Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Ford Flex submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 53 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 53, in the owner's own words
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AND STATED THAT THE STEERING U JOINT, WHEEL BEARINGS, AND ENGINE FAILED. THE DEALER (CAR NATION, 317 SOUTH PHILADELPHIA BLVD, ABERDEEN, MD 21001, (410) 995-8888) STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED SINCE THE CONTACT PUT 1,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,080. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
IT KEEPS SAYING SENSOR WE HAD REPLACED TWICE IS STILL BAD. THE TRANSMISSION DOESN'T ACCELERATE SOMETIMES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE HOOD AND THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY CABLES. THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND IT CUT OFF FOR THE 2ND TIME. NOW IT WONT STARTM ROLLED INTO BUSINESS PARKING LOT.
PART OF MY POWER IN MY CAR SHUT OFF ON THE FREEWAY, AT 1:39 PM AT 67 DEGREES OUTSIDE . I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR 40 MINUTES. MY DASHBOARD WENT DARK, AND ONLY MY CLOCK TIME WAS ON. I GLIDED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR VERY HARD TO THE RIGHT (AS THE POWER STEERING WAS OFF). THEN TURNED THE KEY TO OFF, WAITED 3 MINUTES TURNED THE KEY AND IT WENT BACK ON. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN.
2009 FORD FLEX LIMITED OVERHEATS WHILE IDLING FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS. RAN MULTIPLE VACUUM TESTS AND THERE IS NO LEAK OR SHORTAGE OF COOLANT. A/C BLOWS HOT WHILE IDLING. REPLACED RELAYS, THERMOSTAT, AND FUSES TO NO AVAIL. REPLACED COOLING FANS RECENTLY WITH OEM PARTS. CAR IS NO LONGER OVERHEATING, BUT NOW HAS A STRONG ELECTRICAL OR MELTING SMELL AFTER DRIVING. FANS POTENTIALLY FAILING AGAIN.
DRIVING 65. MPH CAR LOST POWER .IWAS ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD.TURNED CAR OFF AND ON IT RESTARTED TOOK TO FORD DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT WAS THROTTLE BODY REPLACED AT 700. THERE IS NO RECALL,BUT FORD IS AWARE OF DANGER.OUS DEFECT .TECH SAID.
JULY 22, 2016. WIFE STARTED CAR IN SCHOOL PARKING LOT AND HEADED TO THE EXIT. WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO THE MAIN ROAD, AND ACCELERATING, LOUD NOISES AGAIN HEARD UNDER THE CAR AND IT LOST POWER EVEN WHILE GIVING IT GAS. HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHUT OFF CAR AND RE-STARTED. NO ISSUES. WIFE REFUSES TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL FIXED. TAKEN TO DEALER ON JULY 29, 2016. UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. RETURNING TO DEALER AUG 5 FOR COMPUTER RE-FLASH. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS BEING REPORTED ALL OVER THE FORD FLEX FORUMS AND IT APPEARS FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
WIFE STARTED CAR IN SCHOOL PARKING LOT. TURNED LEFT AND HEADED SHORT DISTANCE THE LOT EXIT. WHILE TURNING RIGHT ONTO THE MAIN ROAD AND STARTING TO ACCELERATE, HEARD 'LOAD NOISES' THAT SEEMED TO BE UNDER THE CAR. CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS GIVING IT GAS. SHE PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. DIDN'T NOTICE ANY DASH LIGHTS (ABS OR TCS). RESTARTED CAR AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. CAR HAS 128,000 MILES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 136,000....UPDATED 07/19/16 *BF
ENGINE STALLS DESPITE FUEL GAUGE READING 1/4 TANK IN RESERVE. FILL UP CONFIRMS THAT THERE IS IN FACT 1/4 TANK LEFT. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES NOW.
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH WHEN THE FLEX TOTALING SHUT DOWN. SHE HAD NO POWER STEERING, BRAKES OR LIGHTS. IT STARTED BACK UP AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS AND WAS GIVING BOGUS MESSAGES ON THE DISPLAY. FORD DEALER SAYS THERE ARE NO CODES SHOWING UP, SO THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THIS. WE CANNOT DRIVE ANYMORE WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED, SINCE IT MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN AND WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS IF GOING OVER A MOUNTAIN PASS AT THE TIME IT HAPPENS. WE LIVE IN MONTANA.
CAR STALLED AT LOW SPEED. STARTED AGAIN WHEN STOPPED AND IN PARK. DURING EVENT, NO POWER STEERING / BRAKES AVAILABLE. NOT A SAFE CONDITION.
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN MAY, 2014 AS A USED VEHICLE W/WARRANTY (POWERTRAIN). WHILE TRAVELING FROM ST.LOUIS, MISSOURI IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, THE CAR OVERHEATED. AFTER SPEEDING UP TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC IT SUDDENLY COOLED BACK OFF. NOW, DURING THIS SAME TIME, THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED BLOWING COOL AIR UNTIL WE SPED UP TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. AFTER THAT, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN UNTIL I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC. SAME PROBLEM. THE FANS STOPPED WORKING. HERE RECENTLY, I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC AND THE CAR OVERHEATED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ONLY THIS TIME, WHEN I SPED UP THE CAR DIDN'T COOL DOWN. THE COOLANT WAS FINE BUT THE CAR STILL OVER HEATED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS THE COOLING FAN MODULE AND IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. NOW, I'VE READ IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH 2008-2012 FORD FLEX VEHICLES. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE 2011-2012 SERIES BUT NOT EARLIER MODELS. OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FAULTY MATERIALS USED TO MAKE THESE VEHICLES. THE SAME RECALL THAT WAS AFFORDED TO THE 2011-2012 MODELS SHOULD ALSO BE AFFORDED TO OWNERS OF EARLIER MODELS. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS $600 TO REPAIR THIS BECAUSE MY WARRANTY ONLY COVERS POWERTRAIN. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ASAP. I HAVE 6 CHILDREN AND CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND $600 ON SOMETHING THAT IS NOT EVEN MY FAULT OR THE FAULT OF NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, THE COOLER FAN FAILED TO OPERATE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AS THE RADIATOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLING FAN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
SIX AM, TOTALLY DARK, LIGHTS ON LOW BEAM, TOTAL POWER FAILURE WHILE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND INCHING FORWARD. ENGINE DIED AND ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FAILED WITHIN 30 SECONDS. BATTERY WAS NEW IN AUGUST OF 2014, ALL CONNECTIONS TIGHT. I WAS IN LANE THREE FROM THE RIGHT ON A SIX LANE FREEWAY THAT WAS TOTALLY IMPACTED WITH VEHICLES. I TRIED TO EXIT TO RIGHT SHOULDER BUT COULD NOT AND ENDED UP BLOCKING LANES TWO AND THREE. NO POWER TO ANYTHING BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET SHIFT LEVER INTO PARK AND THE CAR STARTED. WOULD NOT START IN NEUTRAL OR DRIVE. HAS NOT OCCURRED SINCE AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 650 MILES.
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.
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