YearToAvoid

2016 Ford Flex Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

44/100

#6 most-complained of 10 Flex years

The 2016 Ford Flex has a complaint index of 44 and ranks 6th worst out of 10 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Flex years. NHTSA lists 98 complaints, 3 recalls, and 4 crashes for this year, with camera/collision-avoidance issues and electrical problems the top concerns.

Complaints
98
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
4 / 0
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
16 city / 22 hwy

Top 2016 Ford Flex problems

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

  1. Collision Avoidance & Cameras27 (28%)
  2. Electrical System23 (23%)
  3. Other14 (14%)
  4. Engine13 (13%)
  5. Structure & Body12 (12%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (11%)
  7. Steering8 (8%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain8 (8%)
  9. Brakes5 (5%)
  10. Fuel System3 (3%)

What owners report

  • Rearview cameras go blank, show blue or black screens, display upside down, or work intermittently while driving.
  • Steering assist can disengage suddenly, with warning lights coming on and drivers losing the ability to steer normally.
  • Rear suspension parts have failed or fractured while driving, in one case leading to fishtailing and a rollover.
  • The engine or throttle body causes sudden loss of power while accelerating or merging, sometimes requiring the vehicle to coast to a stop.
  • Transmission or half-shaft noise occurs when shifting between drive and reverse or while turning, along with rattling from underneath the vehicle.
  • Power steering has failed to engage after startup, sometimes recurring after briefly working again.
2016 Ford Flex complaints: complaints filed per quarter162016 Q32018 Q22019 Q32020 Q42022 Q12023 Q22024 Q42025 Q4
131 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q3 (16).

2016 Ford Flex recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 25V695000Oct 13, 2025Collision Avoidance & Cameras1,448,655 vehicles

    Back over prevention: sensing system: camera

    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 driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: 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.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 16V925000Dec 22, 2016Engine1,163 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

2016 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.

2016 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
2014Avoid78249419
2015Good33110419
2016Good4498318
2017Best042418
2018Best2267318

All Ford Flex years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Ford Flex reliable?
Compared to other Flex model years, 2016 rates "Good," with a complaint index of 44 and a rank of 6th worst out of 10 years tracked. It has fewer NHTSA complaints (98) than years like 2013 (579) or 2019 (249).
What problems does the 2016 Ford Flex have?
NHTSA complaints for the 2016 Flex are led by Collision Avoidance & Cameras (28% of complaints) and Electrical System issues (23%), followed by Engine (13%) and Structure & Body (12%) problems.
Does the 2016 Ford Flex have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2016 Flex: a rearview camera replacement, a rear suspension toe link recall, and a turbocharger oil supply tube recall for 3.5L GTDI engines. None are do-not-drive recalls.
What is the median mileage when problems occur on the 2016 Flex?
Across all reported issues, the median mileage at failure is 62,155 miles. By area, engine problems showed up at a median of 36,000 miles, while electrical issues appeared later, at a median of 108,327.5 miles.
Which Ford Flex years should be avoided instead of 2016?
Based on NHTSA data, 2013 (complaint index 100), 2019 (89), and 2014 (78) carry "Avoid" verdicts, all worse than the 2016 model's index of 44.

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.