MotorDeets

2009 Lincoln Mkz: Recalls, Problems & MPG

Here are the deets on the 2009 Lincoln Mkz: 6 recalls, 114 owner complaints and up to 21 mpg combined.

6vehicle recalls
114owner complaints
8mention a crash
21best combined mpg
2009 Lincoln Mkz
Photo: IFCAR · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons. Representative photo of this generation; trim may differ.

Recalls

6 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer, plus 1 equipment/tire recall that can apply. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.

Airbags Vehicle recall #16V384000 · 2016 · 1,892,343 vehicles

What's wrong: S. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, Ford is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Ford ranger, edge and Lincoln mkx vehicles, 2006-2008 Ford fusion, Mercury milan and Lincoln zephyr/mkz vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford gt vehicles and 2005-2008 Ford mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana,…

Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Ford mailed interim letters informing owners that parts are not yet available on July 15, 2016. Owners will…

Airbags Vehicle recall #17V024000 · 2017 · 654,695 vehicles

What's wrong: S. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, Ford is recalling certain 2009 Ford ranger, edge, fusion and mustang, Lincoln mkx, mkz and zephyr and Mercury milan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new mexico, north carolina, ohio,…

Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners of the recall and that parts are not yet available began mailing March 1,…

Airbags Vehicle recall #18V046000 · 2018 · 327,796 vehicles

What's wrong: S. Virgin islands or "zone a." additionally, Ford is recalling certain 2010 Ford edge, fusion, mustang and ranger, Lincoln mkx and zephyr/mkz, and Mercury milan vehicles ever registered in the states of arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new mexico, north carolina, ohio, oklahoma, pennsylvania, tennessee, virginia,…

Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge.

Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #19V904000 · 2019 · 600,166 vehicles

What's wrong: 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.

Why it matters: If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel May be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: 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…

Airbags, Airbags Vehicle recall #21V081000 · 2021 · 1,067 vehicles

What's wrong: These vehicles May be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as a replacement service part, that May explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Why it matters: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021.

Airbags Vehicle recall #21V158000 · 2021 · 2,602,668 vehicles

What's wrong: The driver's side air bag inflator May explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the passenger side, and November 14, 2022 for the driver side.

1 aftermarket equipment / tire recall replacement parts sold to fit this car, not the car itself
Equipment Equipment recall #14E028000 · 2014 · 82,579 vehicles

What's wrong: The affected floor mats May move and possibly interfere with the accelerator pedal.

Why it matters: The floor mat could shift such that it could interfere with the accelerator pedal, preventing its return to an idle position, which could result in unintended vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install new replacement mats, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014.

Most-reported problems

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 0 mention a fire, 7 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.

Airbags66
Brakes18
Brakes (hydraulic)7
Transmission & drivetrain5
Other / unknown5
Wheels5
Speed control / throttle4
Engine4

What owners describe

The 2009 Lincoln Mkz has 114 owner complaints, ranking #7 of 15 Mkz model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 111). Complaints peaked in 2017 (39 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 8 years old, at a median of 68,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2008 (281 complaints, 4 recalls), 2010 (169 complaints, 7 recalls).

Engines & fuel economy (EPA)

EngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyComb.Fuel
3.5 L 6-cylAutomatic 6-spdFront-Wheel Drive182821Regular
3.5 L 6-cylAutomatic 6-spd4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive172419Regular

Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.

Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2009 Lincoln Mkz.

eManualOnline Download (PDF), keep forever

Closest thing to the factory manual for most years. Pay once, keep it.

Most $25–$78, one-time
Check 2009 Lincoln Mkz manual
Mitchell 1 DIY Online access, factory-level data

Pro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.

From $19.99/mo · $39.99/yr
Check 2009 Lincoln Mkz manual
ALLDATAdiy Online access, factory OEM info

OEM procedures, specs and recall/TSB info, the same source many shops use.

From $19.99/mo · $59.99/yr
Check 2009 Lincoln Mkz manual
Haynes Print book or AllAccess online

Step-by-step photos written from a real teardown. Great for first-timers.

Books ~$30–$40 · AllAccess $34.99/mo
Check 2009 Lincoln Mkz manual

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FAQ

Does the 2009 Lincoln Mkz have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 6 vehicle recalls for the 2009 Lincoln Mkz, plus 1 equipment or tire recalls that can apply. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common 2009 Lincoln Mkz problems?

Owners have filed 114 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (66), brakes (18), brakes (hydraulic) (7).

What gas mileage does the 2009 Lincoln Mkz get?

EPA ratings run up to 21 mpg combined (3.5 L, Automatic 6-spd), across 2 engine and transmission combos.

Where can I get a 2009 Lincoln Mkz repair manual?

eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.

Other Mkz years

200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020