NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2014 Ford Flex. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
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.
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 INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I know that the 2015-2019 Ford Flex is being recalled for rear camera issues and "B" pillar mldgs. coming loose. My 2014 Flex has these same issues. What about earlier models?
Auto “steering assist failure” occurred, very difficult to steer, very dangerous and could have caused wreak if actively driving when it failed. Dash light indicates steering assist failure. Appears this is an ungoing problem with ford flex vehicles since 2010 I do not see recall for my 2014 flex but same issues had recalls for flex up to 2013. I am reporting due that I believe this is a very serious issue on ford flex vehicles and has great potential to cause severe accident if occurring while driving. I believe there should be recalls for this issue requiring Ford to repair the safety risk.
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.
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 failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving and attempting to reverse, the rear-view camera image was upside down or occasionally there was a blank screen. There was no warning light illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V442000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 122,000.
The camera shows upside down and rear parking aid doesn't work. Recall 25v442000 is for the same thing. But ford dealer said it doesn't apply.
The rear backup camera is upside down. The rear backup distance alarm doesn't work. This has been recalled in other years. The price to repair in unreasonable. Its like not having a rear camera. This is a common Problem. Please help.
The power steering system failed and requires brute force to turn the wheel. The software system was reflashed but this did not fix the problem. There was a recall for this issue from 2011-2013, but not for our year. There is not a warning light on.
I have a 2014 Ford Flex. My axle shaft came undone while driving. My Ford flex was manufactured 07 of 13 my mechanic said that there's a recall for your front axle shaft on the passenger side and it falls within the guidelines of the affected vehicles but Ford says that it's not covered. My vin was never added to the recall and it’s the same exact issue that the others had for that year.
Without warning, the vehicle's power steering stopped working in an intersection while turning. The hazard lights came on automatically and I used my full body strength to steer the car out of the intersection. Inspection showed a computer module failure within the steering rack. Because the computer module is built into the steering rack, the whole steering rack needed to be replaced. This was a critical repair and cost over $3500.
I own a 2014 Ford Flex, and I have been experiencing recurring issues with the rear backup camera. The problems included the camera intermittently going in and out of service, displaying fuzzy or unclear images, and at times showing the video feed upside down. These issues closely resemble known problems covered under existing Ford recalls related to backup camera malfunctions caused by software update errors. Due to ongoing safety concerns, I took my vehicle to an authorized Ford dealership on August 21, 2025, for diagnosis and repair. The dealership confirmed the failure of the backup camera system. To resolve the issue, they diagnosed, replaced the rear backup camera, and reprogrammed the system. The total cost of the service was $638.78. Given the similarity of this failure to the symptoms covered under previous Ford recalls, I believe this issue may be related and warrants further review.
Faulty back up camera. Shows inverted and distorted image, or fails to operate at all. Has been an issue for about 3 years.
Driving along and all of a sudden steering will be very difficult to turn - and there is play in the steering wheel. Not being able to turn safely, puts my family at risk. There are no warning lights or alarms that have shown up.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds; the vehicle lost automotive power and the steering wheel was pulling to the left and was difficult to turn in either direction. No warning light was illuminated. An appointment with the local independent dealer was scheduled to inspect the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the Year, Make, and Model being outside the selected VIN range. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to an unidentified NHTSA Campaign; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 130,400.
Within the last 90-120 days the back up camera on our 1014 Ford Flex has started not working properly. It sometimes works, sometimes only a video with now parking lines, sometimes nothing at all and a blank screen. Sometimes it does all of the above in the same instance.
2 times now within 6 months my power steering has gone out. This is not power steering that makes it hard to steer. This is power steering going out which locks the steering wheel and leaves it impossible to steer the car. Fortunately I have been at home when this has happened and not on the road. I have managed to get it back after restarting the car several times, but I did not want to chance it. The first time I had it repaired at the dealer and thought it would no longer be an issue. I was so surprised and scared that it happened again. I was planning a long distance trip next week. I am so glad it didn't happen on the road. I paid just under 1000 dollars last time and thought it was fixed. The dealer said it is a different code this time and it will now be 3500 to fix the power assist failure. I looked online and I see others with Fords have this issue. My vehicle type was recalled for 2011-2013, but not my year - 2014. I am hoping you will look at this see there are safey issues. Thank you.
The inside ceiling appears wet after it rains. It has a main sunroof and 3 other ones. It appears to leak due to several wet places on ceiling. .
I was pulling out of my work parking lot and my power steering cut out completely. A warning came up on my dash saying something along the lines of steering assist system fault. I was able to get it back into the parking lot but had to really force the steering wheel. After turning the flex off and back on again everything worked fine. I was very fortunate to be driving at low speed at the time. Most of my driving is on a highway or the turnpike and could have been extremely dangerous. I had a shop look everything over and they weren't able to find any issues which has be constantly concerned that it could happen again at any time.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated that after releasing the parking brake, the parking brake failed to return to the original position. The contact stated that the “Parking Brake Engaged” warning light was illuminated. The contact went to the local dealer and purchased an upgraded replacement part to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,039.
