2013 Ford Flex Engine Problems

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? INTERNAL WATER PUMP/ TIMING CHAINS/ VVT SOLENOIDS/ CAM PHASERS/ CAM SENSORS/ RELATED SEALS How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? ENGINE FAILURE - SUDDEN STOP OF VEHICLE Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? YES, IS AWARE AND HAS ACKNOWLEDGED VIA SERVICE AND TECH BULLETINS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN AND REPEATED ISSUE. ISSUE IS KNOWN AND COMMON WITH ALL 3.7L AND 3.5L FORD ENGINES. MANUFACTURER HAS HAD PETTY AND CLASS ACTION SUITS RELATED TO THIS FAILURE AND IS NOT TAKING ANY ACTION TO REMEDY ASIDE FROM A "EXTENDED WARRANTY" FOR CERTIAN COUNTRIES BUT SAID WARRANTY DOES NOT HELP THOSE WHO PURCHASED VEHICLES USED AND HAVE NO VEHICLE HISTORY TO SEE IF THE "SERVICE INTERVALS" WERE MET LEAVING THOUSANDS OF OWNERS WITH REPAIR BILLS THAT COST AT MINIMUM OVER FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? YES. MULTIPLE TECHNICIANS ON MY VEHICLE AD WELL AS THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ACROSS THE WORLD. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? NO LAMPS. ONLY POSSIBLE WAY YOU CAN EVEN TELL IS BY THE TIME ITS TOO LATE AND THE COOLANT AND OIL MIX RESULTING IN MILKY LIKE MIXTURE ON DIPSTICK OR IN OIL PAN OR ENGINE FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

11736541

Incident

May 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on several occasions while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,050.

NHTSA ID

11656376

Incident

Apr 23, 2025

Mileage

100,050 mi

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

Front tires look and stay really low no matter how much air is put in. It's leaking brake fluid. The emergency brake barley lock. Also transmission is horrible.

NHTSA ID

11539283

Incident

Aug 18, 2023

While driving, just as I turned my steering wheel; it got very stiff to turn. If I was not able to turn, I easily could have drove into someone's house, pedestrians or hit other vehicles both parked and driving on the road. Especially if I were going very much faster and didn't have as much strength as I do. A week before this happened, I got a quick flash of a message twice that read "AdvanceTrack needs service". But after that ine trip a week ago, it never popped back up and still hasn't. Other than that, no warning lights or codes xan be found. I made it home (less than a half mile away). After having it checked by 2 different mechanics, both said it was the electric steering and told me to check the recalls for my 2013 Ford Flex SEL. I found that my particular VIN did NOT have the 2 recalls that affected numerous Ford vehicles with Electric Steering, including THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL of my Ford Flex. The recall is for the power steering. I've also seen numerous other posts on fordflex.net where this has affected many Ford Flex vehicles from 2009 to 2018 with electric steering. The other issue I had is a known recall for other Ford Flex vehicles, but not my VIN, just like the previous. I was driving on the highway when my dash starts beeping and flashing at me wiyh an overheating issue. I had to do my best to get off the highway. Thankfully I was stopped when this happened and not far from the turn I needed to get me and my car to safety. Turned out to be the internal water pump. It cost me around $2,000.00 to get it fixed.

NHTSA ID

11478522

Incident

Aug 9, 2022

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start-up occasionally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel inlet needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 103,000.

NHTSA ID

11463021

Incident

Apr 13, 2022

Mileage

103,000 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at unknown speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the spark plugs needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the canister purge valve and throttle body assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact to contact NHTSA. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.

NHTSA ID

11433643

Incident

Aug 23, 2021

Mileage

122,000 mi

WATER PUMP FAILED IN THE INTERNAL ENGINE PART ON 2013 FORD FLEX. A KNOWN PROBLEM BY FORD MOTOR CO FOR YEARS AND FORD REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL. BECAUSE THE WATER PUMP IS AN INTERNAL PART OF THE MOTOR, THE COST TO REPAIR IS OVER $2000 .

NHTSA ID

11375617

Incident

Nov 19, 2020

Mileage

57,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND HAD IT TOWED BACK TO HER HOME. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO FILL UP THE FUEL TANK AND NOTICED FUEL LEAKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL INLET WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. RON CARTER FORD (8837 3005, FM 528 RD, ALVIN, TX 77511, (281) 715-7318) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT JUST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED THREE MONTHS AGO. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

NHTSA ID

11286601

Incident

Dec 2, 2019

Mileage

93,000 mi

THE ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING, EVEN ON HIGHWAY OR INTERSECTION OR FILLING GAS AND THE VEHICLE DON'T RESTART RIGHT AWAY ' ENGINE LIGHTS MISFIRE. AND ENGINE THROTTLE BODY SENSORS/OXYGEN SENSORS BROKE. HAVE FIXED WITHOUT RESOLVE TO ISSUES (RECURRENT). ON MULTIPLE DATES AND MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY.

