2013 Ford Flex Electrical Problems

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? MULTIPLE DRIVER AID FUNCATIONS IN-OP. DRIVER DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK, DRIVER DOOR LOCK AND UNLOCK SWITCH WILL NOT OPERATE ANY LOCKS, PASSENGER DOOR MIRROR WILL NOT MOVE, SEAT MEMORY WILL NOT SAVE, REAR VIEW MIRROR WILL NOT AUTO DIM AND THERE IS NO MANUAL OPTION TO ADJUST THE MIRROR RESULTING IN IMPACTED NIGHT VISABLITY, REAR VIEW CAMERA DOES NOT DISPLAY ON SCREEN BUT WILL BEEP WHEN CLOSE TO AN OBJECT. NOT CODES OR DASH WARNINGS DISPLAYED TO STORED. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? IMPACTED VISIBLY WHILE DRIVING. UNABLE TO ADUST PASSENGER MIRROR TO SEE BLINK SPOT OR ALONG PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. UNABLE TO LOCK OR UNLOCK DRIVER DOOR, IF LOCKED ITS NOT ALLOWING ME TO ENTER THE VEHICLE AND HAVE TO ENTER VIA PASSENGER DOOR. AUTO DIM IMPACTS VISABLITY WITH DRIVING AT NIGHT. REAR BACK UP CAMERA IN-OP IS DAMGEROUS IN NUMEROUS ASPECTS. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? PROBLEM IS CONSTANT. NOT TAKING TO A DEALER DUE TO RIDICULOUS PRICES AND DIAG FEES. I'M A TECH AND TRIED TO DIAGNOSE ISSUES WITH NO ANSWERS. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? NOT YET. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? UNKNOWN. PURCHASED PRIVATE PARTY WITH ISSUES (05/01/2026). LOOKED AT 3 OTHER FORD FLEXS FROM THIS GENERATION THAT ALL HAD THE SAME ISSUES WHEN LOOKING TO PURCHASE A VEHICLE AND NO ONE HAD A SOLUTION FOR IT.

NHTSA ID

11736539

Incident

May 1, 2026

Power steering. While I was driving in my neighborhood the power steering went out and I could not make a turn. It locked up while driving. I could have got into a head on collision/accident becasue the road turns. Yes, I reported it to Ford and they told me my flex did not have a recall despite the ford website stating that some 2013 ford flex are affected. The description of 15s18 sterring recall matches my same issue and it poses a serious safety hazard. Yes, i took it to a mechanic at an auto shop and her is telling me that he can't fix recalls. At the time of the accident, i got No pre warning just the message that states: "Steering Lock Malfunction Service Now: The steering lock system has detected a condition that requires service." This happened on or around 11/23/25. I am requesting that Ford pay for my power steering to be fixed.

NHTSA ID

11702594

Incident

Nov 23, 2025

My back up camera show upside down or sometimes it shows a black screen. People have a habit of walking behind me when I’m backing up and I can’t see them. The warning beep sounds but I can’t tell if it a car or person behind me. When it first happen months ago I tried resetting camera, it didn’t work. Not sure if my extended warranty covers this.

NHTSA ID

11663835

Incident

May 29, 2025

The backup camera went out, but first it went upside down. Not inverted, just upside down. It's definitely a safety issue as I can't see fully behind me. I've seen the later models have the same issue and recall for them but not the older models with the same issue.

NHTSA ID

11639656

Incident

Jan 30, 2025

Power steering no longer works. Getting message on dash as well. I see a recall for my year truck but my vin apparently is not one included. It’s our only transportation and my daughter, my fiancé and myself all have multiple weekly therapy/dr appointments. Please consider adding my vin to the recall. As far as electrical my alarm will randomly go off while it’s not running/parked. Thinks doors are open when they are not. Thank you

NHTSA ID

11571562

Incident

Jan 31, 2024

While driving, the radio turns off and the climate control system malfunctions causing the heater to engage to high with no way to turn the system off. All controls are disabled and there is no way to turn the system off. Unplugged the battery for 30 minutes as suggested, removed fuses to the radio and climate control module which temporarily fixes the issue, but issue happens randomly and creates excessive heat in the cabin. This is the 5th time this has happened. It is the 3rd time while on long trips (3hrs or longer). Others online have mentioned the same. We had to ride with the windows and moonroof open to let the heat escape. First time occurred in 2019 in early December. Navigation still worked, but all other systems would not function.

