2016 Ford Flex Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Flex years
- Fewer complaints than other years 8th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 98 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Flex. That ranks 8th out of 11 Flex model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is back over prevention (26 complaints, 27%), typically at around 74,500 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 3 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 98owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back Over Prevention | 26 | 27% | 74,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 23 | 23% | 108,328 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 14 | 14% | 30,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 10 | 10% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 9 | 9% | 62,155 | — | — |
| Engine | 8 | 8% | 67,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 8 | 8% | 68,150 | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 8% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 4% | 10,960 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 3% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 3% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 3% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 3% | 61,400 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 2% | 37,500 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 1% | 163,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 47,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Ford Flex recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driverâs view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
Risk: A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. Remedy parts are not currently available. Owners were notified about the recall on March 3, 2020. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts become available, which is currently expected to be the end of September 2020. The recall began October 28, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or Lincoln customer service at 1-800-521-4140. Ford's number for this recall is 20S04.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Taurus, 2016-2017 Ford Flex, Lincoln MKT, 2017 Ford Explorer and Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. Improperly brazed turbocharger oil supply tubes may leak oil on engine components.
Risk: An oil leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the turbocharger oil supply tubes, free of charge. The recall began on January 31, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S46.
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 2016 Ford Flex. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention) and 25V829000 (Structure); however, parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time…
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Flex. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to perform the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while in Reverse (R), the rearview camera displayed an inverted image. The…
The car is experiencing turbo failure that lines up with the recall for the same model vehicle produced within the same 2016-2017 date. But for some reason this vin isnt included in the recall
Radio making crackling noises, screen goes blank, cannot control a/c from touch screen and causes the a/c not to work on front vents. Vehicle inside died while the engine was still running in traffic and was unable to start/stop vehicle from running, a/c ran hot then vehicle stop running.
There is a current recall on the backup camera that has been pending since 2025. Parts are still not available as of today even though Ford stated parts and instructions were going to be available before end of 2nd quarter, June 30, 2026. Camera has not worked since mid 2025, Ford has been aware…
Other Ford Flex years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Flex | 254 | 4 |
| 2018 Flex | 68 | 3 |
| 2017 Flex | 42 | 4 |
| 2016 | 98 | 3 |
| 2015 Flex | 113 | 4 |
| 2014 Flex | 249 | 4 |
| 2013 Flex | 580 | 6 |
| 2012 Flex | 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 2016 Ford Flex?
Owners most often report back over prevention, electrical system, unknown or other problems. The top one, back over prevention, accounts for 26 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Ford Flex?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 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 2016 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.