Which Lincoln MKC years should you avoid?

2015 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Lincoln MKC model year measured over an identical 60-month window.

What is the best year for the Lincoln MKC?

2016 is the best-scoring Lincoln MKC model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 70.2 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

How many recalls does the Lincoln MKC have?

14 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Lincoln MKC model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

Which Lincoln MKC years to avoid

Across 5 scored model years, the 2015 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Lincoln MKC Full report

Grade 2015–2019

2015 vs model median 1.5×

Model median3× median

Electrical 12

Body & Interior 5

Fuel System 4

Avoid

2015

Best

2016 · 2018

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Lincoln MKC
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2015	1.53×	42	D
2016	0.46×	13	B
2017	1.13×	28	C
2018	0.59×	15	B
2019	1.00×	33	C

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2015 D 42 reports · median 29,450 mi

Electrical 12

While driving at 5mph, the ignition button was accidentally pushed in. When this happened, the engine immediately turned off, the vehicle rolled for a second and then the car came to a halt as if I slammed on the… owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Body & Interior 5

I AM concerned about the button style gears. Twice now, my thumb accidentally depressed the n button and the engine start/stop button. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Fuel System 4

We purchased a 2015 mkc on march 31st, 2016 new. We were driving the car on the highway at 70 MPH on april 10th, 2016 and the engine shut off. It was very dangerous. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

6 crash · 2 injuries

2017 C 28 reports · median 12,113 mi

Engine 6

Car was in driveway. Auto stop feature was on. Foot was on brake, engine stopped idling. As I lifted my foot off the brake, the engine restarted and the A/C compressor engaged at the same time. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Electrical 4

USB charging and snyc connection station at the bottom of console caught fire and within a couple of minutes the inside of the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Barely escaped with my life. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Lights & Visibility 3

The decorative silver strips on the dashboard underneath both of the dash air vents causes a major reflection in both the driver's and passenger side view mirrors when driving in bright sunlight. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

7 crash · 1 fire · 2 injuries

The best year for the MKC

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2016 is the best-scoring MKC model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 70.2 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Best-scoring model years
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2016	0.46×	13	B
2018	0.59×	15	B
2019	1.00×	33	C

Recalls

14 campaigns on record, 1 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
20V331000	LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH	2015	2,147,323
16V643000	LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH	2015	2,046,297
25V572000	BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA	2015–2019	1,456,417
25V270000	BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA	2015	160,729
23V378000 Park it	ENGINE	2015–2019	142,734
26V011000	EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER	2015, 2016	116,672
17V472000	SEAT BELTS	2015	94,605
25V685000	EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER	2016–2019	59,006
15V005000	FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP	2015	54,543
15V006000	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH	2015	11,144
16V183000	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE	2015, 2016	1,543
14V484000	VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD	2015	1,139

+ 2 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2015 were reported at a median of 29,450 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Lincoln MKC years should you avoid?: 2015 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Lincoln MKC model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Lincoln MKC?: 2016 is the best-scoring Lincoln MKC model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 70.2 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Lincoln MKC have?: 14 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Lincoln MKC model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2015 MKC

Complaints in window: 42
Severity-weighted: 73.5
Model median (weighted): 48
vs model median: 1.53×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 14
Open investigations: 1

Score 43.4 D