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2010 Ford Flex

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2010 Ford Flex do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 139.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

113 reports with mileage · 26 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.

  • Steering. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

Power Train complaints

12 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2023
Power Train

While driving car suddenly losses power and the wrench light comes on. Loss of power with the car transmission wont move the car at all. have to pull over and turn off car about 5min then start it back up and now everything works with no codes. Happened 3 times.VERY DANGEROUS BECUASE CAR LOSSES POWER AND CARS BEHIND YOU ALMOST…

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While driving car suddenly losses power and the wrench light comes on. Loss of power with the car transmission wont move the car at all. have to pull over and turn off car about 5min then start it back up and now everything works with no codes. Happened 3 times.VERY DANGEROUS BECUASE CAR LOSSES POWER AND CARS BEHIND YOU ALMOST HITS YOU.

NHTSA ODI #11512893

152,000 miles · Jan 16, 2018
Power Train

POWER TAKE OFF UNIT OR POWER TRANSFER UNIT STARTED MAKING A LOUD WHINING SOUND STARTING AT 40 MPH. NOW BEING TOLD THE UNIT MUST BE REPLACED. LOOKING ONLINE AND SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE MAJORITY OF FOR FLEX AND FORD EDGE.

NHTSA ODI #11063071

90,000 miles · Dec 31, 2017
Power Train

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION 45+ MPH OR SO DRIVEN ON A DECLINE LONG WINDING ROAD. VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR FROM MUCH HIGHER GEAR CAUSING RAPID DECELERATION AND ALMOST REAR END COLLISION, PULLED IN REST AREA VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO GEAR SELECT WHEN STOPPED AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL. TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND PUT INTO PARK LET SIT…

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VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION 45+ MPH OR SO DRIVEN ON A DECLINE LONG WINDING ROAD. VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR FROM MUCH HIGHER GEAR CAUSING RAPID DECELERATION AND ALMOST REAR END COLLISION, PULLED IN REST AREA VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO GEAR SELECT WHEN STOPPED AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL. TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND PUT INTO PARK LET SIT AND RESTARTED TRANS WORKED NOTICEABLE THUNK WHEN PUTTING INTO REVERSE AFTER LONG DRIVING NOW, VEHICLE IS ALL WHEEL DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI #11057730

87,506 miles · Feb 15, 2017
Power Train

TRANSMISSION AND POWER TRANSFER UNIT (PTU). THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SHIFTING AWKWARDLY SINCE 10,000 MILES. HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE. A MECHANIC AT LARRY H. MILLER FORD, IN LAKEWOOD CO, RECENTLY TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION MIGHT OR SHOULD BE RECALLED IN THE FUTURE. AT 87,506 MILES …

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TRANSMISSION AND POWER TRANSFER UNIT (PTU). THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SHIFTING AWKWARDLY SINCE 10,000 MILES. HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE. A MECHANIC AT LARRY H. MILLER FORD, IN LAKEWOOD CO, RECENTLY TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION MIGHT OR SHOULD BE RECALLED IN THE FUTURE. AT 87,506 MILES THE PTU WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1,692.26. THE PTU CAME ORIGINALLY WITHOUT A DRAIN PLUG AND WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SERVICE. REPLACEMENT PTU DOES HAVE A DRAIN PUG. I BELIEVE BOTH THE TRANSMISSION AND PTU ARE DEFECTIVE DESIGNS AND NEED TO BE RECALLED.

NHTSA ODI #10954916

74,000 miles · Jan 8, 2017
EnginePower Train

TOTAL MOTOR FAILURE WHEN DRIVING! TRANSMISSION FREQUENTLY SLIPS. MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN PRESSURE EXHAUST FOR ECOBOOST IS REDIRECTED TO CYLINDER 3 AND 5 THE HEAD GASKET FAILS ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER THE HEAD OF MOTOR WHICH THEM STEAM FRIES THE CYLINDERS. THIS IS VERY COMMON IN THE 2010 FLEX WITH ECBOOST AND NEED TO BE REC…

