2016 MKX Sync Touchscreen Not Working

[tfox1992]

Anyone else having problems with their Lincoln Sync Touchscreen ? I have a 2016 MKX (wife's car) that started acting strange a couple months ago. It wasn't so bad that we felt we needed to take it in to the dealer right away because it was just reacting slowly when you would touch a command on the screen. That turned out to be a mistake. Should have called the dealer right then and complained about it because it was still in warranty at that time. Fast forward 2 months later and touchscreen is barely functioning. Don't really like to get out much due to the pandemic and all but decided to take it in to dealer which is over 40 miles from where I live. Had to get some recall work done as well so made an appointment and took it in. Told the service guy that I would have been in months earlier but couldn't get there for various reasons. He says that they have had issues with these Sync units and he would see what he could do. Picked vehicle up 3 days later and after a software update that they charged me $135.00 for the screen seemed to work fine on the ride home. Wife called several hours later and said screen was acting crazy again. Dealer had told me that there is some sort of module that would need to be replaced if the software update that they installed did not fix the problem and that it would run around $1100.00 or so. This is a 2016 MKX that I purchased new from this dealer. It is my wife's first Ford/Lincoln automobile. I have driven Ford trucks for over 30 years. I purchased this vehicle and 2 new F150's in the past 6 years. That's 2 new vehicles every 2 years. I also bought my daughter a Kia Sportage new in 2013. Guess which vehicle HAS NEVER been back to the dealer or a repair shop for anything other than tires and oil changes? That's correct class, the Kia. If Lincoln sticks me with $1100.00 on a faulty part on their touchscreen that lasted just barely over 4 years and less than 45k miles I will be taking a real hard look at another brand for the wife's next ride. My $135.00 software update didn't even last 8 hours. I read somewhere Lincoln had a problem with several of the older model MKX's Sync screens and extended the warranty on those for an additional 2 years. Hey Lincoln, need some help here. If anyone else has had this problem, let me know how and if you resolved. 

[akirby]

Your dealer should be working with Lincoln to defray some of the cost. 

[tfox1992]

Thanks for the reply. I'll have them on the phone shortly. Let's see what they do if anything.

[tfox1992]

So a call to my dealer that I have purchased 2 brand new vehicles from, resulted in them wanting me to call Lincoln direct. Thanks for the help guys. I'm guessing Ford/Lincoln wants me to pursue other manufacturers for my next vehicle. Not a problem Ford Motor Co. This is unreal.

[akirby]

So you declined to purchase an extended warranty then you purposely waited for the warranty to expire to report the problem and now it’s Lincoln’s fault?  Got it.  

[tfox1992]

I don't think you do "got it". Didn't purposely do anything. This started before warranty was up. Dealer told me to do a reset of system which fixed problem temporarily. Problem started 2 months before warranty was out. This is a known problem with Lincolns SYNC system. Dealer should have never told me to try and put Band-Aids on this before it started hemorrhaging. What should have happened was they tell me that they have had known problems with this system and get it in here so we can replace the faulty part before your original warranty is out because it is not going to get better. 

[akirby]

I just had my APIM replaced in my F150.  Same process.  Reset software.  Try new software.  Then they replaced it.

 

A.  You declined to purchase extended warranty coverage.

B.  You had problems before the warranty expired but chose not to take it in to the dealer and record the problem.

 

Had you done either of those it would be covered.  Just because parts are known to be bad doesn’t change the terms of the warranty.

[tfox1992]

You work for Ford Motor Co. ?

[akirby]

1 hour ago, tfox1992 said:

You work for Ford Motor Co. ?

Of course not.  I just hate to see people who feel entitled to free unlimited warranty coverage.

 

it’s like buying a hamburger at Wendy’s and they ask if you want the combo with fries but you say no just the hamburger.  Then you go back to the counter and ask if you can have the fries for free.  
 

Look at it this way.  The extended warranty would have cost you $1500 at least, so you’re still $400 ahead.