NHTSA ID

11258971

Incident

May 7, 2019

MY 2013 FORD FLEX HAS HAD THE SAME ISSUE AS THE FORD EXPLORER. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW FROM SANDERSON FORD IN GLENDALE AZ AND NOTICED AFTER A HARD ACCELERATION WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SET TO RECIRCULATE. THE DEALER STATED THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE ISSUE AND I TOOK IT BACK HOME. YEARS PAST AND IT WAS TAKEN BACK AGAIN AND SAME THING THEY COULD NOT RE-CREATE DUE TO THERE WAS NO MECHANIC THAT COULD DRIVE IT AT HIGHER SPEEDS. I INCLUDED A FORD FLEX FORUM THAT EXPLAINS THE ISSUE AND SHOWS THAT IT DOES EXIST OUT THERE. PLEASE ADD THE FORD FLEX TO THE "RECALL" FIX OF THESE ISSUES. IN THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS UNDER 49 CFR 393.83 THE EXHAUST SHALL NOT LEAK / DISCHARGE SO THAT IT ENTERS A SLEEPER COMPARTMENT OF A TRUCK TRACTOR. WE HAVE THE SAME THING HERE THE EXHAUST LEAKS INTO THE COMPARTMENT OF WHERE THE DRIVER IS AT. HTTPS://WWW.FORDFLEX.NET/FORUMS/VIEWTOPIC.PHP?T=17923

NHTSA ID

11240399

Incident

May 1, 2013

Mileage

1,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE WRENCH WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

NHTSA ID

11231975

Incident

Jul 13, 2019

Mileage

78,000 mi

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND OUT OF NOWHERE MY VEHICLE STARTED STALLING AS IF VEHICLE HAD NO GAS. GAS TANK WAS FULL AND VEHICLE SHOWED ME A WRENCH SIGN AS I WAS LOOKING AT MY DASHBOARD

NHTSA ID

11231651

Incident

Jul 13, 2019

Mileage

786,475 mi

FAILURE OF ENGINE TO START/RUN DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE. CURRENT FORD SAFETY RECALL #16S31 (NHTSA #16V621) IS LIMITED ONLY TO FORD/LINCOLN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE ECOBOOST TURBOCHARGED ENGINE. THE FAULTY COMPONENT ON MY NORMALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE, FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE #AA8Z-9D370-B, IS THE SAME COMPONENT BEING REPLACED ON VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THE #16V621 NHTSA SAFETY RECALL. TO AVOID ENGINES SHUTTING OFF AT SPEED OR NOT STARTING, IT APPEARS THAT THE RECALL WILL NEED TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE NORMALLY ASPIRATED ENGINES AS WELL. WE WERE FORTUNATE BECAUSE OUR VEHICLE FAILED SITTING IN OUR DRIVEWAY, NOT AT 75 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. MY WIFE'S CONCERN IS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO HER AND OUR FOUR GRANDCHILDREN IF THIS FAILURE HAD TAKEN PLACE ON THE INTERSTATE IN BUSY TRAFFIC AT 75 MPH. WHY IS THE SAME COMPONENT THAT IS FAILING ON ECOBOOST TURBOCHARGED ENGINES BEING COVERED BY FORD SAFETY RECALL #16S31 NOT BEING RECALLED ON SIMILAR VEHICLES EQUIPPED NORMALLY ASPIRATED ENGINES USING THE IDENTICAL COMPONENT? FAILURE OF THE COMPONENT HAS THE SAME EFFECT OF AN ENGINE THAT CUTS OFF AT SPEED OR WILL NOT START. YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. THE SAFETY OF THE OWNERS OF THESE POPULAR FORD/LINCOLN FAMILY VEHICLES IS AT STAKE.

NHTSA ID

11190181

Incident

Mar 5, 2019

Mileage

87,853 mi

THERE IS CURRENTLY AN ISSUE WITH OUR ECOBOOST V6 TURBO CHARGER. THERE IS A OLD DRAIN TUBE LEAK THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED THROUGH FORD AND IS A FIRE SAFETY ISSUE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THE 2014 AND 2015 FORD FLEX WHICH IS IDENTICAL PARTS AS OUR VEHICLE BUT NEVER RECALLED. WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS GET RECALLED BEFORE HARM IS HAD. THIS IS AN ONGOING LEAK THAT HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME.

NHTSA ID

11184538

Incident

Feb 8, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO ASSIST. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

NHTSA ID

11171940

Incident

Jan 1, 2019

Mileage

98,000 mi

CAR JUST DIES IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING AND THE STEERING SYSTEMLOCKS UP. THERE HAS BEEN A KNOWN RECALL FOR A FUEL CONTROL MODULE ON FORD FLEX, THERE IS ALSO KNOWN FUEL PUMP PROBLEMS WITH FORD MAKES AND MODELS. I HAVE LOST POWER TWICE. HAD AT THE MECHANIC LAST MONTH. COULD NOT GET IT TO DIE FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK IN THE SHOP. NOW IT IS DEAD IN A PARKING LOT AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11143439

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

Mileage

84,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO EVERGREEN FORD LINCOLN (1500 18TH AVENUE NW, ASSAQUAH, WA 98027) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT WAS STRETCHED. SINCE THE TIMING BELT WAS DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE WATER PUMP, A NEW ENGINE WAS RECOMMENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11133168

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

Mileage

60,000 mi

MY FORD FLEX STALLS WHILE DRIVING ANYWHERE FROM 10 MPH (IN RESIDENTIAL AREA) TO 80 MPH ON HIGHWAY. ELECTRICAL IS STILL WORKING THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND I LOSE CONTROL OF GAS/BRAKES. THREE WARNING SIGNS POP UP AT THE SAME TIME: CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, COLLISION WARNING NOT AVAILABLE, AND SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC. ONCE I RESTART THE CAR, THE CODES WILL DISAPPEAR. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AT FIRST, BUT NOW IT'S OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY. I'M TOO SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR NOW. FORD ISNT BEING MUCH HELP. I NEED HELP.

NHTSA ID

11104246

Incident

Nov 1, 2017

Mileage

60,000 mi

CAR OVERHEATS AND COOLANT LEAKS.

NHTSA ID

11099822

Incident

May 17, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED THREE TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (MCDONALD FORD, 6790 MIDLAND RD, FREELAND, MI 48623) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: CAS13638921. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT IF THE VEHICLE FAILED, THE CONTACT SHOULD TAKE IT TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA ID

11051421

Incident

Sep 28, 2017

Mileage

75,000 mi

AS I'M DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON AND IT SLOWS DOWN MY CAR TO TWO MILES PER HOUR ONCE I TURN IT BACK OFF AND BACK ON IT STARTS WORKING AGAIN BUT AS SOON AS I DRIVE FOR A COUPLE OF MILES OR NOT EVEN A COUPLE OF MINUTES THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON AND MY CAR GO STRAIGHT TO DRIVING TO MILES PER HOUR I WANT TO KNOW WHAT COULD BE WRONG WITH THIS AND WHY IS IT DOING IT

NHTSA ID

11032580

Incident

Sep 27, 2017

Mileage

35 mi

TONIGHT WAS THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED. WHILE I WAS DRIVING, THANK GOODNESS I WAS NOT DRIVING FAST AND WAS STILL ON OUR DRIVEWAY THAT THE ENGINE JUST STALLED FOR NO REASON. I TRIED RESTARTING THE CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO TRY STARTING IT MANY TIMES AND AFTER AWHILE IT FINALLY STARTED AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11023388

Incident

Sep 13, 2017

Mileage

87,000 mi

WHEN I PUT GAS IN THE GAS EITHER FILL UP OR EVEN JUST A CAP OFF ON THE GAS TANK, STARTING THE ENGIN IS DIFICULT. IT HESITATES, WHEN TRYING TO START, AND HAS A ROUGH VERY ROUGH IDLE. ACCELARATION IS NOT A PROBLEM ONCE WE GET GOING, BUT IT IS THE INITIAL STARTING OF THE VEHICLE THAT IS A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10930265

Incident

Oct 31, 2016

Mileage

38,768 mi

ITHE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAYED ON, DOOR SENSORS MALFUNCTIONED, ENGINE POWER WENT OFF, AND ALARM WOULD GO ON INTERMITTANTLY. THESE PROBLEMS HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING AND WHEN IT WAS PARKED.

NHTSA ID

10893663

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

Mileage

47,000 mi