2011 Ford Flex Problems, Recalls & Reliability
178 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Ford Flex, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 32/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Steering leads the reports, typically around 119,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2011 sits among all Flex years
What owners report
“Power Steering Has Failed. My mechanic says the Rack and Pinion needs to be replaced.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Flex
“Car has meticulous service record, i had 86k miles on car. The car would not start towed to dealership. The ceramic water pump exploded, causing coolent to mix with oil. Now i need new engine $8,000. I have used same dealership for car maintenance for last 7 years.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Flex
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 136 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 85,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 50,000 and 125,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles…
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC). If dealers find any loss of steering assist DTCs, the steering gear will…
Technical service bulletins
45 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2011 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 2011 Ford Flex reliable?
The 2011 Ford Flex drew 178 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 32/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2011 Ford Flex problems?
The top reported problems for the 2011 Ford Flex are steering (57 complaints), engine (32), and transmission & drivetrain (19).
At what mileage do 2011 Ford Flex problems show up?
Owners most often report 2011 Ford Flex problems around 85,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 50,000 and 125,000 miles.
Does the 2011 Ford Flex have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 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.