2012 Lincoln MKZ — Should You Buy One?

Sixty-eight of 146 complaints, and nearly all of them tell the same story: recall notice in hand, parts unavailable, months or years of waiting. Three campaigns matter. 17V024 covers 2012 MKZs sold or ever registered in the hot, humid states — Florida, Texas, California, Hawaii, the Gulf states and the territories — for a passenger inflator that can rupture and throw metal; Ford told those owners not to drive until it was fixed. 21V158 covers the driver inflator on every 2006–2012 MKZ nationwide, with letters in 2021. 18V775 then recalled the replacement passenger modules fitted under 17V024 and the earlier campaigns for a bracket that could let the bag inflate wrong, and 21E013 covers Takata parts that may have gone in during a collision repair. A car that moved from Arizona to Ohio still carries the state-based campaign, so run the VIN, not the plate. One owner also reports the passenger-airbag-off light whenever someone sits in that seat — an occupant sensor fault outside any recall. Four of these complaints were crashes with no deployment.

Repair cost: $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $300–$900 for a passenger seat occupant sensor

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under airbags (68); 6 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.

Twenty steering complaints and five crashes, which is a high ratio for any cluster. Owners describe a 'Power Steering Assist Fault' message, the traction control light at the same moment, and a wheel that suddenly takes both arms — at under 5 mph into a garage door, on a left turn, on the highway. Recall 15V340 covers the 2012 MKZ Hybrid, whose 2.5L uses electric assist: dealers read the power steering control module for stored codes and replace the gear or reflash it if a loss of assist has been logged. The V6 car uses a hydraulic pump, so it sits outside the recall and its failures look different — a whine, a low reservoir, heavy steering at idle. One owner here was told the recall did not cover their VIN; another was quoted $1,800 for the module and gear after rolling into their garage. Check the VIN, then test it yourself: full lock each way at walking pace, then a lane change at 35 mph, feeling for assist that drops or comes back with a jolt.

Repair cost: $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $1,200–$2,200 for a steering gear or control module outside it — about 28% of what this car is typically worth

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under steering (20); 6 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.

Twenty brake complaints, two crashes, and they read alike: no warning, then the pedal goes soft or to the floor, the ABS, brake, service AdvanceTrac and check-brake-system lights all come on, and the car rolls through a stop sign or two red lights before it stops. Then it works again and the shop finds nothing. Ford recalled the 2006–2010 MKZ for valves inside the ABS hydraulic unit that stick after reacting with certain brake-fluid additives; the 2012 is outside that campaign, so this year has the 2010's symptom with no free fix, and the dealer quote here was a new ABS unit out of pocket. On the Hybrid the brake-by-wire actuator is the pricier suspect. Before you drive: press the pedal hard at idle and hold it for thirty seconds — it must not sink. Ask when the fluid was last flushed, and with what.

Repair cost (estimate): $600–$1,400 for an ABS hydraulic unit; $1,500–$2,500 for a Hybrid brake actuator — about 32% of what this car is typically worth

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the brakes (20).