Ford · NHTSA safety record

2014 Ford Flex

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

249

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Owners of the 2014 Ford Flex have filed 249 safety complaints with NHTSA between February 2014 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is the steering, named in 66 of them (27%). The typical failure was reported at 65,000 miles, the median across the 163 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Complaints rose by half year on year: 23 in the twelve months to 2026-Q1, against 14 in the twelve before.

NHTSA has issued 4 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (4)

SUSPENSION:REAR

20V072000 · February 10, 2020

The defect: 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.
The risk: A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 211,207 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

16V621000 · August 25, 2016

The defect: 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.
The risk: 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.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 77,502 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS

14V710000 · November 7, 2014

The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Ford F-150 and Flex vehicles manufactured March 1, 2014, to May 31, 2014. The affected vehicles were manufactured with a reduced clearance between the seat frame and the seat track assembly. This can cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) to inaccurately register passenger weight and improperly suppress the passenger front airbag when the passenger seat is occupied by an adult passenger. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk: Improper suppression of the passenger airbag increases the risk of an injury to the seat occupant in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front passenger airbag.
The remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will widen the gap between the seat frame and seat track assembly and recalibrate the seat OCS, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14C10.

Ford Motor Company · up to 113,418 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

14V393000 · July 2, 2014

The defect: 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.
The risk: 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.
The 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.

Ford Motor Company · up to 83,250 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 249.

STEERING 66 27%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 57 23%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 46 18%

SUSPENSION 26 10%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 24 10%

ENGINE 22 9%

STRUCTURE 12 5%

POWER TRAIN 10 4%

SEAT BELTS 8 3%

BACK OVER PREVENTION 7 3%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 6 2%

SERVICE BRAKES 5 2%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2020 at 39.

2014 to 2026, the last of them a part year

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 Filed October 27, 2021

3 injured · crash · towed · 116,598 miles

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH when the contact heard a noise coming from the vehicle and shortly after lost control of the vehicle resulting in the contact hitting a parked vehicle with no air bags deploying. There were 3 injured, the son and daughter sustained bruising over arms and legs. The mother sought medical treatment and sustained injuries to the back. A police report was taken and the vehicle was towed to a tow lot then towed to an insurance lot where it was awaiting diagnosis. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately

NHTSA complaint 11438432, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS Filed July 6, 2020

1 injured · crash · towed · 96,000 miles

I WAS IN A COLLISION IN MY FORD FLEX ON JUNE 29, 2020. AT THE TIME, A CAR TURNED IN FRONT OF ME ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING ME TO TBONE THE OTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS IN MY FORD FLEX DEPLOYED.

NHTSA complaint 11337794. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed May 3, 2015

1 injured · crash · 2,700 miles

I WAS IN PARK IN MY DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS STEEP, AND THE FLEX ROLLED AFTER BEING IN PARK FOR 2 MINUTES. MY THREE YEAR OLD SON WAS IN THE VEHICLE SO I TRIED TO JUMP INTO THE VEHICLE AND PUT MY RIGHT HAND ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE KNOCKED ME OUT AND DRAGGED ME DOWN, RELEASING ME AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DRIVEWAY. I WOKE UP TO SEE THE VEHICLE BACK INTO THE OTHER SIDE OF MY U-SHAPED DRIVEWAY AND PROCEED FORWARD, HOPPING MY NEIGHBOR'S CURB, STOPPING IN THEIR BUSHES. MY SON WAS OKAY, BUT I SUSTAINED A BROKEN AND DISLOCATED RIGHT WRIST, AND MULTIPLE ROAD RASHES ON MY FEET, KNEES, RIGHT ARM, LEFT HAND REQUIRING SUTURES, RIGHT SIDE OF MY FACE AND A LACERATION IN MY SCALP REQUIRING SUTURES. THESE

NHTSA complaint 10714216, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS Filed October 21, 2017

1 injured · crash · 46,000 miles

TAKATA RECALL - MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING ON HWY 70 IN TEXAS TOWARDS VERNON. SHE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 73MPH AND STRUCK A DEER. WHEN SHE STRUCK THE DEER THE THE AIRBAGS (BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS) DIDN'T DEPLOY AND THE SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK AS DESIGNED. BASED ON MY RESEARCH OF YOUR SITE AND THE NHTSA GUIDELINES ON THE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS...I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM. ANYTHING BEING STRUCK AT THAT SPEED, SHOULD'VE DEPLOYED THE AIRBAGS AND MY WIFE'S APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES AT THAT SPEED SHOULD HAVE LOCKED THE SAFETY RESTRAINTS. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END, TO INCLUDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DAMAGE AND THE LOSS OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS OPERABILITY.

NHTSA complaint 11035346. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed July 22, 2026

Hello, I was driving my Ford Flex at 60mph yesterday with my 15 year old friend helping me move. The engine completely died for several seconds and continued running. That night the engine was idling rough which was a new symptom. Today, I made it to my destination and the car died, then it did not start after cranking. The Fuel pump module Aa8a-9d412-ca was faulty and now I am out $142+ from Ford to replace a part myself that is a known problem on the Ecoboost engines for this vehicle. This is a liability and I am seeking reimbursement for this known issue. Please issue a recall for this fuel pump module, everyone's safety is at risk that still has this faulty part installed that Ford has

NHTSA complaint 11752265, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed July 15, 2026

I noticed about 6 months ago, the Backup camera has been cutting out randomly, and has been getting worse. I noticed that there is a recall for 2015 - current models of Ford Flex for this issue. Not sure why the 2014 model isn't a part of the recall, as my car seems to be doing the exact thing described in the recall.

NHTSA complaint 11750617. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER Filed March 11, 2026

BACK UP CAMERA IS DISABLED WHEN BACKING UP. IT IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH BACKING UP MAKING IT A SAFETY CONCERN. THE BEEPING SEEMS TO WORK BUT THE CAMERA WILL BE BLACK.

NHTSA complaint 11723479. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING Filed February 26, 2026

I was driving down a main road going 45 MPH when my steering wheel locked up and I got a message on my dash to service advanced steering. I was unable to turn my steering wheel in any direction and had to pull over in order to not be involved in a collision.

NHTSA complaint 11720819. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION Filed February 10, 2026

74,000 miles

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while in reverse, the back over prevention camera displayed a black screen, and the message “Camera not Available” was displayed. The contact stated that turning off and restarting the vehicle, and waiting for the cellphone to connect to Bluetooth on the radio, the camera operated as needed and provided an image of the rear of the vehicle while reversing. The failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic and diagnosed with a camera failure. The mechanic performed a troubleshooting of the camera and determined that the camera needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The

NHTSA complaint 11717008, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed January 24, 2026

fire

After reporting to work on [XXX], I discovered that the front of my vehicle was on fire. Emergency services were immediately contacted, and employees on site attempted to contain the fire using fire extinguishers. The fire department arrived shortly thereafter and successfully extinguished the fire. Despite these efforts, the vehicle was ultimately deemed a total loss. Later that day, my sister advised me to review footage from our Ring camera from that morning. The video shows visible sparks coming from underneath my vehicle prior to my departure. At that time, I drove approximately nine miles to work, unaware of any issue with the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF

NHTSA complaint 11713105, quoted in part. 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	—
2013	578	6	—
2012	64	2	—
2011	144	2	1
2010	139	1	—

Other 2014 Ford models

Focus 2,596 Escape 2,074 Explorer 1,673 F-150 1,516 Fusion 1,322 Fiesta 502 Edge 380 Mustang 359

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

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file , published August 20, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API , most recent campaign filed August 12, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file , published 2026-08-19.

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 guarledes
Independent developer and analyst