CSR

Ford · NHTSA safety record

2015 Ford Flex

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

103

Complaints

0

Crashes

2

Fires

1

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2015 Ford Flex have filed 103 safety complaints with NHTSA between September 2015 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is back-over prevention, named in 23 of them (22%). The typical failure was reported at 54,623 miles, the median across the 66 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 4 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (4)

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

25V695000 · October 13, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
The risk
A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.

Ford Motor Company · up to 1,448,655 vehicles across all model years covered

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

PARKING BRAKE

15V464000 · July 24, 2015

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 23, 2015, Lincoln MKT vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 21, 2015, and 2015-2016 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 23, 2015. The affected vehicles have a parking brake that may not fully engage when applied. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
The risk
If the parking brake does not fully engage and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while on a slope, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will test the operation of the parking brake system, and if necessary, replace the parking brake control assembly, free of charge. The recall began on September 4, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C07.

Ford Motor Company · up to 7,165 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 103.

BACK OVER PREVENTION 23 22%
STEERING 19 18%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 18 17%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 13 13%
ENGINE 11 11%
POWER TRAIN 11 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 11 11%
SUSPENSION 7 7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 2%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 2 2%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 1%
SEAT BELTS 1 1%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 18.

2015 2025 2026
2015 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.

SEATS

1 injured · 11,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD FLEX. WHILE AS A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE, THE MIDDLE ROW SEAT ON THE RIGHT INADVERTENTLY MOVED FORWARD. AS A RESULT, THE SEAT COLLAPSED AND THE HEAD REST STRUCK THE CONTACT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND EYES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000.

NHTSA complaint 10907262. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · towed

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND A FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHICH WAS ON FIRE. A FIRE INSPECTION REPORT WAS NOT YET CONFIRMED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A YARD. THE DEALER (KENDALL FORD OF ANCHORAGE, 1950 GAMBELL ST, ANCHORAGE, AK 99501,(866) 591-3517) WAS NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT HAD NOT YET RESPONDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING TO DETERMINE IF THEY MAY BE ABLE TO INVESTIGATE WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

NHTSA complaint 10994006. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

fire · 27,000 miles

DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A CLUNK AND FELT A SLIGHT LOSS OF POWER AND CONTROL. PULLED OVER TO CHECK VEHICLE AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAR SOON BECAME ENGULFED AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE ORIGIN AND CAUSE EXPERT HIRED BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY SUSPECTS AN INJECTOR LINE CAME LOOSE ON THE ENGINE AND SPRAYED FUEL ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD.

NHTSA complaint 11002837. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 8,200 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE SPEED SUDDENLY REDUCED TO 20 MPH AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME BEFORE STALLING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,200.

NHTSA complaint 10907222. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION

120,000 miles

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Flex. The contact stated that upon reversing the vehicle the rearview camera display would display upside down and then display blank and no warning lights were illuminated, however the following warning message would display on the instrument panel "camera unavailable, please contact your local dealer". The local dealer was contacted however the vehicle was not repaired as the contact was advised that the remedy for NHTSA campaign number :25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION) was not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA complaint 11756966. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION

65,000 miles

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera was blank. There was no warning light illuminated; however, the message was "Camera not Available - Please Contact your Dealer" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired because parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was contacted but was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.

NHTSA complaint 11756805. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Rear view camera under recall. Told by Ford for 3 months in a row that should receive paper in mail for recall repair. Have not received paper. Very dangerous backing up.

NHTSA complaint 11755127. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rear Camera no working. This Ford recall has been out for 3 years now and we still cannot get a remedy for our vehicle!

NHTSA complaint 11747139. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION
See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA complaint 11746476. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION

160,000 miles

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Flex. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. While reversing, the back over prevention camera image appeared upside down, or the message “Camera Not Available" was displayed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 160,000.

NHTSA complaint 11745889. 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
2014 249 4
2013 578 6
2012 64 2
2011 144 2 1
2010 139 1

Other 2015 Ford models

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