2012 Ford Flex Brakes Problems

There is serious safety trouble occurring with the power steering components, and the brake system. I went to the Ford dealership and they said the recalls weren’t fixed back in 2015. And those recalls are the same issues that are occurring with my 2012 Ford Flex SE now. I just bought this vehicle and there is grinding noise when steering my vehicle and the ABS brake system comes on as soon as I crank up the vehicle and the brake goes down to the floor too loosely. The dealership says these potential recalls were noted for this 2012 Ford Flex in 2015. But the owner at the time didn’t have them fixed then because not all 2012 Ford Flex received the recalls at the same time. And the power steering components and brake system problems are very unsafe while I’m driving the vehicle and as I was told could cause a fatal car accident if not fixed.

NHTSA ID

11707935

Incident

Dec 24, 2025

BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS STUCK SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, GOING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL ROAD, WHEN THERE WAS A THUMP FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE (FRONT) WHEEL. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE BRAKE PADS WANTED TO FALL OUT. THERE WERE NO OBSTRUCTIONS, DEBRIS, POTHOLES AND I WAS NOT BRAKING AT THE TIME. TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR EVALUATION, WHERE THE MECHANICS ADVISED BOTH CALIPERS WERE BAD. I HAD TO HAVE BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS, ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS NOT DRIVEN HARD OR THROUGH HARSH CONDITIONS. SIMILAR EVENT OCCURRED ALMOST A YEAR AGO ON THE REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLY. THAT "EVENT" ALSO REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF ROTORS, CALIPERS AND PADS.

NHTSA ID

10904271

Incident

Sep 2, 2016

Mileage

32,120 mi

MY FORD FLEX HAS A TOTAL OF 82000 MILES ON IT. I LIVE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK. I HAVE HAD THREE INSTANCES WHERE THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS STICK AND SEVERELY REQUIRE BOTH PAD AND ROTOR REPLACEMENT. AT 60 YEARS OLD I CAN'T HEAR THE HIGH PITCHED SQUEALING BUT ON TWO OCCASIONS MY SON HAS NOTICE AND UPON STOPPING TO CHECK FOR THE NOISE, THE REAR WHEEL IS TOO HOT TO EVEN TOUCH. IN ONE INSTANCE THE PAD WAS COMPLETELY WORN TO THE METAL NO DOUBT RESULTING IN LOSE OF BRAKING POWER. THE FREQUENCY OF THIS PROBLEM IS DISTURBING. THE ONLY DOCUMENTATION I HAVE IS THE RECEIPTS FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR.

NHTSA ID

10850521

Incident

Mar 19, 2016

Mileage

82,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THERE WAS A SUDDEN METAL ON METAL SOUND. SHORTLY AFTER THIS NOISE STARTED THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL AND THEN VISIBLE SMOKE FROM THE WHEEL. I PULLED OVER TO EVALUATE THE NOISE AND SMOKE. THE RADIANT HEAT FROM THE WHEEL CAUSED THE FIBERGLASS PANEL ON THE SIDE OF THE CAR TO HEAT UP. THIS HEAT CAUSED A 3RD DEGREE BURN TO THE TIP OF A FINGER. THE VEHICLE WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP EVALUATED IT AND STATED THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR CALIPER FROZE. THE DAY AFTER THE FLEX WAS RETURNED "FIXED", THE PASSENGER SIDE CALIPER FROZE. IT DID THE SAME THING AS THE DRIVERS SIDE (MADE THE SUDDEN METAL ON METAL SOUND, SMOKED AND HEATED UP). THE FLEX WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE OTHER CALIPER WAS REPLACED. THE FLEX WAS RETURNED LATER THAT DAY "FIXED". UPON DRIVING HOME, BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT REAR CALIPER RE-FROZE. AFTER MULTIPLE VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP, I DECIDED TO TAKE MY FLEX TO A TRUSTED BRAKE SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION. THE SHOP STATED BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT REAR CALIPERS WERE SEIZED. THEY ADVISED THE PARTS WERE INCORRECTLY INSTALLED. THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS AND CORRECTIONS TO FIX THE RIGHT AND LEFT REAR CALIPER. I HAVE HAD NO ISSUES SINCE THE SHOP DID THE REPAIRS.

NHTSA ID

10744806

Incident

Jun 22, 2015

Mileage

22,700 mi

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH ADVANCE TRAC AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. OCCURS EVERY FIVE TO SIX MONTHS. SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC INDICATOR COMES ON ALONG WITH CONTROL ISSUES IN RAIN AND SNOW, BRAKE LIGHTS NOT SHUTTING OFF, CRUISE CONTROL NOT OPERATING AND IGNITION SYSTEM HAS QUIT WORKING. NOT ALL OF THIS HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME BUT THE RECURRING ISSUE IS THE ADVANCE TRAC SYSTEM AND THEN ANOTHER PART OF THE SYSTEM FAILS OR HAS PROBLEMS ALONG WITH THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC WARNING. *JS

NHTSA ID

10616891

Incident

Dec 3, 2012

Mileage

8,000 mi

WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH VIRGINIA TO PENNSYLVANIA, THE FRONT BRAKES VIBRATE/PULSATE UPON LIGHT BRAKING. SEEMS AS THOUGH THE BRAKES WERE OVERHEATING IN THE MOUNTAINS. AT TIMES, THE PULSATING WAS VIOLENT ENOUGH TO TRANSMIT THROUGH THE VEHICLE AND STEERING WHEEL AND FLOOR. AFTER A LONG BREAK AT A STOP FOR LUNCH, THE PROBLEM LESSENS BUT RETURNS AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE PROBABLY 30 MINUTES OR SO. THESE MOMENTS OF PULSATION, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE REDUCTION OF BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. THE PROBLEMS HAVE WORSENED SINCE JANUARY AND NOW THE PULSATIONS ARE HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY AND AT SLOWER SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10520188

Incident

Jan 8, 2013

Mileage

9,600 mi

FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR. IDIOT LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASH AND THE CARS ENGINE TURNED OFF. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO GET CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. CAR CRANKED RIGHT BACK UP. 5 DAYS LATER WHILE SITTING IN A FAST FOOD LINE, SAME THING HAPPENED AND WAS ABLE TO CRANK CAR. CALLED DEALERSHIP IN TOWN, BROUGHT CAR IN AND THEY SAID, "NOTHING IS WRONG WITH YOUR CAR, COME AND GET IT" PICKED UP CAR. 2 DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING IT DOWN OUR STREET, I STOPPED TO GET MAIL ABOUT 9PM AND THE CAR TOTALLY DIED. NO POWER AT ALL. WAS STUCK IN PARK HAD TO BE TOWED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE CAR SHUTS DOWN WHILE I AM DRIVING!!! THANK GOD THAT IT HAS NOT HAPPENED WHILE GOING 65 MILES AN HOUR WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR. CAR IS AT DEALERSHIP. HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR SEVERAL MONTHS. NOT A GOOD TRACK RECORD SO FAR! *TR

NHTSA ID

10482817

Incident

Oct 29, 2012

Mileage

5,020 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JUMPED A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A POST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000. UPDATED 9/25/12 *CN UPDATED 10/03/2012 *JS

NHTSA ID

10468831

Incident

Aug 1, 2012

Mileage

8,000 mi