Lincoln’s Second Recall of the Year: Over 80,000 Vehicles Affected in China

Luxury car brand Lincoln has recently issued its second recall plan for 2023, involving approximately 83,000 vehicles with safety concerns. This has drawn attention to Lincoln once again due to the scale of the recall.

The luxury car brand Lincoln, with a century-old heritage, has become the focus of attention due to its large-scale recalls.

The State Administration for Market Regulation revealed that Ford Motor (China) Co., Ltd. (referred to as “Ford China”) has issued a recall plan to recall about 83,000 Lincoln vehicles with safety concerns starting from August 11. This is the second recall of Lincoln vehicles by Ford China in 2023. Compared to the first recall, which involved thousands of vehicles, the number of vehicles recalled this time has significantly increased.

The large-scale recall has brought attention to the challenges Lincoln faces in terms of sales growth in the Chinese market.

According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), Lincoln’s cumulative sales in China in the first half of 2023 were around 30,000 vehicles, representing a decrease of over 15% compared to the same period last year.

This comes after a sales decline of 13.4% in 2022, indicating a significant drop in Lincoln’s sales in China.

Recall of over 80,000 vehicles

According to Ford China’s recall plan filed with the State Administration for Market Regulation: starting from August 11, 2023, a recall will be conducted for a total of 14,036 Lincoln Continental vehicles produced between June 24, 2016, and December 5, 2019, as well as a total of 69,045 Lincoln MKC vehicles produced between June 5, 2014, and June 4, 2019, and a total of 2014 Lincoln Navigator vehicles produced between December 4, 2014, and June 25, 2017, starting from August 18, 2023.

Lincoln Recalls Over 80,000 Vehicles for Safety Issues

Luxury car brand Lincoln has initiated its second recall this year, affecting around 80,000 vehicles due to safety concerns. The recall involves Lincoln Continental and Navigator models and is focused on issues related to faulty parts structure and improper positioning of the air conditioning blower motor brush holder spring. The former issue could potentially damage the anti-glare coating on the mirror, affecting camera image quality and driver visibility. The latter issue, in extreme cases, could lead to cabin fires. The recall presents challenges for Lincoln’s sales growth in the Chinese market, where the brand has experienced a decline of over 15% in sales during the first half of 2023.

Lincoln’s Sales Decline Continues Amidst Recall and Market Challenges

Lincoln’s sales performance in China has continued to decline in the first half of 2023, maintaining the trend observed in 2022. Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) reveals that Lincoln’s cumulative sales for the first six months of 2023 exceeded 29,000 vehicles, reflecting a year-on-year decline of 15.8%. In 2022, Lincoln’s annual sales fell by more than 10% to 79,300 vehicles.

Experts attribute the sales decline to factors including management changes in the second half of 2022, but also note that the core issues lie in the need to enhance product competitiveness and accelerate the transition to new energy vehicles.

Lincoln has faced numerous consumer complaints about various models, including the Navigator, Z, and Aviator, regarding issues such as sunroof leaks, suspected feature reductions, rattling B-pillars, steering and cruise control malfunctions, and more. One owner reported an incident where the adaptive cruise control failed, resulting in an abrupt acceleration and collision with the preceding vehicle.

Moreover, Lincoln’s limited offering of new energy vehicles may have contributed to its sales struggles. As China’s new energy vehicle penetration rate has surpassed 30%, many domestic brands have capitalized on the growing electric vehicle market, potentially impacting the market share of second-tier luxury brands like Lincoln.

While Lincoln showcased its first pure electric concept vehicle, The Lincoln Star, at the 2022 Guangzhou Auto Show, the timing of mass production and sales in China remains uncertain.

Amidst these challenges, Lincoln’s new president in China, Zhu Meijun, announced an ambitious goal of reaching 100,000 annual sales in 2023. With only about 30,000 units sold in the first half of the year, achieving this target poses significant challenges.

In August, Lincoln introduced multiple incentives for various models, such as inflated deposits, half or full exemptions from purchase taxes, zero down payments, substantial subsidies, and 5-year or 140,000-kilometer warranties. It remains to be seen if these promotions can help Lincoln regain sales momentum and inch closer to its ambitious annual sales goal.