AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
2009 Ford Flex
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 181 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2009 Ford Flex, most frequently naming the engine, electrical and brakes categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 24 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2014 | 2 | 72 |
| Mar 2014 | 4 | 76 |
| May 2014 | 5 | 81 |
| Jun 2014 | 3 | 84 |
| Aug 2014 | 1 | 85 |
| Sep 2014 | 2 | 87 |
| Oct 2014 | 3 | 90 |
| Nov 2014 | 1 | 91 |
| Dec 2014 | 1 | 92 |
| Jan 2015 | 4 | 96 |
| Mar 2015 | 2 | 98 |
| Apr 2015 | 1 | 99 |
| May 2015 | 3 | 102 |
| Jun 2015 | 2 | 104 |
| Jul 2015 | 2 | 106 |
| Oct 2015 | 2 | 108 |
| Dec 2015 | 2 | 110 |
| Jan 2016 | 2 | 112 |
| May 2016 | 2 | 114 |
| Jun 2016 | 1 | 115 |
| Aug 2016 | 4 | 119 |
| Sep 2016 | 2 | 121 |
| Oct 2016 | 1 | 122 |
| Mar 2017 | 4 | 126 |
| Jun 2017 | 1 | 127 |
| Jul 2017 | 2 | 129 |
| Aug 2017 | 2 | 131 |
| Oct 2017 | 1 | 132 |
| Nov 2017 | 1 | 133 |
| Apr 2018 | 2 | 135 |
| May 2018 | 3 | 138 |
| Jun 2018 | 2 | 140 |
| Jul 2018 | 1 | 141 |
| Aug 2018 | 1 | 142 |
| Oct 2018 | 1 | 143 |
| Nov 2018 | 2 | 145 |
| Dec 2018 | 2 | 147 |
| Jan 2019 | 1 | 148 |
| Feb 2019 | 8 | 156 |
| Mar 2019 | 1 | 157 |
| Apr 2019 | 1 | 158 |
| May 2019 | 2 | 160 |
| Jul 2019 | 2 | 162 |
| Nov 2019 | 2 | 164 |
| Feb 2020 | 1 | 165 |
| Mar 2020 | 1 | 166 |
| Jun 2020 | 1 | 167 |
| Sep 2020 | 1 | 168 |
| Oct 2020 | 1 | 169 |
| Nov 2020 | 2 | 171 |
| Mar 2021 | 1 | 172 |
| May 2021 | 1 | 173 |
| Jul 2021 | 1 | 174 |
| Mar 2022 | 1 | 175 |
| Jun 2022 | 1 | 176 |
| Apr 2023 | 1 | 177 |
| May 2023 | 1 | 178 |
| Mar 2025 | 1 | 179 |
| Dec 2025 | 1 | 180 |
| Jul 2026 | 1 | 181 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Engine5320.9%
- Electrical3313.0%
- Brakes3313.0%
- Powertrain (other)197.5%
- Fuel system197.5%
- Steering187.1%
- Driver assistance187.1%
- Body & structure124.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govRecent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
On February 26, 2026, I purchased a used 2009 Ford Flex VIN from Header’s Auto Sales. At time of delivery, the vehicle was equipped with tires that did not meet the manufacturer’s required load rating for this vehicle. A licensed mechanic provided a safety assessment confirming the tires were improperly load-rated and unsafe to carry the vehicle load. We were not informed of this issue at sale. To make the vehicle safe to drive, I replaced all 4 tires at my cost. Improper load-rated tires can result in tire failure, loss of vehicle control, and crash. Dealer sold vehicle "as-is" without disclosure of this safety defect.
- NHTSA ID
- 11750984
- Incident
- Jun 17, 2026
You can be driving down the road, and all your gauges will stop working, and all the warning lights on the dash will light up. The first time this happened my wife got stuck at a gas station all the warning lights were on and the car would not start, people tried to jump it and it would not affected at all. I looked on the internet and found were someone said to beat on the passenger side floorboard, I called my wife and told her to try that, and when she did the car would start. It doesn't do it all the time, you never know when it's going to happen. We have to just stomp on the passenger floor to get everything to start working again. If I had not found this information from somebody else on the internet my wife would have been stuck about a hundred miles from home. I've taken it to the Ford house and they say they've never heard of anything like this but I know it's happened before two other people that's how I knew to stomp on the floorboard on the passenger side.
- NHTSA ID
- 11704068
- Incident
- Oct 10, 2020
Rear subframe rusted at bolt mount. Vehicle could have experienced catastrophic failure wihle driving. Independent service center diagnosed and documented rusted area and potential for failure. Noise would happen during acceleration/deceleration but not in wet weather conditions. Until diagnosed as unsafe to drive, vehicle drove with rear passenger side sitting on rear spring, potentially causing spring to rust prematurely.
