2009 Ford Flex Powertrain (other) Problems

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

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

DRIVING CAR, STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, OR LEAVING PLACES THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENGAGE WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE. IT GETS STUCK AND WON'T MOVE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I HAVE TO PUT IN PARK AND TRY AGAIN AND IT SOMETIMES SHIFTS OR MAKES A LOUD CLUCK AND JERK. HAPPENS OFF AND ON. TOOK INTO THE FORD DEALER COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEY SAID THEY COULD ONLY DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS IF IT DOES IT WITH THEM. NEVER DOES IT WHEN IN THE SHOP. THE DEALER ACTS AS IF THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOWEVER I HAVE READ FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH 2009 FORD FLEX. I BELIEVE THE TRANSMISSION IS THE SAME AS ON THE 2015 FORD TRANSIT VANS BECAUSE THE SAME ISSUE IS HAPPENING WITH IT. I HAVE TALKED TO MY MECHANIC AND THEY HAVE HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM TOO AND TOLD ME TO TAKE THE FLEX INTO THE DEALER. THEY HAVE FOUND DOCUMENTATION ONLINE THIS TRANSMISSION ISSUE NOT SHIFTING HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. MOST RECENTLY FEBRUARY 21, 2019. SEEMS TO OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS WARMED UP.

NHTSA ID

11182232

Incident

Feb 21, 2019

Mileage

89,000 mi

AS I AM DRIVING COME TO A STOP. PROCEED IN MOTION MAKING A LEFT TURN OR RIGHT TURN VEHICLE WILL LOCK UP SLOWING DOWN WITH GRINDING. NOW THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES ON THE ROAD CAUSING TRAFFIC TO STOP.

NHTSA ID

11181580

Incident

Feb 18, 2019

Mileage

20 mi

THIS IN REFERENCE TO THE TRANSMISSION, I HAVE HAD IT LOOKED AT AND NO ONE CAN SEEM TO NARROW DOWN THE EXACT PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING. AFTER STOPPING AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE IT HESITATES AND THE KICKS INTO GEAR AND DRIVES. THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY, BUT NOT KNOWING WHEN THE VEHICLE MIGHT STALL IS TROUBLESOME. THERE IS TSB 11-12-10 THAT DESCRIBES THIS PROBLEM, THE FORD DEALERSHIPS DO NOT HAVE ANY SAFETY RECALLS IN REFERENCE TO THIS.

NHTSA ID

11180059

Incident

Feb 5, 2019

Mileage

75,725 mi

TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS 40 DEGREES OR BELOW I SOMETIMES HAVE AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. IN THE MORNING AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVER NIGHT I START THE VEHICLE, PUT IT INTO REVERSE, I BACK 40 FEET DOWN MY DRIVEWAY WHICH HAS ABOUT A 30 DEGREE GRADE DOWN TO THE STREET.. I STOP ON THE STREET, PUT IT INTO DRIVE AND TURN TO THE RIGHT TO PROCEED FORWARD UP THE STREET WITH ABOUT 10 DEGREE GRADE FOR ABOUT 300 FEET, THEN THE STREET HAS ABOUT A 15 DEGREE GRADE FOR THE NEXT 200 FEET AFTER WHICH IT HAS A 5 DEGREE GRADE FOR 75 FEET AT WHICH POINT THERE IS A STOP SIGN AT A BUSY TWO LANE CROSS STREET THAT IS FAIRLY LEVEL AND HAS A 35 MPH SPEED LIMIT. I STOP UNTIL THE TRAFFIC GIVES ME A 100 TO 150 FEET MORE BREAK BETWEEN PASSING VEHICLES SO I CAN TURN RIGHT, MANY TIMES THE ENGINE REVS TO 4000 RPMS BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES VARY SLOWLY AT PICKING UP SPEED. I OFTEN TRAVEL 600 TO 100 FEET BEFORE I ATTAIN 25 MPH. THEN IT SHIFTS INTO THE CORRECT GEAR. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER 3 YEARS AGO BUT THE FORD DEALER CHARGED TO TEST IT BUT FOUND NO PROBLEMS. FOUR MONTHS LATER I TOOK IT TO AAMCO WHO FOUND A PROBLEM AND REPAIRED IT, "THEY THOUGHT" REPLACING SOME PARTS. THE SAME PROBLEM PERSISTS AFTER THE "REPAIR". THE EXCUSE IS THAT THE CAR IS WARMED OR THE CONDITIONS CANNOT BE REPRODUCED. THE FORD DEALER SAID THAT THEY CANNOT COME 8 MILES TO MY HOME IN THE MORNING TO REPRODUCE THE CONDITIONS. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL HAS ALWAYS BEEN DECLARED TO BE OK.