[Aerolynn1]

All of you siding with Ford Lincoln and their known defective parts whether you have extended freaking warranty or not the car shouldn't do it plain and simple..every f****** dealer knows this thing is defective and putting Band-Aids on it until they can shaft you so they don't have to pay for it isn't right I don't give a s*** what anyone says

...I have an MKX in the yard right now that it's out and I don't have $1,100 to fix something that probably only cost them a couple hundred by the way

. And my friends 2019 Lincoln Nautilus just had to get a new engine had a cracked block... Coolant in the cylinders didn't even have 14,000 miles on it

I'm thinking Ford Lincoln just is loving the shaft their customers

 

[akirby]

On 3/10/2021 at 6:29 PM, Aerolynn1 said:

All of you siding with Ford Lincoln and their known defective parts whether you have extended freaking warranty or not the car shouldn't do it plain and simple..every f****** dealer knows this thing is defective and putting Band-Aids on it until they can shaft you so they don't have to pay for it isn't right I don't give a s*** what anyone says

...I have an MKX in the yard right now that it's out and I don't have $1,100 to fix something that probably only cost them a couple hundred by the way

. And my friends 2019 Lincoln Nautilus just had to get a new engine had a cracked block... Coolant in the cylinders didn't even have 14,000 miles on it

I'm thinking Ford Lincoln just is loving the shaft their customers

 

 

 

The truth is they go above and beyond to fix some things including extended warranties and they don't on other things.   I think they should extend the warranty on certain parts that are known to fail including the coolant leak on 4 cylinder ecoboosts.   They did extend the warranty on APIMs a few years ago.   

 

However, when you buy a vehicle (or a TV or any product) it comes with a very specific limited warranty.   It clearly says what is and isn't covered and for how long.  You have the opportunity to purchase additional coverage if you want it.   If you choose not to purchase said extended warranty and then complain when something happens you're really saying you want an unlimited warranty.  But I bet you're not willing to pay extra up front for that unlimited warranty. 

[TimMKX]

On 3/12/2021 at 3:00 PM, akirby said:

 

 

The truth is they go above and beyond to fix some things including extended warranties and they don't on other things.   I think they should extend the warranty on certain parts that are known to fail including the coolant leak on 4 cylinder ecoboosts.   They did extend the warranty on APIMs a few years ago.   

 

However, when you buy a vehicle (or a TV or any product) it comes with a very specific limited warranty.   It clearly says what is and isn't covered and for how long.  You have the opportunity to purchase additional coverage if you want it.   If you choose not to purchase said extended warranty and then complain when something happens you're really saying you want an unlimited warranty.  But I bet you're not willing to pay extra up front for that unlimited warranty. 

 

?

 

My favorite is when people say they are going to go to another manufacturer, as if any other brand wouldn't treat them the same way when out of warranty. If you deny the extended warranty, you have now absorbed the risk once the limited warranty expires, thats just how the system works. While I agree it sucks to have to experience a potentially expensive issue on such a fairly newer car, it shouldn't be completely unexpected as thats literally the purpose of an extended warranty. If everyone just complained enough and got free "unlimited milage" repairs, then that completely devalues the warranty others, like myself, choose to pay for.

 

Also not everyones experience will be the same. I've been driving Lincolns since the 00s, and I've never once had any major issues with any of them *knock on wood*. I always buy my Lincolns as CPO, or used but still within New Car Warranty and get the PremiumCare. But thats just me, I like to make sure that at least within the first 2-3 years of my ownership, that issues are covered.

 

Also people have to realize that the internet can make issues seem way more widespread than it actually is, providing "confirmation bias" and demanding a free resolution. Most people online are far more apt to complain about something, while the people not experiencing the issue typically don't post online how they havn't had any issues. I've known MANY people (including myself) who have used the older "MyFord" and "MyLincoln" touch systems in multiple vehicles and never once had a problem outside of some slow/sluggish software. I'm not saying the systems performance doesn't suck (because it does), but the scope of actual catastrophic failures requiring a replacement vs just software imperfections/sluggishness, is blown way out of proportion. This is anecdotal for sure, but worth mentioning.

 

No car manufacturer is perfect, recalls will happen, "faulty parts" will be a thing, and other issues will crop up from time to time. If you truly feel passionate about resolving a supposed "widespread" issue, speak to the service manager and/or reach out to the dealership owners themselves. If you are a supposed "good customer", they might be willing to work with you. If that doesn't work, then it'll be up to Lincoln to help "share" any of the costs of the repair. Otherwise, just look at it like akriby mentioned earlier, a warranty would cost at least 1500. If you are now experiencing a repair that is less than that cost, then you are already ahead!

Edited April 5, 2021 by TimMKX