LINCOLN Complaints

Under the following recall [XXX] Recall was performed in 2022 by Ford of Upland by replacing only the brake fluid. The problem resurfaced just as described in the recall a while back. I contacted Ford on 5/21 they contacted the dealer who refused to repair at no cost. Car is currently at independent respected shop who confirmed that the ABS pump/module is shot and is gummed up. Recall by ford of upland was not performed fully or wasn’t effective. Replacing the fluid only was not a fix. I contacted the dealer and the general manager refused to repair and fought with me on the phone. I told them I’d be filing a lawsuit if they wouldn’t provide the part at no cost and reimburse the repairs. Ford/Lincoln has stated there is nothing they can do without the dealers cooperation. I do not trust Ford of Upland to make any repairs, but that wasn’t even an option. Lincoln also stated that because Ford of Upland did the recall that they couldn’t send it to Performance Lincoln. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The vehicle experienced a sudden unprovoked, catastrophic, and total electronic and mechanical failure of the primary braking and ADAS. Driving at expressway speeds, the vehicle immediately lost all power brake assistance, threw immediate multi-system critical alerts on the instrument cluster, and became instantly undrivable. The vehicle is available for inspection at a local licensed Lincoln dealership service center. The failure occurred completely without warning while navigating heavy traffic at active highway speed on the expressway. The instant loss of power braking functionality dramatically extended the vehicle's stopping distance and significantly reduced control of a SUV in a high-speed environment. This sudden, unmanaged deceleration created an immediate, life-threatening risk of a high-speed rear-end or multi-vehicle pileup, placing the occupant of the vehicle and all surrounding motorists in extreme danger of severe injury or death. The driver was able to bring the vehicle to a stop in a precariously exposed location on a very narrow shoulder when one became accessible. Miraculously, the vehicle was not struck by fast-moving trucks while waiting for a tow-truck. Yes. The local authorized Lincoln dealership service technician team has confirmed the catastrophic code failures. Due to the severity and complexity of the total system shutdown, the local dealership escalated the vehicle to Lincoln factory corporate engineers. However, the root cause of the catastrophic failure was never identified and the technicians and engineers have given up further attempts. There were absolutely zero pre-existing symptoms, warning lamps, soft codes, or performance degradation prior to the exact moment of the failure. The system failure was instant. The instrument cluster simultaneously illuminated multiple critical alerts, including the primary braking system warning, ABS fault, and ESC failure alerts, accompanied by an immediate audible safety chime.

The internal water pump failed, dumping a half gallon of antifreeze into the engine oil. This caused the engine to suddenly stall and lose all power while driving in the middle of active traffic, creating a severe crash hazard .

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKC. The contact took the vehicle for a recall repair for notice received NHTSA Campaign Number 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention). The dealer advised the contact that they had to go through the radio to complete the recall repair but this would be at the owners expense. The contact stated that the radio went out when the rearview camera went out. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact believes that the issue with the radio is related to the recall. The approximate failure mileage 56,000.

CDF Drum Failure is a known issue to Ford. They have issued a technical service bulletin (TSB 22-2428) to replace poorly designed components that have since been redesigned. The failure mode can cause violent gear shifts (from gear 10 to gear 1) at high speeds, which is a significant safety concern. While driving on the highway, the transmission would not shift between gears and the car lurched. Check engine light came on and I exited the highway immediately. I took my vehicle to be looked at, and they diagnosed the problem as CDF Drum failure. Ford needs to take responsibility for their problematic design in these vehicles.

I was driving on M 53 south bound approximately 11:30 am when I heard two consecutive soft “tick” tick” sounds and immediately noticed the stress cracks appearing on my windshield top drivers side. I will be taking it for inspection as there was not any type of object to cause these cracks.

Car recently started clunking when changing from P to D or R. Took to dealer who broke down the transmission only to be told the torque converter was faulty and there’s “excessive damage” meaning I need a new transmission.

