MODELYEARINDEX

Which Ford Flex years to avoid

Across 10 scored model years, the 2013 and 2014 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

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 owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2013 F 351 reports · median 49,600 mi

  1. Electrical 124

    I have owned my vehicle since march 2013 and have had it in the process multiple times since - sync issues, dead battery and three seatbelt replacements. My vehicle has rear airbag seatbelts supposedly for safety. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Body & Interior 61

    Upon hard acceleration exhaust fumes enter the passenger compartment. Go to http://fordflexforum/topic/596-fumes-in-cabin/page-2 for actual carbon monoxide concentrations test results performed by a fire department. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Lights & Visibility 26

    While driving on I-5 a heavy heavy rain was coming down and I had my wipers on the high setting and they worked for a little bit and then stopped moving at a high speed. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

7 crash · 6 injuries

2014 D 83 reports · median 45,500 mi

  1. Electrical 20

    My pregnant wife was putting our 20 month old son in vehicle. She placed her purse with the keyless entry fob into car and closed the rear passenger door. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Fuel System 15

    The contact owns a 2014 ford flex. While attempting to start the vehicle, it failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump driver module failed. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Body & Interior 11

    The contact owns a 2014 ford flex. The contact stated that the door ajar warning sensors illuminated when the vehicle's doors were closed. The interior lighting activated. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

7 crash · 1 fire · 5 injuries

The best year for the Flex

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2018 is the best-scoring Flex model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 83.3 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations. On complaint rate alone the lowest is 2017 at 0.35× this model’s median, against 0.37× for 2018.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2018 0.37× 19 B
2017 0.35× 15 B
2016 0.60× 26 B

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
24V951000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2019 30,715
15V464000 PARKING BRAKE 2015 7,165
16V925000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER 2016, 2017 1,163
15V812000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 2013 868

+ 2 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2013 were reported at a median of 49,600 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Ford Flex years should you avoid?
2013, 2014 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Ford Flex model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Ford Flex?
2018 is the best-scoring Ford Flex model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 83.3 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Ford Flex have?
14 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Ford Flex model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

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