NHTSA Safety Recalls
2012 Lincoln MKZ Recalls
The 2012 Lincoln MKZ has 6 NHTSA safety recalls on file, the newest reported on March 10, 2021.
A recall covers a range of VINs, not every 2012 Lincoln MKZ. Whether a recall on your own car is still open shows only on a VIN check; recall repairs are free.
- Recalls
- 6
- Owner complaints
- 146
- Crashes reported
- 10
- NHTSA crash test
- ★★★★☆
NHTSA campaigns
filed with NHTSA
2 fires
overall, 5 stars max
On a 2012 Lincoln MKZ, the 17-character VIN is on the driver-side dashboard, visible through the windshield, or on the door jamb sticker.
6 recalls on the 2012 Lincoln MKZ
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 21V158000
- Reported
- March 10, 2021
- Vehicles affected
- up to 2,602,668
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 2007–2011 MKZ, 6 other models
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 19V001000
- Reported
- January 7, 2019
- Vehicles affected
- up to 782,384
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- NHTSA advisory
- do not drive until repaired
- Same campaign
- also 2010–2011 MKZ, 7 other models
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 18V775000
- Reported
- November 1, 2018
- Vehicles affected
- up to 215
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2010–2011 MKZ, 2 other models
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 17V024000
- Reported
- January 10, 2017
- Vehicles affected
- up to 654,695
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- NHTSA advisory
- do not drive until repaired
- Same campaign
- also 2007–2009 MKZ, 8 other models
Steering: electric power assist system
- Campaign
- 15V340000
- Reported
- June 2, 2015
- Vehicles affected
- up to 393,623
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2011 MKZ, 6 other models
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 21E013000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash, injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 2010–2011 MKZ, 5 other models
2012 Lincoln MKZ complaints by year
NHTSA has received 146 owner complaints about the 2012 Lincoln MKZ, the newest on November 6, 2025. Of these, 10 describe a crash (7%) and 2 a fire; owners reported 9 injuries.
In complaints about the 2012 Lincoln MKZ, the component group named most often is the air bags (47%), followed by the steering (14%) and the service brakes (12%).
5 of the 2012 Lincoln MKZ's 6 recalls also concern the air bags.
Where 2012 Lincoln MKZ owners gave the mileage (74 complaints), the median was 53,500 miles.
Component groups named in complaints
- Air Bags68
- Unknown Or Other22
- Steering20
- Service Brakes17
- Structure10
- Electrical System9
Complaints received, by year
| 2012 | 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 5 | |
| 2016 | 8 | |
| 2017 | 42 | |
| 2018 | 28 | |
| 2019 | 15 | |
| 2020 | 13 | |
| 2021 | 15 | |
| 2022 | 4 | |
| 2023 | 5 | |
| 2024 | 5 | |
| 2025 | 2 |
Complaints about the 2012 Lincoln MKZ peaked in 2017, when NHTSA received 42. 6% arrived between 2011 and 2015, the model year's first years on the road.
NHTSA crash-test stars
- Overall: ★★★★☆
- Frontal: 3/5
- Side: 4/5
- Rollover: 5/5
The 146 complaints about the 2012 Lincoln MKZ are unverified owner reports, and a model sold in large numbers collects more of them.
Lincoln MKZ by model year
Other 2012 Lincoln models
Newest record on this page: November 6, 2025. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted