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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Electrical System complaints

200 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 8, 2026
Electrical SystemSeatsVisibility/wiper

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? MULTIPLE DRIVER AID FUNCATIONS IN-OP. DRIVER DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK, DRIVER DOOR LOCK AND UNLOCK SWITCH WILL NOT OPERATE ANY LOCKS, PASSENGER DOOR MIRROR WILL NOT MOVE, SEAT MEMORY WILL NOT SAVE, REAR VIEW MIRROR WILL N…

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What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? MULTIPLE DRIVER AID FUNCATIONS IN-OP. DRIVER DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK, DRIVER DOOR LOCK AND UNLOCK SWITCH WILL NOT OPERATE ANY LOCKS, PASSENGER DOOR MIRROR WILL NOT MOVE, SEAT MEMORY WILL NOT SAVE, REAR VIEW MIRROR WILL NOT AUTO DIM AND THERE IS NO MANUAL OPTION TO ADJUST THE MIRROR RESULTING IN IMPACTED NIGHT VISABLITY, REAR VIEW CAMERA DOES NOT DISPLAY ON SCREEN BUT WILL BEEP WHEN CLOSE TO AN OBJECT. NOT CODES OR DASH WARNINGS DISPLAYED TO STORED. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? IMPACTED VISIBLY WHILE DRIVING. UNABLE TO ADUST PASSENGER MIRROR TO SEE BLINK SPOT OR ALONG PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. UNABLE TO LOCK OR UNLOCK DRIVER DOOR, IF LOCKED ITS NOT ALLOWING ME TO ENTER THE VEHICLE AND HAVE TO ENTER VIA PASSENGER DOOR. AUTO DIM IMPACTS VISABLITY WITH DRIVING AT NIGHT. REAR BACK UP CAMERA IN-OP IS DAMGEROUS IN NUMEROUS ASPECTS. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? PROBLEM IS CONSTANT. NOT TAKING TO A DEALER DUE TO RIDICULOUS PRICES AND DIAG FEES. I'M A TECH AND TRIED TO DIAGNOSE ISSUES WITH NO ANSWERS. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? NOT YET. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? UNKNOWN. PURCHASED PRIVATE PARTY WITH ISSUES (05/01/2026). LOOKED AT 3 OTHER FORD FLEXS FROM THIS GENERATION THAT ALL HAD THE SAME ISSUES WHEN LOOKING TO PURCHASE A VEHICLE AND NO ONE HAD A SOLUTION FOR IT.

NHTSA ODI #11736539

Mileage unknown · Dec 2, 2025
Electrical SystemSteering

Power steering. While I was driving in my neighborhood the power steering went out and I could not make a turn. It locked up while driving. I could have got into a head on collision/accident becasue the road turns. Yes, I reported it to Ford and they told me my flex did not have a recall despite the ford website stating that so…

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Power steering. While I was driving in my neighborhood the power steering went out and I could not make a turn. It locked up while driving. I could have got into a head on collision/accident becasue the road turns. Yes, I reported it to Ford and they told me my flex did not have a recall despite the ford website stating that some 2013 ford flex are affected. The description of 15s18 sterring recall matches my same issue and it poses a serious safety hazard. Yes, i took it to a mechanic at an auto shop and her is telling me that he can't fix recalls. At the time of the accident, i got No pre warning just the message that states: "Steering Lock Malfunction Service Now: The steering lock system has detected a condition that requires service." This happened on or around 11/23/25. I am requesting that Ford pay for my power steering to be fixed.

NHTSA ODI #11702594

Mileage unknown · May 29, 2025
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

My back up camera show upside down or sometimes it shows a black screen. People have a habit of walking behind me when I’m backing up and I can’t see them. The warning beep sounds but I can’t tell if it a car or person behind me. When it first happen months ago I tried resetting camera, it didn’t work. Not sure if my extended wa…

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My back up camera show upside down or sometimes it shows a black screen. People have a habit of walking behind me when I’m backing up and I can’t see them. The warning beep sounds but I can’t tell if it a car or person behind me. When it first happen months ago I tried resetting camera, it didn’t work. Not sure if my extended warranty covers this.

NHTSA ODI #11663835

Mileage unknown · Jan 30, 2025
Electrical System

The backup camera went out, but first it went upside down. Not inverted, just upside down. It's definitely a safety issue as I can't see fully behind me. I've seen the later models have the same issue and recall for them but not the older models with the same issue.

