There are 16 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2012 Lincoln MKZin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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 2012 Lincoln MKZ. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he observed abnormal soft feedback from the brake pedal and that the brake pedal depressed to the floorboard before bringing the vehicle to a complete stop. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a possible brake fluid leak with the brake master cylinder or hydraulic control module. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 138,000.
I was driving and all of a sudden break light came on service break system came on all at one time I never had a problem with this never got a warning before hand , I couldn’t stop the car, break pedal literally on the floor, almost hit 2 cars trying to stop the vehicle, I have brand new break pads, break fluid was checked, had to get the car towed back home because its no longer drivable
Breaks suddenly stopped working. Lights on dash including ABS came on. Car would not stop until pedal pressed almost to floor. Almost as quickly it started working again and our mechanic can not reproduce it. There a number (17) of other complaints describing the problem with more drama. (See [XXX] for one) Incident happened three times, twice going forward and once backing up. Please recall this quickly before someone is killed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
There have been several occasions now where I go to brake and there is no brake! My foot goes all the way down to the floor. This can happen at a steady speak of 50 or at 10 miles an hour. It is very scary and very dangerous. I have had to use my emergency brake to stop the car. I have had my brakes changed and "bled" several times. I am concerned this is going to cause a catastrophic accident. In researching this issue, I have seen that this is a common issue with the Lincoln MKZ. In fact prior years have already had a recall. Please, remedy this issue.
MY WIFE AND SON LEFT THE HOUSE IN OUR MKZ AND 1/2 MILE DOWN THE ROAD THE MKZ SUDDENLY LOST BRAKING CAPABILITY. MY WIFE HAD TO STEER UPHILL IN ORDER TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. MULTIPLE LIGHTS ARE NOW DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD INCLUDING "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC", "BRAKE", "ABS", AND "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM". THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY ADVANCE WARNING OF AN ISSUE. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR 2011-2012 MKZ/FUSIONS. THERE IS AN ACTIVE RECALL FOR 2009 MKZ/FUSIONS FOR THIS ISSUE THAT MIRRORS THIS SCENARIO EXACTLY. THIS RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO COVER 2011 AND 2012 MODELS.
WHILE DRIVING, ALARMS DINGED AND LIGHTS POPPED UP IN MY INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WERE: BRAKE SYSTEM & PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM (OR BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING?), CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, ABS, ADVANCETRAC, ADVANCETRAC OFF, THROTTLE CONTROL/POWERTRAIN, CHECK ENGINE, AND PRESS RESET TO TURN OFF REAR PARKING ASSIST. PRESSING MY BRAKES REVEALED THAT THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE NOT ALL BARK AND NO BITE; THERE WAS IN FACT SOMETHING GOING ON. THE PEDAL WAS SOFT, TOO EASY TO DEPRESS AT FIRST. THEN IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS AND INEFFECTIVE. NOT STOPPING AT ALL UNTIL ALL THE WAY DOWN. THIS PREVIOUSLY HAPPENED ON 9/6/2020, BUT RESOLVED AFTER 2 DAYS. THIS CURRENT INCIDENT HAPPENED ON 10/2/2020 AND REMAINS ACTIVE 5 DAYS LATER. THE SERVICE STATION FOUND NO CAUSE PREVIOUSLY. THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER LEAVING MY HOME. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 20MPH ON A RAINY DAY. THE ALARMS SOUNDED AND LIGHTS CAME ON, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE FOR A STOP SIGN IS WHEN I DISCOVERED THE BRAKES NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE SECOND INCIDENT THAT IS CONTINUING BEGAN A BIT DIFFERENTLY. THE LIGHTS POPPED UP AND ALARM SOUNDED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON A SUNNY, DRY DAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND POWERTRAIN LIGHT BOTH CAME ON ABOUT 2 DAYS LATER. THEY CAME ON WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LINCOLN MKZ. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE SERVICE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SCHUMACHER LINCOLN OF DELRAY (2102 S FEDERAL HWY, DELRAY BEACH, FL 33483 561-454-1800) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,449.
