brake wear, with 56 of the 156 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 66,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2016 Lincoln MKX problems start?
Of the 80 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 7,000 miles and half by about 24,000.
Is the 2016 Lincoln MKX better or worse than the 2017?
Counted per year on the road, the 2016 has more complaints than the 2017: 14 a year against 5.
How many 2016 Lincoln MKX complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
11 of them (7%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for brake wear on the 2016 Lincoln MKX?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls on the same system: 20V-469 and 25V-544. Its summary says which failure it covers, and that isn't always the one owners describe.