2011 Lincoln MKS: problems, recalls and reliability
3 recalls and 43 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is steering (35% of complaints); the 2012 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Apr 2016
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 43 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“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 locked up and I almost hit the police car,the vehicle isn't driveable,the policeman advised me not to drive the car,he verified the steering didn't work,when the problem occurs the steering gets extremely hard and at the same time lights and bells start ringing in the car and it's very scary because between the steering and brakes not working the bells and lights are very distracting”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Mar 2024
“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, the contact sustained a head contusion which did not require medical treatment. The contact indicated that the failure had occurred on multiple occasions. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 100,000.”Owner report · Latches/Locks/Linkages · Nov 2023
“Was driving my 2011 Lincoln MKS (build date 06/07/2010) when the steering froze up and then a message appeared in the center stack indicating a possible steering gear failure. Luckily, I was able to get home and pull it on my driveway with great difficulty. Recall 15S18 starts with build dates of 09/2010. This recall should be extended. Repair quote: $1900 part 6.2 hours labor + Alignment ($120) from Local Ford dealer.”Owner report · Steering · Oct 2023
Show 7 more owner reports
“The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while making a left turn, the steering wheel seized, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving to her destination. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.”Owner report · Steering · Jul 2023
“ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING. Had a difficult time pulling vehicle over after failure. Notice I missed recall by 90 days.”Owner report · Steering · May 2023
“While driving the vehicle at normal speed with my wife and baby, car suddenly made a weird noise and started to smoke, the car lost power. I had to pull over right away , as car was smoking we smelled a propane like smell, and we noticed black grease leaking from the bottom. Soon as I got the car towed home , I looked under and notice the transfer box or PTO was busted with grease pouring out. I looked online and it's a common issue with these cars. The transfer case is so close to the cat converter that it over heats the grease.”Owner report · Power Train · Nov 2021
“The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that upon start of vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact had initially called the dealer and was informed that his vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V247000 (Air Bags). The contact then called the manufacturer and was provided the same information as the dealer. The manufacturer referred him to NHTSA for further assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Sep 2021
“While driving my car it instantly lost steering no forewarning lights. It was very difficult to turn or control the car. I took it to lincoln and they said they can't cover this exact thing these cars have a recall on because my car was past the warranty. They even charged me to look at it because its past warranty. My car is 4,000 miles past coverage soo they're charging me $2800 for a malfunction that is noted a flaw for this same car.”Owner report · Steering · Oct 2020
“Engine began to run rough and misfire while trying to accelerate on the interstate, followed by a complete loss of power and violent shuddering. Big concern when trying to pass other vehicles, as I was almost rear ended by a tractor trailer. Problem becomes worse and more frequent when trying to accelerate up hills. Found out this problem is addressed in ford tsb 11-08-19, most likely caused by powertrain control module losing calibration. This information was made known to service workers, but not car owners. Problem eventually resulted in the burning out of the car's bank 2 catalytic converter, sparks plugs, and ignition coils.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Mar 2018
“The rudder of my vehicle gets very hard, and when I drive it seems that the wheels of steering do not have stability, it seems a problem of the power steering.”Owner report · Steering · Mar 2018
When filing, owners marked a crash in 3 of these complaints and injuries in 39 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 3 campaigns
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 Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with any available engine. The affected vehicles have electric power steering assist systems that may shut down as a result of a steering motor sensor fault.
Remedy: 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 be replaced, free of charge. If, no codes are found during the PSCM inspection, the PSCM software will be updated, free of charge. The recall began on July 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S18.
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, resulting in interior door handle that does not return to the fully stowed position after actuation.
Remedy: 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 customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S02.
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 speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy: 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 Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C06.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2011 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact MKS by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Lincoln MKS reliable?
NHTSA has 43 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns on record for the 2011 Lincoln MKS. The most complained-about area is steering (35% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2011 Lincoln MKS problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 50,500 miles or less.
Does the 2011 Lincoln MKS have open recalls?
3 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning steering:electric power assist system. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.