2019 Ford Flex · symptom sheet
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails
- 167owner reports
- 50,000median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Sep 22, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
206 of the 249 complaints on this car are about the backup camera. 167 of those describe infotainment, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2019 Flex.
Narrower sheets: Backup camera goes black or freezes (94 reports)
Tick what matches of 167 reports
Infotainment on other Flex years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them.
What this problem usually is
Screen complaints read like a list of small betrayals. The display goes black or freezes, the backup camera shows nothing when you shift into reverse, CarPlay or Android Auto keeps dropping, or the radio changes volume on its own. Many owners had a software update that didn't fix it. A narrower sheet covers backup camera failures on their own, and another covers screens that freeze.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the camera (161 reports), the head unit or screen (43 reports) and the software (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
3 recalls on the backup camera cover the 2019 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
The rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image.
The power supply cables at the starter and the alternator may not have been properly secured, possibly resulting in an electrical arc.
All 4 recalls on the 2019 Ford Flex, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the backup camera on the Flex
Rear-view camera failure. Closed feb 2, 2026, led to recall 24V-951.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 35,000 and 74,000 miles, from the 85 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 6 service bulletins or notices for the 2019 Ford Flex that deal with this problem. 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.
Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to: Display operation concerns Navigation inoperative Voice recognition concerns Phone connection issues Dropped phone ...
Some 2016-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may exhibit a condition where the navigation voice prompts are inoperative after a SYNC map update. This may be due to an incomplete installation of the SYNC map software.
Some 2016-2021 Ford or Lincoln vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 or SYNC 4 may exhibit a blank screen or other various SYNC symptoms only when the vehicle is in transport mode.
Some 2016-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with a SYNC 3 Touchscreen may experience the volume control unresponsive from the Front Control Interface Module (FCIM) and steering volume controls when using Apple Car Play.
2 more on the 2019 Ford Flex page.
What owners wrote
“upside down camera- this is a known ford problem, just not linked to my VIN number. Can you please add my VIN so that I can get it fixed.”
Filed Jul 7, 2023
“The backup camera malfunctioned. The malfunction was reported to the Ford dealer. No replacement part is available from Ford. The car is still under warranty, but Ford is making no efforts to repair or replace this mandatory safety component of my car.”
Filed Jun 11, 2023
“The radio turns on even when the car is off and the keys are not nearby . Sometimes it turns off while driving and will be off for days at a time while other times it just comes on full volume while parked and unattended. Maybe an electrical issue ?”
Filed Feb 23, 2023
“The backup camera is flashing on and off when in reverse. Once it do stay on the video is cloudy, pixilated and flipped upside down. It also stays black screen for a bit then pops back on.”
Filed Jan 25, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 167 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Trim or a body panel comes off while driving 27 reports