Ford Flex 2013 — Problemas reportados

My car randomly over heated ON XXX around 3:23 pm and when I pulled over to a parking lot there was antifreeze pouring out of the bottom front passenger side. I tried to allow it to cool down so that I could safely get it to the shop .5 mile away and the vehicle started to shake and stall and the check engine light came on. I had it towed and inspected at Featherstone Auto, 14523 Richmond Hwy, Woodbridge VA 22191 where I was informed by [XXX] that this is a common issue with Ford Flex where the water pump in inside the engine and fails yet there is no recall for this issue. This is an extremely pricely cost that Ford knows is an issue yet there is no resolution on their end??? That is highly unnacceptable. I have had this car for less than a year, granted it is 13 years old. The safety of my selves and others were put at risk because my vehicle almost stopped in the middle of ongoing traffic due to a well known issue with this vehicle. Prior to this there was no engine overheating message in the 11 months that I have had this vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

UNKNOWN So we bought the car used from the dealer exactly how they received it, and it was working normally but then a few weeks or a month or two we were going somewhere and one of the headlights would go out and we'd have to turn the switch off and back on to get it to turn back on, and it was one for a few weeks but then it started turning them both off, and then it eventually got to the point that we would turn the headlights on anf the passenger side headlight wouldn't turn on anymore at all, so I went and got a bulb incase that was the issue and so we went to put the new bulb in and as we disconnected the circuit in order to get to the bulb we found that 1, water would stay inside the plastic cover causing the main board of the headlight to be fully submerged. 2, The connector to the main board was melted and fried so it is unusable. 3, with that being said that could've turned into a way worse scenario such as driving down the road and suddenly the circuit catches fire. 4, another possible outcome is while we are driving the headlights turn themselves off and while turning them back on we can't see and end up hitting a pedestrian walking or a tree on the side of the road. 5, another outcome could be, that the wiring eventually fries itself to the point that you'd have to replace every wire. 6, another safety hazard is how it is wired, the safety concerns with that and the connectors if the wrong thing happens at the weong time it could cause a full engine meltdown or explode. Now how is this a safety hazard well I've mentioned possible outcomes but the main issue is you legally need headlights when it is dark outside and if you don't you can't see where you are going and others won't see you as quick which can result in an accident happening. Another one is if one of the connectors catched fire and we pull over to the side well that fire could spread to the engine causing it to blow up and if the timing is right take out someone with it. Thats all I can say.

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.

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.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized, with the power steering fault warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure reoccurred, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering rack and steering angle and torque sensors had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and several cases were filed. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for a recall repair. The contact stated the dealer declined to perform the recall repair because the vehicle was unable to be started. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V072000 (SUSPENSION). The vehicle was currently at the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 127,000.

On Sunday, February 22, 2026, I was driving my 2013 Ford Flex with the driver’s seat heater activated. After a period of use, I began to notice an unusual electrical burning smell inside the vehicle. There were no dashboard warning lights or system alerts. I turned the seat heater off immediately once I detected the smell. I did not initially notice an injury at that time. The following day, I experienced significant pain and discovered burns on my buttocks in the area consistent with seat contact. I sought medical evaluation three days later and was diagnosed with second- to third-degree burns. Prescription treatment was provided. The vehicle has not yet been inspected for the cause of the overheating or odor. Based on the location and pattern of injury, and the timing of the electrical smell while the heated seat was activated, the burn appears to have resulted from a malfunction of the seat heating element.

Rear view camera has failed. The screen goes black and has a “contact dealer” message.

While driving, the power steering warning light illuminated and steering assist was lost. The steering became extremely hard, especially at low speeds. The vehicle makes grinding/whining noises when turning, and the car vibrates while in Drive. This creates a serious safety concern, especially during turns and parking maneuvers. Issue appears to be electric power steering (EPAS) failure.

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.

Backup Camera not working

THE REAR- VIEW BACK UP CAMERA DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY WHEN VEHICLE IS PUT IN REVERSE. IT WORKS INTEMITTEDLY. SOMETIMES IMAGE IS BLACK, SOMETIMES UPSIDE DOWN, SOMETIME, WORKS PROPERLY, SOMETIME IMAGE FREEZES, AND SOMETIMES SHOWS ERROR CAMERA NOT WORKING CONTACT DEALERSHIP. REDUCES THE THE ABILITY TO SEE WHAT IS BEHIND THE VEHICLE WHEN BACKIN UP AND INCREASES THE RISK OF CRASH.

