2010 Ford Flex: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 139 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is steering (23% of complaints); the 2012 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Apr 2016
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 139 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Vehicle loses power steering intermittently upon vehicle startup as well as in motion. Vehicle is then extremely hard to control without power steering. Message " POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" prints to the instrument cluster above the steering wheel. Turning the vehicle off and back on may resolve problem but it returns within a couple key cycles.”Owner report · Steering · Mar 2024
“The contact owns a 2010 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the steering wheel became firm, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and was able to restart the vehicle after 3 attempts. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to the oil mixing with the coolant. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the vehicle was not under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Sep 2023
“While driving car suddenly losses power and the wrench light comes on. Loss of power with the car transmission wont move the car at all. have to pull over and turn off car about 5min then start it back up and now everything works with no codes. Happened 3 times.VERY DANGEROUS BECUASE CAR LOSSES POWER AND CARS BEHIND YOU ALMOST HITS YOU.”Owner report · Power Train · Mar 2023
Show 7 more owner reports
“UNKNOWN I was on the highway during dry conditions, and very suddenly fishtailed and swerved into another lane. Caused an accident. Could have been much worse. Rear driver's side wheel is not facing forward - tow driver says looks like a broken toe link. Insurance company has possession of the vehicle and will likely total the car, with no inspection by a repair shop.”Owner report · Wheels · Feb 2023
“Vehicle was shaking in the rear area for some time at highway speeds. I took the vehicle in to the local tire shop to get the alignment checked. After that the vehicle still shook. I took the vehicle back to the tire shop and the alignment was already off quite a bit in the back tires. I took the vehicle in to the local ford dealership and was informed that the rear passenger toe link was cracking. This was replaced and the vehicle still shakes/vibrates a little bit at highway speeds. After tire rotation ,the vibration is getting better. The toe link had caused the tires to wear down inconsistently, which caused the secondary vibration.”Owner report · Suspension · Jun 2022
“I was in a parking lot and i felt the steering wheel shake and I got a message about the power steering assist fault. If I was moving or driving in traffic my family and my self could have been killed.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jan 2022
“The air bag light is on stating that the code of b0001 driver frontal stage 1 deployment control and also code u0253. I have never in my life ever had an issue like this. No accidents either”Owner report · Air Bags · Dec 2021
“Tl* the contact owns a 2010 ford flex. The contact stated while driving 35 mph, the passenger's side rear tire was drifting to the right independently causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The contact regained control of the vehicle and pulled to the side of the roadway. The contact had the vehicle towed to bill knight ford (9607 s. Memorial dr, tulsa, ok 74133) who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed that the rear toe link was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 351,000.”Owner report · Wheels · Mar 2021
“Leaky fuel tank. Strong smell of leaky fuel. Worried that vehicle might catch fire. Took it into my local oil change place and they could not find leak. I can see a puddle of fuel on my driveway - about 2-3 feet round. Believe fuel tank has corroded. But I am told the tank is made of plastic. Looked up 2 other NHTSA complaints with similar failure complaints. Vehicle has 152,000 miles.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jan 2021
“When I press on gas it jerks and feels like its straing to kick up.dragging no gas its pulling. And when I break the peddles push back and make weird noises.it sometimes don't stop .the radio buttons doesn't work none of them.I purchased this vehicle 08/15/2020”Owner report · Service Brakes · Aug 2020
When filing, owners marked a crash in 9 of these complaints and injuries in 4 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C06.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2010 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Flex by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2010 Ford Flex reliable?
NHTSA has 139 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2010 Ford Flex. The most complained-about area is steering (23% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2010 Ford Flex problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 73,499 miles or less.
Does the 2010 Ford Flex have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning air bags:frontal. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.