2010 Ford FLEX

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2010 Ford FLEX has 181 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (21% of all complaints), specifically: going into a turn at approx. 25 mph and my ford flex shut off. lost power steering and power brakes. put it in neutral and restarted. have approx. 11,500 miles on the car. this is the only time this has occurred.*tr. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 2 crash reports 2 injuries

181

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

38 complaints

21%

• GOING INTO A TURN AT APPROX. 25 MPH AND MY FORD FLEX SHUT OFF. LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED. HAVE APPROX. 11,500 MILES ON THE CAR. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED.*TR
• 2010 FORD FLEX 2000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING @ 35 MILES PER HOUR , CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR STALLED. GAS ACCELERATOR WAS INOPERABLE. OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO DRIVE INTO A PARKING LOT CLOSE BY AND BRING CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT. CAR TURNED ON AFTER THE 5TH ATTEMPT. THE CHECK ENG
• MY 2010 FORD FLEX STATION WAGON HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH ALLOWING EXHAUST FUMES TO ENTER THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN ACCELERATING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, WHEN PASSING A CAR OR WITH ALL OF THE WINDOWS OPEN. THESE VENTS SENSE THE BALANCE IN PRESSURE AND OPEN WHEN THEY SHOULD NOT. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO TW

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“GOING INTO A TURN AT APPROX. 25 MPH AND MY FORD FLEX SHUT OFF. LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED. HAVE APPROX. 11,500 MILES ON THE CAR. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED.*TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

32 complaints

18%

• WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE CAR SIMPLY DIES. ALL LIGHTS COME ON AND THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF. LEFT WITH NO BRAKES, STEERING, OR CONTROL. DEALER BROUGHT IN ENGINEER, AFTER A WEEK WITH THE CAR DEALER CANNOT REPLICATE PROBLEM. FORD MOTOR COMPANY DECIDES NOTHING IS WRONG AND FORCE ME TO TAKE DANGEROUS CA
• I HAVE A 2010 FORD FLEX ECO BOOST. THE ELECTRIC ASSIST POWER STEERING IS GOING OUT. THE PROBLEM BEGAN SPORADICALLY AND THEN BECAME MORE PREVALENT. IT USUALLY OCCURS AT LOW SPEEDS. THE FORCE REQUIRED TO TURN THE WHEEL WHEN IT GOES OUT IS RIDICULOUS. IT CAN BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT INT
• THE POWERSTEERING WAS INTERMITTENT TIGHT AT TIMES FOR A WEEK AND THEN BECAME VERY TIGHT AND ALMOST COULDN'T STEER NEARLY CAUSING A CRASH. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ARE REPLACING THE RACK AND THE POWERSTEERING SHAFT FOR OVER $1000 ON A CAR THAT IS BARELY 4 YEARS OLD. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT IN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE CAR SIMPLY DIES. ALL LIGHTS COME ON AND THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF. LEFT WITH NO BRAKES, STEERING, OR CONTROL. DEALER BROUGHT IN ENGINEER, AFTER A WEEK WITH THE CAR DEALER CANNOT REPLICATE PROBLEM. FORD MOTOR COMPANY DECIDES NOTHING IS WRONG AND FORCE ME TO TAKE DANGEROUS CA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

17 complaints

• PURCHASE FORD FLEX 2010 MODEL, FIRST COMPLAINT OCCUR LATE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010, FRONT BRAKES PADS WERE NOT WORKING AND PULLING HARD. RETURN TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPAIRED THE CAR, TELLING ME THIS IS AN EXISTING PROBLEM WITH THREE MANUFACTURE REPLACEMENTS ALREADY. I RETURN IN SEPTEMBER 2010 WITH SA
• 2010 FLEX LIMITED IN APRIL 2010 I NOTICED A GRINDING SOUND FROM THE FRONT ROTORS, ESPECIALLY WHEN ROADS WERE WET. WENT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON A FIX FOR IT--FOR VEHICLES UNDER 18,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 14,000 ON IT AT THE TIME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY
• 2010 FORD FLEX. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING PROBLEM WITH BRAKES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM HE EXPERIENCED WITH THE BRAKES ONLY HAPPENED FOR A SHORT TIME AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN STATIONARY FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY STIFF WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST STA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“PURCHASE FORD FLEX 2010 MODEL, FIRST COMPLAINT OCCUR LATE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010, FRONT BRAKES PADS WERE NOT WORKING AND PULLING HARD. RETURN TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPAIRED THE CAR, TELLING ME THIS IS AN EXISTING PROBLEM WITH THREE MANUFACTURE REPLACEMENTS ALREADY. I RETURN IN SEPTEMBER 2010 WITH SA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