NHTSA ID

11562206

Incident

Dec 27, 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced several electrical failures, including that door erroneously locking and unlocking and the Lane Departure safety feature malfunctioning. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the electronic body control module was faulty. After removing and reinstalling the module, the vehicle was repaired. Additionally, while the vehicle was in for service, the mechanic discovered that the water pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11561820

Incident

Dec 26, 2023

Mileage

120,000 mi

Have difficulty fueling vehicle. “Fuel fill inlet” warning stays on dash. Strong fuel mixture smell in cabin. Fuel will overspill if you try to pump gas at full force. Smells like fuel is leaking. Concerned about possible explosion. Many other drivers having the same issues. Strange clicking sounds from front end.

NHTSA ID

11523595

Incident

May 18, 2023

Vehicle would not start after 3 days of not being started or driven. After having the battery jumped the climate control unit malfunctioned. The heat would not turn off and stayed on full blast. This caused the car to overheat and difficult to drive even with the windows down. When brought to the dealership service center, they replaced the heater blower. This fixed the issue temporarily. Then the heat stopped working and in single digit temperatures the vehicle was too cold to drive. The dealership replaced the resistor. This again became a temporary fix. The heat came back but then the vehicle battery kept draining. Having some type of electrical issue put the vehicle at a possible risk for short circuiting, catching fire etc. This is an ongoing issue with ALL YEARS of the Ford Flex. When the vehicle is jump started this causes an electrical short affecting the climate control system but also the entire communication system. .

NHTSA ID

11500074

Incident

Jan 7, 2022

The 2013 Flex has an issue with door ajar switch within the door latch mechanism failing. This results in the car incorrectly identifying the door as “ajar” when it is closed. The result is that the automatic door locking does not activate when the car is in motion. This means that the door remains unlocked unless manually locked by the passenger. This can pose a safety hazard as the door could come open in an accident or be opened while in motion by a passenger. This problem has been well described on the web with multiple work around including disabling the mechanism or wiring a different switch in. It also described as typically happening around 69,000 miles. In conclusion Ford has created a faulty door ajar sensor that negatively affects the safety of the occupants in the vehicles and has resulted in numerous work arounds that could further negatively impact the safety of the occupants. Thank you for your time.

NHTSA ID

11482892

Incident

Jul 18, 2022

The power steering assist stopped working while I was driving. It caused me to get into an accident. If other cars were around me I could have killed someone. I was driving just fine and then “POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT” showed up on my cluster and the steering wheel locked up. It now won’t work. This came without warning.

NHTSA ID

11473148

Incident

Jul 9, 2022

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

Right rear passanger "Door Ajar" comes on all the time when the door is fully closed. In the beginning was able to get it to stop by opening and closing the door several times, now its continual. The interior lights stay on, causing Hazardous condition while driving, due to inability to see what is in the Rearview Mirrow, Chimes continuously.

NHTSA ID

11434684

Incident

Jul 3, 2021

Door ajar sensor for left rear door stays on, despite the door being fully closed. The dome lights remain on for a few minutes after starting the vehicle. And the dome lights stay on after you lock the vehicle. The dome lights staying on runs down the battery and is also a distraction and hazard while driving at night. Online forums indicate that this is a very common problem with Ford Flexes, and the repairs are apparently $300-$350 per door, with repairs at the dealership lasting for about a year.

