MODELYEARINDEX

Ford Flex

723 complaints across 10 scored model years and 14 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Ford Flex Full report
F
Grade 2010–2019
2013 vs model median 6.2×
Model median3× median
Electrical 124
Body & Interior 61
Lights & Visibility 26
Avoid

2013 · 2014

Best

2017 · 2018

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
1.42× 59 C
2011
1.16× 53 C
2012
0.84× 33 B
2013
6.17× 351 F
2014
1.88× 83 D
2015
1.21× 48 C
2016
0.60× 26 B
2017
0.35× 15 B
2018
0.37× 19 B
2019
0.55× 36 B

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

Combined MPG18
City / Highway16 / 22
Engine3.5L, 6 cyl
DriveAll-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost$3,400

Recalls

14 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
25V695000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2015–2019 1,448,655
15V340000 STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM 2011–2013 393,623
13V227000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 2013 390,783
20V072000 SUSPENSION:REAR 2013–2018 211,207
14V710000 SEATS 2014 113,418
25V732000 STRUCTURE:BODY 2017–2019 92,347
14V393000 POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT 2013, 2014 83,250
16V621000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2013–2015 77,502

+ 6 further campaigns

Others in Midsize SUVs

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Model Years to avoid Grade
Acura MDX
20162020
C
Audi Q7
20172021
C
Audi Q8
2019
C
BMW X5
20112021
D
BMW X6
none flagged
C
Chevrolet Traverse
20102011
C
Dodge Durango
20112012
C
Dodge Journey
20142015
C

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2013 Flex
Complaints in window
351
Severity-weighted
453.5
Model median (weighted)
74
vs model median
6.17×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
6
Open investigations
0
Score 10 F