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2018 Lincoln MKZ problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
65% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2018 Lincoln MKZ are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 86% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 3 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 59%).
Does the 2018 Lincoln MKZ have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 22 of 34 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Lincoln MKZ concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (65%), and the largest group is filed under engine (12). For comparison, the 2017 scores 71%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. 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.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2018 compares with other Lincoln MKZ years
Of the 9 Lincoln MKZ years with enough complaints to score, the 2018 is the 2nd-worst on engine and transmission share (65%). The worst is the 2017 (71%), the best the 2012 (15%). By volume, the 2018 drew 37 complaints (22 drivetrain), against 155 for the 2017 and 22 for the 2019.
Lincoln MKZ years to avoid and best years →
2010 MKZ problems · 2011 MKZ problems · 2012 MKZ problems · 2013 MKZ problems · 2014 MKZ problems · 2015 MKZ problems · 2016 MKZ problems · 2017 MKZ problems · 2018
The rest of the picture on the 2018 Lincoln MKZ
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2018 Lincoln MKZ said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- 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
One of 22 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2018 Lincoln MKZ engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2018 Lincoln MKZ, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. 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.
2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2018 Lincoln MKZ? 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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Does the 2018 Lincoln MKZ have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 22 of 34 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Lincoln MKZ concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (65%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Lincoln MKZ?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2018 Lincoln MKZ is engine: 12 of 37 complaints (32%) name it, followed by power train (9) and engine and engine cooling (3). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2018 Lincoln MKZ reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 65% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 86% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 9 Lincoln MKZ years we score, it ranks 2nd-worst. 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 2018 Lincoln MKZ?
No. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2018 Lincoln MKZ, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Lincoln MKZ years are better?
Among the Lincoln MKZ years we track, the 2012 (15%), the 2010 (16%) and the 2015 (17%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2018 (65%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/lincoln-mkz
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Check a VINExperimental 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. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.