Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 108 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Lincoln MKZ, and it carries 13 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 | 11 | 10% |
| Structure | 10 | 9% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 8% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 8 | 7% |
| Unknown or other | 7 | 6% |
| Seat belts | 6 | 6% |
| Engine | 5 | 5% |
| Wheels | 5 | 5% |
| Power train | 5 | 5% |
| Service brakes | 3 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Vehicle: Lincoln MKZ 2013 Dealer: Auto Quest Inc. Description of the Safety Issue: I am submitting this report regarding a vehicle safety concern involving a 2013 Lincoln MKZ that I purchased from Auto Quest Inc. in Re
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
I was slowing down to take a turn and I see an error message saying “power steering assist failure”. And steering went stiff..
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Video camera in the back is almost unusable at times, get loss of vision completely or it's flipped image and distorted. Don't know if this counts but I had a issue where key batteries where fine and the car did not want
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
the driver side mirror blind spot stopped working and all most hit a vehicle coming up alongside of me. Yes it is available No in October
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owned a 2013 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while adjusting the driver's side motorized seat, the contact felt an electric shock through her left hand, prompting the contact to cease the action and imme
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while reversing, the back-over prevention camera screen turned off and turned on independently. Additionally, there was a message to contact the dealer display
NHTSA complaint: Back over prevention
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that the back-over prevention camera was inoperable. The contact stated that occasionally the screen was distorted or blank. The message that the camera was unavail
NHTSA complaint: Back over prevention
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that on several occasions while exiting the vehicle, the contact observed an abnormally strong fuel odor outside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independen
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2013 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.
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, Min
Risk: 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 increa
Fix: 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 w
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 pretensione
Risk: If the driver or front passenger seatbelt cables cannot properly restrain the front seat occupants, they would be at an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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 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, i
Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Fix: 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
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
Risk: 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
Fix: 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 1-866-436-7
| Reliability raw | 50 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 64 | average |
| Maintenance | 61 | average |
| Depreciation | 74 | good |
| Performance | 69 | good |
| Efficiency | 40 | below average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 108 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 11 of them (10%). There are 13 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 50/100 (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.
AVOIR scores its longevity 64/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2013 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
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 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.