Ford
Ford Flex years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2014 and 2019. Best years: 2017.
The 2014 and 2019 Ford Flex draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2014 has 244 complaints (19 for each year on the road) and 2019 has 249 complaints (31 for each year on the road), against a median of 9 a year across the 6 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2019 is infotainment (167 reports).
- 603complaints
- 9recall campaigns
- 3model years with a page
Newest report Sep 23, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2014
Most reported: power steering loss (50 reports, median 82,000 miles) and stalling (35 reports, median 62,000 miles).
2019
Most reported: infotainment (167 reports, median 50,000 miles) and trim coming off (27 reports, median 70,000 miles).
Best years
2017
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2019 has the most complaints of any Ford Flex year here: 249 of 603 (41%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Infotainment leads in 2 of the 3 model years and has the most reports overall, 232. Pooled across the years, half of the 112 owners who gave a mileage for infotainment were under about 60,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 4% of Ford Flex complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2014, 16 of its 244 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- 1 of the 3 model years where owners report infotainment have a recall on the same system: 2019. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings jumped in 2025, with 144 complaints, 2.8 times the next busiest year. So far in 2026, 120 more have come in. Filings on record start in 2015.
Photo: HJUdall, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2016 (98), 2017 (42), 2018 (67).
Year by year
2019 Ford Flex avoid
249 owner complaints, 31 for each year on the road (3.4 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (167 reports, median 50,000 miles) and trim coming off (27 reports, median 70,000 miles). 4 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 25V-695 on the backup camera and 24V-951 on the backup camera.
2015 Ford Flex
110 owner complaints, 9 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (40 reports, median 98,000 miles), stalling (18 reports, median 28,500 miles) and power steering loss (16 reports, median 69,000 miles). 4 recalls, including 25V-695 on the backup camera and 20V-072 on the suspension system.
2014 Ford Flex avoid
244 owner complaints, 19 for each year on the road (2.1 times the model median). Most reported: power steering loss (50 reports, median 82,000 miles), stalling (35 reports, median 62,000 miles) and fuel pump (35 reports, median 69,000 miles). 10 reports involved a crash and 10 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 20V-072 on the suspension system and 16V-621 on the fuel system.
Recalls that cover several model years
The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
A component within the fuel pump electric module (PEM) may overheat causing a loss of electrical power to the fuel pump.
Questions
What Ford Flex years should you avoid?
The 2014 and 2019 Ford Flex draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2014 has 244 complaints (19 for each year on the road) and 2019 has 249 complaints (31 for each year on the road), against a median of 9 a year across the 6 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2019 is infotainment (167 reports).
What are the best years for the Ford Flex?
The 2017 draws the fewest complaints for its age: 42, or 4 for each year on the road. Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the Ford Flex?
Infotainment, with 232 reports across the 3 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2015 and 2019.
How many recalls does the Ford Flex have?
9 recall campaigns cover the Ford Flex model years 2014 to 2019 on this site. The widest, 16V-621 on the fuel system, covers 2 model years.
How many Ford Flex complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
4% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2014 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for infotainment on the Ford Flex?
On 1 of the 3 model years where owners report it: 2019.