2009 Ford Flex Owner Complaints

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

My Flex has repeatedly lost power while driving. I can feel the car lose power, and the yellow wrench light comes on. After reading up on it, I learned that you have to turn the vehicle off, wherever you are, and restart it after a few minutes. The wrench light turns off, and the car runs as normal, with no records of codes. This is talked about over and over in online forums. The safety issue is that it has happened on the freeway several times while traveling at a high rate of speed. The car loses power, and you cannot accelerate. You have to find a way to stop immediately, put the car in park (and listen to the transmission clunk) and turn it off. This last instance put me in harms way on the freeway. The car lost power while traveling 70mph. I immediately lost speed and had to cross 3 lanes of traffic to pull over to turn the car off. All of the forums talk about the throttle body, but everyone says that’s not the issue. The OSS and TSS sensors are also discussed. The dealerships cannot find out what’s wrong because once the car is turned off and restarted, any codes are erased. The issue persists, and the car keeps losing power wherever and whenever. I am referencing the most recent incident on this form, however, this has happened at least 12 times since September, 2020. Please, please force a recall on this issue!

NHTSA ID

11417809

Incident

May 15, 2021

LAST NIGHT, I WENT TO BACK THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND WHILE IN REVERSE, THE ENGINE STARTED REVVING UP UNCONTROLLABLY AND EVEN THOUGH I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES, IT KEPT MOVING IN REVERSE. I QUICKLY PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND THE REVVING CAME DOWN. SHUT DOWN THE CAR, RESTARTED IT AND THIS TIME, I PUT IT IN DRIVE AND THE SAME THING HAPPEN AGAIN ONLY TO START LUNGING FORWARD EVEN WHILE BRAKING. IF I WERE IN TRAFFIC OR AT A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN, I WOULD HAVE SURELY HIT THE PERSON(S) IN FRONT OR BEHIND ME. LATER MY WIFE EXPLAINED TO ME THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND SHE HAD A HARD TIME CONTROLLING THE SPEED, DUE TO REVVING, EVEN WHILE USING THE BRAKE. SHE MANAGED TO TAKE AN EXIT RAMP INTO A LARGE PARKING LOT USING EXTREME BRAKING (FORCEFUL) AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. SHE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME SHORTLY THEREAFTER. I WAITED UNTIL AFTER 8PM TO DRIVE WHEN THERE WAS LITTLE OR NO TRAFFIC TO DRIVE TO THE CLOSEST CAR REPAIR SHOP TO DROP IT OFF AND THERE HAPPENED TO BE A MECHANIC LEAVING AS I WAS PULLING UP. I DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM AND HE MENTIONED THAT IT WAS A DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE IT UNTIL IT GOT DIAGNOSED & REPAIRED. I'VE OWNED A LOT OF CARS IN MY LIFE AND EXPERIENCING UNCONTROLLABLE REVVING WHILST THE TRANSMISSION IS ENGAGED IS A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. LUCKILY WE KEPT OUR WITS AND WERE ABLE TO RECOVER. I ALSO SEE WHERE THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED ON THIS SITE. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE AND I'M THANKFUL NO ONE WAS INJURED LAST NIGHT, INCLUDING MY WIFE AND CHILDREN. PLEASE, PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS AS THIS IS NOT NORMAL BEHAVIOR AND A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN.

NHTSA ID

11404610

Incident

Mar 23, 2021

Mileage

138,000 mi

ELECTRIC SYSTEM

NHTSA ID

11374622

Incident

Nov 29, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INDEPENDENTLY INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND DRIVEN TO HER DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER SAFFORD FORD LINCOLN OF SALISBURY LOCATED AT 1902 N SALISBURY BLVD, SALISBURY, MD 21801, (443) 210-4835, AND WAS DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN UNKNOWN PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH A SOFTWARE UPDATE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11374357

Incident

Aug 12, 2020

WHILE BRAKING AND PARKING MY VEHICLE, MY VEHICLE HAD UNWANTED ACCELERATION. GOING AS HIGH AS 120MPH AND HOLDING THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL MOVING. I HAD TO HURRY AND SHIFT INTO PARK AND TURN OFF MY VEHICLE. OTHER TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE COMING STOP AND IT WOULD GO UP TO ABOUT 40MPH AND I WOULD DESPERATELY HOLD THE BRAKE SCARED I WOULD HIT SOMEONE

NHTSA ID

11366889

Incident

Oct 28, 2020

Mileage

132,000 mi

MY CRADLE IS RUSTED THROUGH ALL THE WAY TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND HAS A VISIBLE CRACK. I'M TOLD THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND CONCERN AS WELL AS A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN ONE CAN BE INJURED DUE TO THE ENGINE FALLING OUT TO NAME ONE. I'M TOLD BY A MECHANIC THIS IS A FACTORY DEFAULT.I AM VERY CONCERNED AND WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THIS MATTER. SINCERELY, [XXX] 09/05/2020 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11353314

Incident

Sep 1, 2020

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED IN THIS VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING 60 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING THE STEERING SEIZED. LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING IN RIGHT LANE AND WAS ABLE TO GET VEHICLE SAFELY TO A LOT. THERE WAS NO WARNING, NO NOISES, NO DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. THE STEERING BECAME VERY TIGHT AND WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

11328645

Incident

Jun 12, 2020

Mileage

170,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45 MILE PER HR. THEN MY FORD FLEX STARTED TO STALL SO I HAD IT TOWED TO A NEAR BY REPAIR SHOP , THEY LOOKED OVER MY VEHICLE AND THEY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION, THAT THE WATER PIMP HAD FAILED AND COOLANT ENTERED THE BLOCK, SO THERE FOR THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF THE REPAIR INVOICE 369486 02/28/2020

NHTSA ID

11317747

Incident

Feb 13, 2020

Mileage

133,615 mi

WHEN DRIVING AND THE CAR BEGINS TO ACCELERATE PAST 40MPH THE CAR SHUDDERS AND JERKS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A YEAR. THE FORD DEALER TEST DROVE IT AND COULDN'T DUPLICATE WHAT I EXPERIENCE OFTEN.