Rear view camera on my 2013 Ford Flex failing in same manner as other models recalled by Ford for failed rear view cameras. Initial failure was a few years ago after original mfr warranty period, however it is my understanding that the recalled models have extended warranty to 15 years. As such, since this is the same type of component, it is clear that my 2013 flex should also be recalled and covered through the 2028 calendar year. Undoubtedly, the root cause of this failure is inherent in the design and manufacture of all generations of backup cameras deployed by Ford and not limited to certain manufacturing dates. NHTSA should not allow itself to be misled by Ford into a narrower scope of recall.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact recently purchased the vehicle. When the vehicle was purchased, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle had a failure with the steering wheel. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver. The message "Service Advancetrac" was displayed on the instrument panel, and an unknown message about the steering was displayed. In addition, while in reverse(R), the contact used force to turn the steering wheel. Most recently, the contact stated that when the turn signal lever was activated, the turn signal lever failed to stay down as intended. The contact had to hold the turn signal lever down to signal a right or left turn. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the dealer related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (STEERING). However, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 131,785.

Rear camera stopped working years ago. Will only work briefly after collision warning alert goes off which goes off randomly even when there are no other vehicles in the area

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the "Power Steering Assist Fault" and "Service Advancetrac" messages were displayed. The contact stated that the power steering assist had failed to operate as needed and excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle. The contact also stated that the turn signals failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the mechanic was not equipped with the tools to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 213,300.

I Repaired 1 door ajar DSF under warranty Had to pay for 2 doors PSF & PSR due to out of warranty Now there’s a recall but I’m over 250,000 miles ,so Ford refuses to to cover the door handle sensor recall

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure occurred two to three times per week. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (STEERING); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.

The steering failed while driving. Steering assist was shut down and almost impossible to turn the wheel.

MY 2013 FORD FLEX ONLY HAS 109,600 MILES ON IT. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE MECHANIC SHOP. THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING IS WITH THE POWER STEERING ASSIST. SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS, WHEN I AM REVERSING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT SUDDENLY THE POWER ASSIST WARNING COMES ON AND THE CAR IS UNCONTROLLABLE. I HAVE HAD TO TOW IT TWICE. I AM NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO MANEUVER THE CAR WHEN IT LOCKS UP LIKE THAT. THERE WAS NO OTHER WARNING UNTIL I MADE THE ATTEMPT TO BACK UP THEN A WARNING MESSAGE CAME ON. THE MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM . HE MADE SOME OTHER REPAIRS TO THE WHEEL HUB BEARINGS, SO WHEN I PICKED UP MY CAR AND IT DROVE FINE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, I THOUGHT IT WAS FIXED. BUT IT FROZE UP AGAIN UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS--TRYING TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC AND ONCE AGAIN THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT HE SAID THERE WAS A RECORD OF THE WARNINGS IN THE SYSTEM. MY SAFETY AS WELL AS THE SAFETY OF OTHER DRIVERS IS AT RISK, BECAUSE IF THIS GOES OUT WHILE IN TRANSIT, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. I ENJOY MY FLEX, BUT THE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN SO MUCH LATELY. ONE OF THE RECENT REPAIRS WAS THE EMERGENCY BRAKE COSTING 1,200. THE WHEEL HUB BEARINGS WERE 1,400 AND NOW THIS POWER STEERING ASSIST REPAIR IS ESTIMATED TO BE QUITE PRICEY. I AM PARTIALLY HANDICAPPED, RETIRED AND LIVING ON A VERY LIMITED INCOME. THESE EXPENSES ARE OUTRAGEOUS FOR SUCH A NICE CAR WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. DOES THIS MODEL HAVE ISSUES? I KEEP UP THE MAINTENANCE AND THE OIL CHANGES AND WHATEVER ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT THESE EXPENSES ARE HITTING ALL AT ONCE AND PUTTING ME IN DEBT. IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT THERE IS A GLITCH IN THE MECHANICAL SYSTEM? I LOOKED UP RECALLS AND IT DOES SAY THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING ASSIST. I AM CONTACTING TO VERIFY THAT INFORMATION. PLEASE CONFIRM FOR ME SO I KNOW HOW TO PROCEED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

My electric power steering went out while driving. Everywhere online says the 2013 flex has a recall for this but when I enter my vin it says no recall. There has been several claims of this on my model year and accidents and dangers reported. I want to know my my vehicle isn’t showing up for the recall when it’s never been replaced by ford so it should be replaced by Ford.

