Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year per car on the road, against this model's usual year.
2010GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.1× usual
120 serious complaints of 139, the most about steering (32) and engine (30); per car on the road, 1.1× this model's usual year. 1 recall.
What owners report
“Leaving home to go to the grocery store and as I exited my street a dash warning came on stating "Power Steering Assist" fault Steering wheel locked up making it impossible for me to steer.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the steering, Sep 2025
“The contact owns a 2010 ford flex. While driving 30 mph, the contact heard a popping noise coming from the vehicle and the air conditioning began to blow out hot air. The contact also noticed that the vehicle began to lose power, overheat, and the check engine warning indicator illuminated.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the engine, Sep 2019
139 owner complaints · 1 recall (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 18–20 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2010 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. Cars on the road from New York State registrations. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 3.5L 6-cyl; 3.5L 6-cyl turbo · Drive: 4WD, AWD, FWD
2010 Flex trims
| Limited | SE | SEL |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Ford reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Ford aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 3.5L 6-cyl, 287–365 hp 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, 287–365 hp | AWD, FWD | 17–19 mpg | Not rated | 4 | 251 | Back over prevention (141) | Yes |
| 2018 | 3.5L 6-cyl, 287–365 hp 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, 287–365 hp | AWD, FWD | 17–19 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 67 | Unknown or other (19) | Yes |
| 2017 | 3.5L 6-cyl, 287–365 hp 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, 287–365 hp | AWD, FWD | 17–19 mpg | Not rated | 4 | 42 | Unknown or other (13) | Yes |
| 2016 | 3.5L 6-cyl, 287–365 hp 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, 287–365 hp | AWD, FWD | 17–19 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 98 | Back over prevention (26) | No |
| 2015 | 3.5L 6-cyl, 262–355 hp 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, 262–355 hp | AWD, FWD | 18–20 mpg | Not rated | 4 | 110 | Back over prevention (29) | No |
| 2014 | 3.5L 6-cyl, 288–355 hp 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, 288–355 hp | AWD, FWD | 18–20 mpg | Not rated | 4 | 249 | Steering (66) | No |
| 2013 | 3.5L 6-cyl, 288–355 hp 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, 288–355 hp | AWD, FWD | 18–20 mpg | Not rated | 6 | 580 | Electrical system (201) | No |
| 2012 | 3.5L 6-cyl, 262–355 hp 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, 262–355 hp | AWD, FWD | 18–19 mpg | Not rated | 2 | 64 | Steering (24) | No |
| 2011 | 3.5L 6-cyl, 262–355 hp 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, 262–355 hp | 4WD, AWD, FWD | 18–19 mpg | Not rated | 2 | 144 | Steering (57) | No |
| 2010 | 3.5L 6-cyl 3.5L 6-cyl turbo | 4WD, AWD, FWD | 18–20 mpg | Not rated | 1 | 139 | Steering (32) | No |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Which years have…
Apple lists CarPlay for: Flex 2017–2019 (Apple).
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Ford Flex SUV FWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 4 | 251 |
| 2019 | Ford Flex SUV AWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 4 | 251 |
| 2018 | Ford Flex SUV AWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 3 | 67 |
| 2018 | Ford Flex SUV FWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 3 | 67 |
| 2017 | Ford Flex SUV AWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 4 | 42 |
| 2017 | Ford Flex SUV FWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 4 | 42 |
| 2016 | Ford Flex SUV FWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 3 | 98 |
| 2016 | Ford Flex SUV AWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 3 | 98 |
| 2015 | Ford Flex SUV FWD | Not Rated | No | Optional | 4 | 110 |
| 2015 | Ford Flex SUV AWD | Not Rated | No | Optional | 4 | 110 |
| 2014 | Ford Flex SUV FWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 4 | 249 |
| 2014 | Ford Flex SUV AWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 4 | 249 |
| 2013 | Ford Flex SUV AWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 6 | 580 |
| 2013 | Ford Flex SUV FWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 6 | 580 |
| 2012 | Ford Flex SUV AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 2 | 64 |
| 2012 | Ford Flex SUV FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 2 | 64 |
| 2011 | Ford Flex SUV AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 2 | 144 |
| 2011 | Ford Flex SUV FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 2 | 144 |
| 2010 | Ford Flex 4-DR. w/SAB | Not Rated | No | No | 1 | 139 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Flex AWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Turbo |
17–18 |
| 2019 | Flex FWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 19 |
| 2018 | Flex AWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Turbo |
17–18 |
| 2018 | Flex FWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 19 |
| 2017 | Flex AWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Turbo |
17–18 |
| 2017 | Flex FWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 19 |
| 2016 | Flex AWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Turbo |
17–18 |
| 2016 | Flex FWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 19 |
| 2015 | Flex AWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Turbo |
18–19 |
| 2015 | Flex FWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 20 |
| 2014 | Flex AWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Turbo |
18–19 |
| 2014 | Flex FWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 20 |
| 2013 | Flex AWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Turbo |
18–19 |
| 2013 | Flex FWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 20 |
| 2012 | Flex AWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Turbo Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L |
18 |
| 2012 | Flex FWD | Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 19 |
| 2011 | Flex AWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Turbo Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L |
18 |
| 2011 | Flex FWD | Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 19 |
| 2010 | Flex AWD | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Turbo Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L |
18 |
| 2010 | Flex FWD | Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 20 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.