2018 Ford Flex Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
22/100
#8 most-complained of 10 Flex years
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
The 2018 Ford Flex ranks 8th of 10 model years with a complaint index of 22, earning a
- Complaints
- 67
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 7 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 18
- 16 city / 22 hwy
Top 2018 Ford Flex problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Other19 (28%)
- Structure & Body18 (27%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras14 (21%)
- Electrical System12 (18%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (16%)
- Brakes3 (4%)
- Airbags2 (3%)
- Fuel System2 (3%)
- Lane Departure2 (3%)
- Steering2 (3%)
What owners report
- Rearview camera screens intermittently display "camera not available" and fail to alert the driver, contributing to reported collisions.
- SYNC 3/APIM infotainment units glitch with lost audio, missing touchscreen tones, navigation faults, and freezing or blacked-out camera feeds.
- Rear suspension toe links have fractured while driving, causing loss of vehicle control.
- Airbags did not deploy in at least one reported rear-end and intersection collision.
- A sharp metal edge near the front wheel well where the fender meets the plastic cowling has damaged tires when driving over bumps or curbs.
- One owner reported the vehicle rolled backward after being parked in gear with the engine off.
2018 Ford Flex recalls
3 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.
2018 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.
2018 compared with other Flex years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Ford Flex reliable?
- NHTSA data ranks the 2018 Flex 8th out of 10 model years with a complaint index of 22, and the site verdict is "Best" relative to other Flex years.
- What are the most common problems on the 2018 Ford Flex?
- Structure & Body issues account for 27% of complaints, followed by Collision Avoidance & Cameras at 21%, Electrical System at 18%, and Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 16%.
- Does the 2018 Ford Flex have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2018 Flex: a B-pillar door trim detachment issue, a rearview camera replacement campaign, and a rear suspension toe link fracture recall shared with certain 2013-2018 Flex, Taurus, and MKT models.
- At what mileage do 2018 Flex problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure across all reported issues is 58,500 miles, though Structure & Body complaints have a median of 64,000 miles and Electrical System complaints around 55,598 miles.
- How does the 2018 Flex compare to the 2013 and 2019 model years?
- The 2013 Flex has a complaint index of 100 and is rated "Avoid," and the 2019 Flex has an index of 89, also rated "Avoid," both far worse than the 2018 model's index of 22.