Reliable Auto DB

2012 Lincoln MKX reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Lincoln MKX over 15 years — 3 per year. The other MKX years sit at about the same rate: their median is 3 complaints per year. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Axle shaft.

2012 Lincoln MKX
Photo by Navigator84, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Complaints

84

Per year

3

Recalls

1

Years on the road

15

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Service brakes (26 of 84), then Electrical system (17) and Powertrain (11). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2013

The 2013 MKX has 163 complaints, 5 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

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 2012 Lincoln MKX. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall powertrain, axle assembly, axle shaft 2014-07-02 · NHTSA campaign 14V393000
Summary Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles manufactured September 2, 2010, to November 30, 2013; 2013-2014 Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured August 25, 2011, to November 30, 2013; and 2013-2014 Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT vehicles manufactured September 12, 2011, to November 30, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the halfshaft retention circlip may not have been properly installed, and as a result, the halfshaft may move outward and disengage from the linkshaft while driving and without prior warning.
Remedy Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to make sure that the halfshaft is properly retained. If it is not, dealers will replace the linkshaft and also replace the halfshaft if it shows evidence of spline damage, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S10.

Complaints by component (84 total)

Service brakes
26
Electrical system
17
Powertrain
11
Structure
10
Engine
8
Hydraulic brakes
7
Air bags
4
Back-over prevention
3
Fuel and propulsion system
3
Exterior lighting
2
Lane departure
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Equipment
1
Forward collision avoidance
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Speed control
1
Visibility
1
Wheels
1
Show 11 more Show less
Crash-flagged

2

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

2

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

120113201212013420144201572016132017720181020191120208202142022520232202442025
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Recalled master cylinder brake booster was repaired at the dealership under the recall approx 4 or 5 years ago. The same issue has began again. Out of nowhere while braking, the pedal will become soft and press to the…"
    Service brakes · filed 2025-09-01
  • "The camera change from vertical to horizontal, the camera shutdown while in motion."
    Electrical system · filed 2025-08-29
  • "The contact owns a 2012 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that the back over prevention camera was reversed. The contact stated that the image was upside down and the camera was flickering. There were no warning lights…"
    Back-over prevention · filed 2025-06-23
  • "Backup camera faulty won’t connect just black screen"
    Electrical system · filed 2025-01-10

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2012 Lincoln MKX SUV AWD 4 stars 3 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2012 Lincoln MKX SUV FWD 4 stars 3 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
MKX all-wheel drive 3.7L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 17 23 19 MPG $3400
MKX front-wheel drive 3.7L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 19 26 21 MPG $3100

Specs and fitment

Second generation, 2012–2015
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-20 (3.7L) , 6 qt capacity
Tire size 245/60R18, 245/50R20, 265/40R22 (trim dependent)

Compare

Next year 2013 Lincoln MKX See every Lincoln MKX model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Lincoln MKX reliable?

Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Lincoln MKX over 15 years — 3 per year. The other MKX years sit at about the same rate: their median is 3 complaints per year. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Axle shaft.

What are common problems with a 2012 Lincoln MKX?

The complaints owners file most often name Service brakes (26 of 84), then Electrical system (17) and Powertrain (11). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2012 Lincoln MKX more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 MKX has 163 complaints, 5 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 Lincoln MKX been recalled?

The 2012 Lincoln MKX has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Lincoln MKX?

Owners have filed 84 complaints about the 2012 Lincoln MKX with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 Lincoln MKX get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 Lincoln MKX is 20 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Lincoln MKX take?

2012-2015: 5W-20 for the 3.7L. 2016-2018: 5W-30 for the 2.7L turbo and 5W-20 for the 3.7L. Confirm the filler-cap grade.

What tire sizes does the MKX use?

245/60R18, 245/50R20, and on earlier years 265/40R22 depending on trim.

What PTU odor issue is noted on late second-gen MKX?

Ford SSM 47230 notes that certain 2007–2016 Edge/MKX and related AWD vehicles built on or before 30-Jun-2016 may show a propane/natural-gas odor at idle or low speed from PTU fluid broken down by heat.