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2011 Lincoln Mks Recalls, Issues & Maintenance

The 2011 Lincoln Mks carries 3 open NHTSA recalls — most recently covering door and electric power assist system. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “Power steering assist failure and lockup.” Lincoln uses Ford's Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor: it tracks how the vehicle is actually driven and calls for oil service when needed — up to 10,000 miles or 12 months on normal duty, much sooner with towing or repeated short trips. EcoBoost-powered Aviators and Nautilus models are turbocharged: heat is their maintenance story, so oil quality and cooling-system health matter more than on the old naturally aspirated V8s. Traditional V8 Navigators and Town Cars are long-interval machines — 100,000-mile plugs — that mostly reward fluid discipline.

3 Open Recalls

Source: NHTSA

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Campaign #15V040000 · Jan 28, 2015

Issue: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Ford Taurus vehicles manufactured December 1, 2009, to July 31, 2010, and 2011-2013 Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured June 1, 2011, to October 31, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the interior door handle return spring may unseat, resulting in interior door handle that does not return to the fully stowed position after actuation.

Risk: If the interior door handle return spring is unseated, the door may unlatch in the event of a side impact crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four of the interior door handles and either repair or replace them, free of charge. The recall began March 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S02.

STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

Campaign #15V340000 · Feb 6, 2015

Issue: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with any available engine. The affected vehicles have electric power steering assist systems that may shut down as a result of a steering motor sensor fault.

Risk: If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC). If dealers find any loss of steering assist DTCs, the steering gear will be replaced, free of charge. If, no codes are found during the PSCM inspection, the PSCM software will be updated, free of charge. The recall began on July 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S18.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Campaign #16V247000 · Apr 26, 2016

Issue: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C06.

Recall data refreshed Sep 13, 2026.

Known issues for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2011 Lincoln Mks.

Reported to NHTSA

Power steering assist failure and lockup

STEERING

20 NHTSA complaints · 2014-02 → 2026-05

“The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while reversing into a parking space, the power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was later restarted, and the traction control and power steering warning lights were illuminated”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11704251
“The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11556262
“I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70MPH AND THE POWER STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT. A MESSAGE POPPED UP ON THE DASH STATING "SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW". I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE INTERSTATE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10956498

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Brake pedal vibration and wheel lockup

SERVICE BRAKES

2 NHTSA complaints · 2013-02 → 2014-11

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LINCOLN MKS. WHILE DRIVING DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER AT 60 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE LOCKED WHENEVER THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10652437
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LINCOLN MKS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE VIBRATED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10496102

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Unintended vehicle surge at low speed

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2 NHTSA complaints · 2014-07 → 2017-10

“WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT GOING UNDER 5 MPH AND COMING TO A STOP, THE CAR SURGED FORWARD JUMPING THE SIDEWALK AND CRASHING INTO A CEMENT PATIO TABLE AND BENCH”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11039550
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LINCOLN MKS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP ON AN INCLINE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE SURGED UNEXPECTEDLY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10616372

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Exterior lighting visibility and adjustment

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

2 NHTSA complaints · 2012-06 → 2013-08

“NON CONNECTED DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS. I AVOIDED A TOTAL OF THREE HEAD ON COLLISIONS WITHIN THE PAST THREE WEEKS (THE MOST RECENT WAS 08/19/2013)”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10536290
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LINCOLN MKS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED, OTHER DRIVERS WERE COMPLAINING OF THE LIGHTS BEING EXTREMELY BRIGHT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10462061

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Trunk and door latch malfunction

STRUCTURE, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

2 NHTSA complaints · 2016-10 → 2024-01

“The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while attempting to secure items into the trunk of the vehicle, the rear trunk door suddenly came down and struck the contact on the head”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11567154
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LINCOLN MKS. WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AT 20 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPENED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPEN WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10920175

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine overheating and coolant loss

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

4 NHTSA complaints · 2015-09 → 2023-04

“The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the temperature gauge would rise from cool(C) to hot(H) and the vehicle started losing motive power”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11485845
“Engine/Coolant Reservoir, Yes you can inspect it. When driving, or stop at a traffic light or just parked, the car will just start smoking and getting hot, the temperature gauge would not show it was getting hot until after it started smoking”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11515682

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Air bag warning light and Takata recall status

AIR BAGS

2 NHTSA complaints · 2016-09 → 2021-09

“The contact owns a 2011 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that upon start of vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11433825
“TAKATA RECALL: I RECEIVED A NOTICE THAT MY CAR IS INVOLVED IN THE MASSIVE TAKATA RECALL A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AND HERE IT IS SEPTEMBER, AND I HAVEN'T BEEN CONTACTED TO GET THIS CORRECTED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10904290

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 13, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 13, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter (Oil-Life Monitor)

Every 10,000 mi

Change when the Oil-Life Monitor calls it — up to 10,000 miles or 12 months. EcoBoost engines (Aviator 3.0T): use the specified synthetic and don't stretch the monitor; turbos cook marginal oil.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 7,500 mi

Rotate every 7,500 miles. Heavy Navigators shift a lot of weight — even wear is a ride-quality item, not just a tire-budget item.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 10,000 mi

Inspect pads, rotors, and parking brake at every oil service. Town Car livery duty and Navigator towing both count as severe service for brakes.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Every 150,000 mi

Ford schedules the 10-speed (10R80) and 6-speed automatics at 150,000 miles normal duty — but 60,000 miles with towing or livery use, which describes many Lincolns. Mercon ULV / the specified Mercon type only.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Spark Plugs

Every 100,000 mi

V8 Navigator and Town Car: 100,000-mile plugs. EcoBoost V6 (Aviator, Nautilus 2.7T): commonly around 60,000 miles — check your year's guide; turbo engines run shorter plug lives.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace every 30,000 miles per Ford's schedule; sooner in dusty climates.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Rear Differential Fluid (RWD/4WD)

Every 60,000 mi

Navigator, Aviator RWD, and Town Car: replace rear axle fluid around 60,000 miles with towing or livery duty (150,000 normal per Ford). Limited-slip axles need the friction modifier.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$150–$195

Shop

~$105–$135

DIY

~$20–$50

Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.

Serpentine / Accessory Belt

Every 60,000 mi

Inspect from 60,000 miles; replace on cracking. The 5.4L Navigator's belt also drives the cooling fan clutch on some years — a failure overheats fast.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$195–$235

Shop

~$135–$165

DIY

~$20–$50

DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 20,000 mi

Replace every 20,000 miles where equipped. (2004-era Town Cars predate cabin filters; modern Lincolns locate it behind the glovebox.)

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Coolant Replacement

Every 100,000 mi

Motorcraft Orange (OAT) on modern models: first change around 10 years / 200,000 miles per Ford, though shops commonly refresh by 100,000. Older green-coolant V8s: every 5 years. Never mix chemistries.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Battery Test & Service

Every 25,000 mi

Test annually after year 3. Feature-heavy Lincolns (air suspension compressors, power everything) expose weak batteries as electrical gremlins first.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$225–$390

Shop

~$160–$280

DIY

~$130–$250

Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

3 crashes 2010–2024

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

3

complaints mentioning a crash

1

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2011 Lincoln Mks reflects Lincoln's published service intervals and the Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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