Independent · Not affiliated with NHTSA or any automaker MethodologyData sourcesData refreshed Oct 6, 2026

2014 Lincoln MKZ: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2014 Lincoln MKZ, most recently filed March 2023. Owners have filed 97 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the steering. In NHTSA crash tests it earned 5 stars overall.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
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Recalls (13)

NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 23V162000 Filed Mar 10, 2023

Front Brake Hoses May Rupture

Service brakes, hydraulic · foundation components · hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
Consequence
A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S12.
44.7% repairedof 1,280,726 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 23V162000
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 22V011000 Filed Jan 13, 2022

Brake Light Malfunction and Possible Rollaway Risk

Service brakes, hydraulic · pedals and linkages
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Fusion, Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 Mustang vehicles originally sold or ever registered, in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Hawaii. Exposure to certain environmental conditions, such as high temperatures, high humidity, and salt air can cause the brake pedal bumper to corrode and separate from the brake pedal.
Consequence
A separated brake pedal bumper can cause the brake lights to illuminate continuously, causing confusion to other drivers and increasing the risk of a crash. On automatic transmission vehicles, a missing brake pedal bumper can allow the driver to shift the vehicle out of the "PARK" position without depressing the brake, allowing the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the brake pedal bumpers and clutch pedal bumpers, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on March 4, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 13, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S02.
64.6% repairedof 199,085 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 22V011000
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 20V331000 Filed Jun 8, 2020

Doors May Open While Driving

Latches/locks/linkages · doors · latch
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Consequence
A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
58.4% repairedof 2,147,323 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 20V331000
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 20V177000 Filed Mar 23, 2020

Doors May Open While Driving

Latches/locks/linkages · doors · latch
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Fiesta, 2014-2016 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Consequence
A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and Ford or Lincoln dealers will replace the side door latches, free of charge. The recall began September 21, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S15.
64.1% repairedof 288,110 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 20V177000
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 19V632000 Filed Aug 29, 2019

Steering Gear Motor May Detach

Steering · electric power assist system
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 Ford Edge, and 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
Consequence
If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist, requiring a greater steering effort, especially at lower speeds, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a wax sealer. If any of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S26.
63.7% repairedof 116,160 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 19V632000
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 18V167000 Filed Mar 12, 2018

Steering Wheel may Detach

Steering · steering wheel/handle bar
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles. The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving.
Consequence
A steering wheel detachment can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt with a longer bolt, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S08.
76.8% repairedof 1,301,986 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 18V167000
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 17V210000 Filed Mar 27, 2017

Doors may Unexpectedly Open

Latches/locks/linkages · doors · latch
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Fiesta, 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Consequence
A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches, free of charge. The recall began May 1, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S16.
62.6% repairedof 191,432 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 17V210000
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 16V875000 Filed Dec 5, 2016

Front Seat Belts May Not Restrain Occupants

Seat belts · front
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured November 2, 2012, to July 31, 2014, and 2013-2015 Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured November 14, 2012, to July 31, 2014. In the event of a crash, heat from the deployment of a seat belt pretensioner may cause a front seat belt anchor cable to fail.
Consequence
If the driver or front passenger seatbelt cables cannot properly restrain the front seat occupants, they would be at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply a protective coating to the seat belt cable, free of charge. The recall began May 16, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S42.
61.5% repairedof 603,392 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V875000
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 15V250000 Filed Apr 28, 2015

Loss of Power Steering Assist From Salt Corrosion

Steering · electric power assist system
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to March 20, 2015, and 2015 Ford Edge vehicles manufactured February 26, 2015, to February 28, 2015, and originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, snow or water containing road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
Consequence
If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist. Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will apply sealer and replace the steering gear motor bolts as required. If one or more of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on June 24, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S14.
90.9% repairedof 487,301 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 15V250000
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 15V246000 Filed Apr 24, 2015

Doors may Unexpectedly Open

Latches/locks/linkages · doors · latch
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified the agency on April 23, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured July 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013, and 2012-2014 Fiesta vehicles manufactured February 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013. On April 30, 2015, Ford expanded the recall to cover an additional 119,567 vehicles, including certain model year 2011 Ford Fiestas manufactured from November 11, 2009, to May 31, 2013 and certain model year 2013 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured from February 1, 2012, to June 30, 2012. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Consequence
A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches with an improved part, free of charge. Interim notifications were mailed to owners on June 5, 2015. The recall began on December 18, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S16.
70.4% repairedof 456,440 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 15V246000
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 14V597000 Filed Sep 26, 2014

