2009 Ford Flex Problems, Recalls & Reliability
272 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2009 Ford Flex, alongside 1 recall campaign and 0 defect investigations. It scores 42/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 70,213 miles.
Below average
Where 2009 sits among all Flex years
What owners report
“Driving 65. Mph car lost power .iwas able to pull to side of road.turned car off and on it restarted took to ford dealership they said it was throttle body replaced at 700. There is no recall,but ford is aware of danger.ous defect .tech said.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Flex
“As i am driving come to a stop. Proceed in motion making a left turn or right turn vehicle will lock up slowing down with grinding. Now this has happened 3 times on the road causing traffic to stop.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Flex
“Exiting hwy at 50 mph, hit brake. Hard brake pedal-no brakes followed by engine full throttle acceleration-vehicle was sent to the ford dealer in oct for a check eng light that couldn't be extinguished. Computer was reflashed with basic prom. No other issues until accident”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Flex
“It keeps saying sensor we had replaced twice is still bad. The transmission doesn't accelerate sometimes”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Flex
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 214 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 60,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 25,000 and 100,200 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during…
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016. Owners may contact…
Technical service bulletins
24 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2009 Ford Flex. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2009 Ford Flex reliable?
The 2009 Ford Flex drew 272 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 42/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2009 Ford Flex problems?
The top reported problems for the 2009 Ford Flex are engine (53 complaints), other (33), and brakes & stability (32).
At what mileage do 2009 Ford Flex problems show up?
Owners most often report 2009 Ford Flex problems around 60,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 25,000 and 100,200 miles.
Does the 2009 Ford Flex have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2009 Ford Flex. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.