IllustrationFront tires look and stay really low no matter how much air is put in. It's leaking brake fluid. The emergency brake barley lock. Also transmission is horrible.
2013 Ford Flex
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Flex years
Owner complaints for the 2013 Ford Flex are substantially higher than the model-year median of 139.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Flex years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
290–25K
9925–50K
13150–75K
8375–100K
72100–150K
21150K+
435 reports with mileage · 143 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 200 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 149 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports1 fire reports9 injury reports
Service Brakes complaints
6 reportsTHE BRAKES MAKE GRINDING NOISE AND SLIPPING HARD TO STOP MY BRAKE PADS AND ROTES PRETTY NEW WENT AND GOT NEW BRAKE PADS STILL SAME PROBLEM ESPECIALLY DURING HARDER BRAKING CAR NOT STOPPING THERE IS BRAKE FLUID AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE IN TOP SHAPE BUT CAR WILL NOT BRAKE PROPERLY AND MAKE GRINDING NOISE
MY FORD FLEX STALLS WHILE DRIVING ANYWHERE FROM 10 MPH (IN RESIDENTIAL AREA) TO 80 MPH ON HIGHWAY. ELECTRICAL IS STILL WORKING THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND I LOSE CONTROL OF GAS/BRAKES. THREE WARNING SIGNS POP UP AT THE SAME TIME: CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, COLLISION WARNING NOT AVAILABLE, AND SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC. ONCE I RESTART THE CAR,…
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MY FORD FLEX STALLS WHILE DRIVING ANYWHERE FROM 10 MPH (IN RESIDENTIAL AREA) TO 80 MPH ON HIGHWAY. ELECTRICAL IS STILL WORKING THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND I LOSE CONTROL OF GAS/BRAKES. THREE WARNING SIGNS POP UP AT THE SAME TIME: CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, COLLISION WARNING NOT AVAILABLE, AND SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC. ONCE I RESTART THE CAR, THE CODES WILL DISAPPEAR. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AT FIRST, BUT NOW IT'S OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY. I'M TOO SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR NOW. FORD ISNT BEING MUCH HELP. I NEED HELP.
BOTH OF THE TAIL LIGHTS HAVE WATER INTRUSION ABOUT 3 0Z OF WATER WITHIN THE CHAMBER. I HAVE REPLACED LIGHTS SEVERAL TIMES.SHORTENING OUT WHICH HAS CAUSED A PROBLEM WITH SAFETY AND TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.
I PLACED THE SUV IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF (THE CAR WAS STATIONARY). AS I LEANED ON THE VEHICLE TO GET OUT OF IT, I NOTICE IT ROLLED BACK. BECAUSE IT WAS UNUSUAL, I PUSH ON THE CAR FRAME TO ENSURE EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. WHEN I PUSHED THE VEHICLE, IT CONTINUED TO ROLL OUT OF MY GARAGE. I HAD TO RUN AND JUMP IN THE CAR, RESTART IT, …
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I PLACED THE SUV IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF (THE CAR WAS STATIONARY). AS I LEANED ON THE VEHICLE TO GET OUT OF IT, I NOTICE IT ROLLED BACK. BECAUSE IT WAS UNUSUAL, I PUSH ON THE CAR FRAME TO ENSURE EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. WHEN I PUSHED THE VEHICLE, IT CONTINUED TO ROLL OUT OF MY GARAGE. I HAD TO RUN AND JUMP IN THE CAR, RESTART IT, AND PUT IN IN THE PARK POSITION AGAIN. THIS CAUSED GREAT CONCERN FOR ME BECAUSE MY SMALL CHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR. AFTER THIS OCCURRED, I CALLED FORD TO REPORT IT. RECENTLY, I'VE DONE RESEARCH AND REALIZED THAT SOME OF THE 2012-2014 FORD FLEX VEHICLES WERE RECALLED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. HTTP://FOX6NOW.COM/2014/08/14/FORD-RECALL-YOUR-CAR-COULD-ROLL-AWAY-EVEN-IF-ITS-PARKED/. WHEN I CALLED FORD TO REPORT, I SPECIFICALLY ASKED THEM DID THEY HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEHICLE BEING IN PARK BUT DISENGAGING AND ROLLING AND THE RESPONSE I RECEIVED WAS NO. THE PERSON SUGGESTED I PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON UNTIL I COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE NOT BEEN THE TRUTH AS THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IN 2014. ALTHOUGH MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL, I AM HAVING THAT PROBLEM.
ITHE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAYED ON, DOOR SENSORS MALFUNCTIONED, ENGINE POWER WENT OFF, AND ALARM WOULD GO ON INTERMITTANTLY. THESE PROBLEMS HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING AND WHEN IT WAS PARKED.
Official recalls
620V072000 · Suspension:rear
Feb 10, 2020
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. Remedy parts are not currently available. Owners were notified about the recall on March 3, 2020. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts become available, which is currently expected to be the end of September 2020. The recall began October 28, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or Lincoln customer service at 1-800-521-4140. Ford's number for this recall is 20S04.
16V621000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
Aug 25, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI Ecoboost engines and 2013-2015 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor vehicles. A component within the fuel pump electric module (PEM) may overheat causing a loss of electrical power to the fuel pump.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A loss of power to the fuel pump will cause the engine to stall or prevent the vehicle from starting, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel PEM part number and replace the fuel PEM, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S31.
15V812000 · Fuel System, Gasoline
Dec 2, 2015
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Explorer Police Utility, Taurus, Taurus Police Interceptor, Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on December 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 13S04-S1.
15V340000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System
Jun 2, 2015
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with any available engine. The affected vehicles have electric power steering assist systems that may shut down as a result of a steering motor sensor fault.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC). If dealers find any loss of steering assist DTCs, the steering gear will be replaced, free of charge. If, no codes are found during the PSCM inspection, the PSCM software will be updated, free of charge. The recall began on July 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S18.
14V393000 · Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft
Jul 2, 2014
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles manufactured September 2, 2010, to November 30, 2013; 2013-2014 Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured August 25, 2011, to November 30, 2013; and 2013-2014 Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT vehicles manufactured September 12, 2011, to November 30, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the halfshaft retention circlip may not have been properly installed, and as a result, the halfshaft may move outward and disengage from the linkshaft while driving and without prior warning.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the halfshaft and linkshaft become disengaged while driving, power will no longer be transmitted to the wheels, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. Additionally, if the parking brake is not applied before exiting the vehicle, the vehicle may roll away despite the transmission being placed in 'Park', increasing the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to make sure that the halfshaft is properly retained. If it is not, dealers will replace the linkshaft and also replace the halfshaft if it shows evidence of spline damage, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S10.
13V227000 · Fuel System, Gasoline
May 31, 2013
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Taurus, Flex, Fusion, Police Interceptor Sedan and Police Interceptor Utility vehicles; and certain model year 2013 Lincoln MKS, MKT, and MKZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may develop a crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S04.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.