2013 Ford Flex Body & structure Problems

Repeated problems with door latch system in 2013 Ford Flex. Door is interpreted as being ajar, despite being closed. Two warning lights/messages to this effect persist, interior lights will not turn off (which drains the battery), doors will not automatically lock while driving in this condition and as I understand it, if an accident occurred, the airbags would NOT deploy due to the doors not being 'locked'. This is a serious safety issue and causes continual drain on the battery if left in this condition. The only way to sometimes get it to recognize the door being shut is to repeatedly close the door, often having to slam the door shut; this can take up to 15 attempts. Driver's door has been cycled & subsequently replaced six months later. We are taking it in now for a likely 2nd replacement on this door alone. The rear right passenger door & front passenger door have each been replaced as well. The first two repairs/replacement on the driver's door were under warranty, the remaining 2 replacements (and upcoming additional replacement) have been and will be at our own cost. This same door latch system has been recalled on three different occasions on other Ford models, yet not on the Flex. There should be a recall on this 2013 Ford Flex and we should get refunds for our out-of-pocket costs for this repeated and known problem.

NHTSA ID

11582305

Incident

Mar 1, 2024

The rear power lift gate will at times unexpectedly come down on you while you’re standing under it and won’t go back up… it has hit me in my head multiple times… and may be the cause of the compressed disc in my cervical spine… it happens mostly when it’s cold, but now that it’s 65° (Los Angeles) it’s still doing it

NHTSA ID

11511073

Incident

Jan 30, 2023

The front drivers door latch. When the door is shut their is an alarm stating that the door is ajar. Per Ford their is a Customer Satisfaction Program 19N09 for it. I bought this vechicle Monday June 20, 2022. Per Ford they notified me of this issue as well but they will not fix it as it is past the 84,000 miles/7 years as well as the 120,000 miles and July 31, 2020. This vechile per the records has been services at Thoroughbred Ford in Kansas City, MO since the day it was bought and yet it has not been fixed? And now they are not willing to fix it.

NHTSA ID

11470631

Incident

Jun 20, 2022

The passenger-side front door latch sensor is defective. The door latches securely when closed, but the door AJAR warning light remains illuminated. This leads to several issues including: - interior lights don't turn off for a very long time after the door is closed (i.e. on the order of 30 minutes after parking and 5 minutes when driving), - the alarm system goes off randomly and frequently when the vehicle is parked and locked (sometimes multiple times per hour), - the feature that auto-locks the doors when the vehicle is in motion does not work, - if one locks the doors while the vehicle is in motion, they will immediately unlock themselves. The above issues lead to several safety concerns including: - the interior lights being on makes it difficult to see while driving at night, - the interior being illuminated after the vehicle is parked and locked creates a security exposure, - the child safety lock features do not function as intended as the doors cannot lock while the vehicle is in motion, - the alarm system repeatedly triggering is annoying as there is no way to turn off the alarm system. That is, if the car is locked, then the system is armed and will trigger in time. The rear passenger-side door had this same issue a few years ago. Ford has a Customer Satisfaction Program recall for this issue (19N09), but it only applies to the driver door and only for cars less than 7 years old.

NHTSA ID

11429781

Incident

Jul 15, 2021

The right rear door keeps showing that it's open on the dash when its physically closed. The alarm goes off at night when the vehicle is locked because the door will randomly show it's open when its actually closed. I was told by Ford that the parts were $450 plus dollars to fix the problem and that's not including labor. Ive also found out that I'm not the only Flex owner dealing with this issue that should be covered under warranty.

NHTSA ID

11425246

Incident

Jul 13, 2021

DOOR ADJAR. DOOR OPENED WHILE DRIVING. DOOR RANDOMLY UNLOCKS AND SETS ALARM OFF. HAS CAUSED A DEAD BATTERY. WILL LOCK & UNLOCK WHILE TRAVELING.

NHTSA ID

11353536

Incident

Sep 2, 2020

Mileage

85,000 mi

DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND ALL DOME LIGHTS, WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED. SAYS DOOR IS OPEN WHEN IT IS NOT. CAN NOT GET DOME LIGHTS TO TURN OFF, DRAINING BATTERY. *TR

NHTSA ID

11328284

Incident

May 1, 2020

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR LOCK SENSORS WERE INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS NOT ALERTED TO A DOOR BEING AJAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BETTER WAY WHOLESALE AUTOS LOCATED AT (49 RAYTKWICH RD, NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 2093-720-5600) HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO FIX THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

NHTSA ID

11321884

Incident

Feb 1, 2019

Mileage

122,000 mi

DOOR AJAR INDICATOR ACTIVATES WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED. DOME LIGHT REMAINS ON AND SO DOES THE INDICATOR LIGHT. PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR. SAME PROBLEM HUNDREDS OF OTHERS ARE REPORTING.

