YearToAvoid

2011 Ford Flex Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

67/100

#4 most-complained of 10 Flex years

The 2011 Ford Flex has a Complaint Index of 67 and ranks 4th worst out of 10 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Steering complaints dominate at 40% of reports, with two recalls covering airbags and steering, and median failure mileage of 73,500.

Complaints
144
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
5 / 1
Injuries / deaths
9 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
16 city / 22 hwy

Top 2011 Ford Flex problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Steering57 (40%)
  2. Engine33 (23%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain19 (13%)
  4. Other14 (10%)
  5. Structure & Body11 (8%)
  6. Brakes10 (7%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires10 (7%)
  8. Electrical System9 (6%)
  9. Fuel System6 (4%)
  10. Airbags2 (1%)

What owners report

  • Power steering assist cuts out intermittently, sometimes at startup, triggering traction/stability control warnings and making the wheel hard to turn.
  • Steering rack and pinion failures reported, with one owner noting it failed again months after replacement.
  • Vehicle hesitates when pulling away from a stop, revving with no forward motion before the transmission bangs into gear.
  • Brake pedal reported to go to the floor without stopping the vehicle, resulting in a rear-end crash.
  • Fumes reported entering the cabin during hard acceleration, causing nausea and eye burning.
  • New tire sidewall failure reported shortly after purchase, on a bump that had not caused issues with prior tires.
2011 Ford Flex complaints: complaints filed per quarter82010 Q42012 Q42015 Q12017 Q12019 Q12021 Q32023 Q32026 Q2
175 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q4 to 2026 Q2; peak 2015 Q2 (8).

2011 Ford Flex recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V247000Apr 26, 2016Airbags695 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

  2. NHTSA 15V340000Jun 2, 2015Steering393,623 vehicles

    Steering:electric power assist system

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

2011 Ford Flex fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
22 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2011 compared with other Flex years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Caution56139118
2011Caution67144218
2012Best1164218
2013Avoid100579619

All Ford Flex years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Ford Flex reliable?
Compared to other Flex model years, 2011 rates Caution with a Complaint Index of 67, ranking 4th worst of 10 years tracked. Steering problems are the largest share of complaints at 40%.
What is the biggest problem with the 2011 Ford Flex?
Steering is the top problem area, accounting for 57 of 144 complaints (40%), with a median failure mileage of 118,000.
Does the 2011 Ford Flex have any recalls?
NHTSA lists two recalls for the 2011 Ford Flex: one for the driver frontal airbag module and one for the Power Steering Control Module, which could show diagnostic trouble codes.
How does the 2011 Flex compare to the 2013 Flex?
The 2013 Flex has a much higher Complaint Index of 100 and an Avoid verdict, versus 67 and Caution for 2011, meaning 2011 has fewer reported problems relative to 2013.
What is the fuel economy of the 2011 Ford Flex?
EPA rates the 2011 Ford Flex at 18 mpg combined (16 city / 22 highway), with an annual fuel cost of $3,600.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.