2012 Lincoln MKT problems & reliability
27 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Lincoln MKT, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2012 Lincoln MKT vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering → | 19 | 70% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 7% |
| Engine | 2 | 7% |
| Power Train | 2 | 7% |
| Structure | 2 | 7% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 7% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 4% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 4% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 20 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 87,723 miles (middle 50% between 54,918 and 152,075 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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 steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed with steering…”
Steering · filed Sep 11, 2025
“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 vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that the power steering needed to be…”
Steering · filed Dec 5, 2024
“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 had replaced the steering gear, it may have solved the whole problem. They know there was a…”
Steering · filed Oct 22, 2024
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
46 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Lincoln MKT. The 10 most recent:
While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024…
SSM 53040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 10, 2024
For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle…
SSM 51536 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 4, 2023
Some 2009-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbochargers may exhibit an oil leak from the turbocharger oil supply or return tubes, O-rings or 6.7L pedestal gasket. Although oil may collect on the…
SSM 49210 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 25, 2020
This article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000 and newer Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled…
TSB 20-2233 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 13, 2020
Some 2010-2020 vehicles may exhibit distorted glass with a subtle orange peel pattern or streaking etched into the surface. This is caused by hydrofluoric acid which is used in some car wash solutions as a cleaning…
SSM 48130 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 9, 2019
For Ford and Lincoln vehicles that require positive or negative battery terminal replacement, it is not necessary to replace the complete battery cable harness (14300 and 14301) for this concern. Positive battery cable…
SSM 48123 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 7, 2019
Some 2009-2017 Expedition/Navigator, 2009-2014 F-150/Mustang, 2008-2009 Sable, 2008-2019 Taurus/Flex/MKT, 2013-2019 Police Interceptor Sedan/Utility, and 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles may exhibit inoperative or…
SSM 48070 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 2, 2019
On vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission it is imperative that the converter pilot hub be greased with Motorcraft Multi-Purpose Grease Spray XL-5-A even if grease was not applied from the factory. Also verify…
SSM 47976 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 10, 2019
SSM 47948 - 2010-2019 Various Vehicles - Turbocharged Engines - Oil Supply Filter Replacement When Replacing The Turbocharger Or The Turbocharger Oil Supply Tube For 2010-2019 vehicles equipped with turbocharged…
SSM 47948 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 26, 2019
Some 2009-2017 Expedition/Navigator, 2009-2014 F-150/Mustang, 2008-2009 Sable, 2008-2019 Taurus/Flex/MKT, 2013-2019 Police Interceptor Sedan/Utility, and 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles may exhibit inoperative or…
SSM 47797 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 7, 2019
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2012 Lincoln MKT has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2012 Lincoln MKT?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 87,723 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.