2011 Ford Flex Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Flex years
- About as many complaints as other years 5th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 144 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Ford Flex. That ranks 5th out of 11 Flex model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (57 complaints, 40%), typically at around 118,000 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 1 fire, 9 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 144owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 Ford Flex problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 57 | 40% | 118,000 | “steering assist” (18%) | — |
| Engine | 25 | 17% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 19 | 13% | 58,195 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 11 | 8% | 62,512 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 6% | 67,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 6% | 52,256 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 5% | 17,032 | — | — |
| Seats | 7 | 5% | 29,551 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 3% | 81,650 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 3% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 3% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 2% | 30,175 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 1% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | 107,150 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | 4,535 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 1% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 1% | 73,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 1% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 1% | 29,089 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 30,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 Ford Flex recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: 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 second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
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 customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C06.
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: 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 equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with any available engine. The affected vehicles have electric power steering assist systems that may shut down as a result of a steering motor sensor fault.
Risk: If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
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 be replaced, free of charge. If, no codes are found during the PSCM inspection, the PSCM software will be updated, free of charge. The recall began on July 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S18.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I have had this vehicle since about August 2025, the brakes and wheel bearings have failed twice, the strut failed, the power steering system has messed up repeatedly, the coolant came FLYING out of the car (while parked) FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON! There have been multiple warning lights on since I…
Went to put car in reverse and it kept driving forward- no weird sound or anything. Proceeded to put the car in park and it was still moving forward. Transmission was stuck on drive.The shifter is disconnected from the transmission with no warning .Just looked and the transmission shifter bushing…
I had changed all my bulbs and fuses to my car for my brake lights several times and they still donât work. My car almost got hit with me and my kids in it due to my break lights not working. Also my car keeps saying service advance trac and keeps saying it every time I drive. My car also keeps…
My brakes locked up suddenly on the rear end causing me to get stuck in the middle of the road and unable to move it, even to tow it. I had to take 2 days almost to fix it in the middle of the road, since yesterday morning. They also began locking up suddenly on the front end, the wheel bearing, CV…
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Flex. The contact stated that on several occasions while attempting to start the vehicle, the power steering assist warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel became firm. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the electronic power steering…
Other Ford Flex years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Flex | 254 | 4 |
| 2018 Flex | 68 | 3 |
| 2017 Flex | 42 | 4 |
| 2016 Flex | 98 | 3 |
| 2015 Flex | 113 | 4 |
| 2014 Flex | 249 | 4 |
| 2013 Flex | 580 | 6 |
| 2012 Flex | 64 | 2 |
| 2011 | 144 | 2 |
| 2010 Flex | 139 | 1 |
| 2009 Flex | 181 | 1 |
See all Ford Flex problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Ford Flex?
Owners most often report steering, engine, power train problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 57 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Ford Flex?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 Ford Flex a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Flex model years, the 2011 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.