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2010 Lincoln MKX problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
19%
10 of 54 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2010 Lincoln MKX. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 19% of relevant complaints.

Better than 89% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 57 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 9%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2010 Lincoln MKX have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 10 of 54 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 Lincoln MKX concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (19%). For comparison, the 2011 scores 27%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
10
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
111
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
7
9 crashes · 4 injuries

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS54 · 49%
SERVICE BRAKES24 · 22%
SEATS6 · 5%
STRUCTURE5 · 5%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL5 · 5%
ENGINE4 · 4%

The years either side

2010
19%
10 of 111
2011
27%
38 of 149
2012
24%
19 of 84
2013
23%
36 of 163
2014
37%
13 of 35
2015
too few complaints
2016
33%
49 of 156
2017
19%
9 of 52
2018
23%
6 of 31
2019
no data
2020
no data
2021
no data
2022
no data
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2010 compares with other Lincoln MKX years

Of the 8 Lincoln MKX years with enough complaints to score, the 2010 is the best on engine and transmission share (19%). The worst is the 2014 (37%). By volume, the 2010 drew 111 complaints (10 drivetrain), against 149 for the 2011.

Lincoln MKX years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2010 Lincoln MKX

  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE06/30/2021FIRE
First it was the alarm system it would lock me out the car. Then it was the air conditioning it would only turn on when it wanted too. Then I would press the seat cooler and it malfunctioned and I had a second degree burn on my lower back. Then the check engine light came on and it started to overheat. I pulled over tu…

One of 10 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2010 Lincoln MKX fuel system recalls

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2010 Lincoln MKX involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly15V712000 · Oct 2015

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Ford Edge vehicles manufactured September 11, 2008, to July 1, 2010, and Lincoln MKX vehicles manufactured September 23, 2008, to July 1, 2010, originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,…

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and either clean and treat the fuel tank with a corrosion preventative or replace the tank, free of charge. The recall began on May 10, 2016. Owners may…

6 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module21V158000 · Mar 2021
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…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module21E013000 · Feb 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain air bag inflator and/or module replacement service parts that may have been used as part of a collision repair. The parts include certain driver-side…
air bags: frontal21V081000 · Feb 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module19V001000 · Jan 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module18V046000 · Jan 2018
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module16V384000 · May 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2010 Lincoln MKX? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2010 Lincoln MKX

Does the 2010 Lincoln MKX have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 10 of 54 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 Lincoln MKX concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (19%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2010 Lincoln MKX?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2010 Lincoln MKX is air bags: 54 of 111 complaints (49%) name it, followed by service brakes (24) and seats (6). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 19% of the relevant total.

Is the 2010 Lincoln MKX reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 19% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 89% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 8 Lincoln MKX years we score, it ranks best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2010 Lincoln MKX?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2010 Lincoln MKX involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total: 15V712000 (fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Lincoln MKX years are better?

The 2010 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Lincoln MKX years we track (19%). The other years run higher. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/lincoln-mkx

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.