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TOTAL MOTOR FAILURE WHEN DRIVING! TRANSMISSION FREQUENTLY SLIPS. MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN PRESSURE EXHAUST FOR ECOBOOST IS REDIRECTED TO CYLINDER 3 AND 5 THE HEAD GASKET FAILS ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER THE HEAD OF MOTOR WHICH THEM STEAM FRIES THE CYLINDERS. THIS IS VERY COMMON IN THE 2010 FLEX WITH ECBOOST AND NEED TO BE RECALLED ASAP! MOTORS UP TO 100,000. MINE HAD 74000 WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10940393

72,000 miles · Jan 6, 2016
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FLEX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FLEX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

NHTSA ODI #10818311

37,500 miles · Dec 19, 2013
EngineFuel System, GasolinePower Train

ORIGINAL OWNER 2010 FORD FLEX, ECOBOOST ENGINE: SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WITH SHUDDERING AND STALL IN FAST LANE; UP HILL WHILE PASSING AT SPEED, 60MPH TO 20MPH IN SECONDS CAUSING NEAR COLLISION FROM BEHIND. ENGINE WOULD NOT RECOVER, 20MPH IN FAST LANE WITH SEMI'S AND SPEEDING TRAFFIC, NO PULL-OFF AREA. CLEAR DRY DAY, TEMPERAT…

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ORIGINAL OWNER 2010 FORD FLEX, ECOBOOST ENGINE: SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WITH SHUDDERING AND STALL IN FAST LANE; UP HILL WHILE PASSING AT SPEED, 60MPH TO 20MPH IN SECONDS CAUSING NEAR COLLISION FROM BEHIND. ENGINE WOULD NOT RECOVER, 20MPH IN FAST LANE WITH SEMI'S AND SPEEDING TRAFFIC, NO PULL-OFF AREA. CLEAR DRY DAY, TEMPERATURE AROUND 55 DEGREE. NOT THE FIRST TIME ENGINE SHUDDERING EXPERIENCED, BUT THE MOST DANGEROUS. ALWAYS OCCURS DURING ACCELERATION (PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC OR PASSING, ETC.). BEGAN TO NOTICE LOSS OF POWER, WHINING AND GRINDING NOISES FROM TURBOS ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO; SUBSEQUENT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF BOTH TURBO CHARGERS WITH BILLOWING BLACK SMOKE AND OIL DRIPPING FROM EXHAUSTS. 38K MILES, GARAGE KEPT, ALL SERVICE POINTS MAINTAINED, DRIVEN LIKE GRANDMOTHER SINCE NEW. FIST THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING AT 18K MILES, NOW ENGINE FAILURE AT 38K. DO SOMETHING NTSB BEFORE THESE VEHICLES KILL SOMEONE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10556609

4,000 miles · May 28, 2013
EnginePower Train

V6 ECOBOOST ENGINE, HAS SAME ACCELERATION / STALLING SYMPTOMS AS THE F150 ECOBOOST HAPPENS SEVERAL TIME A WEEK, DEALER WAS UNABLE TO HELP WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. STARTED WITHIN MONTHS OF PURCHASE (NEW) IN 2010. HTTP://WWW.LATIMES.COM/NEWS/LA-FI-HY-FORD-F150-ECOBOOST-INVESTIGATION-20130526,0,2968753.STORY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10513965

72,000 miles · Mar 29, 2013
Power Train

SITTING AT RED LIGHT..FOOT ON BRAKE...CAR LURCHED FORWARD ALMOST HITTING CAR IN FRONT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES. THIRD TIME MARCH 29, 2013 CAR WAS COASTING ABOUT 2-5 MILES AN HOUR...SUDDEN ACCELERATION SO CAR LURCHED FORWARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10504998

62,900 miles · Oct 25, 2012
Power TrainFire

SUDDEN LEAKING PTU CAUSED FAILURE AND FLUID TO CATCH FIRE WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN EXPOSED TO EXHAUST DIRECTLY UNDER UNIT . DAMAGE ALSO RESULTED IN TRANSMISSION HOUSING DAMAGE AND SEVERE POWERTRAIN FAILURE. FORD HAD TWO TBS TO REPLACE PTU HOWEVER NOT ISSUED ANY RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10482205

Official recalls

1

16V247000 · Air Bags:frontal

Apr 26, 2016

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C06.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.