Most common 2009 Lincoln MKZ problems
Share of the 114 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lincoln MKZ complaints by model year
Best MKZ years: 2006, 2019, 2007. Years to avoid: 2010, 2017, 2012, 2011. Compare all years →
2009 Lincoln MKZ recalls (6)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles.
Remedy: 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.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
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.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid and install a new brake fluid reservoir cap.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S.
Remedy: 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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the…
Remedy: 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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California,…
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2009 Lincoln MKZ:
Accel Pedal Interference - Acc Floormat
Unsecured mats may interfere with accelerator pedal return to idle. A heel blocker in the floor pan provides a platform that may lift an unsecured mat into contact with the pedal. Ford introduced new pedals as a running change early in model year (MY) 2010 vehicles. Analysis of complaints received by ODI and Ford show elevated rates of pedal entrapment incidents in MY 2008 through early 2010 production vehicles.
Extended Braking Distance
On April 18, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA) 18-002 to investigate reports of braking concerns in model year (MY) 2006-12 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, and MY 2006-11 Mercury Milan vehicles manufactured with Continental Automotive System?s ABS hydraulic control units (HCUs).
Floor mat interference with accelerator
On May 27, 2014, Ford Motor Company submitted recall 14E-028 (Ford recall #14S07) to correct a safety-related problem with certain driver's side Ford optional all-weather floor mats sold for use in model year 2006 through 2011 model year Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr, and Lincoln MKZ vehicles built at Hermosillo Assembly Plant (HAP) from November 9, 2007, to October 31 ,2010.NHTSA testing determined…
What 2009 Lincoln MKZ owners say
Air bags all 66 →
The contact owns a 2009 Lincoln MKZ. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and 21V158000 (Air Bags) however, the parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
2 years ago air bags were replaced on a recall notice. Last week dash board is showing a warning notice with the air bag(s) again. Is there another recall for the air bags? Do I have to pay for replacement?
Brakes all 25 →
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 NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The brakes had been checked previously and were reportedly functioning properly. …
The contact owns a 2009 Lincoln MKZ. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V904000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for the recall repair and the Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) was tested but failed. The dealer informed the contact that the HCU part for the recall repair was not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that they had difficulties obtaining the part for the recall repair. The failure mileage was 22,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Wheels & tires
The Lincoln Mercury factory chrome plated rims leak air all the time making the tires low on air or flat very often! This is a very dangerous safety hazard that can cause loss of control and having an accident resulting in serious bodily injury or death! There are many numerous other Lincoln car owners that report the same symptoms and problems. The manufacturer never plated the rims properly with nickle prior to chrome plating, thus the chrome coating constantly peels off and corrodes; thus air leaks past the tire bead and the rim surface. This sounds like a giant class action lawsuit!! I am are both very upset and scared to drive under these horrific conditions, but I have no choice as news factory rims are very expensive and I cannot afford them since I am disabled and on a fixed income.
Brake pedal went all the way and touch body. It happened twice in two months and 2nd time resulted in to car wreck on 5 miles per hour speed. It is very disappointing Lincoln seems to know about the issue but took a long time to cover with remedy. * (recall related incident) ts
2009 Lincoln MKZ engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 28 / 21 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 24 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Lincoln MKZ a good car?
Based on 114 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 MKZ rates average: 15% fewer complaints than a typical year of the MKZ at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Lincoln MKZ?
The air bags — 66 complaints, 58% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the brakes (25) and wheels & tires (6).
How many recalls does the 2009 Lincoln MKZ have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2009 Lincoln MKZ, the most recent from March 10, 2021 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lincoln MKZ?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2006, 2019 and 2007. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2010, 2017, 2012 and 2011. See the full Lincoln MKZ years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Lincoln MKZ problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 39% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.