The backup camera experiences intermittent error messages, doesn’t turn on, and 90% of the time the image is reversed like in a mirror
BACKUP CAMERA FAILED Safety was put at risk because there was no functional camera while the vehicle was in reverse. Dealer confirmed backup camera failure. Dealer inspected the backup camera and determined it needed to be replaced. There were no warnings, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. Mileage 163,483 Replaced 12/31/2024
Rear view camera does not work permanently sometimes image is upside down or no image. A lot of times this happens while backing up creating a safety hazard as we can hit other cars or people.
I have a 2014 ford flex limited ecoboost and I’m having some issues with the back up camera intermittently working and goes black and says to bring it to the dealer. After doing a tiny bit of research on this issue I’m seeing that there are a couple different years that have already recalled this camera from this model. I also have looked into a replacement and noticed that it’s the same exact camera on these models that have an open recall. I’m also a member of a Facebook ford flex group and this issue is much more widespread than they want us to believe. Most people have had to replace them or pay a ton for the dealer to replace. It’s a very big safety issue since this vehicle has pretty terrible visibility out the rear of the car. I’m also having an issue with the front collision sensor as the adaptive cruise control has never really worked. I’ve also noticed a lot of Folks posting about this in this Facebook group.
Rear backup camera not working or distorted. This has a recall on the 2019 Ford Flex but none of the other years. If you look into this, this has been a major issue since 2013 with all of the Ford Flex vehicles.
The back-up camera is malfunctioning. Either appear blank or will work for about 5 seconds then go blank. Took to mechanic and was confirmed as malfunctioning per codes, but wasn't able to completely diagnose.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked next to the trash can, the contact exited the vehicle to put trash from the trunk into the trash can, the contact shifted the gear shifter but was unsure of what gear was selected. The contact stated that the vehicle started rolling forward. The contact was able to shift the gear shifter while the vehicle was moving forward and then shifted into reverse and was able to stop the vehicle upon striking a tree. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 80,000
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH and making a right turn, the power steering malfunctioned, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering rack was faulty and needed to be replaced and programmed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 182,438.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was fishtailing, causing the contact to lose control of the rear end of the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure was causing the tires and brakes to wear out prematurely, and had caused the tires to cave in. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V393000 (Power Train); however, the failure persisted. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.
Power Steering Assist Fault. We drove the vehicle from Detroit to the Florida Keys and back. We were on mountain roads and small bridges along the way. As we pulled into the driveway at home the Power Steering Assist Fault message dinged and displayed on the dashboard. The steering is locked straight forward, and the vehicle is stuck in the driveway until a tow truck can pull it out and deliver to a dealer for repairs. A recall exists for many other Flex and Ford vehicles with the same steering. This vehicle MUST be included for free repairs as well. My wife has had nightmares since the return of us jumping the Seven Mile Bridge or diving off a cliff in West Virginia and we would be dead along with the cousins riding with us and any other vehicle we hit with completely locked steering. We were exceedingly lucky this time. There can not be a next time.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while her wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly after the steering wheel jerked in the right direction. As a result, the driver lost control of the vehicle and collided with a dividing wall on the side of the roadway. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was not filed, and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with both control arms. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who was able to duplicate the failure but was unable to provide a diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Safety Recall 15S18. The contact also stated that before the control arm failure, upon entering the vehicle and attempting to start the ignition, the vehicle failed to start as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The contact repaired the vehicle herself upon replacing the fuel pump control module. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Safety Recall 16S31. The manufacturer was notified of both failures but referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 138,000.
Sudden loss of control due to power steering failure . No accident, was able to recover.
The snuglock technology is a joke on this seat. It doesn’t matter if it’s latch or seatbelt installed the lock off isn’t holding it in position. Over time it becomes loose and the seat is moving more than an inch at the base. I’m having to tighten my seat every other day to ensure that my child’s seat is secure. I first complained to Graco in November and they wanted to send a replacement seat, but other complaints say even those have the same problem. I reached out to Graco again today stating I no longer want this seat.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated that occasionally, while attempting to reverse, the image on the back over prevention camera was displayed upside down. Additionally, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while her father was driving at 10 MPH and attempting to complete a left turn, the vehicle suddenly jerked to the left. As a result of the failure, the vehicle struck the curb. Several weeks later, the failure reoccurred, causing the vehicle to strike the sidewalk, and severely damaging the suspension. The traction control warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Safety Recall 15S18. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was unknown.
