The best and worst Ford Flex years, by the numbers
Short answer: among Ford Flexs old enough to judge (2008–2020), the 2008, 2012, 2017 and 2020 have the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold. The 2013–2014 and 2019 have the most.
We counted every owner complaint filed with the federal government (NHTSA) for each model year and divided by how many were sold that year, so a year that sold more doesn’t look worse just for being popular. Years newer than 2020 are shown but not ranked — they haven’t been on the road long enough. How this is calculated.
Years with the most complaints
2013 Ford Flex · 222.7 per 10,000 sold (5.1× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Doors, windows, latches, seats and trim, typically around 60,000 miles; then body control and other modules.
2014 Ford Flex · 104.5 per 10,000 sold (2.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Fuel pump and sending unit, typically around 63,049 miles; then body control and other modules.
2019 Ford Flex · 99.2 per 10,000 sold (2.3× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Driver-assist cameras, radar and calibration, typically around 50,000 miles; then doors, windows, latches, seats and trim.
Years with the fewest complaints
2008 Ford Flex · 0.0 per 10,000 sold (0.0× this model’s typical year)
2012 Ford Flex · 21.2 per 10,000 sold (0.5× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Power steering pump, rack and lines, typically around 59,620 miles.
2017 Ford Flex · 18.8 per 10,000 sold (0.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Driver-assist cameras, radar and calibration, typically around 87,500 miles.
2020 Ford Flex · 0.0 per 10,000 sold (0.0× this model’s typical year)
Every year: complaints per 10,000 sold
Typical Ford Flex year: 43.4 per 10,000 sold.
Complaints are counted once each, even when an owner lists several parts. Sales are US units sold in the calendar year, a close stand-in for the model year.
Common questions
What is the worst year for the Ford Flex?
Among Ford Flexs old enough to judge (2008–2020), the 2013 has the most owner complaints per 10,000 sold: 222.7, about 5.1× a typical Ford Flex year. The 2014 and 2019 also stand out.
What is the best year for the Ford Flex?
The 2008 has the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold among Ford Flexs from 2008–2020: 0.0, against 43.4 for a typical year. The 2012, 2017 and 2020 are also well below typical.
What goes wrong on the 2013 Ford Flex?
The most-reported problem on the 2013 Ford Flex is doors, windows, latches, seats and trim, typically around 60,000 miles.
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Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; US sales from public industry figures. Complaints are self-reported and not independently verified. This is not an inspection and not a recommendation to buy or avoid any vehicle.