NHTSA ID

11174390

Incident

Sep 22, 2016

Mileage

60,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11093939

Incident

May 12, 2018

Mileage

112,000 mi

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY ROUGH.WHILE IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11042091

Incident

Sep 13, 2017

Mileage

68,953 mi

CAR STARTED 2 YEARS AGO WITH "STUTTERING" WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 50-60 MPH, AS IF THE CAR COULDN'T DETERMINE WHICH GEAR TO STAY IN. HAD TRANSMISSION FLUSHED AND REFILLED IN APRIL 2016. PROBLEM WAS LESS BUT STILL REMAINED. ADDED DR SHUTTER IN JUNE 2016 TO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND PROBLEM HAS WENT AWAY, THAT WAS LAST YEAR. PAINT ON THE HOOD IS PEELING AND STARTED OUT AS A SMALL CHIP MAY 2016, AND IS NOW THE SIZE OF A 2 BASKETBALLS. BLACK BODY PIECES THAT ARE BETWEEN THE WINDOWS ON THE SIDE AND IN FRONT BY THE WINDSHIELD ARE LOOSE AND COMING OFF. WILL PROVIDE PHOTOS IF NEEDED

NHTSA ID

10959714

Incident

Jun 1, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT AXLE HAD AN INDENTATION AND THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER HAD BOLTS THAT DETACHED. AS A RESULT, THE AXLE AND CALIPER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND TRANSMISSION SEAL WERE LEAKING OIL AND THE DRIVE LINE AND TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,946. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10898195

Incident

May 28, 2016

Mileage

101,946 mi

THE POWER TRANSFER UNIT (PTU) FAILS ON A NUMBER OF FORD MODELS. THE SEAL LEAKS AND IN MY CASE THE UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACE BECAUSE OF METAL SHAVINGS. THE COST FOR REPAIRS $2,600.

NHTSA ID

10895328

Incident

Aug 12, 2016

Mileage

75,000 mi

MY FLEX STARTED HAVING A HARD JERK AND BANG WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO PARK. WAS NOT ALWAYS BUT FREQUENT. THE CAR STARTED TO RUN HOT WHEN SITTING IN A DRIVE THRU OR TRAFFIC BUT WOULD GO RIGHT BACK DOWN WHEN I STARTED MOVING. I TOOK IT INTO S MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED THE FAN. AFTER REPLACING THE FAN THE CAR BEGAN TO HAVE A REALLY BAD GRINDING NOISE WHEN IDLING OR TRAVELING. DO BAD I DID NOT WANT TO DRIVE IT. I TOOK IT INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND AFTER 2 DAYS THEY CALL AND SAY THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. WITHIN 4 MINUTES I GET ANOTHER CALL DAYING I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE CAR WOULD ECCELLERATE ON ITS OWN, SHUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY, AND CAR WOULD LAG BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEARS. FORD DEALERSHIP ADVISED ME TO HAVE A KNEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN. CAR WILL SHIFT PROPERLY MOST OF THE TIME EVEN ON HIGHWAY. ONLY GET WHINING NOISE AT LOW SPEEDS. I WAS ALSO IN AN ACCIDENT CAUSING $13000.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO FRONT END AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER HITTING A CAR DOING 35 MPH.

NHTSA ID

10820878

Incident

Sep 8, 2015

MY FLEX STARTED MAKING A LITTLE GRINDING NOISE WHEN ONLY TURNING RIGHT AT FIRST. NOW IT SOUNDS REALLY BAD TURNING EITHER WAY. AND IT SHAKES WHEN ACCELERATING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10669855

Incident

Dec 10, 2014

VEHICLE STOP RUNNING NO POWER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10648639

Incident

Oct 18, 2014

Mileage

155,322 mi

ENGINE STUMBLED AND THEN LOST POWER. IT RE-STARTED BUT IDLED AT 750RPM. CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. PLACING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR DID NOT INCREASE THE ENGINE SPEED. THIS PERSISTED ABOUT 3-4 MINUTES. AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE SPEED RESPONDED TO THE ACCELERATOR, AND WHEN PLACED IN GEAR, ACCELERATED NORMALLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10638546

Incident

Sep 2, 2013

Mileage

78,000 mi

DRIVING STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN NOTICED THE WRENCH LIGHT ON (HAPPENS OFTEN WHILE THIS HAPPENS WILL NOT ACCELERATE LIKE NORMAL UNTIL IT HITS 2-3RD GEAR). I PRESS THE GAS TO ACCELERATE AFTER MAKING THE TURN I HAD TO MAKE ANOTHER TURN ABOUT 1/4 MILE UP THE STREET. I RELEASED THE GAS TO MAKE THE TURN BUT MY CAR KEPT ACCELERATING IT WAS NOT GOING VERY FAST BUT THE ENGINE WAS ACCELERATING PUSHING THE RPMS UP TO 6000. MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS AND NOTHING WAS PRESSING THE GAS NO FLOOR MAT OR ITEMS IN THE WAY OF THE PEDALS. I PRESSED ON THE BREAK (WITH THE ENGINE STILL ACCELERATING) PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND PULLED OVER. TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THE CAR RAN FINE AFTER RESTARTED IT. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AT ANY POINT JUST THE WRENCH LIGHT. THE LIGHT DID GO OFF AFTER I RESTARTED THE CAR. I DROVE IT ABOUT ANOTHER 40 MILES SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED AND HAS NOT RECURRED SINCE. I DID HAVE THE CAR TAKEN IN TO CHECK THE CODES AT ABOUT 90K MILES (WITHOUT THE WRENCH LIGHT BECAUSE IT GOES OFF AS SOON AS YOU RESTART THE CAR) NOTHING CAME UP FOR CODES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10574690

Incident

Mar 24, 2014

Mileage

100,200 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD JERK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SIX TIMES FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN DETECTED A TROUBLE CODE AND AN UNKNOWN REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE TRANSMISSION. THE MALFUNCTION RECURRED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10509658

Incident

Jan 7, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi

OUR FORD FLEX CAME TO A STOP, (ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF) FROM APPROX. 10 MPH, WITHOUT THE DRIVER, MY WIFE, APPLYING THE BRAKES, IN A MALL PARKING LOT. SHE SHUT IT OFF AND STARTED IT AGAIN. IT DROVE FINE. SINCE WE HAVE HAD BRAKE ISSUES WITH THE FLEX BEFORE, WE IMMEDIATLY TOOK THE FLEX TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG, EVEN DRIVING IT "20 MILES" AROUND TOWN TO REPLICATE ANY PROBLEM. THEY ALSO SAID THEY CONTACTED FORD FOR ANY SUGGESTIONS. WE PICKED THE CAR UP TWO DAYS LATER AND MY WIFE & DAUGHTER DROVE THE CAR 350 MILES TO VISIT RELATIVES. WHILE ON THIS TRIP, THE CAR STALLED, ENGINE QUIT, IN TRAFFIC AT ABOUT 15 MPH. THIS HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER FILLING THE FLEX WITH FUEL. THE CAR STARTED AGAIN AND WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, WHERE THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. WE HAVE HAD MANY BRAKE ISSUES AS WELL WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE REAR BRAKES SMOKE FROM SELF APPLICATION (THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT ON), ENOUGH SMOKE THAT OTHER DRIVERS HAVE WAVED US DOWN ON THE ROAD THINKING THE FLEX'S BRAKES WERE ON FIRE. WE HAVE HAD THE REAR ROTORS AND CALIPERS REPLACED AT 15,300 MILES (UNDER WARRANTY) DO TO EXTREMELY QUICK WEAR. THE REAR BRAKES HAVE SMOKED AGAIN SINCE THIS REPLACEMENT. I'M BEGINNING TO THINK THESE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED IN THE ABS/TRACTION CONTROL/STABLITY CONTROL SYSTEM. OF COURSE, THE DEALER, AND APPARENTLY FORD, SAY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THE TRANSMISSION CLUNKS ("NOTHING WRONG") AND IS RELUCTANT TO DOWNSHIFT (SAFETY FACTOR WHEN IN TRAFFIC), THE FRONT BRAKES ARE MAKING THAT GRINDING NOISE OTHER OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT, AND TRIM PIECES FALL OFF THE CAR. THIS IS MY WIFE'S VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT KIDS IN AND WE ARE EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED WITH OUR FLEX AND FEEL THIS "FAMILY CAR" IS UNSAFE. WE ARE CONSIDERING CALIFORNIA'S "LEMON LAW" IF FORD AND THEIR DEALERS DON'T ACKNOWLEDE THAT THE FORD FLEX HAS SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID

10409879

Incident

Jun 21, 2011

Mileage

25,577 mi

1) DRIVING AT STEADY SPEED. 2) LET UP ON GAS PEDAL AND CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN. OCCURRED TWICE IN THREE TIMES THAT VEHICLE WAS BORROWED FROM A FRIEND; ONE TIME WITH A WITNESS. 3) PULLED MY FOOT COMPLETELY OFF FLOOR AND APPLIED BRAKE; PROBLEM (IN MY OPINION) IS POOR PEDAL ORIENTATION WHICH LEADS ONE TO BELIEVE THAT GAS PEDAL IS NO LONGER PUSHED WHEN ONE JUST LETS UP ON PRESSURE ON GAS PEDAL, ALONG WITH TOO LITE OF PEDAL RETURN PRESSURE. HAVE BEEN TOLD FORD IS AWARE OF THIS BUT FEELS IT ONLY HAPPENS IF SOMEONE IS WEARING BIG AND HEAVY WORK BOOTS. MY INCIDENTS HAPPENED WITH RUNNING SHOES...AND I ONLY WEAR A SIZE 10. *TR

NHTSA ID

10319600

Incident

Jul 15, 2009

Mileage

5,000 mi