2014 Ford Flex AWD with 122,032 miles. Tried to get on interstate and when I got to 55mph heard a loud bang and smoke rolling from underneath car. Pulled over to find that the front differential had blown it's seals and gear lube sprayed everywhere. Car has been gently driven 25,000 in last 4 years with only other issues. Rear Hatch drive motor. Blend door actuators and strut mounts. Which all happened at 110,254 miles. Great car but now $3100 for a major part defect that is from Ford itself. Maintenance schedule in owners manual says an I quote. "Do not add fluid or change no need to check guaranteed for life" why is it there is the same recall for it but my vin is not included. Makes no sense. Been regularly maintained even before intervals. No warning no sign. Just boom
fuel pump relay module. Vehicle shut off during driving without warning forcing panic and moving to side of road and had to tow vehicle. No incident happened but after replacement no longer had issue.
Front Control Interface Module failure resulting in unresponsive climate controls and audio. The issue starts with the audio stopping, followed by the HVAC turning off and then followed by defrosters turning on full blast. No warning prior to these turning off. Safety issue is the full on heaters happened on a 90+ degree day with a full car. With windows down, the heat and humidity inside and outside the vehicle rose to unsafe levels. Initial diagnosis was a software update, then a PCM replacement and finally Front Control Interface Module replacement.
No warning lights , electric steering failed while turning on a busy Highway. Was able to barely keep control fighting with Manual steering . Took the vehicle into independent shop and they replaced steering rack. $2500 dollars.
Electric assisted power steering failure. No warning lights, no warning of failure whatsoever. Unable to steer vehicle while driving. Problem was confirmed by mechanic that the steering rack needed replacement.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist, requiring excessive force while steering the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle had not yet been taken to an independent mechanic or local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
Driving down road at 45MPH, vehicle lost power, motor quite running. Due to being on 4 lane divided road, and cars all around, I quickly hit my hazard lights, put it in neutral and coasted best I could and was able to turn on a side road to safety. This was very dangerous. Dash lights were on, no warning lights, messages before, during or after event. Tried restarting vehicle and it cranked away. Figured out had to repush the push start button to keep it from cranking away longer. Towed to local Ford dealer. They determined cause to be Fuel Pump Driver Module failed, (explains engine stop since there was no fuel supply, and needed replacement. In addition I had another issue, they found water pump was leaking out weep hole. I then discovered they built the water pump into the engine block, behind the timing chain. It takes 13 hours to replace, and if you don't replace, the water goes into the engine oil. Very bad design, knowing it would need to be replaced. Cost over $2500 and 1 week to change a water pump! Ridiculous. I know a class action lawsuit has been filed-while not a safety issue directly, I think many people will not change it (due to expense), and then the engine blows up while driving creating a safety hazard.
Rear back up camera has stopped working
POWER STEERING QUIT, COULDN'T TURN WHEEL. ALERT POPPED UP THAT SAID "STEERING ASSIST FAULT SERVICE REQUIRED" THEN ANOTHER ALERT POPPED UP "SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC" SAME ISSUE AS THE EARLIER YEARS OF THE FLEX THAT HAD A RECALL ON THEM SO THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED AS THE PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED IN THE NEWER YEARS.
We were experiencing an intermittent electrical issue where the vehicle would crank but not start every time. The vehicle was towed to the dealership on two separate occasions and the mechanic was unable to properly test the vehicle and/or recreate the problem. After some further research, I found a recall on slightly older VIN numbers for this model Flex. The recall for the Fuel Pump Control Module: Fuel system, gasoline: Delivery: Fuel pump Recall date 2016-08-24 Recall no. 16V621000 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. Recall consequence: 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. Recall action: 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. In addition, I located a forum of owners who were experiencing the same issues. These individuals either replaced the component themselves or had the service performed by a mechanic. https://www.fordflex.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=212782&sid=6b719ac74855e58a8f26cce53f76b60f#p212782 We are the single owners of this vehicle, and the miles are low at 38,036. I replaced the Fuel Pump Control Module GA8Z-9D370-A several days ago and it started immediately, without exception or issue. I saved the part in case the NHTSA needs it for any testing. I would urge the consideration of expanding the coverage of recalls to include more VINs since the risk for engine shutdown could cause a crash.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the steering wheel became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated the failure never occurred during inclement weather. While the vehicle was at the car wash, the failure self-corrected. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering module and steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
My vehicle steering system had a loss of communication/loss of power to the electrical power steering. It nearly resulted in a very bad accident at an elementary school drop-off. I recorded a video of what is happening after the fact for documentation. Basically, it sounds as though there is a known communication issue from the fully electric steering to the primary electrical system on the vehicle. It appears from my reading that this is a known problem. I would strongly consider this to be a recall issue as it could be catastrophic and potentially deadly.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the garage, there was fluid leaking underneath. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the water pump assembly and timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated while approaching the vehicle, he noticed a fluid leak underneath the engine. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the water pump and timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026