MODELYEARINDEX

Which Lincoln MKS years to avoid

Across 4 scored model years, the 2013 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Lincoln MKS Full report
F
Grade 2010–2014
2013 vs model median 2.0×
Model median3× median
Engine 9
Fuel System 5
Body & Interior 5
Avoid

2013

Best

2011 · 2014

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.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
1.30× 20 C
2011
0.69× 17 B
2013
2.00× 34 F
2014
0.43× 15 B

What owners report

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

2010 C 20 reports · median 29,150 mi

  1. Speed Control 7

    I was driving 62 MPH in cruise and decided I wanted to go 70 MPH. I then proceeded to hold down the "set +" button until my speed reached 70 at which point I released the button. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Body & Interior 3

    The contact owns a 2010 lincoln, mks. While sitting in the passenger seat with his elbow on the middle armrest, the contact's hand became caught between the closings causing him to injure his hand. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Brakes 3

    Brake pedal invariably collapses completely to floor when they are depressed causing the brakes to not properly function. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

7 crash · 1 injuries

2013 F 34 reports · median 17,500 mi

  1. Engine 9

    Happened 2 - 3 times. Engine will sputter/die after coming to near stop and then trying to accelerate into traffic flow or make a turn through traffic onto a street. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Fuel System 5

    I went to cal worthington in anchorage alaska where I bought my car to have the recall 13s04 fuel delivery module replaced. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Body & Interior 5

    While driving said vehicle into the sun, the installed factory chrome decorative trim shines back into the drivers eyes making it very hard to read the car instruments, the trim area shines like diamonds into the… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

1 crash · 2 fire · 2 injuries

The best year for the MKS

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

2014 is the best-scoring MKS model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 84.4 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2014 0.43× 15 B
2011 0.69× 17 B
2010 1.30× 20 C

Recalls

8 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
15V340000 STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM 2011, 2013 393,623
13V227000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 2013 390,783
15V040000 STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR 2011, 2013 194,889
14V393000 POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT 2013, 2014 83,250
16V621000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2013, 2014 77,502
13V270000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 2013 12,569
15V812000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 2013 868
16V247000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL 2011 695

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 2013 were reported at a median of 17,500 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Lincoln MKS years should you avoid?
2013 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Lincoln MKS model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Lincoln MKS?
2014 is the best-scoring Lincoln MKS model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 84.4 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Lincoln MKS have?
8 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Lincoln MKS 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 2013 MKS
Complaints in window
34
Severity-weighted
70.5
Model median (weighted)
35
vs model median
2.00×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
7
Open investigations
0
Score 35 F