2018 Lincoln MKZ: engine overheating

Filed Oct 22, 2026 · Engine · WV

Around end of May or beginning of June 2026 a check engine light came on in our 2018 MKZ. The code showed cylinder 3 misfire. We called our local Ford dealership for diagnosis. We almost didn't get there as it started to overheat on the way. Once at Ford they diagnosed it with coolant intrusion in cylinder 3. They said this was a known issue and needed a new block. $11,500 for replacement. They said driving it could cause catastrophic problems to the vehicle and possibly the passengers in it. The vehicle had 65,873 miles on it at time and once home it has stayed in the garage since. They said warranty was over and to call Lincoln for assistance programs as it was a known safety defect. I did call and Lincoln denied any help with repairs.

Filed Sep 25, 2026 · Engine · MA

Head gasket and long block. I was at risk along with the public. I was driving on [XXX] when the car suddenly started to overheat and would not accelerate anymore. The problem was diagnosed today the coolant is leaking into cylinder 3. The check engine light came on and gave me p303 for a code. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 23, 2026 · MA

I recently have been losing antifreeze, The car stared to overheat, the P303 engine code came on. The car hasn't been inspected yet but my mechanic said it's a sign of a long or short block issue. I've been looking the problem up. It seems to be a problem with many of these cars, a known issue with the card from 2017-2020.

Filed Aug 14, 2026 · Engine · 80,000 miles · PA

The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-35 MPH, the engine overheated. The contact pulled over and became aware that the coolant reservoir was empty. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that there was coolant leaking into the cylinder, which caused engine failure. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the engine was replaced. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Filed Jul 6, 2026 · Engine · FL

The engine light came on. The car suddenly wouldn’t go past 35 mph . Thankfully I was on a local road. I had it towed to the dealer and was told that the engine needed to be replaced because coolant leaked into the engine. There were no warning lights except the day of . The car did not give any indication of a leak. Nor was it running hot. Everything was functioning fine.

Filed Nov 26, 2025 · Engine · TX

Check engine light came on. Error code 0302 and 0316 on ODB at dealer. Was advised that engine needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion into cylinder 2 which cause the vehicle to overheat. Engine has 3200 miles on it. Safety hazard due to engine seizing at high speed and causing an accident due to loss of power. Also possible engine fire due to loss of coolant/overheating.

Filed May 30, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · PA

My 2018 Lincoln MKZ with the 2.0 Ecoboost Engine incurred premature engine failure at ONLY 40k miles. My safety as well as other drivers' safety at risk due to EcoBoost Engine in certain model year 2013-2019 Ford and Lincoln vehicles have an inherent design defect which makes them predisposed to leak coolant, including allowing the coolant to seep into the engine cylinder, which causes overheating and cylinder head cracking, and can cause the engine to misfire, suddenly stall, or even catch fire while driving. In April the car began to "shake" at start up. The shaking was intermittent. After a few days of this, the check engine light came on. I took it to the mechanic (T&H) to have it looked at. They said the "shaking" is the car misfiring at start up. They were not able to locate any leaks or identify the cause of the misfire. They code on the check engine light was Code P0301-Cylinder #1. During April and May the misfires have continued and got worse. I was going back and forth to T&H trying to diagnose the issue. On May 12th, while taking the kids to school, I went to pull out into traffic and the car would not accelerate. The dashboard lights said the engine was overheating. The car would not go above 10mph. Luckily my mechanic is down the street. They were concerned about excessive use of coolant and not seeing a leak anywhere. They filled the coolant, and I made a follow up appt in one week to do a borescope inspection. On May 19th, T&H did a Borescope inspection and visually confirmed coolant in cylinder #1. They provided me a copy of a TSB 22-2229 that states the engine block needs to be replaced. The cost of the engine block replacement was estimated at $8k. Engine failure at 40k miles is unacceptable. An engine block replacement due to a manufacturing/design flaw should be covered by Lincoln Motor Co as a goodwill repair regardless of warranty status.

Filed Feb 4, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · FL

I own a 2018 Lincoln MKZ. The vehicle Engine overheating warnings came up, and I took the car to the dealership. They informed that the Lincoln MKZ vehicle had a frequent problem with coolant leaking into the engine due to faulty power train assembly. The dealer has seen and repaired hundreds of vehicles with this problem. Lincoln company denies responsibility for this manufacturing defect. The vehicle is only 7 years 3 months and 30 days old with 67914 miles used by single owner. A reputed company like Lincoln should be held responsible for manufacturing and marketing vehicles where the power train and engine fails on a fairly new vehicle.