2012 Ford Flex Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Flex years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 10th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Flex. That ranks 10th out of 11 Flex model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (24 complaints, 38%), typically at around 59,620 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 1 fire, 4 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 64owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 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 | 24 | 38% | 59,620 | — | — |
| Engine | 11 | 17% | 108,300 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 10 | 16% | 60,012 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 13% | 9,600 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 8% | 116,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 8% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 6% | 90,150 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 6% | 104,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 5% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 5% | 102,407 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 5% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 3% | 20,512 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 3% | 38,128 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 3% | 22,700 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | 60,012 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 2% | 170,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 2% | 60,012 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 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.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the ABS and the ESC warnings illuminated. The contact stated that she had recently heard an abnormal grinding sound while turning the steering wheel. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent…
There is serious safety trouble occurring with the power steering components, and the brake system. I went to the Ford dealership and they said the recalls werenât fixed back in 2015. And those recalls are the same issues that are occurring with my 2012 Ford Flex SE now. I just bought this…
Ford said the recall was fixed 10 years ago, however it went out on me last night. It's been towed to the Folsom Ford dealership in California, they quoted me $3,000 to fix my power steering assistant failure that had a Safety recall and it was a 'safety recall'. I couldn't steer my car. Very…
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Flex. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle intermittently became difficult to maneuver. The failure occurred on several occasions, including while the contact was driving. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a…
vehicle power steering stops working. Manual steering is extremely difficult to operate.
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 | 64 | 2 |
| 2011 Flex | 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.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Ford Flex?
Owners most often report steering, engine, electrical system problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 24 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Ford Flex?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 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 2012 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.