NHTSA ID

11308856

Incident

Feb 1, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

HAVE HAD MULTIPLE DOOR LATCH/SENSOR ASSEMBLIES FAIL WHICH RESULTS IN: DOOR AJAR MESSAGE CONSTANTLY BEING GIVEN. THIS RESULTS IN DOME LIGHTING STAYING ON WHILE DOOR IS CLOSED AND DEPLETING THE BATTERY CAUSING AN UNMONITORED ELECTRICAL USE. IT ALSO IS A DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER DUE TO BOTH THE WARNING LIGHT BUT ALSO THE AUDIO ALERT THAT PLAYS WHEN UNDER A CERTAIN SPEED TELLING YOU TO PARK AND CLOSE THE DOOR. THIS TAKES AWAY FROM OTHER POSSIBLE ALERTS THE CARS COULD GIVE YOU DUE TO OVERLY ALERTING THE DRIVER.

NHTSA ID

11241453

Incident

Jul 1, 2019

Mileage

88,000 mi

THE DOOR ACTUATORS IN THESE CARS ARE DEFECTIVE AND NEED TO BE ON THE RECALL LIST!! MANY FORD FLEX DOOR ACTUATORS ARE DEFECTIVE , THE CAR THINKS THE DOOR IS OPEN WHEN IT IS CLOSED . CAUSES YOUR DOORS NOT TO LOCK, MAKES YOUR BATTERY OVERHEAT, DRAINS YOUR BATTERY AND MAKES THE ALARM GO OFF RANDOMLY . I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW AND IT HAD HAPPENED SINCE DAY 1!

NHTSA ID

11220749

Incident

Jun 1, 2013

Mileage

200 mi

I HAVE HAD TWO DOOR LATCHES FAIL IN THE SAME VEHICLE WITHIN 2 YEARS OF EACH OTHER. NO MATTER WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR STATIONARY, I GOT A WARNING STATING THE RIGHT REAR (AND NOW THE RIGHT FRONT) DOOR WAS NOT CLOSED WHEN IN FACT IT WAS. THERE IS A FAULTY SENSOR IN THE DOOR LATCHES. THIS ALSO PREVENTS THE CHILD LOCKS FROM ENGAGING SINCE IT THINKS THE DOORS ARE OPEN.

NHTSA ID

11196869

Incident

Jun 1, 2017

Mileage

60,000 mi

I HAVE HAD TWO DOOR LATCHES FAIL IN THE SAME VEHICLE WITHIN 2 YEARS OF EACH OTHER. NO MATTER WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR STATIONARY, I GET A WARNING STATING THE RIGHT FRONT (AND PREVIOUSLY THE RIGHT REAR) DOOR WAS NOT CLOSED WHEN IN FACT IT WAS. THERE IS A FAULTY SENSOR IN THE DOOR LATCHES. THIS ALSO PREVENTS THE CHILD LOCKS FROM ENGAGING SINCE IT THINKS THE DOORS ARE OPEN.

NHTSA ID

11196868

Incident

Nov 7, 2018

Mileage

75,000 mi

DEFECTIVE DOOR LATCH. THE LATCH REPORTS "DOOR AJAR" WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED, UNLOCKING ALL DOORS AT ALL TIMES.

NHTSA ID

11143009

Incident

Sep 1, 2018

Mileage

89,000 mi

THE SENSORS ON THE PASSENGER REAR DOOR THINK THAT THE DOOR IS OPEN EVEN WHEN IT IS CLOSED. MY CAR ALARM GOES OFF CONSTANTLY, THE CHILD SAFETY LATCH WON'T ENGAGE, AND MY DOORS NO LONGER AUTOMATICALLY LOCK ONCE I DRIVE OVER 25 MPH. THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR EVERY 2013 FORD FLEX OWNER THAT IS ACTIVE ONLINE. FORD KNOWS THIS IS AN ISSUE AND ISN'T ADDRESSING IT.

NHTSA ID

11132045

Incident

Oct 1, 2016

PASSENGER DOOR AJAR INDICATOR LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN THOUGH DOOR CLOSED (CONSTANT - WHETHER STOPPED OR MOVING). IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. IT KEEPS LIGHTS ON INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS I'VE HEARD (ONLINE) IT COULD BE A SENSORY ISSUE, BUT I FEAR IT MAY BE A FAULTY LATCH ISSUE. WHEN I FELT THE LATCH, IT SEEMED SLUGGISH (I CAN PUSH IT A LITTLE AND IT STAYS - DOESN'T SPRING BACK TO EITHER OPEN OR CLOSED). I FEEL THE LATCH IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND MAY NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY. I ALSO WORRY THAT THE BATTERY WILL DIE BECAUSE IT KEEPS LIGHTS ON.