NHTSA ID

11431176

Incident

Jun 16, 2021

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 contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated the alarm and sensors were activated without warning. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V072000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 144,284. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11426955

Incident

Jun 14, 2021

Mileage

144,284 mi

I had a recall for the driver door latch to be replaced. The very day that it was replaced, I get in, start my vehicle and the passenger door light comes on showing that it's open but it wasn't. I immediately go back inside to ask the service department since they literally just replaced the recalled drivers door latch. They stated that "it's a coincidence " and that it would cost to fix it. I drove it for as long as I could but my alarm would randomly go off and lights start blinking. I was afraid I'd come out oand my vehicle not start due to the battery being dead because of the alarm and lights going off. I broke down and paid to have the passenger door light fixed which the Ford service department told me it would. The EXACT same thing happened and now my back passenger door light keeps coming on!! Alarm randomly goes off and lights blink. I can't afford to gix this again. They told me it would fix the problem yet once they replaced the recalled door latch this has now happened with other doors.

NHTSA ID

11420043

Incident

Jun 7, 2021

2013 FORD FLEX ISSUES WITH DOOR SENSORS READING DOOR OPEN WHEN DOORS ARE CLOSED. DOME LIGHTS STAY ON, ALARM WILL NOT GO ON AND PANIC ALARM GOES OFF ON ITS OWN. DRIVE DOOR LOCK NO LONGER WORK & NEITHER DOES THE RIGHT BACK PASSENGER DOOR.

NHTSA ID

11414771

Incident

Oct 20, 2020

Mileage

58,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS IN TRAFFIC AND APPROACHING A HILL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TO DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH FAILED TO ENGAGED PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND DECELERATED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER, PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED AND OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START-UP. ADDITIONALLY, THE BACK OVER PREVENTION CAMERA FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHILE IN REVERSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE UNKNOWN ELECTRICAL FAILURES ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CREST FORD OF NIANTIC (218 FLANDERS RD, NIANTIC, CT 06357, (860) 739-5403) TO BE DIAGNOSED HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FUEL SENSOR AND ACL MODULATOR WERE REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BY EMAIL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000.

NHTSA ID

11372760

Incident

Dec 9, 2015

Mileage

67,000 mi

PASSENGER DOOR AJAR LIGHT ILLUMINATES. LOCK WON'T ENGAGE AND DOME LIGHTS REMAIN ON FOR AWHILE.

NHTSA ID

11362741

Incident

Apr 1, 2020

Mileage

62,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BACK UP CAMERA WOULD GO BLANK, BECOME FUZZY OR DISPLAY IMAGES UPSIDE DOWN WHILE IN OPERATION. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT A WARNING MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE TAKEN TO THE NEAREST DEALER. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO MCCANDLESS FORD MEADVILLE, INC. (433 BALDWIN ST, MEADVILLE, PA 16335) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A DEFECTIVE FUEL MODULE. THE CONTACT HAD THE FUEL MODULE REPLACED OUT OF POCKET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE BACK UP CAMERA WAS NOT REPAIRED OR REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000.

NHTSA ID

11362217

Incident

Dec 1, 2019

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS AT STAND STILL AND STATED WHILE SHE WAS CHARGING HER CELLPHONE BY USING THE MIDDLE USB PORTAL, WHEN SHE NOTICED THE WIRING WAS MELTED. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 124,000.

NHTSA ID

11354385

Incident

Sep 9, 2020

Mileage

124,000 mi

THE DOOR LATCHES DO NOT WORK I'VE HAD THEM REPLACED TWICE AND THE ELECTRICAL PANEL THAT CONTROLS THE AC DOES NOT WORK IT BLOWS OUT HEAT CANNOT TURN HEAT OFF BECAUSE THE TOUCH SCREEN DOES NOT WORK IT IS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND IT FLICKERS ON AND OFF AND THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT PERIODICALLY

NHTSA ID

11350229

Incident

Aug 9, 2016

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 WARNING SENSOR PREVIOUSLY FAILED ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR TWICE. REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, N/C. NOW THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AJAR SENSOR PERIODICALLY INDICATES THE DOOR IS AJAR WHEN IT'S NOT AFTER OPENING OR CLOSING THE DOOR. DOME LIGHTS STAY ON. HAVE TO REPEATEDLY OPEN AND CLOSE DOOR, HARD, TO GET THE SENSOR TO CORRECT. OUT OF WARRANTY, 147,000 MILES ON FLEX.

NHTSA ID

11319896

Incident

Mar 30, 2020