YearToAvoid

2017 Ford Flex Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Best The 2017 Ford Flex ranks 11th of 11 model years with a complaint index of 0 and a Best verdict. It has 42 complaints, 4 recalls, and 0 deaths, with suspension, wheels & tires as the top problem area.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
0/100
#11 of 11 Flex years
Verdict
Best
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
42
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
4
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
2
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
2
Top issue
Suspension, Wheels & Tires
Best nearby year
2018
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
16 city / 22 hwy
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0

Top 2017 Ford Flex problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Suspension, Wheels & Tires14 (33%)
  2. Other13 (31%)
  3. Collision Avoidance & Cameras7 (17%)
  4. Structure & Body4 (10%)
  5. Visibility & Wipers4 (10%)
  6. Electrical System3 (7%)
  7. Steering3 (7%)
  8. Airbags2 (5%)
  9. Seat Belts2 (5%)
  10. Transmission & Powertrain2 (5%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report the rear suspension toe link recall (20V072000) repair being delayed because replacement parts were unavailable at dealers for extended periods.
  • Tires reportedly wore down to minimal tread depth well before expected, with one owner needing a tire replaced after a blowout around 24,963 miles.
  • Some owners describe the vehicle fishtailing and swerving between lanes at highway speed near 30,000 miles, pointing to a steering-related loss of control.
  • Rear passenger doors have reportedly opened while driving or failed to latch properly, triggering a door-ajar warning, at around 58,000 miles.
  • Owners describe airbags failing to deploy in low-speed rear-end or side-impact crashes, with side airbags deploying instead of front airbags in one incident.
  • Windshields have reportedly shown distorted or warped views of objects at night, reported around 80,000 miles.
2017 Ford Flex complaints: complaints filed per month4Oct 2017May 2020Oct 2020May 2022Apr 2023Jul 2025Dec 2025May 2026
42 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2017 to Jul 2026; peak Sep 2025 (4).

2017 Ford Flex recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

See all 4 recalls for the 2017 Ford Flex →

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

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020092010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2015Good30110419
2016Good4098318
2017Best042418
2018Best2067318
2019Avoid90249418

All Ford Flex years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Ford Flex reliable?
NHTSA data ranks the 2017 Flex 11th out of 11 model years with a complaint index of 0, giving it a Best verdict relative to other Flex years. It has 42 complaints and 4 recalls on record.
What problems does the 2017 Ford Flex have?
The top reported problem area is suspension, wheels & tires, making up 33% of complaints (14 of 42), followed by collision avoidance & cameras at 17%. Median mileage at failure across all complaints is 78,500 miles.
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 replacement, rear suspension toe link fracture, and turbocharger oil supply tubes on 3.5L GTDI engines. None are do-not-drive recalls.
Is the 2017 Flex better than other Ford Flex years?
Yes. Its complaint index of 0 is the lowest among all 11 model years with data, compared to 100 for 2013 and 90 for 2019, both rated Avoid.
How many complaints does the 2017 Ford Flex have?
NHTSA lists 42 complaints for the 2017 Ford Flex, including 2 crashes and 2 injuries, with no fires or deaths reported.

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.