The 2017 Ford Flex has 4 safety recalls and 42 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is suspension (13 complaints).
Recalls4safety recalls
Complaints42filed by owners
Crashes · fires2 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths2 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Structure › Body
NHTSA recall 25V732000 · Oct 24, 2025 · 92,347 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
NHTSA recall 25V695000 · Oct 13, 2025 · 1,448,655 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Suspension › Rear
NHTSA recall 20V072000 · Feb 10, 2020 · 211,207 vehicles
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Turbo/supercharger
NHTSA recall 16V925000 · Dec 22, 2016 · 1,163 vehicles
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Taurus, 2016-2017 Ford Flex, Lincoln MKT, 2017 Ford Explorer and Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. Improperly brazed turbocharger oil supply tubes may leak oil on engine components.
Risk: An oil leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the turbocharger oil supply tubes, free of charge. The recall began on January 31, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S46.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2017 Ford Flex SUV AWD
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
★★★★★
Rollover risk
15.1%
Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: No
2017 Ford Flex SUV FWD
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
★★★★★
Rollover risk
16.4%
Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: No
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Flex FWD
19mpg combined
City / highway
16 / 23 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
3.5 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (S6) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel
Flex AWD
18mpg combined
City / highway
16 / 22 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
3.5 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (S6) · All-Wheel Drive · about $3,700/year to fuel
Flex AWD
17mpg combined
City / highway
15 / 21 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
3.5 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (S6) · All-Wheel Drive · about $3,950/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Suspension
13
1
0
1
73,500 mi
Unknown or other
13
0
0
0
—
Back over prevention Warnings
7
0
0
0
87,500 mi
Visibility/wiper
4
0
0
0
—
Steering
3
0
0
0
—
Electrical system
3
0
0
0
—
Structure
3
0
0
0
—
Air bags
2
2
0
2
—
Wheels
2
0
0
0
—
Power train
2
0
0
0
—
Seat belts
2
0
0
0
—
Latches/locks/linkages Doors › Latch
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Dec 1, 2025 · 190,000 milesStructure The contact owns a 2017 Ford Flex. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V829000 (Structure) and 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a blank image while in reverse(R). In addition, the contact stated that the driverâs side B-pillar trim had become loose and could potentially detach from the vehicle. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The…
Nov 22, 2024 · 85,000 milesBack over prevention The contact owns a 2017 Ford Flex. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera displayed a distorted image. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were unavailable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
May 27, 2026Back over prevention The contact owns a 2017 Ford Flex. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the rear-view camera intermittently displayed a distorted or blank image. The failure mileage was unavailable.
Feb 18, 2026 · 80,000 milesStructure The contact owns a 2017 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side B-Pillar Applique Trim detached and flew off. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure, and the contact was informed that the parts were unavailable. The contact received a recall notification, NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V732000 (Structure) however the parts were unavailable. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Mar 10, 2026Engine I am submitting this complaint to report a serious and potentially dangerous safety defect involving the internal water pump design in the 3.5L Duratec V6 engine used in my 2017 Ford Flex. The water pump in this engine is mounted internally behind the timing chain cover. When the pump fails, coolant is not externally visible but instead leaks directly into the engine oil. This design prevents early detection and warning, leading to rapid and catastrophic engine failure without adequate notice to the driver. In my case, the water pump failed suddenly, allowing coolant to contaminate the engine oil. This resulted in total engine failure and immediate loss of vehicle operability.
Oct 13, 2025Structure The contact owns a 2017 Ford Flex. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V732000 (Structure) and 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Oct 1, 2025Electrical system Hello, I recently submitted a safety complaint regarding my 2017 Ford Flex. The complaint number is XXX. I would like to add additional information that I forgot to include in the original report. The vehicleâs power liftgate has intermittently opened on its own while the vehicle was parked. There have been occasions where I came outside and found the liftgate open overnight in my driveway. This issue appears to be intermittent and part of the same electrical problems affecting the backup camera system described in my complaint. Please add this information to my existing complaint. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Jan 15, 2025Electrical system My 2017 Ford Flex has an open safety recall for the rearview camera system (Ford Recall 25S49 / NHTSA Recall 25V695). The recall states the camera may display a blank image or show the message âCamera Unavailableâ when the vehicle is placed in reverse. My vehicle is actively experiencing this exact failure. The screen frequently displays âCamera Unavailable,â preventing the rearview camera safety feature from functioning when the vehicle is put in reverse. I received the recall notice in October 2025. Since then I have contacted my Ford dealership several times and have been told that parts are still not available to repair the recall. Ford initially provided an estimated remedy…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
PE25007 · opened Aug 7, 2025 · closed Aug 5, 2026 · led to recall 25V732B-Pillar Trim Detachment On August 7, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE25007 to investigate instances of B-pillar trim detachment in model year (MY) 2019 Ford Flex vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company. During the investigation, MY 2011-2018 Ford Flex vehicles were analyzed as peer vehicles, and subsequently incorporated into the subject population because they use B-pillar trim pieces that are substantially similar to those used on the MY 2019 Ford Flex vehicles. In July 2025, prior to the opening of PE25007, ODI and Ford met to discuss B-pillar trim detachment in Ford Flex vehicles. Ford reported that its warranty analysis indicated that Flex B-pillar trim had a low detachment rate and that Ford did not believe this condition posed an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. In July 2025, Ford closed its internal investigation. Because ODIâs analysis of complaint data…