First generation
2014 Ford Flex
The most reported problem on the 2014 Ford Flex is power steering loss, with 50 complaints, usually around 82,000 miles.
- 244owner complaints
- 4recalls
- 10involved a crash
- 69,000median miles at failure
Newest report Jul 22, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your Flex doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2014 model year.
Is the 2014 Ford Flex reliable?
The 2014 Ford Flex has 244 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, below the median of 366 for 2014 SUVs on this site. Of the 6 Flex model years since 2014, it has the 2nd most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to other model years
- Complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads, so the 2014 count runs short and isn't compared with the model years next to it.
- Top problem
- Power steering loss leads with 50 of the 244 complaints (20%), ahead of stalling at 35. A quarter of the 32 owners who gave a mileage for power steering loss saw it by about 54,000 miles, and half by about 82,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 16 of the 244 complaints (7%) report a crash, a fire or an injury, about the 6% typical of vehicles on this site. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 10 reports mention a crash, 2 mention a fire and 10 people were hurt. The most crash reports, 4 of 10, fall under suspension.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- Fuel pump has a recall on the same system (16V-621). Power steering loss and stalling have none. 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 peaked in 2020 at 39 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 26. So far in 2026, 6 more have come in. Filings on record start in 2015.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: power steering cuts out or goes heavy, 50 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
244 complaints is 1.2 times fewer than the median 2014 model on this site and 1.5 times fewer than the median 2014 SUV. Among the 3 Flex model years here it ranks 2nd for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2014 Ford Flex
Ford filed 54 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2014 Ford Flex. 10 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 3 bulletins · 25 complaints
SOME 2013-2016 FUSION/ESCAPE/MKT/FLEX/MKS/TAURUS, 2015-2016 MKZ/MKC/EDGE AND 2016 MKX VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT VARIOUS RADIO CONCERNS INCLUDING: SPEAKER STATIC WITH KEY-OFF, NO AUDIO AFTER VEHICLE IS FIRST STARTED WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) U0184, NO ...
Touchscreen navigation system - arabic language - blank screen
1 more on this problem
FORD/LINCOLN: GLOBAL POSITIONING SATELLITE MODULE (GPSM) NEEDS REPROGRAMMING TO LATEST CALIBRATION DUE TO VOICE PROMPT FAILING TO LOCATING VEHICLE, SCREEN MESSAGE INDICATOR FAULT OF NAVIGATION, INSTEAD OF CURRENT LOCATION INDICATES PREVIOUS LOCATION.
Battery dies or the car will not start 1 bulletin · 12 complaints
For Ford and Lincoln vehicles that require positive or negative battery terminal replacement, it is not necessary to replace the complete battery cable harness (14300 and 14301) for this concern.
Seat belt or seat problems 2 bulletins · 10 complaints
Some vehicles may have a concern where the safety belt retractor webbing does not extract from the stowed position or exhibits excessive pressure on the occupant during use.
LINCOLN/FORD: ON SOME VEHICLES AND TRUCKS, THERE IS A POPPING, SQUEALING, BINDING OR GRINDING NOISE COME FROM POWER SEATS WHEN MOVING BACKWARDS OR FORWARD. MODEL 2009-2015 F-150, TAURUS, FLEX, MKT, MKS, F-SUPER DUTY, EXPLORER. *PE
Check engine light or misfire 2 bulletins · 9 complaints
Some 2013-2019 vehicles equipped with a EVDC air conditioning (A/C) compressor may exhibit poor A/C performance/improper climate function and/or a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P06A0 in the powertrain control module (PCM).
FORD/LINCOLN: SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A ROUGH IDLE, IN GASOLINE TURBOCHARGED DIRECT INJECTION (GTDI) ENGINE, MAY OCCUR AFTER HOT START. MODEL 2012-2014 FLEX, TAURUS, EXPLORER, MKT. *PE
Engine overheats or leaks coolant 1 bulletin · 5 complaints
FORD: SOME MODEL VEHICLES MANUAL FOR POWERTRAIN CONTROL/EMISSION DIAGNOSTIC (PC/ED) HAS BEEN UPDATED REGARDING IMPROVED COOLING FAN CIRCUIT DUE TO A LACK OF AIR CONDITIONING, A MALFUNCTIONING INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) AND OVERHEATING. *PE
Car won't start 1 bulletin · 5 complaints
Some vehicles may exhibit a no start condition with an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and a DTC P161A after PCM replacement. This may be due to the parameter reset procedure not being properly completed.
Complaints filed by year
39 complaints came in 2020. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
Recalls that include the 2014 Ford Flex
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. Remedy parts are not currently available. Owners were notified about the recall on March 3, 2020. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts become available, which is currently expected to be the end of September 2020. The recall began October 28, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or Lincoln customer service at 1-800-521-4140. Ford's number for this recall is 20S04.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI Ecoboost engines and 2013-2015 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor vehicles. A component within the fuel pump electric module (PEM) may overheat causing a loss of electrical power to the fuel pump.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel PEM part number and replace the fuel PEM, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S31.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Ford F-150 and Flex vehicles manufactured March 1, 2014, to May 31, 2014. The affected vehicles were manufactured with a reduced clearance between the seat frame and the seat track assembly. This can cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) to inaccurately register passenger weight and improperly suppress the passenger front airbag when the passenger seat is occupied by an adult passenger. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will widen the gap between the seat frame and seat track assembly and recalibrate the seat OCS, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14C10.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles manufactured September 2, 2010, to November 30, 2013; 2013-2014 Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured August 25, 2011, to November 30, 2013; and 2013-2014 Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT vehicles manufactured September 12, 2011, to November 30, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the halfshaft retention circlip may not have been properly installed, and as a result, the halfshaft may move outward and disengage from the linkshaft while driving and without prior warning.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to make sure that the halfshaft is properly retained. If it is not, dealers will replace the linkshaft and also replace the halfshaft if it shows evidence of spline damage, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S10.
All 4 recalls on the 2014 Ford Flex, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
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Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2014 Ford Flex?
Power steering loss, with 50 of the 244 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 82,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2014 Ford Flex problems start?
Of the 157 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 47,000 miles and half by about 69,000.
How many 2014 Ford Flex complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
16 of them (7%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for power steering loss on the 2014 Ford Flex?
No recall on file for the 2014 Ford Flex is on the same system as power steering loss. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.