16 complaints

• POST RE: FLEX DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THURS JUN 11, 2009 6:07 PM THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY MOM WHEN SHE WAS DRIVING HERS THROUGH A PARKING LOT, IT JUST STALLED OUT! SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE SAME DAY AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THIS WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO
• 2010 FORD FLEX 2000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING @ 35 MILES PER HOUR , CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR STALLED. GAS ACCELERATOR WAS INOPERABLE. OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO DRIVE INTO A PARKING LOT CLOSE BY AND BRING CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT. CAR TURNED ON AFTER THE 5TH ATTEMPT. THE CHECK ENG
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO FILL THE FUEL TANK WHEN HE OVERFLOW VALVE FAILED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT SPORADICALLY, THE VALVE WOULD NOT ALLOW THE FUEL TANK TO BE FILLED TO CAPACITY AND WHEN ATTEMTPING TO FILL THE TANK, IT WOULD OFTEN TAKE APPROXIMATLEY 30

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“POST RE: FLEX DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THURS JUN 11, 2009 6:07 PM THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY MOM WHEN SHE WAS DRIVING HERS THROUGH A PARKING LOT, IT JUST STALLED OUT! SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE SAME DAY AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THIS WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

13 complaints

• 2010 FORD FLEX 2000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING @ 35 MILES PER HOUR , CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR STALLED. GAS ACCELERATOR WAS INOPERABLE. OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO DRIVE INTO A PARKING LOT CLOSE BY AND BRING CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT. CAR TURNED ON AFTER THE 5TH ATTEMPT. THE CHECK ENG
• 2010 FORD FLEX 20000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING @40MILES PER HOUR , CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR STALLED. GAS ACCELERATOR WAS INOPERABLE. OPERATOR WAS BARELY ABLE TO DRIVE INTO A SIDE OF THE ROAD AND BRING CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DISAPPEARED. THIS IS THE 1
• ENGINE SHUTS DOWN ON A ROLLING STOP, FIRST INCIDENT ROLLING STOP ON A STOP AND GO TRAFFIC SECOND INCIDENT ROLLING STOP TO A STOP LIGHT THIRD INCIDENT SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“2010 FORD FLEX 2000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING @ 35 MILES PER HOUR , CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR STALLED. GAS ACCELERATOR WAS INOPERABLE. OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO DRIVE INTO A PARKING LOT CLOSE BY AND BRING CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT. CAR TURNED ON AFTER THE 5TH ATTEMPT. THE CHECK ENG”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 181 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: GOING INTO A TURN AT APPROX. 25 MPH AND MY FORD FLEX SHUT OFF. LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED. HAVE APPROX. 11,500 MILES ON THE CAR. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED.*TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE CAR SIMPLY DIES. ALL LIGHTS COME ON AND THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF. LEFT WITH NO BRAKES, STEERING, OR CONTROL. DEALER BROUGHT IN ENGINEER, AFTER A WEEK WITH THE CAR DEALER CANNOT REPLICATE PROBLEM. FORD MOTOR COMPANY DECIDES NOTHING IS WRONG AND FORCE ME TO TAKE DANGEROUS CA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: PURCHASE FORD FLEX 2010 MODEL, FIRST COMPLAINT OCCUR LATE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010, FRONT BRAKES PADS WERE NOT WORKING AND PULLING HARD. RETURN TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPAIRED THE CAR, TELLING ME THIS IS AN EXISTING PROBLEM WITH THREE MANUFACTURE REPLACEMENTS ALREADY. I RETURN IN SEPTEMBER 2010 WITH SA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: POST RE: FLEX DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THURS JUN 11, 2009 6:07 PM THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY MOM WHEN SHE WAS DRIVING HERS THROUGH A PARKING LOT, IT JUST STALLED OUT! SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE SAME DAY AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THIS WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)