2013 Ford Flex Fuel/propulsion System Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Sep 28, 2026 · 59 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA about fuel/propulsion system problems on the 2013 Ford Flex, 10% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 66,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “fuel pump” (59% of reports).

59fuel/propulsion system complaints
66,000median miles at failure
0mention a crash
1mention an injury
0related recalls
23%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

Fuel pump: mentioned in 35 of 59 complaints (59%)
Control module: mentioned in 7 of 59 complaints (12%)
Failed start: mentioned in 6 of 59 complaints (10%)

At what mileage do fuel/propulsion system problems happen?

Based on 52 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles3 · 6%

10k–25k miles2 · 4%

25k–50k miles5 · 10%

50k–75k miles24 · 46%

75k–100k miles13 · 25%

100k–150k miles4 · 8%

150k+ miles1 · 2%

How serious are the reports?

Of 59 complaints, 1 an injury.

Ford Flex fuel/propulsion system complaints by model year

Peak: 2013, with 59 complaints

n = 165 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model year	Fuel/propulsion System complaints	Share of that year	Median miles
2018 Flex	2	3%	52,525
2016 Flex	3	3%	66,000
2015 Flex	18	16%	28,500
2014 Flex	46	18%	62,098
2013 Flex	59	10%	66,000
2012 Flex	5	8%	116,000
2011 Flex	5	3%	81,650
2010 Flex	12	9%	101,500
2009 Flex	15	8%	85,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2018, with 20 complaints

n = 59 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (0)

No safety recall lists fuel/propulsion system for the 2013 Ford Flex. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

There seems to be a fuel leak on my vehicle's fuel tank. When the tank is half full and more there is a noticable fuel smell around my car and fuel dripping under my car. When the fuel is less than half full, the fuel seems to stop leaking. I believe the seam in the gas tank is leaking. I have…
Received Jan 23, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11567204

Have difficulty fueling vehicle. âFuel fill inletâ warning stays on dash. Strong fuel mixture smell in cabin. Fuel will overspill if you try to pump gas at full force. Smells like fuel is leaking. Concerned about possible explosion. Many other drivers having the same issues. Strange clicking…
Received May 24, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11523595

Third time having the fuel pump replaced . Pump fails every 20-30k miles. Car will stop running while driving on roadways, unable to restart vehicle. Had to pull over to side of road and wait for tow. 1st time 36,000 miles 2nd 53,000, 3rd 90,000. All repairs were performed by ford service center
Received Feb 14, 2020 · NHTSA complaint 11309111

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2013 Ford Flexs have fuel/propulsion system problems?

No. NHTSA has 59 owner complaints about fuel/propulsion system for the 2013 Ford Flex (10% of the 580 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2013 Ford Flex fuel/propulsion system?

No recall currently lists fuel/propulsion system for this vehicle.

At what mileage do fuel/propulsion system problems start?

The median reported mileage is 66,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

What do owners say about fuel/propulsion system problems on the 2013 Ford Flex?

The most frequent phrase is “fuel pump”, in 35 of 59 complaints, followed by “control module” (7).