NHTSA ODI #11639656

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2024
Electrical SystemSteering

Power steering no longer works. Getting message on dash as well. I see a recall for my year truck but my vin apparently is not one included. It’s our only transportation and my daughter, my fiancé and myself all have multiple weekly therapy/dr appointments. Please consider adding my vin to the recall. As far as electrical my al…

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Power steering no longer works. Getting message on dash as well. I see a recall for my year truck but my vin apparently is not one included. It’s our only transportation and my daughter, my fiancé and myself all have multiple weekly therapy/dr appointments. Please consider adding my vin to the recall. As far as electrical my alarm will randomly go off while it’s not running/parked. Thinks doors are open when they are not. Thank you

NHTSA ODI #11571562

Mileage unknown · Dec 27, 2023
Electrical System

While driving, the radio turns off and the climate control system malfunctions causing the heater to engage to high with no way to turn the system off. All controls are disabled and there is no way to turn the system off. Unplugged the battery for 30 minutes as suggested, removed fuses to the radio and climate control module whi…

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While driving, the radio turns off and the climate control system malfunctions causing the heater to engage to high with no way to turn the system off. All controls are disabled and there is no way to turn the system off. Unplugged the battery for 30 minutes as suggested, removed fuses to the radio and climate control module which temporarily fixes the issue, but issue happens randomly and creates excessive heat in the cabin. This is the 5th time this has happened. It is the 3rd time while on long trips (3hrs or longer). Others online have mentioned the same. We had to ride with the windows and moonroof open to let the heat escape. First time occurred in 2019 in early December. Navigation still worked, but all other systems would not function.

NHTSA ODI #11562206

120,000 miles · Dec 26, 2023
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced several electrical failures, including that door erroneously locking and unlocking and the Lane Departure safety feature malfunctioning. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the electronic body control module was fault…

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The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced several electrical failures, including that door erroneously locking and unlocking and the Lane Departure safety feature malfunctioning. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the electronic body control module was faulty. After removing and reinstalling the module, the vehicle was repaired. Additionally, while the vehicle was in for service, the mechanic discovered that the water pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA ODI #11561820

Mileage unknown · May 24, 2023
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

Have difficulty fueling vehicle. “Fuel fill inlet” warning stays on dash. Strong fuel mixture smell in cabin. Fuel will overspill if you try to pump gas at full force. Smells like fuel is leaking. Concerned about possible explosion. Many other drivers having the same issues. Strange clicking sounds from front end.

NHTSA ODI #11523595

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2023
Electrical System

Vehicle would not start after 3 days of not being started or driven. After having the battery jumped the climate control unit malfunctioned. The heat would not turn off and stayed on full blast. This caused the car to overheat and difficult to drive even with the windows down. When brought to the dealership service center, they…

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Vehicle would not start after 3 days of not being started or driven. After having the battery jumped the climate control unit malfunctioned. The heat would not turn off and stayed on full blast. This caused the car to overheat and difficult to drive even with the windows down. When brought to the dealership service center, they replaced the heater blower. This fixed the issue temporarily. Then the heat stopped working and in single digit temperatures the vehicle was too cold to drive. The dealership replaced the resistor. This again became a temporary fix. The heat came back but then the vehicle battery kept draining. Having some type of electrical issue put the vehicle at a possible risk for short circuiting, catching fire etc. This is an ongoing issue with ALL YEARS of the Ford Flex. When the vehicle is jump started this causes an electrical short affecting the climate control system but also the entire communication system. .

NHTSA ODI #11500074

Mileage unknown · Sep 5, 2022
Electrical System

The 2013 Flex has an issue with door ajar switch within the door latch mechanism failing. This results in the car incorrectly identifying the door as “ajar” when it is closed. The result is that the automatic door locking does not activate when the car is in motion. This means that the door remains unlocked unless manually lo…

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The 2013 Flex has an issue with door ajar switch within the door latch mechanism failing. This results in the car incorrectly identifying the door as “ajar” when it is closed. The result is that the automatic door locking does not activate when the car is in motion. This means that the door remains unlocked unless manually locked by the passenger. This can pose a safety hazard as the door could come open in an accident or be opened while in motion by a passenger. This problem has been well described on the web with multiple work around including disabling the mechanism or wiring a different switch in. It also described as typically happening around 69,000 miles. In conclusion Ford has created a faulty door ajar sensor that negatively affects the safety of the occupants in the vehicles and has resulted in numerous work arounds that could further negatively impact the safety of the occupants. Thank you for your time.

NHTSA ODI #11482892

Official recalls

6

20V072000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.