How many miles can a Lincoln MKZ last? When you’re in the market for a new or second-hand MKZ, that’s, of course, a very reasonable question to ask. After all, you’re probably looking to get the most bang for your buck. In this blog, we’ll look at this question in great detail but first, let’s start with a quick answer:
On average, a Lincoln MKZ lasts between 180.000 – 200.000 miles. An MKZ needs to go to the garage for unscheduled repairs about 0.57 times per year, with a 15% chance of the problem being severe. Furthermore, MKZ owners spend an average of $831 per year on repair costs.
Having said that, we’re certainly not done. Below we’ll first explain in more detail how many miles a Lincoln MKZ can last. After that, we’ll also show you how much a Lincoln MKZ costs per year and which production years are most and least expensive. Furthermore, we also discuss the common problems that the car can have. Read on!
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How Many Miles Can A Lincoln MKZ Last?
So you are in the market looking for a Lincoln MKZ. It’s important to know whether the car you are looking for is reliable or not. We have thoroughly gone through extensive data from several different databases to give you the numbers that will make a clear picture of the reliability for your next possible ride.
The first thing that we have to make clear is how long it will last, and the best way to tell that is to look at the mileage of these cars. On overage, if there are more than 3% of cars of the same badge over 150,000 miles, then it means these cars are reliable.
After scrutinizing the databases, it turns out that out of all the 2,924 used MKZs, 2.5% were above the 150k mile mark. Because it couldn’t pass that minimum of 3%, you might be thinking that it’s not reliable then, well we can’t decide on this one factor.
Lincoln MKZ hasn’t been around for a very long time, so that’s why they haven’t been able to cross that mark in huge numbers. If they are given more time, more will be able to cross that mark “probably.”
Amount Of Miles | Percentage Of Cars |
Cars With 150.000+ | 2.50% |
Cars With 100.000 – 149.000 | 8.41% |
Cars With 45.000 – 99.999 | 45.76% |
Cars With 0 – 44.999 | 43.33% |
There are only 8.41% of them who have been able to cross the 100k mile mark. It suggests that there might be some issue in the details; as one would say, the devil is in the detail.
About 50% being under 45k would suggest that they are posing some problem, which is why so many owners want to sell. So let’s put the Lincoln MKZ to our reliability tests to see whether or not they are reliable.
Also read: This Is Where Lincoln Cars Are Made
How Reliable Is A Lincoln MKZ Compared To Its Competitors?
It’s important to know the best that the market is offering to see where your preferences lie. The best in the market in terms of reliability are the ones that give you the highest mileage numbers in huge percentages.
Our research has shown that most of the competitors are in this category are new in business, and they haven’t been around much to cross the 150k mile mark in big numbers. Due to a lack of enough information, but it will be quite accurate.
Model | Sample Size | Cars With 150.000+ Miles | % Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+ | Highest Mileage |
Lincoln MKZ | 2865 | 67 | 2.34% | 210000 |
Acura TLX | 3776 | 33 | 0.87% | 190000 |
Cadillac ATS | 1808 | 15 | 0.83% | 160000 |
Infiniti Q50 | 4217 | 21 | 0.49% | 160000 |
Lexus ES 350 | 5208 | 158 | 3.03% | 250000 |
Jaguar XE | 593 | 2 | 0.34% | 110000 |
Lexus ES 350 compared to Lincoln MKZ is better. ES 350 has a higher percentage crossing the 150k mile mark, and it also has the highest mileage among the competitors. The Lexus ES 350 and the Lincoln MKZ came out at about the same time, yet the ES 350 has achieved much better results than the MKZ.
How Reliable Is A Lincoln MKZ Compared To Other Lincolns?
This comparison will not only give us comparative reliability, but it will also give us a clear picture of how reliable the Lincolns are in general. The MKZ has been discontinued, and the company has set its eyes solely on the SUV market. The MKZ was the last sedan in Lincoln’s lineup, which has also been discontinued.
Model | Sample Size | Cars With 150.000+ Miles | % Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+ | Highest Mileage (On average) |
Lincoln MKZ | 2924 | 73 | 2.50% | 236576 |
Lincoln Continental | 687 | 8 | 1.16% | 140000 |
Lincoln MKC | 3065 | 16 | 0.26% | 160000 |
Lincoln MKT | 228 | 35 | 15.35% | 250000 |
Lincoln Nautilus | 1039 | 8 | 0.78% | 100000 |
Lincoln Navigator | 1248 | 122 | 9.78% | 260000 |
Continental is not new, yet it gave an awful percentage. MKT gave a terrific percentage, and it’s not even that old. Lincoln navigator is old, so that explains the higher percentage. The MKZ has given below-average performance, but it doesn’t mean that all of the Lincolns are like that.
Some are even worse, but some are good. The best one in terms of reliability turns out to be the Lincoln MKT. They are known to last, given that proper maintenance is carried out.
How Much Does Maintenance Cost Per Year?
This is where things are going sideways. The biggest con for the Lincoln MKT is the extremely high maintenance cost, no wonder most people wouldn’t bother keeping them for a longer period of time; they would want to sell it as soon as they can before the warranty runs out.
