NHTSA Complaint #11679650 — 2017 LINCOLN MKC

I own a 2017 Lincoln MKC 2.0L EcoBoost that suffered a complete engine failure caused by coolant intrusion into the combustion chambers. The vehicle began to misfire, emit thick white smoke, lose power, and quickly became almost undriveable. Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 19-2346 (June 2019), which describes coolant entering cylinders due to a flaw in the cylinder head/block design. This failure is not the result of neglect or normal wear and tear — my vehicle has been maintained according to manufacturer recommendations. Despite this, the engine requires complete replacement at a cost of approximately $9,500. The failure occurred well before what should be the normal service life of an engine, and it matches the same defect pattern reported by many other Lincoln and Ford owners with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine in multiple model years. The coolant intrusion defect creates a serious safety hazard because it can cause sudden, unpredictable loss of engine power while driving. If the defect manifests at highway speeds, the driver may experience immediate power loss, inability to accelerate, or complete engine shutdown — increasing the risk of a collision. Ford/Lincoln have issued internal bulletins to dealers acknowledging this problem but have not initiated a public recall. Many owners have been denied coverage due to warranty expiration, despite this being a manufacturing defect. The result is that numerous vehicles with a dangerous and well-documented engine flaw remain in circulation without corrective action. I believe this defect warrants investigation as it poses both a safety risk to drivers and passengers, and a broader consumer protection concern. Premature catastrophic engine failures on relatively low-mileage vehicles undermine public trust and place owners in severe financial hardship. An NHTSA investigation could compel Ford/Lincoln to issue a recall to address this hazard before more vehicles experience unsafe sudden failure