THE WARNING LIGHTS FOR TRACTION CONTROL MALFUNCTION, ABS MALFUNCTION AND BRAKE MALFUNCTION SIMULTANEOUSLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH, ALONG WITH WARNING CHIMES, AND THE BRAKES STOPPED FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WITH BRAKE PEDAL APPLICATION (PEDAL WAS SOFT, FAR TOO EASY TO DEPRESS, BUT INEFFECTIVE). CAR WAS STEERED INTO A RESIDENTIAL LAWN AND EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE APPLIED TO AVOID A COLLISION. *TR
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.
DRIVING ON A LOCAL MAJOR ROAD THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK, BRAKES WENT LOW AND CAR WOULD NOT STOP. PUMPING DID NOT HELP. WENT THROUGH 2 LIGHTS. NO ACCIDENT. TOOK CAR TO SERVICE STATION, THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. CAR WORKS FINE NOW BUT I'M WORRIED ABOUT IT HAPPENING AGAIN.
THE ABS MODULE IN MY CAR FAILED ON 11/20/19. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 53,500 MILES AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. THE CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED AT THE DEALER FIVE DAYS PRIOR ON 11/15/19 INCLUDING A MULTI POINT SYSTEM INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT OF THE RECALLED AIR BAGS . NO "WARNING" OR INDICATOR OF A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS SYSTEM WAS IDENTIFIED. WHEN THE ABS MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON I HAD JUST TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AND WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND SO PROCEEDED VERY SLOWLY DOWN MY STREET (WHICH HAS A DOWNGRADE) ONLY TO REALIZE I HAD LOST BRAKING POWER AND HAD TO USE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE TO FIRMLY / COMPLETELY STOP. I WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO WARNING IN AN ABS MODULE FAILURE AND SO COULD NOT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FIVE DAYS PRIOR. THE DEALER SERVICE ADVISOR INDICATED HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR IN THE SERVICE BAY WHEN PULLING IT FORWARD AT A LOW SPEED ON A FLAT SERVICE. HAD I BEEN TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED OR IN TRAFFIC I AM CONCERNED THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY OR FATALITY.
TWO WEEKS AGO I GOT IN MY CAR AND DROVE DOWN TO THE INTERSECTION AT THE END OF MY STREET. WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL, NOTHING HAPPENED OTHER THAN THE SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF THREE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS ABOUT BRAKE FAILURE. THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND CONTINUED INTO THE INTERSECTION. BEFORE CALAMITY STRUCK, I MANAGED TO PULL UP THE PARKING BRAKE AND TURN THE CAR INTO THE CURB, STOPPING IT.
BRAKE LIGHT LED ASSEMBLY HAS 2 OF 3 ROWS NOT FUNCTIONING; FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY ON 2010 & '11 MODEL YEAR, BUT NOT 2012 FOR THIS FAILURE. SEEMS A DEFECT FAILURE FORD HAS ADMITTED ON EARLIER MODEL YEARS, BUT DOES NOT WANT TO ADMIT IT ALSO HAPPENS ON THIS MODEL YEAR. GUESS THEY ARE USING LEFT OVER PARTS'. LOTS OF PICTURES OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE WEB / INTERNET. PASSENGER / RIGHT SIDE BRAKE LIGHTS.
WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS, BRAKE PEDAL SINKS TO THE FLOOR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP FOR LIGHTS, TRAFFIC, STOP SIGNS. STOPPING DISTANCE IS LONGER THAN EXPECTED UNTIL BRAKES FINALLY ENGAGE. ON HIGHWAY (50+ MPH), PEDAL SINKS FOR NORMAL STOPS, AND FOR EMERGENCY STOPS, IF YOU STOMP THE BRAKES THE PEDAL SINKS AND IT SEEMS THAT THE ABS DOES NOT ENGAGE, BECAUSE THERE IS NO NOISE OR VIBRATION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 LINCOLN MKZ. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND WENT INTO LIMP MODE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A TURN AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000. TYHE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE IDLES ROUGH AT STAND STILL. IT SURGES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM AN ALMOST BRAKING STOP WHILE DRIVING. THE GARAGE DOOR HOME LING FAILS AT TIMES. BRAKE PEDAL MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN RELEASED. HEADLINES SAGS IN THE FRONT OF REAR WINDOW. UPDATED 06/17/2013 *JS
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026