The brake pedal is designed in such a manner that the shaft/arm gets in the way of the pedal as you start pressing the pedal. As the pedal is pressed away from the driver, the shaft is setup in such a way that the driver's foot then hits the shaft and loses the ability to press the actual pedal. Given the shaft is a small metal bar rather than a flat grippy surface like the pedal, this creates unstable footing. It is very difficult to use and is quite unsafe. It is an issue in all cases when pressing the brake (i.e., it is not only for aggressive braking; it is always persistent). I have found in many cases my foot slipping on the shaft and it causing real danger to myself, my family, and other drivers as the inability to brake effectively has obvious implications. This is not a unique case of me having large feet or anything like that; in fact, I have small feet. It is probably a much bigger issue for the average person with larger feet than me. I reported it to the dealership, and they acknowledged that they have heard the complaint, but their response was "get used to it". No other parties have inspected the component. There are no warning lights. This is not a "failure" of a component, but rather a design flaw that is unsafe. I would recommend inspecting the 2026 Lincoln Nautilus to assess the risk of the brake pedal / shaft design and suggest a recall on the brake pedal whereby Lincoln must replace with a design that does not cause this interference.

Dear NHTSA Safety Defects Investigation Team, I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2017 Lincoln MKC involving a child entrapment incident. On 05/17/2026, my vehicle locked itself while the engine was running, the key fob was inside the vehicle, and my [XXX] child was still inside the car. I was unable to gain entry to the vehicle and had to call 911/emergency responders for assistance. It took around 30 minutes from the time the vehicle got locked and for me door to be opened by the towing company sent by the 911 operator. Thankfully, the AC was turned on and my child was unharmed. The vehicle should not have allowed itself to lock under these conditions with the key present inside the cabin. This created a serious safety hazard involving a trapped child. Compounding the issue, the LincolnWay remote access system no longer functions because the vehicle’s original 3G modem became obsolete after U.S. 3G cellular shutdowns. As a result, I no longer had access to remote unlock functionality that had previously been available with this vehicle. Vehicle Information: • Year/Make/Model: 2017 Lincoln MKC • VIN: [XXX] • Approximate Mileage: [INSERT MILEAGE] • Incident Date/Time: 05/17/2026 at 4.15pm • Location: [XXX] Additional Details: • Vehicle was running at the time • Key fob was left inside the vehicle • Doors became locked unexpectedly • Child was trapped inside • 911/emergency assistance was required • LincolnWay remote services were unavailable due to obsolete 3G modem support ending I believe this issue represents a significant vehicle safety concern and request that NHTSA investigate whether similar incidents have occurred in other Ford/Lincoln vehicles equipped with these systems. The 911 call was placed around 4.15pm and I have the receipt from the Towing Service company Please let me know if any additional information or documentation is needed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My 2016 Lincoln MKC with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine experienced coolant intrusion into cylinder 3, leading to engine misfire and check engine light to turn on. The dealership confirmed the issue for $176.55 and recommended a full long block engine replacement, estimated at over $11,000. This failure occurred at 98,000 miles. Two weeks before this, the check engine light illuminated and we took it to a repair shop where we paid $628 to repair the purge valve and fuel pressure sensor, while it was most likely this coolant intrusion both times! Ford and Lincoln (including concierge) have refused any assistance in this matter. The local dealership has also said that they cannot help us with any of the cost. I've found this to be a very well documented problem/engine design failure, Including HTSA ID Number: 10162062 Manufacturer Communication Number: TSB 19-2172 entitled Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING The TSB acknowledges a design-related coolant leak into the engine cylinders that can cause white smoke, misfire, rough running, and warning lights. Ford’s recommended repair is to replace the long block assembly. In addition, this appears to be the exact issue described in Ford TSB 19-2346, which covers 2017–2019 model year vehicles with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine, including the Lincoln MKC and MKZ. I believe this is a widespread design defect and request NHTSA’s investigation to ensure proper manufacturer accountability. I am so thankful that this car does not belong to one of my daughters as it poses a severe safety hazard on the road and it is going to be a huge financial setback that we may not recover from.