The contact owns a 2009 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while parked in a semi-truck parking lot, another driver was reversing where she was blocking, and the contact then attempted to avoid the collision and drive forward. The accelerator pedal was depressed however, the vehicle accelerated excessively, and the brake pedal was then depressed but failed to respond. Upon a second attempt, the brake pedal went to the floorboard, accompanied by an abnormal vibration. Consequently, the vehicle crashed into a tree. No warning lights were illuminated prior to the incident. The driver mentioned a previous incident where the vehicle reversed into a gate. The contact referenced the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The brakes had been checked previously and were reportedly functioning properly. During the crash, the air bags deployed, and the driver sustained a head injury but did not seek medical attention. No fire or police report was filed as the incident occurred on private property. The local dealer was contacted and mentioned an extended warranty. The dealer suggested towing the vehicle, but it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted multiple times, including their legal department, but no response was received. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Lincoln MKZ brake failure problems
48 of the 1,672 owner complaints about the Lincoln MKZ describe brake failure, most of them for the 2008 model year.
- owner complaints
- 48
- worst model year
- 2008
- typical repair cost reported
- $2,154
- typical mileage
- 98,000
By model year
Often reported together
ABS 15Spongy pedal 4Tire blowout 1Stalling 1Headlights 1No deployment 1
What owners say
While driving a complete loss of brake incident occurred. The brake pedal got still, and the car would not stop. Luckily, we were close to home and was able to slow down enough to turn around and get home slowly. Upon investigation it was found the coupler (Part that connects camshaft to brake pump) failed causing the brake pump to not work. This situation is extremely dangerous as we had no prior warning to failure. Even the complete loss of brakes did not have any indicator lights during the incident. Considering the operation of the coupler, how could something so small and so important be weak enough to snap internally, causing a complete loss of brakes with no warning.
I was driving home in rush hour traffic at approximately 50 mph. I tried to brake but the pedal went to the floor and I had no brakes at all. Turns out this was a recall issue for the same issue for the previous four years MKZs. Replacing the fluid did not fix the problem and the 2,000 dollars charged for just the module that controls this is disgraceful. That doesn't include the other thousand for a mechanic to install the part. I managed to avoid hitting anyone, but not by much. This is extremely dangerous and should be addressed
My brakes stopped working with no warning while driving. All of the brake related lights came on and the pedal went to the floor and I was unable to stop the car. This is a safety issue for the driver and everyone else because there seems to be no warning that the brakes will stop working. I brought the vehicle into a repair shop and they could not find anything wrong with the brakes, however there are multiple reports on this website of the very same issue that I dealt with. When attempting to report this to the ford/lincoln manufacturing, they stated that their system was down and they had no way of taking a report. This is very dangerous and needs to be addressed.
The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln MKZ. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at approximately 20 - 25 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The brakes failed to stop the vehicle immediately. The vehicle coasted to the curb of the contact's mother's residence. At the mother's residence, an independent mechanic diagnosed that there was brake fluid underneath the vehicle, and the rear passenger's side brake hose was replaced. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment for the recall repair to be performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 99,200.
I tried to start my car this morning. It would not start. There was a loud popping noise, the headlights started flashing and a red box popped up on the control panel with the words brake failure. It was fine yesterday. There is a recall on the brake hoses. I called the dealership I bought the car from, Oxmoor Ford, Louisville, Ky and they said they don’t service Lincoln products anymore and referred me to Bill Collins Ford. I called them this morning and they haven’t called me back. I do have AAA, so I can have the car towed to the dealership. I need my car, what do I do?
I had gotten off the highway to pick up a package. When I started to pull out of the driveway my brake pedal went all the way to the floor. Thankfully I was only going a couple miles an hour and there was enough braking that I was able to stop. I had gotten the recall notice a week prior and the letter said that there would be additional notification when parts were available. I was incredibly lucky!!
Brake failure. Brake line leaks. ABS not working. Never notified of recall until search was conducted. We want this fixed.
While driving, my brakes failed. I was at a low rate of speed and was able to stop if pressing pedal all the way to floor. There was no warning prior to incident. When i was able to put car in park i got a brake fluid low warning. After inspection, brake line burst and brake fluid was visible on front passenger wheel and car.
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle however, the brake pedal went to the floorboard and the vehicle failed to stop within a reasonable distance. The contact allowed the vehicle to independently slow down before pulling over to the side of the roadway and activating the parking brake. The vehicle was turned off and then towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was a hole in the brake line. The brake line was replaced, and brake fluid was added to the reservoir. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 43,000.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
- Risk
- A brake fluid leak will increase brake pedal travel and extend the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the front brake hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S12.
Recall number 23V162000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Fusion, Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 Mustang vehicles originally sold or ever registered, in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Hawaii. Exposure to certain environmental conditions, such as high temperatures, high humidity, and salt air can cause the brake pedal bumper to corrode and separate from the brake pedal.
- Risk
- A separated brake pedal bumper can cause the brake lights to illuminate continuously, causing confusion to other drivers and increasing the risk of a crash. On automatic transmission vehicles, a missing brake pedal bumper can allow the driver to shift the vehicle out of the "PARK" position without depressing the brake, allowing the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the brake pedal bumpers and clutch pedal bumpers, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on March 4, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 13, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S02.
Recall number 22V011000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to not close properly.
- Risk
- If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid and install a new brake fluid reservoir cap. In addition, the HCU will be tested to detect a possible stuck valve condition, replacing the HCU as necessary. All services will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S54.
Recall number 19V904000 · Recall details
Questions about the Lincoln MKZ brake failure
Which Lincoln MKZ years have brake failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2008 (10 complaints), 2012 (8 complaints) and 2009 (7 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix brake failure on the Lincoln MKZ?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $2,154 (median of 6 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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