2017 Ford Flex Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
0/100
#10 most-complained of 10 Flex years
The 2017 Ford Flex ranks 10th out of 10 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 0 and 42 complaints logged, making it the Best year of the Flex to buy based on NHTSA data. It has 4 recalls, none of them do-not-drive.
- Complaints
- 42
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 2 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 2 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 18
- 16 city / 22 hwy
Top 2017 Ford Flex problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires14 (33%)
- Other13 (31%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras7 (17%)
- Structure & Body4 (10%)
- Visibility & Wipers4 (10%)
- Electrical System3 (7%)
- Steering3 (7%)
- Airbags2 (5%)
- Seat Belts2 (5%)
- Transmission & Powertrain2 (5%)
What owners report
- Suspension and tire complaints describe tread wearing down quickly, in one case needing replacement around 24,963 miles after a blowout.
- Owners report the rear suspension toe link recall repair parts were unavailable at multiple dealers for months.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in frontal impacts, with side airbags deploying instead in one crash, and non-deployment in a rear-end collision at 70,000 miles.
- A rear passenger door latch reportedly fractured and the door opened while driving 25 mph, with the door-ajar warning staying lit.
- Some owners describe the windshield showing distorted views of objects at night, reported around 80,000 miles.
- Steering complaints include the vehicle fishtailing and swerving between lanes at 70 mph without warning.
- One driver-side seat belt reportedly locks, tightens, and suddenly releases repeatedly during normal driving.
2017 Ford Flex recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 25V732000Oct 24, 2025Structure & Body92,347 vehicles
Structure:body
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Flex vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving.
Risk: Door trim that detaches while driving can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will repair or replace the B-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 17, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated March 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SB8. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 28, 2025.
- 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 driverâs 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.
- 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.
2017 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.
2017 compared with other Flex years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2017 Ford Flex reliable?
- Based on NHTSA data, the 2017 Ford Flex has a complaint index of 0, the lowest among the 10 model years tracked, and ranks as the Best year for the Flex.
- What problems does the 2017 Ford Flex have?
- NHTSA lists 42 complaints for the 2017 Flex, with Suspension, Wheels & Tires as the top problem area at 14 complaints (33% share), followed by Collision Avoidance & Cameras at 7 complaints (17%).
- Does the 2017 Ford Flex have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2017 Flex, covering B-pillar door trim detachment, rearview camera issues, rear suspension toe links, and turbocharger oil supply tubes. None are classified as do-not-drive.
- What mileage do 2017 Ford Flex suspension problems show up at?
- The median mileage at failure for Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints on the 2017 Flex is 70,000 miles.
- How does the 2017 Ford Flex compare to other years?
- The 2017 Flex has a complaint index of 0 and ranks 10th out of 10 years, better than the 2013 Flex (complaint index 100, Avoid) and the 2019 Flex (complaint index 89, Avoid).