LincolnMKZ2009Overview/lincoln/mkz/2009/base/

2009 Lincoln MKZ

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 MKZ.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 6-spd

The 2009 Lincoln MKZ is a passenger car equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission and EPA fuel economy ratings of 17/24/19 mpg. Maintenance data lists 5.5 quarts of 5W-20 API engine oil, while reliability records for this year show 114 total owner complaints and 7 recalls with air bags identified as the top complaint area. Within the broader 2006-2020 model complaint history, the 2009 model year sits between the highest count of 281 complaints in 2008 and the lowest of 2 in 2020, defining its position in the vehicle's long-term reliability trajectory.

Model year202020192018201720162015201420132009

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/24/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 96R · 590 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 96R · 590 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-50VR17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 6-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length190.6 in
Overall width72 in
Overall height55.5 in
Wheelbase107.5 in
Curb weight3534 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 61 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 24 / 19 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume99 cu ft
Cargo volume16 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the MKZ of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

4.8–9.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 4.80 sec — 2017 Reserve 3.0T Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2007Sedan 3.5L V66.80 sec15.20 sec265 hpAWD
2007Sedan 3.5L V67.30 sec15.60 sec265 hpAWD
2011Hybrid Sedan 2.5L I-4 + Elec8.40 sec16.40 sec191 hpFWD
20133.7 Sedan 3.7L V66.30 sec14.80 sec300 hpAWD
20133.7 Sedan 3.7L V66.40 sec14.70 sec300 hpAWD
2013EcoBoost Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-46.60 sec15.00 sec240 hpAWD
2013EcoBoost Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-47.20 sec15.50 sec240 hpAWD
2013EcoBoost Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-47.70 sec15.90 sec240 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.5 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidFord Mercon LV
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity11.6
Engine CoolantUSE FORD PREMIUM GOLD COOLANT
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.5 qt
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.5 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug14.75 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub185 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub188 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.30 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity6.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number96R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance590 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature175-182 °F
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.118-0.0157 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs / 19 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle66 ft-lbs / 52 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.118; Rear: 0.118 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.905 in / 0.314 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
189 ft. lbs., step 2: 360 degrees, step 3: 37 ft. lbs., step 4: 9089 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Install 6 new exhaust manifold stud9 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 90,000 mi; coolant every 45,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 45,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 3,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Temperature Controlled Seat Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 90,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Belt (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 105,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · PCV Valve (replace)
At 150,000 miTransmission Assembly (drain & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2009 Lincoln MKZ sits at a transitional point in this generation's federal record, with complaint volume dropping sharply to 114 from the 2007-2008 peak of 259 and 281, while recall activity climbed to 7 (up from 5 in each of the prior two years) and three investigations remained open. Notably, the air bag category dominates the year's complaint profile at 63 of 114, accounting for over half the caseload, followed by service brakes (15) and hydraulic brakes (6) — a concentration that aligns with the 8 crash complaints and suggests an unresolved occupant-safety concern whose root cause the data does not specify. Within the generation's arc, 2009 represents a complaint trough between the early-model 2007-2008 spike and the resurgent 2010-2012 activity (169, 184, 146), but it also carries the first uptick in recalls that escalates through 2014's peak of 14. Fire complaints are absent, and TSBs at 15 are moderate compared with the 139-222 seen in later years, indicating 2009 had not yet entered the model's deep service-bulletin saturation phase. On balance, 2009 is a defensible but not uncomplicated year to buy: the air bag complaint concentration, 7 recalls, and 8 crash filings are real flags, yet the lower overall complaint count relative to 2007-2008 makes it a reasonable candidate provided a pre-purchase air bag system inspection and full recall-verification are completed.

7
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
15
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
114
Owner complaints
8 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 114 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags63
Service Brakes15
Service Brakes, Hydraulic6
Unknown Or Other3
Power Train3
Vehicle Speed Control3
Wheels2
Electrical System2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 7 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V158000Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator ModuleReported 10/03/2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April…

21V081000Air Bags:FrontalReported 16/02/2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. These… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 15 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SSM 546012026-02-23Electrical SystemFord and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory…
SSM 524762024-04-24EquipmentAll accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the…
SSM 522432024-02-08Engine And Engine CoolingWhen performing any transmission fluid change or topoff involving Motorcraft® Premium…
22B05 S12023-07-27Air BagsCertain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2005-2006 GT, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion and…
22B052022-03-28Air BagsCertain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2005-2006 GT, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion & MKZ/Zephyr…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific MKZ. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2009 MKZ take?

5.5 qt of 5W-20 API MEETING FORD SPECIFICATION WSS-M2C945-A, per the factory manual.

Does the 2009 MKZ have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the MKZ get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 24 highway / 19 combined mpg.