What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford Flex?

Steering leads with 24 complaints, then engine with 11 and electrical with 10.

Does the 2012 Ford Flex have recalls?

Yes, there are 2 recalls on file. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.

Is the 2012 Ford Flex reliable?

Owners filed 64 complaints, led by steering. These are unverified reports, so pair them with a service history check.

What is the gas mileage of the 2012 Ford Flex?

See the fuel economy section on this page.

2012 Ford Flex Problems, Recalls and MPG

Q: How many complaints does the 2012 Ford Flex have?

NHTSA has 64 owner complaints on file.

NHTSA has 64 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Ford Flex^[1]. Steering is the biggest group, with 24 complaints^[2].

64owner complaints^[1]

2recalls^[3]

18–19MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups owners name most, biggest first.

Steering. 24 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe a warning on the dash and then power assist dropping out while driving. The wheel gets stiff and hard to turn. Some say it came back after a restart and then happened again.
Engine. 11 complaints^[5]. Owners describe the engine shutting off while driving, then starting again after pulling over. Some also describe a throttle part being replaced and the trouble returning. One story involves a fire.
Electrical System. 10 complaints^[6]. Owners describe dash lights flashing, a blank touch screen, lights going dark in the rain and a door sensor that reads open when it is shut. One story involves a fire.
Brakes. 8 complaints^[7]. Owners describe pulsing under braking, sticking rear calipers and a wheel that smoked after a loud noise. One story involves a crash while parking.
Unknown Or Other. 5 complaints^[8].
Fuel/Propulsion System. 5 complaints^[9].
Structure. 4 complaints^[10].
Power Train. 4 complaints^[11].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2012 Flex is necessarily included.

Air Bags › Frontal (16V247), April 2016. About 695 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[12]
Steering › Electric Power Assist System (15V340), June 2015. About 393,623 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, steering problems, loss of power. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Flex FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	17 / 24 / 19	$3,550
Flex AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[14]	16 / 22 / 18	$3,700
Flex AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[15]	16 / 23 / 18	$3,700

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[16]	n/a	n/a	n/a	4	15.1%
SUV FWD^[17]	n/a	n/a	n/a	4	16.4%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2012 Ford Flex with 3.5L 6-cylinder^[18]	262 to 355 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
FLEX 5DR CUV AWD SEL/LIMITED/TITANIUM^[19]	202 in	76 in	68 in	118 in	4,641 lb
FLEX 5DR CUV FWD SE/SEL/LIMITED^[20]	202 in	76 in	68 in	118 in	4,469 lb

How 2012 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Flex model year. The 2012 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2009	181	1
2010	139	1
2011	144	2
2012	64	2
2013	580	6
2014	249	4
2015	114	4
2016	100	3
2017	42	4
2018	68	3
2019	256	4

NHTSA's counts for the Flex show 64 complaints and 2 recalls for 2012^[3]. Among the 11 model years listed, 1 have fewer complaints than 2012 and 9 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2017 (42) and the most are for 2013 (580)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2012 Flex?

The 2012 Ford Flex has 64 complaints on file^[1]. Steering stands out as the largest group at 24 complaints^[2]. Engine and electrical reports follow, with 11^[5] and 10^[6]. These are unverified owner reports, and counts are not adjusted for how many were sold. The page also lists 2 recalls^[3], so check that they were done.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford Flex?: Steering leads with 24 complaints^[2], then engine with 11^[5] and electrical with 10^[6].
Does the 2012 Ford Flex have recalls?: Yes, there are 2 recalls on file^[3]. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.
How many complaints does the 2012 Ford Flex have?: NHTSA has 64 owner complaints on file^[1].
Is the 2012 Ford Flex reliable?: Owners filed 64 complaints, led by steering^[1]^[2]. These are unverified reports, so pair them with a service history check.
What is the gas mileage of the 2012 Ford Flex?: See the fuel economy section on this page.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Ford Flex

2009 181 complaints, 1 recall
2010 139 complaints, 1 recall
2011 144 complaints, 2 recalls
2012 this page
2013 580 complaints, 6 recalls
2014 249 complaints, 4 recalls
2015 114 complaints, 4 recalls
2016 100 complaints, 3 recalls
2019 256 complaints, 4 recalls

Compare all model years of the Ford Flex

Other Ford models from 2012

2012 Ford Transit Connect 26 complaints, 1 recall
2012 Ford Edge 1,134 complaints, 3 recalls
2012 Ford Escape 619 complaints, 1 recall
2012 Ford Fiesta 617 complaints, 3 recalls
2012 Ford Focus 3,803 complaints, 10 recalls
2012 Ford Fusion 2,617 complaints, 5 recalls

All Ford models

Similar cars from 2012: suvs

2012 Nissan Xterra 16 complaints, 2 recalls
2012 Subaru Forester 105 complaints, 15 recalls
2012 Volkswagen Tiguan 153 complaints, 3 recalls
2012 Volvo XC60 46 complaints, 3 recalls
2012 Acura MDX 76 complaints, 1 recall
2012 Audi Q5 168 complaints, 6 recalls

All suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 64 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Ford Flex (4 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 4 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
24 complaints name the steering component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 59,620). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Ford Flex model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Flex FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 24 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
11 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 108,300). NHTSA vehicle records
10 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 60,012). NHTSA vehicle records
8 complaints name the brakes component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 9,600). NHTSA vehicle records
5 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
5 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 116,000). NHTSA vehicle records
4 complaints name the structure component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
4 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 16V247, filed April 26, 2016: Air Bags › Frontal. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V340, filed June 2, 2015: Steering › Electric Power Assist System. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Flex AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Flex AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 23 highway / 18 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 15.1%. NHTSA vehicle records
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 16.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2012 Ford Flex with 3.5L 6-cylinder: rated 262 to 355 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, FLEX 5DR CUV AWD SEL/LIMITED/TITANIUM: length 202 in, width 76 in, height 68 in, wheelbase 118 in, curb weight 4,641 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, FLEX 5DR CUV FWD SE/SEL/LIMITED: length 202 in, width 76 in, height 68 in, wheelbase 118 in, curb weight 4,469 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2012 Ford Flex: problems, recalls and fuel economy