Engine
3.5L 6-cyl
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.
Fault profile
Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.
When it fails
The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.
Vehicle age when the failure occurred
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 146 of 146 complaints with a usable failure date.
Odometer when the failure occurred
Owner-reported mileage at failure, in 20,000-mile bands. Based on 71 of 146 complaints reporting a plausible odometer (500 to 500,000 miles; unverified).
Known issues
The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.
Air bags
68 complaint records4 crash reports
"TAKATA INFLACTORS RECALL OF JAN. 2017 PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATOR REPLACEMENT STILL NOT AVAILABLE. "TAKATA RECALL"..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse air bags parts in the directory →
Steering
20 complaint records5 crash reports
"Power steering control module stop working. Ford is aware of this issue and refusing to classify it as a recall. Vehicle inoperable at 83k miles...."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse steering parts in the directory →
Brakes
20 complaint records2 crash reports
"THE BRAKE SERVICE LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY AS WELL AS THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC MESSAGE ACROSS THE DASHBOARD AND THE BRAKES DON'T FUNCTION PROPERLY AT THIS TIME PREVENTING THE VEHICLE FROM STOPPING WHILE DRIVING...."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse brakes parts in the directory →
Federal defect investigations
Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.
| Investigation | Status | Component | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| EA21002 opened Sep 2021 | OPEN | Air Bags | Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. |
| PE14030 opened Oct 2014 | closed Sep 2015 | Steering | Electric power steering failure - led to recall 15V340000 The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a preliminary evaluation to investigate complaints of the loss of power steering while driving. |
Recall campaigns
Safety-recall remedies are normally provided at no charge. Under US federal law the mandatory free remedy applies when the vehicle was no more than 15 years old at the time the defect was determined; manufacturers often cover older vehicles voluntarily. Canadian rules differ. Confirm eligibility with the manufacturer using the VIN. Each campaign number links to the federal record.
| Campaign | Component | Summary | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V001000DO NOT DRIVE | Air Bags | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto... | Normally free |
| 17V024000DO NOT DRIVE | Air Bags | 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,... | Normally free |
| 21V158000 | Air Bags | 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. | Normally free |
| 18V775000 | Air Bags | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ vehicles that previously received a replacement passenger air bag under recall 16V-384, 17V-024 or 18V-046. | Normally free |
| 15V340000 | Steering | 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,... | Normally free |
Transport Canada recalls
Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021029 2021-01-27 | Airbag | 274,737 | Issue: On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, may eventually degrade the propellant contained in the driver-front airbag. |
| 2019005 2019-01-08 | Airbag | 300,898 | Issue: On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, may eventually degrade the propellant contained in the passenger-front airbag. |
| 2015224 2015-05-27 | Steering | 25,195 | On certain vehicles, a fault in the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system could result in an immediate loss of power steering assist without warning to the driver. |
Service bulletins and warranty extensions
Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 54601 Feb 2026 | Electrical System | Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. | |
| SSM 53040 Oct 2024 | Unknown Or Other | While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. | |
| SSM 52476 Apr 2024 | Equipment | All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during initial delivery. | |
| SSM 52243 Feb 2024 | Engine And Engine Cooling | When performing any transmission fluid change or topoff involving Motorcraft® Premium ATF, MERCON® V has replaced all versions of Motorcraft® Premium ATF and can be used going forward. Mixing Motorcraft® Premium ATF and MERCON® V in the same transmission is acceptable. | |
| 22B05 S1 Jul 2023 | Air Bags | Certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2005-2006 GT, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion and MKZ/Zephyr, 2006-2011 Milan, and 2007-2010 Edge & MKX Vehicles Driver & Passenger Airbag Module Quality Control Inspection REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT ⢠Updated Ranger Technical Information to... |
