Vehicle suddenly dies when driving without warning. I purchased the vehicle one month ago. Brougt it to the dealer for the bolt recall and stalled while dealer was trying to pull it into the bay. After that point, the vehicle died while drivng on numerous occasions. Went to the mechanic one two occasions and no codes pulled. Called dealer and they said I needed to go to a Ford dealer. Went to…
2014 Lincoln MKZ powertrain problems
severe 9 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
9
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
2crashes
When does it fail?
Of the 9 powertrain complaints filed for the 2014 Lincoln MKZ, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 10 model years of Lincoln MKZ in our records for powertrain problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Outer bearing failure in transmission resulting in metal-to-metal bearing destruction and according to Ford technicians once complete failure occurs would cause the vehicle to abruptly stop when driving. Ford-Lincoln issued a technical service bulletin for this issue but there has been no customer notification or voluntary recall for my specific vehicle VIN but it is my understanding that there…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2014 Lincoln MKZ?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2014 Lincoln MKZ?
It's a meaningful issue. 9 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 9 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 65,827 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2014/Lincoln/MKZ.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.