2008 Lincoln MKZ

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

62/100

Be careful

AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 281 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Lincoln MKZ, and it carries 5 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Air bags	149	53%
Service brakes	39	14%
Wheels	26	9%
Service brakes	10	4%
Service brakes	6	2%
Air bags	4	1%
Power train	4	1%
Service brakes	4	1%
Structure	3	1%
Unknown or other	3	1%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

Have tried to schedule an appointment with my local Lincoln dealer to have the recall on my car fixed but they told at this time they have no way to fix it.
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

2008 Lincoln MKZ AWD. Driver's door won't open from inside. Multiple Online mentions of this dangerous problem. Can't get out of vehicle in case of emergency.
NHTSA complaint: Structure

Bought vehicle from owner 02/2023. Check brake system light came on a few months after, breaks started to skip and making a sound. Took it in to Ford dealership and they showed 2 recalls but never said it would be fixed.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

Vehicle is AWD, part is Transfer Case/Power Transfer Unit. Many issues from customers online and what was marketed as a lifetime part was changed to maintenance at 30,000 miles since the amount of gear oil is minuscule
NHTSA complaint: Power train

The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle overheated, and smoke was coming inside the cabin through the A/C vents. The contact was able to veer to the
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

I experienced unintended acceleration upon entering a highway. The vehicle accelerated normally in first gear, but upon shifting into second gear, acceleration exceeded pedal input, as though the cruise control 'Resume'
NHTSA complaint: Power train

The contact owns a 2008 Lincoln MKZ. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and 21V158000 (Air Bags) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet ava
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

I called ford dealerships to fix the problems back in 2019 but the two recalls have not been fixed yet. Recently, my car was almost failing to stop while I was breaking down.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2008 Lincoln MKZ. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module 21V158000

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the pass

Service brakes 19V904000

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not

Risk: If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid and install a new brake fluid reservoir cap. In addition, the HCU will be tested to detect a possible stuck valve con

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module 17V024000

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marian

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Interim

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module 16V384000

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever register

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The seven scores

Reliability raw	58	average
Longevity est.	67	good
Maintenance	61	average
Depreciation	74	good
Performance	67	good
Efficiency	36	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 10% of midsize & large cars
Longevity: better than 12% of midsize & large cars
Running costs: better than 25% of midsize & large cars
Value retention: better than 73% of midsize & large cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 58: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 67: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2008 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 61: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2008 Lincoln MKZ?

Owners have filed 281 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 149 of them (53%). There are 5 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2008 Lincoln MKZ reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 58/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 2008 Lincoln MKZ last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 67/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2008 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2008 Lincoln MKZ?

AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 62/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.