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2016 Lincoln MKT

Gas

Special Purpose Vehicle 2WD
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

79 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 3

Complaints2 injured reported 9

Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 21 mpg

2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2016 Lincoln MKT is sold in the U.S. as a gas SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the MKT Livery FWD, is EPA-rated at 21 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 9 complaints, most often about the structure.

Lincoln MKT — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Lincoln MKT · Photo: IFCAR · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
MKT Livery FWD	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	18	25	21	$3,200
MKT FWD	Gas	FWD	3.7L 6-cyl	16	24	19	$3,550
MKT Livery AWD	Gas	AWD	3.7L 6-cyl	16	23	18	$3,700
MKT AWD	Gas	AWD	3.5L 6-cyl turbo	15	21	17	$3,950

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 37178, 37188, 37179, 37191.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
MKT AWD, MKT FWD, MKT Livery FWD	5–6 / 10	Bin 5 / LEV-II ULEV	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
MKT Livery AWD	5 / 10	Bin 5	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes)	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 2E: 6,001 - 7,000 lb (2,722 - 3,175 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	6
Displacement	3.5 L
Engine configuration	V-Shaped

Engine Output

Horsepower

365 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Drivetrain

AWD/All-Wheel Drive

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes one configuration rather than every trim (seen: Livery). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	207.5 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	76.0 in
Height	67.3 in
Wheelbase	117.7 in
Track, front	65.7 in
Track, rear	65.7 in
Curb weight	4,943 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	54/46

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door SUV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Structure

25SD5

11,852 vehicles

Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKT vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving. Risk Door trim that detaches while driving can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will repair the B-pillar trim, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 23, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SD5. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 2, 2025.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Interim owner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 25V827000 reported Dec 1, 2025 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Suspension

20S04

211,207 vehicles 70% reported repaired built Sep 12, 2011 – Jun 1, 2017

Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension. Risk A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash. Fix Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. Remedy parts are not currently available. Owners were notified about the recall on March 3, 2020. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts become available, which is currently expected to be the end of September 2020. The recall began October 28, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or Lincoln customer service at 1-800-521-4140. Ford's number for this recall i

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF

NHTSA campaign 20V072000 reported Feb 10, 2020 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Engine And Engine Cooling

16S46

1,163 vehicles 88% reported repaired built Oct 18, 2016 – Nov 10, 2016

Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Taurus, 2016-2017 Ford Flex, Lincoln MKT, 2017 Ford Explorer and Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. Improperly brazed turbocharger oil supply tubes may leak oil on engine components. Risk An oil leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire. Fix Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the turbocharger oil supply tubes, free of charge. The recall began on January 31, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S46.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V925000 reported Dec 22, 2016 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific MKT

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Lincoln publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Lincoln’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2016 Lincoln MKT, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

9complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 2 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2018: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Structure 3

Unspecified 2

Back Over Prevention 2

Visibility/Wiper 1

Steering 1

Suspension 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKT. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V827000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the passenger's side B-pillar trim had partially detached.

Structure at 103,000 miles Jul 23, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11752342

The engine light continues to come on and the only reading it gives off is that the engine is running lean. Nothing seems to be smoking or wrong with the vehicle. It continues to drive well. Then the backup cameras started to go on a blink.

Electrical System Dec 4, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11702945

The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln Mkt. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v072000 (suspension) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.

Suspension Aug 21, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11350664

While making a turn onto highway my electric power steering completely went out with cars turning next to me. It yanked the wheel out of my hand almost causing a crash. Then a window appears in ly car saying your steering has failed pull over safely . Little late for that.

Steering Jul 14, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11231718

Rear window spontaneously shattered. Daylight hours, approximately 70 degrees fahrenheit, dry weather conditions, parked in shaded area. Driver walked to vehicle, sat in driver seat, closed driver-side door, and started vehicle uneventfully. Less than one minute later the rear window spontaneously shattered.

Visibility/Wiper at 24,123 miles Jun 27, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11104438

I have owned this car for less than a year and the moonroof has shattered on me twice already. The front one to be exact, both times it was raining but normal rain, I live in northen california. No objects hit my car and no accident.

