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Ford · NHTSA safety record

2012 Ford Flex

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

64

Complaints

4

Crashes

1

Fires

4

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2012 Ford Flex have filed 64 safety complaints with NHTSA between August 2012 and December 2025. The most complained-about system is the steering, named in 24 of them (38%). The typical failure was reported at 65,006 miles, the median across the 46 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (2)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

16V247000 · April 26, 2016

The defect
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."
The risk
An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 695 vehicles across all model years covered

STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

15V340000 · June 2, 2015

The defect
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.
The risk
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.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 393,623 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 64.

STEERING 24 38%
ENGINE 11 17%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10 16%
SERVICE BRAKES 8 13%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5 8%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 5 8%
POWER TRAIN 4 6%
STRUCTURE 4 6%
AIR BAGS 3 5%
SUSPENSION 3 5%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 5%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 2 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2016 at 7.

2012 2016 2025
2012 to 2025

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 40,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING 1 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS RAPIDLY AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO THE KNEES, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO RICHMOND FORD LINCOLN (4600 W BROAD ST, RICHMOND, VA 23230) WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.

NHTSA complaint 11057995. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

1 injured · 14,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT ENTERED THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR AND HER LEG WAS SEVERELY PUNCTURED BY A SHARP CORNER ON THE SEAT BRACKET. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A DEEP LACERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO COVERED THE POINTED CORNER AREA OF THE SEAT BRACKET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.

NHTSA complaint 10494420. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

1 injured · 22,700 miles

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THERE WAS A SUDDEN METAL ON METAL SOUND. SHORTLY AFTER THIS NOISE STARTED THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL AND THEN VISIBLE SMOKE FROM THE WHEEL. I PULLED OVER TO EVALUATE THE NOISE AND SMOKE. THE RADIANT HEAT FROM THE WHEEL CAUSED THE FIBERGLASS PANEL ON THE SIDE OF THE CAR TO HEAT UP. THIS HEAT CAUSED A 3RD DEGREE BURN TO THE TIP OF A FINGER. THE VEHICLE WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP EVALUATED IT AND STATED THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR CALIPER FROZE. THE DAY AFTER THE FLEX WAS RETURNED "FIXED", THE PASSENGER SIDE CALIPER FROZE. IT DID THE SAME THING AS THE DRIVERS SIDE (MADE THE SUDDEN METAL ON METAL SOUND, SMOKED AND HEATED UP). THE FLEX WAS TOWED BACK TO THE

NHTSA complaint 10744806, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 injured · 100,000 miles

WHILE STOPPED AND IN PARK THE VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING, I ATTEMPTED TO JUMP IN THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT PULL MYSELF ALL THE WAY IN. I WAS ABLE TO YANK THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION AND THEN I COULD NO LONGER RUN ALONG SIDE THE VEHICLE AND I FELL ON THE ASPHALT. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED ROLLING UNTIL IT BECAME HIGH CENTERED ON A LARGE ROCK. FOUR WITNESSES CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND THE KEYS WERE OUT OF THE IGNITION.

NHTSA complaint 10903897. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

180,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the ABS and the ESC warnings illuminated. The contact stated that she had recently heard an abnormal grinding sound while turning the steering wheel. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ABS sensor needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the mechanic had heard the abnormal sound coming from the steering wheel but had not run a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had researched online and had related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000(Steering), however, the VIN was not included.

NHTSA complaint 11707853, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
There is serious safety trouble occurring with the power steering components, and the brake system. I went to the Ford dealership and they said the recalls weren’t fixed back in 2015. And those recalls are the same issues that are occurring with my 2012 Ford Flex SE now. I just bought this vehicle and there is grinding noise when steering my vehicle and the ABS brake system comes on as soon as I crank up the vehicle and the brake goes down to the floor too loosely. The dealership says these potential recalls were noted for this 2012 Ford Flex in 2015. But the owner at the time didn’t have them fixed then because not all 2012 Ford Flex received the recalls at the same time. And the power

NHTSA complaint 11707935, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Ford said the recall was fixed 10 years ago, however it went out on me last night. It's been towed to the Folsom Ford dealership in California, they quoted me $3,000 to fix my power steering assistant failure that had a Safety recall and it was a 'safety recall'. I couldn't steer my car. Very scary! please investigate this and make sure that it was fixed right the first time. it should not have gone out. I hardly drive my car. thank you

NHTSA complaint 11656456. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

40,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Flex. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle intermittently became difficult to maneuver. The failure occurred on several occasions, including while the contact was driving. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering control module needed to be reprogrammed. The contact researched and was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

NHTSA complaint 11645654. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
vehicle power steering stops working. Manual steering is extremely difficult to operate.

NHTSA complaint 11644653. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
Front Passenger seat air bag light is on all the time. should I stop driving the car? Is this dangerous what does it mean? It is a 2012 Ford flex which I love and have not had any trouble with.

NHTSA complaint 11610567. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford Flex

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2019 235 4 —
2018 61 3 —
2017 42 4 —
2016 95 3 —
2015 103 4 —
2014 249 4 —
2013 578 6 —
2011 144 2 1
2010 139 1 —

Other 2012 Ford models

Focus 3,761 Fusion 2,512 F-150 1,776 Edge 1,132 Explorer 822 Fiesta 616 Escape 598 Mustang 469

Every Ford on this site — 348 vehicles, 1210 recall campaigns and 10 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst