2011 Ford Flex Powertrain (other) Problems

Went to put car in reverse and it kept driving forward- no weird sound or anything. Proceeded to put the car in park and it was still moving forward. Transmission was stuck on drive.The shifter is disconnected from the transmission with no warning .Just looked and the transmission shifter bushing is disconnected. Also saw that this part is a recall on other ford vehicles. Had this been recalled on all vehicles with this part, I would have known to have it fixed. Luckily I was somewhere safe when this happened but it would have put myself as well as others in danger.

NHTSA ID

11734241

Incident

Apr 27, 2026

My brakes locked up suddenly on the rear end causing me to get stuck in the middle of the road and unable to move it, even to tow it. I had to take 2 days almost to fix it in the middle of the road, since yesterday morning. They also began locking up suddenly on the front end, the wheel bearing, CV Joint, Tie Rods, CV Axles, CV Boots, and sway bars began failing out of nowhere as well. The brakes may or may not be able to be replicated, as they are partially fixed and yes my entire front end can be replicated. The danger is my brakes locked up as I was driving, in the middle of the road at that. I have not been able to get the front end fixed as it is expensive, however the danger of this is the tires falling off or the front end failing all together. ALL of the other people who drive these that I have talked to and met have had the same problem and yes they are factory parts! Even the people who have only 30 to 60000 miles on their 2011 Ford Flex Titaniums have these issues! Not only this but also the sensors go bad almost immediately off the lot, which can cause the car to brake without warning, stop running out of nowhere, make the power steering module fail, make your vehicle stutter because ALL of the sensors are bad. These vehicles need to be recalled and fixed, or recalled and replaced with better vehicles (from $60,000 up to $95,000) with any mileage any year. Please recall these and please help! I just got mine, this isn't right!

NHTSA ID

11694344

Incident

Oct 17, 2025

When we turned car on a continuous dinging occurred and “power steering assist failure - notice came on - completely impossible to drive - husband drove it home it was extremely difficult - he’s a very big and strong man - it is my main vehicle and I can’t steer it at all - then on line found the recall info that matches the year our vehicle was made - our ford dealership is claiming there’s issues - there should be no issue as it’s a clear admit from ford re: our vehicle - please email or call me at [XXX] . Mahalo from Maui - [XXX] please help. Aloha INFORMATIONREDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11565677

Incident

Jan 7, 2024

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light and wrench light illuminated, and the vehicle started driving rough. The contact stated that the vehicle decelerated and then failed to properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who replaced the throttle body, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who replaced the throttle body for a second time but after retrieving the vehicle the failure persisted. The dealer later diagnosed that the PCM was faulty and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 164,000.

NHTSA ID

11496353

Incident

Oct 1, 2022

Mileage

164,000 mi

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Flex. The contact stated that upon her husband starting the vehicle, the vehicle entered limp mode as he exited the driveway. Her husband then drove the vehicle back into the driveway and turned the vehicle off. The next day, her husband started that vehicle and was temporarily able to resume normal driving; however, the vehicle entered limp mode while in traffic as the power train warning light illuminated. Her husband was able to coast the vehicle back home while in limp mode and had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The dealer initially diagnosed the vehicle with a defective throttle body; however, the failure persisted after the part was repaired. The contact made numerous trips back to the dealer; however, the failure persisted after each visit. The contact was then informed to take the vehicle back once the wrench light had illuminated. Once the wrench light illuminated, the contact began to drive the vehicle to the dealer. While driving, she heard an abnormal clunking sound coming from the vehicle as the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle entered limp mode. The contact made it to the dealer as antifreeze began leaking from the vehicle. The contact was then informed by the mechanic that the radiator fluid had begun to leak out of the vehicle as a result of the water pump, which was previously replaced. The mechanic also discovered that the radiator fluid had leaked out of the rear main seal of engine which caused engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided the contact with a case number. The vehicle remained at the dealer and was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.

NHTSA ID

11461446

Incident

Apr 10, 2022

Mileage

112,000 mi

PTU FAILURE - I HAVE HAD MY FLEX SINCE 2012. I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH ANYTHING IN THAT VEHICLE. I AM IN THE MILITARY, AND I TRAVEL A LOT. I HAVE THAT OIL CHANGED AND TIRES ROTATED RELIGIOUSLY. FLUIDS ARE ALWAYS TOPPED OFF. I JUST TURNED OVER 120,000 MILES ON MY 2011 FLEX, 85 PERCENT OF THOSE MILES WERE HIGHWAY. MY FLEX STARTED HESITATING, OCCASIONALLY. AN OCCASIONAL JERK INTO GEAR. THEN STARTED MAKING METAL-GRINDING NOISES, THEN SPUTTERING. THIS HAPPENED OVER A 3 MONTH PERIOD. I FIND OUT MY PTU IS SHOT, OF COURSE I AM OVER THE MILEAGE FOR THE WARRANTY - SHOCKER. SO I HAVE TO PUT OUT 1888.00 TO REPAIR THIS. I STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH ON FORD, AND FLEXES AND WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR FACILITY WAS VERY AWARE OF THIS COMMON ISSUE, IN THEIR EDGE, FLEX AND OTHER FULL WHEEL OR ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES. AND STILL NO RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11012327

Incident

Aug 1, 2017

Mileage

120,000 mi

10/15 EAPS FAILURE CAN'T STEER CAR NO FIX SEVERAL REPEAT PROBLEMS 4/15 COLD AIR WHEN USING HEATER ON PASSENGER SIDE FIXED BUT SINCE THEN WATER ON PASSENGER SIDE WHEN USING AIR CONDITIONING SEVERAL SERVICE CALLS NO FIX 4/15 OILK LEAK FOR AWD SYSTEM SEVERAL TRIES THEN SERVICE FINALLYT REPLACED COMPLETE AWD UNIT

NHTSA ID

10927032

Incident

Apr 10, 2015

Mileage

61,024 mi

IT HAS HAPPENED SINCE 2012 SEPT, WHEN I BOUGHT IT AT 4000KM. I WAS ABOUT TO START FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I LET GO MY BRAKE AND 'SLIGHTLY' ONTO GAS. "NOTHING AT ALL HAPPENED." I PUSH A BIT HARDER AND IT CRANK INTO ANOTHER GEAR AS I FELT LIKE 'GALLOPING'. I BROUGHT IT TO THE BODY SHOP I KNEW (8 PM) AND WAS TOLD TO GO TO DEALERS FOR TRANSMITTION CHECK UP. DID SO, IN 3 DAYS - 'NO CODE' NO PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER 2012; TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH TRAFFIC ON 401 HIGHWAY - MARCH 2013, MOVING SLOWLY IN SCITY STREET - JUNE AND OCT 2013; FROM STOP - APRIL 2014, JUNE 2015 AND ABOUT TO STOP BEFORE TRAFFICE LIGHT - MAY 2016. I BROUGHT IT INTO 2 DIFFERENT DELEARS, 3 PRIVATE BODYSHOPS. DEALERS FOUND NOTHING - 'NO CODE'; PRIVATE BODY SHOP - WATER/ AIR TRAPPED IN GAS/ FUEL LINE; BAD TRANSMISSION ETC. CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SEVICES - TOLD TO CONTACT LOCAL DELEARS, RECORD ON FILE. NO SOLUTION STILL. THIS IS FORD!!!! ONCE GET THE CHANCE - GO ANYTHING OTHER THAN FORD!!

NHTSA ID

10872685

Incident

Sep 21, 2012

Mileage

3,450 mi

POWER TAKE OFF ASSEMBLY FAILURE - AT ~59K MILES INTO MY 75K MILE EXTENDED WARRANTY I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO SERVICE BECAUSE OF AN OIL BURNING SMELL AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING. ABOUT A MONTH OR SO LATER I RETURNED TO ADVISE OF THE SAME SMELL. THE SEAL WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED. SUBSEQUENT HIGHWAY TRAVEL YIELDED ADDITIONAL BURNING OIL ODORS THAT I'VE RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE CAUSE WAS NOT IDENTIFIED UNTIL THE LAST VISIT ' ON 7/24/14 @ 58,195 MI. ON 10/9/14@ 59,472 MI. ON 04/22/15 @ 72,712 MI. ON 11/23/15 @84,974 MI. REFERENCES- HTTP://JONATHANLACKMAN.COM/BLOG/FORD-EDGE-PDU-PTO-TRANSFER-CASE-ISSUES-FLEX-500-MKX/ HTTP://WWW.EXPLORERFORUM.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=375439&PAGE=13 HTTP://WWW.FORDEDGEFORUM.COM/TOPIC/10914-PTU-LEAK-FAILURES/PAGE-11 AT 84,974 THE OBVIOUS FLUID LEAK WAS IDENTIFIED AS PTO FLUID AS A RESULT OF THE PTO OVERHEATING. NOW THAT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED FORD REFUSES TO WARRANTY REPAIR COVERAGE EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED SINCE BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED BUT NOT IDENTIFIED BY THE FORD MECHANICS. THERE ARE MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF FAILURE WITH THIS PART ON FORD AWD VEHICLE MY COMPLAINT IS THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE ISSUE WAS NOT ADDRESSED WITH MY VEHICLE BEFORE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED AND NOW I HAVE TO PAY $1600 FOR THE REPAIR WHEN SERVICING THE COMPLAINT COULD HAVE PREVENTE D THE FAILURE AND NEED FOR REPLACEMENT. FORD HAS NOT PROACTIVELY DONE ANYTHING TO PREVENT FAILURE AND HIGH OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES TO ME OR OTHER CUSTOMERS. THERE IS NO RECOMMENDED SERVICE OTHER THAN REPLACEMENT OF THE FAILED UNIT. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE EARLIER UNITS AND FORD SHOULD RECOMMEND SERVICE INTERVALS TO AVOID FAILURE AND REPLACEMENT OF ALREADY FAILED UNITS AT THEIR EXPENSES SINCE THEY ADVISED OF NO SERVICE REQUIRED

NHTSA ID

10821438

Incident

Jul 24, 2014

Mileage

58,195 mi

AFTER SEVERAL VISITS TO THE DEALER, BEGINNING AT 52K IN APRIL 2014 COMPLAINING OF A BURNING OIL SMELL AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING, THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE A FAILED PTU/PTO AND NEEDING REPLACEMENT FOR $1800 AFTER I EXCEEDED 75K MILES. I ADVISED FORD THAT I RETURNED MY VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE MY 75K EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED. THEY APPARENTLY NEVER CHECKED THE PTU. THE ARE SEVERAL REPORTS OF OF FAILED PTUS ON TARURUS'S, FLEXES, EDGES, MKT'S SHARING THIS SAME UNIT WHICH FORD SAYS IS ONLY REPLACED AND REQUIRES NO MAINTENANCE. GOOGLING PTU FAILURE RETURNS MULTIPLE POSTS AND RESPONSES. FORDFLEX.NET, FORDEDGEFORUM.COM WWW.BLUEOVALFORUMS.COM EXPLORERFORUM.COM THERE DESIGN AND REPAIRS SHOULD BE HONORED FOR CUSTOMERS IDENTIFYING SYMPTOMS OF THE PROBLEM WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND SYSTEMS SHOULD BE INCORPORATED IN A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. MY CLAIM WITH FORD WAS REJECTED AND MY SERVICE VISIT DOCUMENTS WERE NOT CONSIDERED.

NHTSA ID

10819879

Incident

Nov 27, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. NO FURTHER DETAILS WERE AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

NHTSA ID

10817717

Incident

Dec 2, 2015

Mileage

125,000 mi

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP WITH THE ECOBOOST SYSTEM , THE CAR WILL ALMOST STALL, THEN SPEED UP WITH OUT YOUR FOOT ON THE PEDAL. IT BLOWS BLACK SMOKE AND THEN IT WILL BE FINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON AND OFF FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE CAR HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY IN WHICH THIS SHOWED UP. WHILE THIS WAS GOING ON I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE POWER TRANSFER UNIT BECAUSE IT LOCKED UP, THEN THE CAR WOULD ONLY WORK IN FRONT WHEEL DRIVE, HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE SINCE THE CAR RADIATOR FAN SYSTEM BURNED UP AND THEY REPLACED. THEY HAVE RE-FLASHED MODULES AFTER THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING, HOWEVER IT STILL DOES IT. I AM WORRIED AS THE CAR HAS SPEED UP TO 2000 RPM WHILE DRIVING AND STAYED THERE WITH OUT THE GAS PEDAL BEING PRESSED.

NHTSA ID

10779815

Incident

Sep 23, 2015

Mileage

125,000 mi

BOTH FRONT AXLE HALF SHAFTS WORN, DEALER REPAIRED.

NHTSA ID

10722137

Incident

May 28, 2015

Mileage

35,000 mi

FROM A STOP, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED, BANGED INTO 1ST (OR 2ND GEAR), DID IT AGAIN AROUND 50 MPH, FELT LIKE THE TRANNY SLIPPED AND THEN BANGED INTO GEAR. THE BANGING INTO GEAR IS A VIOLENT LURCH. TOOK IT TO FORD TOLD NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE (EVEN THOUGH I HAD PRIOR TSB'S ON SAME TRANNY ISSUES IN 01/2011 BUILD CARS). STARTED IN 2012, WAS INTERMITTENT UNTIL RECENTLY AND HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER PAST MONTH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10616569

Incident

Sep 10, 2012

Mileage

65,000 mi

LUNGING AND STALLING AT START UP AND WHEN ACCELERATING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10597517

Incident

Jul 19, 2011

Mileage

5,200 mi

TRANSMISSION ON FLEX OFTEN HESITATES AND THUNKS WITH A LURCH. THE LURCH IS SO BAD IT NOW FEELS LIKE WE ARE BEING HIT. IT HAS HAPPENED IN BOTH FORWARD AND REVERSE. TRIED TO GET IT REPAIRED TWICE AT DEALER - HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIX. ONLINE FORUMS WITH OWNERS AND SERVICE BULLETINS DESCRIBE SIMILAR PROBLEM. FORD NOT ACKNOWLEDGING ISSUE OR HELPING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10484463

Incident

Aug 1, 2012

Mileage

34,000 mi