Show 31 more bulletins
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSM 51666 May 2023 | Steering | Some 2010-2012 Fusion/Milan and 2011-2012 MKZ vehicles equipped with a 2.5L or 3.0L engine and electronic power assist steering (EPAS), a remanufactured replacement steering gear (MU2Z-3V504-ARM) is available which is significantly less expensive than a new replacement gear. | |
| TSB 23-2098 Apr 2023 | Power Train | Some 2010-2012 Fusion hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), 2010-2011 Milan HEV and 2011-2012 MKZ HEV vehicles may experience reduced electric vehicle operation and increased gasoline engine operation around 10 years of vehicle age and beyond. | |
| 22B05 Mar 2022 | Air Bags | Certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2005-2006 GT, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion & MKZ/Zephyr, 2006-2011 Milan, and 2007-2010 Edge & MKX Vehicles Driver & Passenger Airbag Module Quality Control Inspection: Ford Motor Company has determined that some vehicles claimed by dealers as... | |
| SSM 48123 Aug 2019 | Electrical System | For Ford and Lincoln vehicles that require positive or negative battery terminal replacement, it is not necessary to replace the complete battery cable harness (14300 and 14301) for this concern. | |
| SSM 47976 May 2019 | Power Train | On vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission it is imperative that the converter pilot hub be greased with Motorcraft Multi-Purpose Grease Spray XL-5-A even if grease was not applied from the factory. | |
| SSM 47201 Mar 2018 | Equipment | Replacing the original equipment SYNC/Navigation system with either an aftermarket SYNC/Navigation kit or modifying original SYNC/Navigation parts to provide additional features is not recommended nor supported on any Ford, Mercury or Lincoln vehicle. | |
| SSM 47080 Feb 2018 | Equipment | 2010-2018 various vehicles equipped with SYNC or SYNC 3 may not function when attempting to find or use the Spotify app via AppLink. As of an update released on 1/15/2018 Spotify will no longer be supporting their AppLink integration. | |
| SSM 47009 Jan 2018 | Equipment | The Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can only be used with vehicles that are factory built with Remote Keyless Entry (RKE). | |
| SSM 46412 Feb 2017 | Power Train | SOME 2007-2016 EDGE/MKX/FLEX/MKT/MKZ/MKS/TAURUS/TAURUS POLICE/EXPLORER/EXPLORER POLICE EQUIPPED WITH ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) AND BUILT ON OR BEFORE 30-JUN-2016 MAY EXHIBIT A TICKING AND/OR KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVELINE AREA. | |
| SSM 46332 Jan 2017 | Equipment | REPLACING THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SYNC/NAVIGATION SYSTEM WITH EITHER AN AFTERMARKET SYNC/NAVIGATION KIT OR MODIFYING ORIGINAL SYNC/NAVIGATION PARTS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FEATURES IS NOT RECOMMENDED NOR SUPPORTED ON ANY FORD, MERCURY OR LINCOLN VEHICLE. | |
| SSM 46295 Jan 2017 | Engine | TO HELP DIFFERENTIATE ENGINE OIL LEAKS FROM OTHER POSSIBLE SOURCES, A NEW WHITE-COLORED FLUORESCENT ENGINE OIL DYE IS AVAILABLE. WORKSHOP MANUAL (WSM), SECTION 303-00 HAS BEEN REVISED TO REFERENCE THE NEW WHITE-COLORED DYE. | |
| SSM 46210 Nov 2016 | Steering | SOME 2010-2016 EPAS EQUIPPED VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT STEERING RELATED NOISES. THE WORKSHOP MANUAL (WSM) DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN UPDATED IN SECTION 211-02. WHEN DIAGNOSING AND REPAIRING EPAS STEERING NOISES USE THE UPDATED PROCEDURES. | |
| SSM 46132 Oct 2016 | Service Brakes | SOME 2008-2017 FORD/MERCURY/LINCOLN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SYNC MAY GENERATE A VHR THAT IDENTIFIES A CONCERN WITH THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION CATEGORY INDICATING SERVICE IS REQUIRED DUE TO A BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LAMP BEING ILLUMINATED. | |
| TSB 16-0143 Oct 2016 | Equipment | SOME 2010-2012 FUSION HYBRID, MILAN HYBRID AND MKZ HYBRID VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN ILLUMINATED MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) P0030 AND/OR P0130. FOLLOW THE SERVICE PROCEDURE STEPS TO CORRECT THE CONDITION. | |
| SSM 46102 Sep 2016 | Seat Belts | Some vehicles may have a concern where the safety belt retractor webbing does not extract from the stowed position or exhibits excessive pressure on the occupant during use. This may be due to a normal condition which happens when the seatbelt retracts at a high rate of speed. | |
| SSM 46085 Sep 2016 | Engine And Engine Cooling | The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. | |
| 16-0066 Apr 2016 | Electrical System | Some 2012-2016 vehicles equipped with a touchscreen navigation system and the language set to Arabic may exhibit a blank screen. | |
| TSB160066 Apr 2016 | Equipment | Touchscreen navigation system - arabic language - blank screen | |
