YearToAvoid

2018 Ford Flex Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Best The 2018 Ford Flex ranks 9th of 11 model years with a complaint index of 20, earning a Best verdict among Flex years. NHTSA lists 67 complaints, 3 recalls, 7 crashes, and 1 injury for this year, with top issues in Structure & Body and Collision Avoidance & Cameras.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
20/100
#9 of 11 Flex years
Verdict
Best
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
67
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
7
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
1
Top issue
Structure & Body
Best nearby year
2017
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
16 city / 22 hwy
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0

Top 2018 Ford Flex problems

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

  1. Other19 (28%)
  2. Structure & Body18 (27%)
  3. Collision Avoidance & Cameras14 (21%)
  4. Electrical System12 (18%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (16%)
  6. Brakes3 (4%)
  7. Airbags2 (3%)
  8. Fuel System2 (3%)
  9. Lane Departure2 (3%)
  10. Steering2 (3%)

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

What owners report

  • Rearview camera screens go black or show 'camera not available' just before parking or backing collisions.
  • Sync 3/APIM infotainment systems glitch with lost audio, missing touch tones, navigation faults, and screen freezing, sometimes coinciding with a crash.
  • Rear suspension toe links have fractured while driving, causing loss of control and collision with a guard rail.
  • Airbags failed to deploy in a rear-end crash at 45 mph despite occupants present.
  • A sharp metal edge near the wheel well where plastic cowling meets the fender has cut tires when going over bumps or curbs.
  • One owner reported the vehicle rolling backward after being parked in gear with the engine off.
2018 Ford Flex complaints: complaints filed per month8May 2018Dec 2019Oct 2020May 2022Apr 2024Jul 2025Dec 2025May 2026
67 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2018 to Sep 2026; peak May 2026 (8).

2018 Ford Flex recalls

3 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.

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

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
2016Good4098318
2017Best042418
2018Best2067318
2019Avoid90249418

All Ford Flex years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Ford Flex reliable?
Among Flex model years, 2018 ranks 9th worst of 11 with a complaint index of 20, which earns it a Best verdict relative to other Flex years. NHTSA lists 67 complaints and 3 recalls for this year.
What are the main problems with the 2018 Ford Flex?
NHTSA complaint data shows Structure & Body issues lead at 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 a rearview camera recall?
Yes. Recall 25V695000 covers certain 2015-2019 Flex vehicles (plus other Ford and Lincoln models) for rearview camera inspection and replacement.
Does the 2018 Ford Flex have a suspension recall?
Yes. Recall 20V072000 covers 2013-2018 Flex, Taurus, and Lincoln MKT vehicles with Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack, addressing rear suspension toe links that may fracture.
How many crashes and injuries were reported for the 2018 Ford Flex?
NHTSA lists 7 crashes and 1 injury tied to 2018 Flex complaints, with 0 fires and 0 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.