- NHTSA ID
- 11647208
- Incident
- Mar 7, 2025
The door ajar sensor malfunctions and is crazy expensive to fix. There are numerous posts and videos online of workarounds bcz it’s so common but they don’t seem safe since that’s a safety feature and the workarounds are simply a way to trick or bypass the warning sensors since the doors are actually closed in most cases. Ford needs to take ownership of this and issue a recall. There’s a tire pressure sensor failure as well.
- NHTSA ID
- 11524140
- Incident
- May 27, 2023
Was driving and the steering wheel became stiff. I received no warnings indications or lights on the dash. I had to give it a hard turn to get it to a parking lot and have it towed to a dealership.
- NHTSA ID
- 11518395
- Incident
- Apr 13, 2023
About 5 miles from home with no warning.The car went from regular temp to hot then stopped.Water mixed with the oil.The tech said the water pump just failed.I did not have any problems with it running hot or anything.
- NHTSA ID
- 11469695
- Incident
- Jun 13, 2022
While driving around February 20th, 2022 we started swerving uncontrollably and almost ran into the curb and flipped while going about 40 MPH. My husband put on breaks but it felt like we were sliding on ice....without any ice on the road. We almost flipped and were very shaken, and lucky. We got vehicle to Firestone and they said our left rear toe link had broke. Supposedly our vehicle year is not part of the recall, I think it should be. Thank you
- NHTSA ID
- 11458320
- Incident
- Feb 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Flex. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the odor of fuel was present coming from the vehicle. After parking inside the garage, there was fuel leaking from the seam of the fuel tank on the passenger’s side. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. Also, while attempting to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal would extend to the floor and the vehicle would not immediately stop. The contact determined that the brake booster was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and an unknown dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11425398
- Incident
- Jul 1, 2021
- Mileage
- 160,000 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; STRUCTURE:BODY
Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). The Factory Keyless Entry Code application within the diagnostic scan tool will not provide an applicable master code for the accessory wireless keypad. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is not available, the "Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide" can be referenced and provides direction on how to retrieve the master code. This guide is located under the Workshop Manual tab > Accessories > Installation > Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide > PPT C > Step C2.<br /><br /> Note: The only available keypad for some vehicles from the assembly plant is the accessory wireless keyless entry keypad. The integrated wired keypad cannot be installed on vehicles not equipped from the factory with a wired keyless entry k
EQUIPMENT
All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during initial delivery. Unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad, the accessory keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is lost, follow these steps to recover the code. Dealer Key Code access is granted through the Dealer Program Enrollment System (DPES); dealership management can authorize users. The authorized user must go to FMCDealer.com > Parts and Service > Parts Product Line Information > Keys/Entry Devices > Aftermarket Keyless Entry Keypad Code Access. Follow the instructions on the screen to obtain the master code for the accessory keypad.
STRUCTURE
For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a different vehicle. Most modules on these affected vehicles are VIN/vehicle specific and hardware variations between modules do exist. Swapping a module from a vehicle or ordering a module using a different vehicle/VIN can cause ineffective repairs and additional vehicle down time. Make sure all appropriate Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures are followed when diagnosing the condition prior to all module replacements and only order modules using the correct VIN.
SUSPENSION
This SKU is a Control Arm. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect the bushing orientation. If the bushing orientation is incorrect, it will prevent installation of the product. If the problem is not corrected, the product will be unusable.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
Some 2009-2017 Expedition/Navigator, 2009-2014 F-150/Mustang, 2008-2009 Sable, 2008-2019 Taurus/Flex/MKT, 2013-2019 Police Interceptor Sedan/Utility, and 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles may exhibit inoperative or intermittent HVAC blower motor function at various fan speed settings. This may be due to a poor electrical connection at the blower motor speed control. If the blower motor speed control is determined to be the causal part, replacement of the electrical connector pigtail harness (14S411) to the blower motor speed control is also recommended to avoid repeat repairs. Use pigtail harness service part numbers 3U2Z-14S411-ZEA or CU2Z-14S411-FA, as both parts are interchangeable. Refer to Wiring Diagram, Cell 5 for recommended splicing procedures.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
Some 2009-2017 Expedition/Navigator, 2009-2014 F-150/Mustang, 2008-2009 Sable, 2008-2019 Taurus/Flex/MKT, 2013-2019 Police Interceptor Sedan/Utility, and 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles may exhibit inoperative or intermittent HVAC blower motor function at various fan speed settings. This may be due to a poor electrical connection at the blower motor speed control. If the blower motor speed control is determined to be the causal part, replacement of the electrical connector pigtail harness (14S411) to the blower motor speed control is also recommended to avoid repeat repairs. Refer to Wiring Diagram, Cell 5 for recommended splicing procedures. Refer to Wiring Diagram, Cells 54/55 to obtain the service pigtail connector part number.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.