Selling a Ford Flex that's finished

Ford made one generation of the Flex, all in Oakville, Ontario. Its NHTSA record splits cleanly into the early cars, the facelifted 2013-2016 cars and the last three years, and a few campaigns are still waiting on a final fix.

The Flex in brief

The Flex is a three-row crossover on Ford's D4 platform, shared with the Lincoln MKT. Front drive was standard and all-wheel drive optional. Production ran from June 2008 to 2019 and reached just over 300,000.

Two engines, both 3.5-liter V6s with a six-speed automatic. The base Duratec made 262 hp, then 287 hp from 2013. The twin-turbo EcoBoost arrived for 2010 on SEL and Limited trims with all-wheel drive standard, at 355 hp and later 365. The facelifted 2013 was shown at the 2011 Los Angeles show. Properly equipped, a Flex was rated to tow 4,500 pounds. Ford's page for the 2019 now reads: "Even though we will no longer be producing the Flex SUV."

Problems, stretch by stretch

2009-2012: steering assist

These four years hold 528 complaints and 2 recall campaigns. Steering tops the complaint list on the 2010, 2011 and 2012. Across 2009-2013, 193 of 280 steering complaints mention power steering.

Recall 15V340 is the one to know. It covers 2011-2012 Flexes with the EcoBoost and 2013 Flexes with either engine. If the assist cuts out, NHTSA's notice warns that "extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds." Dealers check the power steering control module for fault codes, then replace the steering gear or update the software. The campaign reached 393,623 vehicles across several models.

A smaller recall, 16V247, covers 695 vehicles from 2009-2012 whose driver air bag could inflate wrongly in its second stage during a high-speed crash.

2013-2016: the facelift years

The 2013 is the peak on both counts: 580 complaints and 6 recall campaigns. Electrical problems lead with 159, then steering with 136. The odd one is door-ajar warnings. They appear in 177 of the 2013's complaints, against 18 of 249 on the 2014 and 3 of 528 across 2009-2012. No recall in NHTSA's list addresses them.

The recalls for these years are mostly fuel and driveline:

• Fuel delivery module, 2013. It could crack and leak fuel (13V227, which reached 390,783 vehicles across models, plus 15V812 for 868 more).
• Fuel pump module, 2013-2015 EcoBoost. A part inside it can overheat and cut power to the pump, which stalls the engine (16V621, 77,502 vehicles).
• Halfshaft, 2013-2014. On cars built September 2011 to November 2013, it could come loose from the linkshaft so power no longer reaches the wheels (14V393).
• Passenger air bag, 2014. Tight seat-track clearance on cars built March to May 2014 could switch the bag off when it shouldn't be (14V710).
• Parking brake, 2015. It might not fully engage, so the car could roll (15V464).
• Turbo oil tubes, 2016-2017 EcoBoost. Badly brazed tubes could leak oil onto the engine, a fire risk (16V925).

2017-2019: the camera years

The last three years add up to 362 complaints, and 253 of them belong to the 2019. Of those, 126 are about the rearview camera. Recall 24V951 says the 2019's camera "may intermittently display a blank or distorted image," and NHTSA lists the final remedy as expected in March 2027. A broader campaign, 25V695, covers 2015-2019 Flexes among 1,448,655 Fords and is being fixed in phases.

Also on these cars: B-pillar door trim on 2017-2019 models that can come off while driving (25V732, 92,347 vehicles), and unsecured starter and alternator cables on 87 cars from 2019 (18V548).

Flex complaints and recalls by model year

"Rearview camera" is NHTSA's back-over prevention category. The component column leaves out the "unknown or other" bucket. One campaign can cover several years, so the recall column does not add up to 14.

Fix the Flex, or sell it?

1. Run the VIN through NHTSA first. Steering assist, the fuel pump module and the camera are all recall items. Ask the dealer which ones have a remedy ready, since the camera campaigns are still rolling out.
2. EcoBoost that stalls on a 2013-2015? Rule out recall 16V621 before you pay for diagnosis.
3. Engine or transmission gone? Ask for a written estimate, then look up what a working Flex of the same year and miles brings. If the repair is close to that figure or above it, selling makes more sense. Our page on junk car value explains what moves an offer.

Selling a Flex whole

1. Gather the details: the VIN, the odometer reading, base V6 or EcoBoost, which wheels are driven, and the fault.
2. Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Tell us the location and if it rolls. A Flex that won't start is fine; the truck just needs to know.
4. Don't strip it. Keep the wheels, the battery and the catalytic converter on. Anything already removed changes the offer, so mention it.
5. At pickup, have the title signed and the keys ready.

Weighing other Ford crossovers? See the Explorer, the Edge, the Freestyle or every Ford we cover.