2008 Lincoln Mkz Problems

High Complaint Volume

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2008 Lincoln Mkz.

20072009
Complaints
328
Crashes
20
Fires
0
Injuries
7
Fatalities
Recalls
4

Worst 2008 Lincoln Mkz Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1164 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:73,720 mi
Crash-related:3
#252 complaints

Brakes

Avg mileage:102,367 mi
Crash-related:8
#330 complaints

Wheel Issues

Avg mileage:48,467 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Lincoln Mkz.

Airbags
164
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
73,720
Brakes
52
complaints
Crashes
8
Fires
Avg Miles
102,367
Wheel Issues
30
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
48,467
Hydraulic Brakes
22
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
54,448
Electrical Faults
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
87,146
Transmission / Drivetrain
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
102,811
Engine Problems
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
121,100
Unintended Acceleration
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
95,978
Headlight/Taillight Failures
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Body Structure
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Instrument Cluster
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structure:Body:Door
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wheels:Rim
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine & Cooling
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches / Locks
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat-Related Issues
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Air:Antilock:Abs Warning Light
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Brake Fluid Low Warning: Lamp
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Steering Defects
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension Failures
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Tire Defects
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2008 Lincoln Mkz. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2008 Lincoln Mkz

4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~5,749,872 vehicles.

21V158000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~2,602,668 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

19V904000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
~600,166 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not close properly.

17V024000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~654,695 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain 2009 Ford Ranger, Edge, Fusion and Mustang, Lincoln MKX, MKZ and Zephyr and Mercury Milan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Ford is recalling certain 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ, 2005-2008 Ford Mustang and 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

16V384000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,892,343 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles and 2005-2008 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Any vehicle not included in "Zone A", or "Zone B" is not included in the safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Other Lincoln Mkz Years

2008 Lincoln Mkz — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2008 Lincoln Mkz reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 2008 Lincoln Mkz has 328 NHTSA complaints, 20 crash-related, and 4 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 164 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2008 Lincoln Mkz?
Top reported problems: Airbags (164 complaints, avg 73,720 mi); Brakes (52 complaints, avg 102,367 mi); Wheel Issues (30 complaints, avg 48,467 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2008 Lincoln Mkz?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 76,863 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2008 Lincoln Mkz?
NHTSA complaints for the 2008 Lincoln Mkz include 20 crash-related reports, 0 fire reports, 7 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2008 Lincoln Mkz have any recalls?
Yes — 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 5,749,872 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2008 Lincoln Mkz?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (airbags) and verify open recalls have been addressed.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Lincoln Mkz reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

Check Your Specific 2008 Lincoln Mkz

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