Reliable Auto DB

2018 Lincoln MKC reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 74 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Lincoln MKC over 9 years — 2 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most MKC years here — under the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Engine block heater, Camera, and Engine.

2015 Lincoln MKC
Photo by Navigator84, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

74

Per year

2

Recalls

4

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (46 of 74), then Engine and engine cooling (10) and Powertrain (5). Those filings include 3 that report a crash and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 MKC has 190 complaints, 5 per year, and the 2019 has 119 complaints, 2 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Lincoln MKC. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall equipment, electrical, engine block heater 2025-10-10 · NHTSA campaign 25V685000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Remedy Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2025-09-04 · NHTSA campaign 25V572000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and June 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 2025.
Recall Engine 2023-05-26 · NHTSA campaign 23V378000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC vehicles. The battery monitor sensor may short-circuit and overheat, causing a fire in the engine compartment while parked or driving.
Remedy Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will add an in-line fuse to the battery monitor sensor power circuit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S28.
Recall hydraulic brakes, foundation components, hoses and fittings 2018-02-12 · NHTSA campaign 18V104000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape and Lincoln MKC vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with incorrect front brake hoses that may chafe against other components, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak.
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake hoses, replacing any that are incorrect, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S04.

Complaints by component (74 total)

Engine
46
Engine and engine cooling
10
Powertrain
5
Back-over prevention
4
Wheels
4
Electrical system
2
Lane departure
2
Steering
2
Air bags
1
Diesel fuel system
1
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Equipment
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Seats
1
Speed control
1
Tires
1
Visibility
1
Show 9 more Show less
Crash-flagged

3

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

2

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

2201832019320216202282023122024252025152026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Engine has a known defect causing coolant to leak into cylinders. Car is not safe to drive as car can overheat, blow gasket, loose power, catch fire while operating."
    Engine · filed 2026-09-18
  • "The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKC. The contact stated that upon attempting to start the vehicle, the engine misfired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed…"
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-09-16
  • "I own a 2018 Lincoln MKC equipped with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine. The vehicle currently has approximately 72,326 miles. The check-engine light initially illuminated and an OBD scan produced code P0303, indicating a…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-11
  • "My engine failed. At the time I did not know this. I was driving to work, and although I knew I was not out of gas according to the gas gauge, I thought maybe something was wrong with the gauge when my Lincoln began to…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-01
  • "I am experiencing a coolant-intrusion problem with my 2018 Lincoln MKC, equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine. The vehicle has only 63,900 miles. •The check-engine light repeatedly came on and went off over a two-week…"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-03

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Lincoln MKC SUV AWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2018 Lincoln MKC SUV FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
MKC all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 19 25 21 MPG $3100
MKC all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 19 25 22 MPG $2950
MKC all-wheel drive 2.3L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 18 25 20 MPG $3250
MKC front-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 21 28 23 MPG $2800

Specs and fitment

1st generation, 2015–2019
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-30 (2.0L and 2.3L turbo) , 5.7 qt capacity
Tire size 235/50R18, 235/45R19, 245/45R19 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 23V-378 covers certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC vehicles: the battery monitor sensor may short-circuit and overheat, causing an engine-compartment fire while parked or driving. Owners are advised to park outside; dealers add an in-line fuse to the sensor power circuit. Recall 25V-572 covers certain 2015-2019 MKC vehicles among other Ford/Lincoln models: the rearview camera may display an inverted, distorted, or blank image; dealers inspect and replace the camera as needed.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Lincoln MKC Next year 2019 Lincoln MKC See every Lincoln MKC model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Lincoln MKC reliable?

Owners have filed 74 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Lincoln MKC over 9 years — 2 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most MKC years here — under the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Engine block heater, Camera, and Engine.

What are common problems with a 2018 Lincoln MKC?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (46 of 74), then Engine and engine cooling (10) and Powertrain (5). Those filings include 3 that report a crash and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2018 Lincoln MKC more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 MKC has 190 complaints, 5 per year, and the 2019 has 119 complaints, 2 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2019.

Has the 2018 Lincoln MKC been recalled?

The 2018 Lincoln MKC has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Lincoln MKC?

Owners have filed 74 complaints about the 2018 Lincoln MKC with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Lincoln MKC get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Lincoln MKC is 21.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Lincoln MKC take?

5W-30 for the 2.0L and 2.3L turbo engines on the 2015-2019 generation.

What tire sizes does the MKC use?

235/50R18, 235/45R19, and 245/45R19 depending on trim.

What does recall 23V-378 cover on the MKC?

Certain 2015-2019 MKC vehicles: the battery monitor sensor may short-circuit and overheat, causing an engine-compartment fire while parked or driving. Owners are advised to park outside; dealers add an in-line fuse to the sensor power circuit.