Air Bags may not Deploy as Intended

Air bags
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured January 19, 2012, to November 21, 2013; Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to August 24, 2013; Ford Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to November 1, 2013; and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to September 30, 2013. The coating on portions of the Restraint Control Module (RCM) may crack, and when exposed to humidity, circuits on the printed circuit board may short.
Consequence
The short circuits could cause the frontal air bags, side curtain air bags and the seat belt pretensioners to not function as intended when needed, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RCM, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. The recall began on May 26,2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S21.
54.3% repairedof 746,842 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 14V597000
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 14V164000 Filed Apr 2, 2014

Welds on Seat Assemblies may Fail/FMVSS 207

Seats · front assembly · recliner
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured August 15, 2012, through September 10, 2013, 2013-2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured June 5, 2012, through August 12, 2013, and 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured from July 23, 2012, through May 28, 2013. The driver and passenger seatback assemblies may have been produced with sub-standard weld joints used to attach the seat back recliner mechanism to the seat frame. The affected seat backs may have insufficient strength to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."
Consequence
The back of the subject seats may become loose or lean while driving and potentially increase the risk of injury in certain crashes.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seatback, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14C03.
77.2% repairedof 43,135 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 14V164000
Listed for 2014 Lincoln MKZ. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 13V594000 Filed Nov 25, 2013

Transmission can be Shifted out of Park/FMVSS 114

Power train · automatic transmission
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid vehicles manufactured April 26, 2012, through September 24, 2013. Due to a manufacturing error, the transmission range sensor may not function properly allowing the affected vehicles to be shifted out of the Park position without first applying the brake pedal. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 114, "Theft Protection."
Consequence
Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll which may result in a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with new software, free of charge. The recall began on January 2014. Customers may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 13C09.
96.6% repairedof 7,153 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 13V594000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (97)

97 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The steering is mentioned most often.

7involved a crash
0involved a fire
4injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2014 Lincoln MKZ, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 97.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2014 compares with other MKZ years

Best and worst MKZ years →
2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
This year (2014)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Crash tests: 5 stars overall

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 4★★★★★★
Side crashDriver 3★ · Passenger 5★★★★★☆
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 10.9%★★★★☆
Front seat of a modern car with the seat belt buckled across the passenger seat
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2014 Lincoln MKZ 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 26 mpg combined

26
mpg combined
22
city
32
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$2,600
CO₂ tailpipe
343 g/mi
EPA class
Midsize Cars

What it costs you to run

$2,512per year
$209per month
577gallons a year

Miles ÷ 26 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

2014 Lincoln MKZ configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automaticFront-Wheel Drive22 / 32 / 26$2,600343
2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automaticAll-Wheel Drive22 / 31 / 25$2,700357
3.7 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automaticFront-Wheel Drive19 / 27 / 22$3,050410
3.7 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automaticAll-Wheel Drive18 / 25 / 21$3,200430

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2014 MKZ for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All MKZ years

Where to next

2014 Lincoln MKZ FAQ

How many recalls does the 2014 Lincoln MKZ have?

NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns: 23V162000 (brake), 22V011000 (brake), 20V331000 (latch), 20V177000 (latch), 19V632000 (steering), 18V167000 (steering), 17V210000 (latch), 16V875000 (seat belt), 15V250000 (steering), 15V246000 (latch), 14V597000 (air bag), 14V164000 (seat), 13V594000 (power train). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2014 Lincoln MKZ problems?

Owners filed 97 complaints with NHTSA. Steering (25), Electrical system (17), Unknown or other (11) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2014 Lincoln MKZ get?

EPA rates the 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic version at 22 city, 32 highway and 26 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.

What safety rating did the 2014 Lincoln MKZ get?

NHTSA rated the 2014 Lincoln MKZ 4 dr fwd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 4 stars side and 4 stars rollover (10.9% rollover risk).

How does the 2014 MKZ compare with other years?

Among the 2010–2019 Lincoln MKZ model years at least five years old, the 2019 drew the fewest complaints (20) and the 2010 the most (169). The 2014 drew 97. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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