The Lemon IndexLincoln MKS reliability.
Is it reliable? It's mixed. Somewhat fewer complaints than the average car.
About average · 2009–2013
What owners say on YouTube
2009–2016 MKS · 198 most-watched videos
Owners praise
Owners complain about
Fixes owners look up most
- Heat, A/C & blend door97K views
- Infotainment, battery & electrical76K views
- Intake, EGR & engine sensors68K views
Before you buy, watch
Praise and complaints: the share of each generation's most-watched videos that mention a topic with a praise or trouble word next to it, in the title or what's said. YouTube rank: how positive owners and reviewers sound, compared with every car of the same model year. It measures tone, not failure rates. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.
Looking at a 2014 or newer? Those are too new for a full complaint score (any score shown is partial, in gray), but YouTube owners like the 2014 best.
Fewest complaints
2013.
Only 1 Lincoln MKS year has enough complaints and sales to score, too few for best and worst lists. 2013 drew about average.
Every year. Lower is better. Tap a year for its full report.
Newest year first. Red = worse than average, gray = about average or too few complaints to score. #1, #2… = that year's YouTube rank among the 2 Lincoln MKS years with enough videos (#1 = the year owners and reviewers talk about most positively). It is not a reliability rank.
Scores before 2010 are rough: fewer owners filed complaints back then.
YouTube rank: we read 199 YouTube videos about the Lincoln MKS, 2009 to 2016, and ranked every year by how much they praise it vs. how much they talk about problems. YouTube's favorite: 2009. Old cars rank lower partly because most of their videos are repair and restoration videos. A gray dot means not enough data yet: under 10 videos, or a new year with no owner complaints to compare.
Compare the Lincoln MKS.
Opens the compare tool with both cars, every year side by side. Compare with any car →
Quick answers.
Is the Lincoln MKS reliable?
It's mixed. It draws somewhat fewer complaints than the average car, but YouTube owners complain about it more than about most cars its age. Fewest complaints: 2013.
Is the Lincoln MKS a good car?
It is about average, by owner complaints to the government per car sold (2009-2013: Lemon Index 87; 100 is average). Some years are much better than others: 2013 drew the fewest complaints.
What are the best Lincoln MKS years to buy?
Only 1 Lincoln MKS years have enough data to score, so we don't list best years. 2013 drew the fewest complaints (about average).
What Lincoln MKS years should you stay away from?
Only 1 Lincoln MKS years have enough data to score, too few to single out years to avoid.
How many recalls does the Lincoln MKS have?
19 safety recalls across the 8 model years we track. Most: 2013 (7), 2011 (3), 2012 (3). Each year's page lists them, and every Lincoln MKS recall is in one list here.
What are the most common Lincoln MKS problems?
Across every year, owners' complaints to the government name electrical, brakes and engine most. Some years are much worse than others: see the chart above.
Every year in one table
| Year | Index | Compared with average | Complaints | Top complaint | Recalls | Crash test | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | – | too few complaints to score | 19 | service brakes, hydraulic (58%) | 1 | — | 19 |
| 2010 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 12 | speed control (42%) | 0 | — | 19–20 |
| 2011 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 12 | steering (33%) | 3 | — | 19–20 |
| 2012 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 3 | steering (67%) | 3 | — | 19–20 |
| 2013 | 93 | about average | 27 | engine (33%) | 7 | ★★★★★ | 20–21 |
| 2014 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 7 | fuel system (43%) | 2 | ★★★★★ | 20–22 |
| 2015 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 1 | transmission & drivetrain (100%) | 3 | ★★★★★ | 20–22 |
| 2016 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 2 | electrical (100%) | 0 | ★★★★★ | 19–20 |
The Lemon Index counts owner complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model years (100 = average, lower is better). It measures complaints, not crash safety. U.S. sales source: goodcarbadcar.net. How it works
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Updated · Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com)
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