Structure at 58,000 miles Feb 18, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11180980

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Lincoln itself: 1 death-or-injury claim on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, as claimed, not verified. Every MKT model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	not rated	not rated	not rated	★★★★☆	15%
SUV FWD	not rated	not rated	not rated	★★★★☆	16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 96

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-06-30

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 93 service bulletins, 2 others, 1 emissions

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Power Train, Back Over Prevention.

25E08-S1 Other
2026-06-30 · Engine
Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming
25E08 S1 Emissions
2026-04-14 · Power Train
NEW VEHICLE DELIVERY HOLD - Emissions Recall 25E08 – Supplement #1 Certain 2016 – 2019 Model Year Lincoln MKT, 2016 Model Year MKS, and 2017 - 2020 Model Year Continental Vehicles with 3.7L Engines Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming
25N17 Other
2026-03-25 · Back Over Prevention — Rearview System Braking
Advance Notice – Customer Satisfaction Program 25N17 Certain 2015-2025 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Replacement If Required After Dealer Evaluation
TSB 25-2570 Service bulletin
2025-11-26 · Electrical System
This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns Phone connection issues Dropped phone connections Applink related performance Travel Link not present
SSM 54366 Service bulletin
2025-11-12 · Power Train
Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) or in Section 303-14 of the Workshop Manual (WSM) has been updated to address this concern.
SSM 53040 Service bulletin
2024-10-10 · Unknown Or Other
While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.
TSB 24-2165 Service bulletin
2024-05-27 · Unknown Or Other
This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty, and 2018-2019 EcoSport vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience various SYNC performance relat
SSM 52335 Service bulletin
2024-03-06 · Engine And Engine Cooling
For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and testing methods. Ford has evaluated turbochargers replaced for oil leak symptoms and although oil may collect on the external surface of a turbocharger, it is extremely rare for a turbocharger assembly to b

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0011 P0011 on Lincoln →	Camshaft timing on bank 1 is more advanced than commanded.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P0012 P0012 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P0014 P0014 on Lincoln →	The second camshaft on bank 1 is timed further advanced than commanded.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P0015 P0015 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P0016 P0016 on Lincoln →	The crankshaft and camshaft are not where they should be relative to each other — timing, chain or phaser.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P0017 P0017 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P0018 P0018 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P0019 P0019 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P0021 P0021 on Lincoln →	Camshaft timing on bank 2 is more advanced than commanded.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P0022 P0022 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P0024 P0024 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P0025 P0025 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	4 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

MKT by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2019 C 4 18 19 mpg 2018 B 2 7 19 mpg 2017 C 3 4 19 mpg 2016 this page C 3 9 21 mpg

Common questions about the 2016 MKT

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 Lincoln MKT have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Lincoln MKT. The most serious on file is 25V827000, covering Structure. 2 of them were filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. The manufacturer's own estimate for when a fix would be ready: November 2026. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2016 Lincoln MKT?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2016 Lincoln MKT yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it C (79/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Lincoln MKT?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 Lincoln MKT, the best EPA combined figure is 21 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Lincoln MKT?

Transport Canada measured it at 207.5 in long, 76.0 in wide (body, without mirrors), 67.3 in tall, on a 117.7 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,943 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Lincoln MKT?

Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Lincoln MKT, most often about structure, unspecified, back over prevention. Of those, 2 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2016 Lincoln MKT?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Lincoln MKT runs 5 to 6 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Bin 5, LEV-II ULEV — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Lincoln MKT?

The manufacturer has filed 96 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Lincoln MKT, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-06-30. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	3	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	9	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	96	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	9 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API

2016 Lincoln MKT

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Engine Output

Fuel Economy

Transmission

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (3)

Structure

Suspension

Engine And Engine Cooling

Whether any of this applies to one specific MKT

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2016 Lincoln MKT

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

MKT by model year

Common questions about the 2016 MKT

Does the 2016 Lincoln MKT have any recalls?

How safe is the 2016 Lincoln MKT?

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Lincoln MKT?

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Lincoln MKT?

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Lincoln MKT?

How clean is the 2016 Lincoln MKT?

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Lincoln MKT?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method