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 27 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Lincoln MKT, and it carries 1 recall. 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 | 17 | 63% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 7% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 1 | 4% |
| Engine | 1 | 4% |
| Power train | 1 | 4% |
| Structure | 1 | 4% |
| Steering | 1 | 4% |
| Steering | 1 | 4% |
| Power train | 1 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 4% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKT. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed, the Service Advancetrac warning light was illuminated, and the steer
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKT. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the power steering system failure warning light illuminated. The contact was unable to maneuver the steering wheel as needed. The
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The car had a recall, and they worked on it. A few years later the power steering went out while driving and almost had an accident. They did not replace the steering gear they only worked on the steering module. If they
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The recall work was done on 10/27/2015. Ford Lincoln knows there is a problem with the power steering. They will not redo the work that needs to be done properly because of their faulty power steering module. They did no
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKT. The contact stated that the twin-turbo became inoperable. The contact stated that oil was entering the exhaust and the contact was unable to see other vehicles. There were no warning
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
The contact's grandmother owned a 2012 Lincoln MKT. The contact stated that when his grandmother was starting the vehicle, she experienced a loss of power steering assist. The power steering assist warning light was illu
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKT. The contact stated while making a turn, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated that the power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The contact drove
NHTSA complaint: Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LINCOLN MKT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON AFTER REFUELING, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NAPLETON LINCOLN LOCATED AT 1
NHTSA complaint: Steering
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2012 Lincoln MKT. 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 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
| Reliability raw | 87 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 77 | good |
| Maintenance | 51 | average |
| Depreciation | 60 | average |
| Performance | 76 | good |
| Efficiency | 35 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 17 of them (63%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 87/100 (excellent) 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 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2012 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 67/100. 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.