NHTSA ID

11122322

Incident

Aug 25, 2018

Mileage

57,945 mi

PURCHASED CAR IN FEB. 2013. IN OCT 2014 I BEGAN TAKING MY FLEX TO SUNLAND FORD SERVICE CENTER DUE TO DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHTS ON BOTH RIGHT SIDE DOORS. THE SERVICE CENTER WOULD DISASSEMBLE AND CLEAN DOOR ASSEMBLY. THERE WOULD BE NO MORE WARNING LIGHTS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND THEN THE PROBLEM WOULD PERSIST OF THE DOORS APPEARING AJAR. FINALLY, SERVICE CENTER DECIDED TO FULLY REPLACE DOOR ASSEMBLY ON BACK DOOR LATCH BUT PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. SERVICE CENTER REPLACED BACK DOOR ASSEMBLY IN DECEMBER OF 2014. MY PASSENGER DOOR CONTINUES TO SHOW THE DOOR AJAR AND MY WARRANTY EXPIRED FEBRUARY 2015. I STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM TODAY AND HAVE CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO WHICH THEY CLAIM THIS IS NOT A KNOWN PROBLEM. THERE ARE SEVERAL SAFETY CONCERNS. 1) IN MOTION: DOME LIGHTS DON'T SHUT OFF HINDERING VISIBILITY FOR THE FIRST 2-5 MINUTES OF NIGHT DRIVING. 2) STATIONARY OR IN MOTION: DOORS CANNOT BE LOCKED WHILE CAR IS ON AND PARKED. THIS IS DANGEROUS. 3) MY AUTO DOOR LOCKS QUIT WORKING FOR A TIME AND I CAN ONLY ASSUME IT'S BECAUSE OF THESE DOOR ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

11118760

Incident

Oct 14, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED TO LOCK AND THE DOOR AJAR WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT HER CHILD WOULD BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CENTURY FORD OF MT. AIRY (302 CENTURY DR, MT AIRY, MD 21771, (301) 829-2800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT ALL FOUR DOOR LATCHES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND WAS ADVISED TO CALL NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

NHTSA ID

11080628

Incident

Feb 28, 2018

Mileage

96,000 mi

LIFTGATE AJAR LIGHT ON WHEN LIFTGATE IS CLOSED. INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON. DOORS STAY UNLOCKED DURING DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

11075755

Incident

Feb 2, 2018

MY DRIVER SIDE PASSANGER DOOR AJAR, DOME LIGHTS WON'T GO OFF, MY 4YR OLD DAUGHTER SITS ON THAT SIDE, WAS DRIVING AND IT HAPPEND DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK, TOOK TO FORD DEALER, WAS QUOTED $435. HAVE TO HAVE IT REPLACED AS IT IS DRAINING MY BATTER, AND MAKING CAR ALARM GO OFF, IT HAPPENS IN MOTION, AND STATIONARY, IT IS VERY UNSAFE, AND SHOULD BE RECALLED

NHTSA ID

11074185

Incident

Feb 19, 2018

Mileage

83,000 mi

PASSENGER SIDE DOORS GIVE FALSE DOOR AJAR NOTIFICATIONS. FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS REPAIRED JUNE 2017. REAR PASSENGER DOOR NOW SHOWS THE NOTIFICATION AS OF NOVEMBER 2017. FALSE NOTIFICATION LEADS TO DOME LIGHTING AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS STAYING ON. BATTERY WAS DRAINED AND REPLACED IN JUNE 2017. DOORS FAIL TO LOCK USING AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK WHILE IN MOTION. DEALER DETERMINED IT WAS A FAULTY DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY WHICH SEEMS TO BE IMPACTING OTHER FORD VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID

11045042

Incident

Nov 1, 2017

Mileage

91,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, ALL THE VEHICLE DOORS FAILED TO LOCK. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DOME LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY TO THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, THEY FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

NHTSA ID

11033143

Incident

Sep 21, 2017

Mileage

55,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AJAR LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE REVERSING THE VEHICLE THE GEAR SHIFT BECAME INOPERABLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,492. THE VIN WAS INCOMPLETE.

NHTSA ID

11018844

Incident

Mar 21, 2017

Mileage

36,492 mi

THE DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH DOES NOT READ THE DOOR IS SHUT, KEEPING THE DOORS FROM BEING LOCKED WHILE THE CAR IS DRIVEN. ALSO MAKES LIGHTS STAY ON SO IT KILLS THE BATTERY.

NHTSA ID

11000197

Incident

Feb 2, 2017

DOOR SENSOR INDICATES THE DOOR IS OPEN WHEN IT IS CLOSED. AT TIMES, THE DOOR IS PREVENTED FROM CLOSING WHEN A MECHANISM DROPS WITHIN THE DOOR PANEL. AN ITEM HAS TO BE PLACED IN TO PUSH THE MECHANISM UP TO ALLOW THE DOOR TO CLOSE. THE DOOR SENSOR MECHANISM, WHEN IT INDICATES THE DOOR IS CLOSE ALTHOUGH IT IS OPEN, PREVENTS THE CAR DOORS FROM BEING LOCKED.

NHTSA ID

10981645

Incident

Jan 9, 2017