2013 Ford Flex: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 578 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 6 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
578
Complaints
6
Recalls
11
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
13
Injuries
26.6
Severity index
Severity index 26.6 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 145 2013 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2013 Ford Flex ranks 125 of 145 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 14% of its model-year peers. See the full 2013 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 200 | 34.6% |
| STEERING | 149 | 25.8% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 78 | 13.5% |
| STRUCTURE | 69 | 11.9% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 59 | 10.2% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 36 | 6.2% |
| ENGINE | 32 | 5.5% |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 24 | 4.2% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 200 of 578 complaints (34.6%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 15 |
| 2015 | 66 |
| 2016 | 100 |
| 2017 | 86 |
| 2018 | 74 |
| 2019 | 60 |
| 2020 | 41 |
| 2021 | 35 |
| 2022 | 17 |
| 2023 | 21 |
| 2024 | 19 |
| 2025 | 27 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 6 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16V621000 | 25/08/2016 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 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) |
| 15V812000 | 02/12/2015 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Explorer Police Utility, Taurus, Taurus Police Interceptor, Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may crack, allowing fuel to leak. |
| 15V340000 | 02/06/2015 | STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 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 |
| 14V393000 | 02/07/2014 | POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT | 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 |
| 13V227000 | 31/05/2013 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Taurus, Flex, Fusion, Police Interceptor Sedan and Police Interceptor Utility vehicles; and certain model year 2013 Lincoln MKS, MKT, and MKZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may develop a crack, all |
| 20V072000 | 10/02/2020 | SUSPENSION:REAR | 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. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.