Power Steering Assist Default. Power steering has intermittently gone out several times and when the vehicle is powered off and back on it would worked properly. July 15, 2025 121,471 miles it went out and will not reset. Fortunately, this happened at the car wash and not while driving. It could have been a very dangerous situation while driving. Had it towed home. I have reported to Ford Case# CXH-04975179 July 16, 2025 and was told to take it to the dealer for evaluation and the dealer may assist $ with the repair. The (Power Steering Assist Fault) appeared on the dash. This has happened intermittently over the past several months and gone away but not it will not go away and the vehicle in inoperable.

I went to drop my children off at school, backed out of the driveway fine everything was good. I went to turn the corner and my steering went really, really stiff. Thankfully I only live 2 blocks from the school and wasn't going over 15 mph. If I had been I'm scared of what could have happened.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the message “Power Steering Failure” was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact also stated that a handheld diagnostic reader retrieved DTC: U3000, 49-48, U300096C8, and BID2368-48. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Back-up camera shows blank screen, wiggle lines throughout, states to contact dealer for service, or shows up upside down and backwards. I took my vehicle to the Bill Brown Ford dealership 04Sep18. I paid $112 to be told camera was failing and was quoted a minimum of $650 to replace. I declined as the vehicle was only 5 years old and was hoping for a recall. I now see many newer vehicles were just recalled for the same issue.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was drifting in different directions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a failed rack and pinion. The contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000.

There is a recall on models in this year but not the one I currently have. While driving on the highway my advancetrac warning lit up, the roads where dry and the was nothing to indicate why this was happening. So, I began to continue to drive on the highway and my steering wheel began to feel "jiggly". I kept two hands on the wheel the remaining drive and stayed within the min driving limit as any bump I experienced allowed for the car to be redireced even with two hands on the wheel. Once I made it off the highway to my destination I received three warning messages one system fault, one power steering service and one advancetrac. At this point when turning the car off and back on again the steering wheel became hard to turn. The red power steering message popped up again along with the advancetrac message. Because this issue happened while the car was in motion I find it hard to believe that this model is not apart of the recall. Now I have to foot the bill along with feeling like at any moment I could have crashed and lost my life during my time driving on the highway. My only hope for writing this is to ensure another look at the 2013 models that were not included in this recall so that other lives can be saved. I would not have a problem allowing this issue to be inspected. My safety and those along the highway were in danger because I could have lost control of the vehicle. The problem still remains, I have set an appointment for this issue. This happened 6/5/25. The warnings first appeared while driving the vehicle.

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.

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.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, there was a beeping sound coming from the vehicle with the messages "Electronic Power Steering Assist failure", "Service Advance-trac", and "Power steering assist fault" displayed. Additionally, the traction control warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that simultaneously the steering wheel became extremely firm. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the electronic rack and pinion steering needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving and making turns, the steering wheel was sticking and required to be turned in the opposite direction and back to the intended direction for the vehicle to respond as needed. Additionally, the contact stated that the steering wheel failed to return to center after making a turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Big Brand Tire and Service, where the contact was informed that the failure might be related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 155,077.

The back up/ rear camera failed on this vehicle. The sudden failure of this caused me to panic as I could no longer see directly behind my vehicle.

Backup camera will not work or send image inverted

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.

Back up camera has failed.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal gasoline odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the odor of gasoline was constant. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact had researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V812000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The traction control warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the power steering control module. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 125,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, after coming to a stop and then attempting to switch lanes, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The power steering assist message was displayed. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle started operating as designed. The contact called an independent mechanic and was informed about NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 163,000.

There is a power steering assist fault. Mine failed. This is a known issue That was recalled for the model year of my car, but my car apparently falls outside of the recall.

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving at approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The "Power Steering Assist Fault" message was displayed on the instrument panel. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering control module needed to be replaced. The contact researched and was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.