Is the 2008 Lincoln MKX a bad year?
252 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other MKX years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2008 Lincoln MKX are in line with other MKX years. Air bags stands out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2008 MKX owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 93,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 157 (62%) | 70k–129k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 30 (12%) | 69k–141k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Fuel system | 22 (9%) | 80k–130k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Brakes | 18 (7%) | 82k–132k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Engine | 14 (6%) | 75k–130k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 11 (4%) | 65k–108k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Speed control | 13 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seats | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 93,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 252 complaints: 3 mention a crash · 2 mention a fire · 4 report an injury · 4 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Dec 2025.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
When I start my car it makes a clunk then when I shift it into gear it will go into reverse but will clunk and when I put it in drive and I can't go over 5 mph.
This has actually happened to me once before about two months ago, but after it happened again yesterday I decided to take my car in to the shop.
Engine started to miss and lost power had to pull off road immediately. Coil shorted out so badly mechanic said it could have caught fire!
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 93,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2008 Lincoln MKX: 7
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. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
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. 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 parts include certain driver-side air bag inflators and/or modules, designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang and Mustang GT500. 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.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Due to corrosion from salt water exposure such as from road salt use, the affected vehicles may leak fuel from the fuel tank seam weld under the tank mounting reinforcement brackets. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fuel tank weld fixture may have been exposed to a contaminant during production which could cause a dimple in the bottom of the fuel tank at a spot weld. This dimple could result in a fuel leak or a fuel drip from the tank. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Lincoln: 20
Repair instructions Lincoln sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2008 Lincoln MKX. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Some 2007-2016 edge/mkx/flex/mkt/mkz/mks/taurus/taurus police/explorer/explorer police equipped with all wheel drive…
Ford/lincoln/mercury: some vehicles, with diagnostic codes (DTCs) P0351, P0352, P0353, P0354, P0355…
There may be a rough idle or misses while the malfunction light…
Ford/mercury/lincoln: some vehicles equipped with a 6F50 transaxle , with any output shaft speed (Oss) sensor or turbine shaft speed…
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Front suspension lower ball joint
Tire valve cracking
Neighbouring years
2007 MKX: 298 complaints, keep it · 2009 MKX: 66 complaints, keep it.
Every Lincoln MKX year
2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · All MKX years side by side
Other Lincoln models: Lincoln Aviator · Lincoln Continental · Lincoln Corsair · Lincoln LS · Lincoln MKC · Lincoln MKS · Lincoln MKT · Lincoln MKZ · Lincoln MKZ Hybrid · Lincoln Nautilus · Lincoln Navigator · Lincoln Town Car · Lincoln Zephyr. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2008 Lincoln MKX a bad year?
252 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other MKX years. At 93,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Lincoln MKX?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: air bags (157), transmission and drivetrain (30), fuel system (22), brakes (18), engine (14).
How many recalls does the 2008 Lincoln MKX have?
7 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 21V-158), Air bags (NHTSA 21V-081), Air bags (NHTSA 21E013000), Air bags (NHTSA 17V-024) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.