2012 Ford Flex Problems, Recalls & Reliability
89 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Ford Flex, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 15/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Steering leads the reports, typically around 59,620 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2012 Ford Flex has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2012 sits among all Flex years
What owners report
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 67 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 60,012 miles. Half of those reports fall between 32,120 and 110,000 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
47 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2012 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 2012 Ford Flex reliable?
The 2012 Ford Flex drew 89 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 15/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2012 Ford Flex problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Ford Flex are steering (24 complaints), engine (11), and electrical (11).
At what mileage do 2012 Ford Flex problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Ford Flex problems around 60,012 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 32,120 and 110,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Ford Flex have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 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.