2013 Ford Flex Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
100/100
#1 most-complained of 10 Flex years
The 2013 Ford Flex ranks worst of 10 model years, with a complaint index of 100, 579 complaints, and 6 recalls. Electrical System issues lead at 36% of complaints, followed by Steering at 26%. NHTSA data supports an Avoid verdict relative to other Flex years.
- Complaints
- 579
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes / fires
- 11 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 13 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 19
- 17 city / 23 hwy
Top 2013 Ford Flex problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System210 (36%)
- Steering149 (26%)
- Structure & Body93 (16%)
- Other79 (14%)
- Fuel System72 (12%)
- Engine38 (7%)
- Brakes30 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires23 (4%)
- Seat Belts12 (2%)
- Transmission & Powertrain11 (2%)
What owners report
- Power steering intermittently or suddenly fails while driving, sometimes locking the wheel mid-turn.
- Steering loss has occurred at highway speeds around 70 mph, causing vehicles to veer off the road.
- A dashboard 'power steering assist fault' message appears just before the steering wheel locks up.
- Airbags failed to deploy in multiple reported collisions, including highway-speed rear-end and frontal impacts.
- Electrical wiring near the center console USB port was found melted without any warning light illuminated.
- Power steering issues sometimes recur even after a dealer replaces the related computer module.
2013 Ford Flex recalls
6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 20V072000Feb 10, 2020Suspension, Wheels & Tires211,207 vehicles
Suspension:rear
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.
Remedy: 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.
- NHTSA 16V621000Aug 25, 2016Fuel System77,502 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI Ecoboost engines and 2013-2015 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor vehicles. A component within the fuel pump electric module (PEM) may overheat causing a loss of electrical power to the fuel pump.
Risk: A loss of power to the fuel pump will cause the engine to stall or prevent the vehicle from starting, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel PEM part number and replace the fuel PEM, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S31.
- NHTSA 15V812000Dec 2, 2015Fuel System868 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Explorer Police Utility, Taurus, Taurus Police Interceptor, Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on December 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 13S04-S1.
2013 Ford Flex fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 17 MPG
- Highway
- 23 MPG
- Combined
- 19 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,400
- 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.
2013 compared with other Flex years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2013 Ford Flex a good year to buy?
- NHTSA data ranks the 2013 Flex the worst of 10 model years covered, with a complaint index of 100 and a verdict of Avoid relative to other Flex years. It logged 579 complaints and 6 recalls, more than most other years.
- What is the top complaint area for the 2013 Ford Flex?
- Electrical System complaints make up 36% of all reports for the 2013 Flex, totaling 210 complaints with a median failure mileage of 57,500 miles. Steering issues follow at 26% of complaints.
- Does the 2013 Ford Flex have a steering recall?
- Yes. NHTSA recall 15V340000 covers a power steering control module issue for the 2013 Flex, and steering-related complaints account for 149 reports, some tied to crashes.
- How many recalls does the 2013 Ford Flex have?
- NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2013 Ford Flex, covering suspension, fuel system, steering, and transmission/powertrain components, none of them do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2013 Flex compare to other Flex years?
- The 2013 Flex has the highest complaint index (100) among the 10 years with data, worse than 2012 (index 11, Best verdict) and 2017 (index 0, Best verdict).