Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: running costs are the problem rather than the car itself.
Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Lincoln MKS, and it carries 3 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.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 12 | 28% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 5% |
| Air bags | 2 | 5% |
| Steering | 2 | 5% |
| Engine | 2 | 5% |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 5% |
| Steering | 2 | 5% |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 5% |
| Steering | 1 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Power Steering While driving yesterday, doing shopping and online order deliveries, the steering wheel started having sl
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while reversing into a parking space, the power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was later restarted, and the traction control and power steerin
NHTSA complaint: Steering
I was driving and I hear a beeping sound,and my steering just stopped working and made it difficult to control the vehicle in a curve.. Recall Details: 2011–2013 Power Steering Electric Assist Loss •In June 2015, Ford is
NHTSA complaint: Steering
the steering system locks up and loses power assist,and the brakes and traction control sys also malfunction, and several failure lights all come on ,as I was making a left turn in front of a police car the steering lock
NHTSA complaint: Steering
In 2015 a recall was done to repair the power steering failure issue. In October of 2021, while driving the vehicle down the highway, the power steering went out making the vehicle almost impossible to steer. Had the veh
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Woke up to leave house and steering wheel was very stiff and hard to control
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while attempting to secure items into the trunk of the vehicle, the rear trunk door suddenly came down and struck the contact on the head. During the incident,
NHTSA complaint: Structure
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING. Had a difficult time pulling vehicle over after failure. Notice I missed recall by 90 days.
NHTSA complaint: Steering
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2011 Lincoln MKS. 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.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Ford Taurus vehicles manufactured December 1, 2009, to July 31, 2010, and 2011-2013 Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured June 1, 2011, to October 31, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the interior door handle return spring may unseat, re
Risk: If the interior door handle return spring is unseated, the door may unlatch in the event of a side impact crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four of the interior door handles and either repair or replace them, free of charge. The recall began March 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford cus
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford
Risk: If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC). If dealers find any loss of steering assist DTCs, the steering gear will
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high spe
Risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016. Owners may contact
| Reliability raw | 72 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 70 | good |
| Maintenance | 59 | average |
| Depreciation | 52 | average |
| Performance | 76 | good |
| Efficiency | 38 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 12 of them (28%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 72/100 (good) 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.
AVOIR scores its longevity 70/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2011 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip unless cheap, because running costs are the problem rather than the car itself. Its overall ownership score is 63/100. 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.