NHTSA ID

11308909

Incident

Jun 20, 2018

THE VEHICLE OVER HEATS, AND JUST GETS TOO HOT. IF THE A/C IS RUNNING IT OVER HEATS JUST SITTING AT THE LIGHT. NOW THAT IT IS COOLER, THE HEATER IS ON AND IT OVER HEATS JUST SITTING AT THE LIGHT. I STOP THE CAR AND LET IT COOL DOWN BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE OPERATING LIKE THIS. THERE ARE MANY PROBLEMS DESCRIBING THIS SAME PROBLEM AND IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. NO REASON JUST SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT FOR THE CAR TO OVER HEAT.

NHTSA ID

11282312

Incident

Aug 15, 2019

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. WHILE THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION, THE ANTI-LOCK WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SECURE LOCK SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED BY THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND TRANSFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 169,000.

NHTSA ID

11279599

Incident

Nov 11, 2019

Mileage

169,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING DOWN CITY HIGHWAY OR CITY ROADS THE ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD WILL CUT OFF, (IE. RADIO, BLINKERS, HEAT & A/C CONTROLS) WILL SHUT OFF AND THE DRIVE CONTROL BUTTON WILL APPEAR WITH THE DOOR AJAR AND BRAKE LIGHTS. IT IS NOW STARTING TO MAKE A DINGING SOUND WHILE YOU DRIVE AS WELL AS SMELL LIKE SOMETHING IS ON FIRE. THE CAR IS COMPLETELY SHUT AND SEALED. THERE ISN'T A TIME OR INSTANT WHERE THIS IS HAPPENING. IT WILL JUST GO IN AND OUT! FORD YOU REALLY NEED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM SINCE FAMILIES ARE USING THESE VEHICLES. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND SEE THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 09 FLEX.

NHTSA ID

11229095

Incident

Jul 2, 2019

STARTED HEARING NOISES AND SMELLING FUMES TRANSFER CASE WAS BAD. HAD TO REPLACE WITH A NEW ONE AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS AND POSSIBLE LAWSUITS ON THE INTERNET.

NHTSA ID

11228588

Incident

Oct 17, 2017

2009 FORD FLEX PCM. WHILE ACCELERATING OFF RAMP ONTO INTERSTATE, MPH 70, THE FORD BEGIN TO SHANK VIOLENTLY THEN SUDDENLY STOPS.............. IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC/INTERSTATE IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT 70 MPH. FLEX GOES TO SHOP AND 3 COILS ARE MELTED, CONVERTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, AND PCM NEEDS TO REPLACED. THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD AND NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO AS THERE ARE MANY MANY POST AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PCM. THE SAFETY OF THE FLEX AND IT'S PASSENGERS ARE IN GRAVE DANGER WHEN THIS HAPPENS AS IT IS OUT OF NO WHERE. 70 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE AT A SUDDEN STOP WILL KILL SOMEONE. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS UNTIL AFTER THE FACT. THIS IS A FORD MALFUNCTION THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BY FORD AND ADDRESSED INSTEAD OF TSB'S BEFORE AN INDIVIDUAL IS SERIOUSLY HURT.

NHTSA ID

11209329

Incident

May 13, 2019

Mileage

135,000 mi

RECALL 16C06,WE CALLED THE RECALL NUMBER AND THEY ARE DENYING AND REFUSING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE THAT THE NHTSA HAS SET INTO PLACE.WE ARE SEEKING COMPLIANCE IN GETTING THIS REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE TO US SINCE THIS IS A JUSTIFIED RECALL.PLEASE CONTACT US AT [XXX] .WE ARE EXPERIENCING WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON IN VEHICLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT

NHTSA ID

11204972

Incident

Apr 29, 2019

STEERING: I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH MY STEERING, WE HAVE HAD THE RACK AND PINION REPLACED, STEERING PUMP AND STEERING BELT. MY PROBLEM IS STILL NOT FIXED. THE STEERING IS REALLY HARD AND THEN LIKES TO BREAK LOOSE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK SEVERAL TIMES. THERE IS A RECALL ON NEWER MODEL FORD FLEXS. I THINK THEY ALL NEED TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED!

NHTSA ID

11202640

Incident

Apr 1, 2019

Mileage

200,000 mi

FUEL GAUGE READING DROPS SUDDENLY FROM 1/4 TANK TO EMPTY IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, NOT ALLOWING TIME TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES BUT SO FAR ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN A POSITION TO PULL OFF THE ROAD (ON SINGLE LANE ROADWAY, OR IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE. HAS BEED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND ON RESIDENTIAL AREA.

NHTSA ID

11183876

Incident

Apr 1, 2018

Mileage

112,000 mi