NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Ford Flex. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
I WAS REVERSING FROM MY DRIVEWAY GOING LESS THAN 5 MILES PER HR. WHEN MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN GOING AT A FAST SPEED LOSING TOTAL CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THEN FINALLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND DIED OUT. I COULD OF KILLED SOMEONE OR HIT SOMETHING IF THEY WERE BEHIND ME. I TOOK MY FLEX TO SERVICE DEPT. AT DEALERSHIP AS IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY AND MOTOR ASSEMBLY. IT WAS REPLACED AND NO MENTION OF RECALL. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY VEHICLE. *TR
THE RIGHT REAR DOOR SENSOR SAYS THAT THE DOOR IS OPEN WHEN IT IS NOT. USED TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO CLOSING IT A FEW TIMES BUT THAT NO LONGER WORKS. NOW I CANNOT LOCK MY CAR BECAUSE MY CAR ALARM KEEPS GOING OFF THINKING THAT SOMEONE IS TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT, THEY SAID "I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT". I RECEIVED AN ESTIMATE OF APPROXIMATELY $300 TO GET IT FIXED - EVEN THOUGH THERE IS REALLY NOTHING WRONG AT ALL - THE DOOR IS CLOSED. IT HAS NOW HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY THREE TIMES WITH THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR
I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC WHEN A WARNING SOUNDED AND MY DASHBOARD DISPLAYED THE MESSAGE "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE". STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. I PULLED INTO A SERVICE STATION AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. WHEN I RESTARTED THE ENGINE, THE STEERING PROBLEM HAD RESOLVED ITSELF. APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR LATER, THE SAME PROBLEM REPEATED ITSELF. AN INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THAT MANY OTHER DRIVERS OF FLEX VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY SAID, WHILE OTHER FORD MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM, THE FLEX IS NOT NAMED IN ANY OF THEIR NOTICES. AT THIS TIME THEY SAID THEY HAVE NO PLAN FOR ANY FOLLOW-UP ACTION. BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR
TOUCH SCREEN WENT COMPLETELY BLANK. COULD NOT OPERATE ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH TOUCHSCREEN. CALLED DEALER, TOLD ME THEY COULD GET IT IN NEXT WEEK. ARE YOU KIDDING. LOOKED ON LINE FOR HELP. ENDED UP DISCONNECTING BATTERY, AND RECONNECTING. WORKS NOW. *TR
TRAVELING STRAIGHT DOWN A MAIN, 2 LANE ROAD, THE VEHICLE CHIMED AND I RECEIVED TWO ERRORS ON THE DIAGNOSTIC SCREEN. FIRST WAS FOR POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT AND THE SECOND WAS ADVANCE TRAC FAULT. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WAS DISABLED AND THE STEERING WHEEL HAD GONE STIFF. I WAS ABLE TO DO A ROLLING RESTART (NEUTRAL, KEY OFF, RESTART, BACK INTO DRIVE) WITHOUT INCIDENT, THE WARNINGS ON THE DASH CLEARED, AND THE POWER STEERING WAS RESTORED. GIVEN ANY WINDING ROAD OR TURNING INTO OR OUT OF TRAFFIC SCENARIO, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE TREACHEROUS. I FELT I SHOULD BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION, AS IT APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON SITUATION, EVIDENCED BY AN INTERNET SEARCH. *TR
VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN OR INCREASE ENGINE POWER: PRESSING DOWN THE THROTTLE HAD NO EFFECT. FIRST I THOUGHT THE ENGINE HAD STALLED. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS THE ENGINE DID FUNCTION AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES BEFORE, BUT ONLY INTERMITTENTLY. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM FOR ME BECAUSE IF IT HAPPENS WHILE I AM PASSING A CAR I AM LOSING A MAJOR CONTROL. *TR
JUNE 27: GET TO FLORIDA 6 BLOCKS AWAY FROM WHERE WE WILL BE STAYING AND NEW FORD FLEX GAS TANK RUPTURES LEAVING US WITH NO GAS TO GET OFF FREEWAY. CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT SINCE VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY CALLED A TOW TRUCK. JUNE 29: DROPPED OFF KEYS FOR FORD FLEX AT TROPICAL FORD AT 9AM. EXPLAINED TO JACK WHAT WAS WRONG WITH GAS TANK. GOT A CALL FROM JACK A FEW HOURS LATER AND HE SAID THEY WERE ALL SET. I ASKED IF HE FOUND THE GAS TANK ISSUE AND HE SAID NO THEY LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND IT DIDN'T APPEAR ANYTHING WAS WRONG SO I CAN TAKE THE TRUCK. I THEN ASKED DID YOU POUR FUEL IN IT TO SEE IF IT IS LEAKING BECAUSE I HAVE PICTURES OF THE GAS LEAKING. HE SAID NO IT JUST LOOKED LIKE IT WAS FINE. THEN I ASKED WELL ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THE GAS TANK OFF AND CHECK IT. HE SAID THEY DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO. CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE: HTTP://M.USATODAY.COM/ARTICLE/NEWS/2384133 FORD FLEX GAS TANK ISSUES FORD RECALLS FLEX JUNE 31: PICKED UP FORD FLEX FROM TROPICAL FORD AND I AM STILL EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH THE FUEL TANK. WE SMELL FUEL WHILE FILLING TANK. NOT SURE WHAT TO EXPECT NOW SINCE DEALERSHIP AND CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN OF VERY LITTLE HELP. WE HAVE PICTURES OF FUEL TANK LEAKING AND AUDIO RECORDINGS OF POOR FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE. *TR
WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH VIRGINIA TO PENNSYLVANIA, THE FRONT BRAKES VIBRATE/PULSATE UPON LIGHT BRAKING. SEEMS AS THOUGH THE BRAKES WERE OVERHEATING IN THE MOUNTAINS. AT TIMES, THE PULSATING WAS VIOLENT ENOUGH TO TRANSMIT THROUGH THE VEHICLE AND STEERING WHEEL AND FLOOR. AFTER A LONG BREAK AT A STOP FOR LUNCH, THE PROBLEM LESSENS BUT RETURNS AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE PROBABLY 30 MINUTES OR SO. THESE MOMENTS OF PULSATION, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE REDUCTION OF BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. THE PROBLEMS HAVE WORSENED SINCE JANUARY AND NOW THE PULSATIONS ARE HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY AND AT SLOWER SPEEDS. *TR
MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH ADVANCE TRAC AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. OCCURS EVERY FIVE TO SIX MONTHS. SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC INDICATOR COMES ON ALONG WITH CONTROL ISSUES IN RAIN AND SNOW, BRAKE LIGHTS NOT SHUTTING OFF, CRUISE CONTROL NOT OPERATING AND IGNITION SYSTEM HAS QUIT WORKING. NOT ALL OF THIS HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME BUT THE RECURRING ISSUE IS THE ADVANCE TRAC SYSTEM AND THEN ANOTHER PART OF THE SYSTEM FAILS OR HAS PROBLEMS ALONG WITH THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC WARNING. *JS
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.
FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR. IDIOT LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASH AND THE CARS ENGINE TURNED OFF. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO GET CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. CAR CRANKED RIGHT BACK UP. 5 DAYS LATER WHILE SITTING IN A FAST FOOD LINE, SAME THING HAPPENED AND WAS ABLE TO CRANK CAR. CALLED DEALERSHIP IN TOWN, BROUGHT CAR IN AND THEY SAID, "NOTHING IS WRONG WITH YOUR CAR, COME AND GET IT" PICKED UP CAR. 2 DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING IT DOWN OUR STREET, I STOPPED TO GET MAIL ABOUT 9PM AND THE CAR TOTALLY DIED. NO POWER AT ALL. WAS STUCK IN PARK HAD TO BE TOWED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE CAR SHUTS DOWN WHILE I AM DRIVING!!! THANK GOD THAT IT HAS NOT HAPPENED WHILE GOING 65 MILES AN HOUR WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR. CAR IS AT DEALERSHIP. HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR SEVERAL MONTHS. NOT A GOOD TRACK RECORD SO FAR! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JUMPED A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A POST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000. UPDATED 9/25/12 *CN UPDATED 10/03/2012 *JS
THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT INCIDENCES THAT HAVE OCCURRED. (1) WHILE TURNING A CORNER OR SLOWING DOWN THE A/C WILL SHUT DOWN. (2) THE CONTROL PANEL INSTRUMENTS WILL GO ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE RIGHT AND THEN SURGE FORWARD WHEN TURNING A CORNER. (3) CAR HAS DIED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ESPECIALLY WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE ONTO HIGHWAY. (4) A/C WILL TURN ON BY ITSELF AND BLOW ON MAXIMUM EVEN WHEN POWER SWITCH IS TURNED OFF. (5) WHEN CAR LOSES POWER, ALL CODES ARE RESET SO DEALER IS UNABLE TO GET A CLEAR REASON WHY CAR IS DOING THIS. WE HAD A BLACK BOX INSTALLED FOR TWO WEEKS WITH SOME RESULTS PINPOINTED BUT AFTER IT WAS "FIXED" WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. DEALER CONNECTED A COMPUTER WHILE WE DROVE AROUND BLOCK AND THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT WE WERE PUSHING THE BRAKE AND GAS AT SAME TIME...NOT POSSIBLE! THE READING WAS THAT THE BRAKE HAD BEEN TOUCHED MORE THAN 2000 TIMES WHILE DRIVING 20 MILES. WE HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN REPAIR SHOP 8 TIMES AND NO RESOLUTION YET. DEALER SAID THEY WOULD STAND BEHIND VEHICLE WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AT NO COST WHILE WE TRIED TO FIND PROBLEMS BUT NOW WARRANTY IS UP AND THEY WANT US TO PAY FOR EXTENDED WARRANTY. WE WERE TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT IF WE APPLY FOR LEMON LAW THAT WE WOULD MOST LIKELY LOSE THE CASE AND IT WOULD ONLY COST US MONEY. ACCORDING TO TEXAS LAW...THIS CAR DEFINITELY QUALIFIES~ WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM OUR ATTORNEY. I HOPE NO ONE ELSE BUYS THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE~ *TR
MY 2012 NEW FORD FLEX HAD COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE 3 TIMES 1-27 DRIVING..COMPLETE SHUT DOWN. I CRUISED TO CURB. RESTARTED QUICKLY 2-01 SAME INCIDENT 2-02 REPEAT ON MAJOR STREET DEALERS HAVE SAID THAT THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. THEY HAVE HD MY VEHICLE SINCE 2-02. *TR