| 44863 Jul 2015 | Visibility | FORD: NO SERVICE ACTION IS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS CONDITION. PLEASE USE AT YOUR DISCRETION. VARIOUS 2010-2015 VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A TURBULENCE NOISE, SIMILAR TO AN HELICOPTER NOISE, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THE REAR DOOR WINDOW(S) OR SUNROOF ARE OPEN. *TA | |
| ASI-45147 May 2015 | Electrical System | LINCOLN/FORD: SOME VEHICLES WILL EXPERIENCE, IN HOT EXTREME AMBIENT TEMPERATURES, A STOP SAFELY NOW OR A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED IN PRESENT OF BATTERY ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BECM) DTC P0A7E AND BECM NEEDS REPLACED, AND REPROGRAM. | |
| CSP-14N02 Aug 2014 | Power Train | FORD/LINCOLN: THERE IS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE LOSS OF ABS SPEED SIGNAL RELATED COMMUNICATION THAT DISABLE OBDII SYSTEM MONITORS FOR PCM REPROGRAMMING. MODEL 2011-14 F-SUPER DUTY, ESCAPE, TAURUS, FUSION, MKT, MKZ. *PE | |
| ASI-44658 Jul 2014 | Electrical System | LINCOLN/FORD: AFTER A COLD START, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS EMITTING, INTERMITTENTLY, CHIMES INSTEAD OF AUDIO SYSTEM WHICH AFFECTS DOOR AJAR, PARKING BRAKE OR PARKING AID AND AUDIO CONTROL MODULE (ACM) NEEDS REPROGRAMMING TO LATEST SOFTWARE VERSION. MODEL 2013-14 FUSION, MKZ. *PE | |
| CSP-13B16 May 2014 | Electrical System | LINCOLN/FORD: IN POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM), THAT ALLOWS ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) AND OUTPUT SHAFT SPEED SENSOR (OSS) SIGNAL FAULTS, A SOFTWARE ERROR HAS OCCUR AND DISABLED ON BOARD DIAGNOSTIC (OBD) MONITORS WITH NO ILLUMINATION OF MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL). | |
| TSB-14-0088 Apr 2014 | Equipment | LINCOLN/FORD: THE ROOF PANEL OPENING HAS A HEADLINER THAT IS SAGGING. MODEL 2012-2014 EDGE, MKX. *PE | |
| TSB-13-6-23 Jun 2013 | Electrical System | FORD/LINCOLN: WHEN VEHICLE IS LEFT UNATTENDED FOR HOURS IN COLD WEATHER TEMPERATURES, ON SOME VEHICLES, BATTERY FAILS TO MAINTAIN A CHARGE OR BECOMES DISCHARGED WHEN OPERATED AT MAXIMUM ELECTRICAL LOADS FOR SHORT CYCLE DRIVE. MODELS 2013 C-MAX, FUSION, MKZ. *PE | |
| TSB-13-6-17 Jun 2013 | Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | FORD:LINCOLN: ON SOME VEHICLES, THERE ARE VARIOUS RELATED CONCERNS ABOUT THE SYNC FEATURES, SUCH AS SYNC FEATURES INOPERATIVE, LACK OF OR SLOW RESPONSE TO PHONE AND VOICE BUTTON OPERATION. | |
| ASI-22285 Mar 2012 | Engine | FORD/MERCURY/LINCOLN: SOME VEHICLES EXHIBIT A COLD WEATHER PHENOMENON WHERE FLUID HAS EXPELLED OUT OF VENT ON REAR DRIVE UNITS (RDU) AND FLUID, ON OCCASION, WOULD BURP OUT. *PE | |
| 12-2-18 Feb 2012 | Power Train | FORD: AWF21 AISIN 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION BUILT ON OR BETWEEN 8/22/2011 AND 12/05/2011 -UNIQUE TCM PART- SERVICE INFORMATION. *JS | |
| ASI-22173 Jan 2012 | Engine And Engine Cooling | FORD: THE VARIABLE CAMSHAFT TIMING VCT) SOLENOID MOVEMENT MAY BE TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED DUE TO DEBRIS IN ENGINE OIL THAT IS CAUSING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS). *PE | |
| TSB-11-11-10 Nov 2011 | Exterior Lighting | MERCURY/LINCOLN/FORD: THE RED BRAKE LAMP WILL ILLUMINATE WITH NO CHANGE IN BRAKE PEDAL FEEL. *PE | |
| TSB-11-11-3 Nov 2011 | Electrical System | LINCOLN/FORD: STEERING SYSTEM SENSES, HALF FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS/REARWARD IS EXPERIENCING A HIGHER FRICTION CONDITION AND CAUSING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STABILITY/TRACTION TO ILLUMINATE. MODEL 2011-2012 FUSION, MKZ. *PE |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- Watch the airbag warning light through a full key cycle.It should light on start and go out within seconds. A light that stays on, or never lights at all, means the system needs attention. Run the VIN for inflator recalls specifically.
- Drive one straight highway stretch and one slow parking lot.Wander or a shimmy over bumps at speed, and heavy or dropped assist at low speed, are the two faces of this vehicle's steering cluster. A clunk on turn-in points at the linkage.
- Brake hard once from speed on an empty road.A pull to one side, a pulsing pedal, a pedal that sinks at a stop, or an ABS light that stays lit are the brake complaints on this vehicle presenting themselves.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 5 recall campaigns on file. An open recall needs VIN-specific confirmation. Many are quick, no-charge fixes and worth negotiating over; an unresolved do-not-drive advisory, or a remedy the manufacturer has not yet made available, should stop the purchase until it is resolved.
- Do not drive it home until the do-not-drive recall is confirmed repaired.At least one campaign on this vehicle carries a federal do-not-drive advisory. Confirm the repair with the dealer, by VIN, before taking delivery.
- Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.
Parts search directory
The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.
Open the parts directory for this Lincoln MKZ →