IllustrationTHE STEERING RACK AND PINION WENT OUT ON MY 2011 FORD FLEX. THE IS A RECALL ON FORD FLEX 2011-2013 BUT FORD KEEPS TELLING US IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY!!! WE HAD THIS REPLACED AND IT WENT OUT AGAIN 4 MONTHS LATER. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY FORD.
2011 Ford Flex
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2011 Ford Flex do not stand out strongly from 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
200–25K
1525–50K
2550–75K
1075–100K
35100–150K
12150K+
117 reports with mileage · 27 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 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports1 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
144 reportsTHERE ARE POWER STEERING RECALLS FOR 2011-2013 FORD FLEX VEHICLES. I HAVE BEEN HAVING INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH THE POWER STEERING MY 2011 FORD FLEX. IT HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES NOW, AND HAS RESULTED IN HAVING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER STEERING 1 TIME. CURRENTLY MY FORD FLEX IS NOT BEING SHOWN AS BEING INCLUDED IN RECALL 15V…
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THERE ARE POWER STEERING RECALLS FOR 2011-2013 FORD FLEX VEHICLES. I HAVE BEEN HAVING INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH THE POWER STEERING MY 2011 FORD FLEX. IT HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES NOW, AND HAS RESULTED IN HAVING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER STEERING 1 TIME. CURRENTLY MY FORD FLEX IS NOT BEING SHOWN AS BEING INCLUDED IN RECALL 15V340000. IT IS EQUIPPED WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING - THE SAME TYPE OF STEERING SYSTEM THAT IS IN THE OTHER RECALLS. IT MIGHT BE WORTH LOOKING AT EXPANDING ON THAT RECALL TO INCLUDE ANY VEHICLES WITH THAT ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM AND THAT POWER STEERING RACK. FORD TECHNICIANS HAVE IDENTIFIED THE ISSUE I AM HAVING AS AN ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM. I WILL LIKELY HAVE TO PAY TO GET THIS FIXED MYSELF.
ON 09/18/19, I WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN I HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND - LIKE ROCKS KICKING UP UNDER MY CAR. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 20-25 MPH ON A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET. I DECIDED TO SLOW DOWN AND THEN REALIZED THAT THE CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR ME. I TRIED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE AND MY STEERING WAS LOCKED. I RECEIVED NO WARNING LIGHTS AN…
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ON 09/18/19, I WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN I HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND - LIKE ROCKS KICKING UP UNDER MY CAR. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 20-25 MPH ON A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET. I DECIDED TO SLOW DOWN AND THEN REALIZED THAT THE CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR ME. I TRIED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE AND MY STEERING WAS LOCKED. I RECEIVED NO WARNING LIGHTS AND MY CAR TEMPERATURE REMAINED THE SAME - BETWEEN COLD AND HOT. AFTER GOING TO THE REPAIR SHOP, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE WATER PUMP OVERHEATED WHICH CAUSED THE COOLANT TO MIX WITH THE OIL. THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. I AM THANKFUL THAT I WAS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND NOT A FREEWAY. THE CAR HAS 94,000 MILES ON IT AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER.
WATER PUMP FAILURE LED TO TOTAL ENGINE LOSS. REPORTED ON MULTIPLE FORD VEHICLES
AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, A WARNING BELL SOUNDED AND ELECTRONIC MESSAGE APPEARED INDICATING AN ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND TURN OFF THE ROAD, BUT NO POWER STEERING WAS AVAILABLE.
I HAVE BEEN GETTING AN INTERMITTENT MESSAGE SAYING "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT." WHEN THIS HAPPENS, I HAVE NO POWER STEERING. I HAVE GOTTEN THE MESSAGE WHEN I START THE VEHICLE UP AND THE MESSAGE GENERALLY GOES OFF WITHIN 30 SECONDS OR SO. THE MOST RECENT TIME, HOWEVER, IT LASTED ABOUT 10-15 MINS. I HAVE GOTTEN THIS MESSAGE …
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I HAVE BEEN GETTING AN INTERMITTENT MESSAGE SAYING "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT." WHEN THIS HAPPENS, I HAVE NO POWER STEERING. I HAVE GOTTEN THE MESSAGE WHEN I START THE VEHICLE UP AND THE MESSAGE GENERALLY GOES OFF WITHIN 30 SECONDS OR SO. THE MOST RECENT TIME, HOWEVER, IT LASTED ABOUT 10-15 MINS. I HAVE GOTTEN THIS MESSAGE 6-10 TIMES. TO DATE, I HAVE NOT HAD THIS ISSUE HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THERE WAS A RECALL IN 2015 FOR THIS ISSUE BUT MY VIN DOES NOT APPEAR TO FALL WITHIN THE VEHICLES THAT WERE RECALLED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO EXERT EXCESSIVE FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY FOR THE ENTIRE RIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WILLOW BROOK FORD (7301 KINGERY HWY, WILLOWBROOK, IL 605…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO EXERT EXCESSIVE FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY FOR THE ENTIRE RIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WILLOW BROOK FORD (7301 KINGERY HWY, WILLOWBROOK, IL 60527, (630) 986-5000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW STEERING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
MY POWER STEERING FAILED AND I WENT ONTO SIDEWALK, BARELY MISSING MY NEIGHBOR.FORD SAYS MY VEHICLE IS NOT IN THE RECALL.
WHILE DRIVING MY POWER STEERING LOSES POWER. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME IT HAD TO DO WITH ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. I LOOKED IT UP AND MY CAR ISNT COVERED IN THE RECALL. FIRST AND LAST FORD I WILL EVER OWN!!!! THERE IS A REASON THEY SAY FOUND ON ROAD DEAD!!!
I LOST STEERING ON HIGHWAY AND BARELY ESCAPED FROM A FATAL ACCIDENT. NO CODE IS APPEARING ON THE CAR. I CAN HARDLY TURN THE WHEEL.
Official recalls
216V247000 · 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.
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.
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.