Lexus ES 350 has an annual maintenance cost of about $460 on average, way less than the “super expensive to maintain” Lincoln MKZ. Furthermore, Lexus ES 350 gives much better performance as well. The earlier production models would have even more problems than the later ones.
Model Year | Annual Maintenance Cost |
2010 | $638 |
2011 | $653 |
2012 | $742 |
2013 | $1033 |
2014 | $820 |
2015 | $984 |
2016 | $1194 |
2017 | $1007 |
$831 is the average amount you would have to spend on the Lincoln MKZ, or otherwise, it’s just going to go to heaven. Audi’s SUVs cost about this much, and Porche SUVs cost about $1200 annually on maintenance. This price ($831) is too much for a sedan, let alone a Lincoln sedan.
Also read: The Complete Cost Of Maintaining A Lincoln
Lincoln MKZ Common Problems
Transmission Issue
This is one the biggest and one of the most common issues of all. The transmission is known to fail and develop harsh or delayed shifting. This problem might be solved by having a software update to the latest available version. Still, mileages above 70k are at high risk of developing some transmission problem due to internal damage.
If the damage has been done, the possible fix could be the valve body replacement, and if that’s not the concern, you would have to replace the whole transmission. The valve body will cost you about $1000 or more, and if you go for the whole transmission replacement, you would have to spend around $4000.
Fluid Leaks
One of the most common fluid leaks in the Lincoln MKZ is the power steering fluid. The culprit behind this leakage is the worn-out hoses. The hose replacement will cost you about $450, and after replacing the hoses, clamps, and seals, this issue would be resolved.
Also read: Types Of Gas A Lincoln MKZ Takes (All Generations)
Trunk Wouldn’t Close Properly
It’s a common problem that has been occurring in models until 2014. The latching area would require replacement for it to work/latch properly. This fix can cost you around $150+.
The Heater Core Leaking Coolant
This is a common occurrence that can be fixed by replacing the heater core, and for that, you would have to spend about $800. If there are some voltage readings prominent in the cooling system, the whole system would require flushing.
Also read: 8 Common Problems Of A Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
Is a Lincoln MKZ A Smart Buy?
Lincolns are super expensive to maintain and super expensive to fix. It would be a nightmare to have them without a warranty, and with the discontinuation in production, getting them under warranty won’t be feasible anymore.
They depreciate about 51% in the first 5 years, which is the average depreciation for most vehicles out there, nothing special. These are not up to the mark and would pose many issues that would drain your wallet and squeeze it good. You can look into a lot of other alternatives that are offering much better than this.
If you are a Lincoln person and want to have a Lincoln anyway, check the maintenance schedule given below. If you follow this maintenance schedule, your vehicle will last much longer and wouldn’t pose any major problem.
Make 100% sure, twice, that the car you want to buy has everything in working condition and even if there is some issue, it shouldn’t be a major one.
Lincoln MKZ Maintenance Schedule
If you are one of those who already have a Lincoln MKZ, or you are one of those who want to buy one despite all the problems and high cost, then this is for you.
Before/On Every 10,000 Miles
Normally the engine oil replacement is said to be changed at 10,000 miles, but if you really want your Lincoln MKZ to perform well and stay healthy for a longer period of time, then you should be changing the oil every 7,500 miles or less. With that, you will have the performance close to new even after a couple of thousand miles on the clock.
So, after keeping that in mind, here are the things that you have to pay attention to:
- Engine oil
- Oil filter replacement
Before/On Every 30,000 Miles
- Check for any abnormal engine temperature
- Inspect the exhaust system
- Check the brakes
- Check the fluid levels
- Inspect all the electronics
- Inspect the transmission and replace if necessary.
Before/On Every 60,000 Miles
- Replace the air filters
- Check the spark plugs if they need replacement
- Check the brake pads and the brake fluids
- Check the engine for any abnormal values on the scanner tool.
- Check for any oil leaks and change the head gaskets if there is any leak.
- Check all the plastic/rubber hoses to see if there are any cracks
Before/On Every 80,000 Miles
- If you haven’t changed the spark plugs then this is the time to replace them
- Check for the ignition coils, whether or not they need replacement, most of the time, they would require replacement.
- Check the PCV system for any leaks/clogs.
Before/On Every 100,000 Miles
- This is where the suspension components start to wear and you might have to replace the worn-out ones
- Inspect the rear differential fluid and replace it if necessary
Others Regular Maintenance Stuff
Regularly add a can of high-quality petroleum in your gas tank to have the internals of your engine thoroughly cleaned; it’s inexpensive and would save you a lot of dollars on servicing the internals later on.
Another thing is to keep your car clean; if you can keep your ride clean, it means that you can keep it well maintained. Check the car’s cosmetic condition; it will give you an insight into whether the owner has kept it maintained or not.
To prevent your MKZ from rust, make sure there is no area open to moisture/air; in other words, the paint is not chipped because that’s where the rust will happen. And make sure that you keep your car clean and don’t let mud stay on it for more than 4 days, because after 4 days, the reaction between moisture and iron will start, and you will be making lots of rust.
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!