Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Ford Flex owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Flex. The contact stated that after the vehicle was parked, it became inoperable, and the Push-to-Start button failed to function. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the parts for the recall repairs were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was advised to remove the battery. While attempting to remove the battery, there were sparks coming from the negative terminal. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. …
Odometer Fraud. The contact recently purchased a 2016 Ford Flex. The vehicle was a dealer sale. The contact was made aware of a mileage discrepancy while attempting to trade the vehicle from a Carfax Report. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was approximately 104,000. However, the Carfax report indicated that the mileage was approximately 300,000.
Same issue as ever expanding recall for safety camera backing up. Blue screen, camera not available warning that does not go away while driving, black screen, upside down screen, distorted screen, and intermittantly operational and then not!
The backup camera safety system operates intermittently. We are unable to see behind us when backing up putting us and others at risk. Sometimes it works when in Reverse, but most of the time the touchscreen panel does not even change over to show the camera view at all. The Flex is a large vehicle so a non-working camera or electrical component for the camera is unsafe. There are other existing recalls related to other Ford makes and models due to faulty cameras and image modules. This could be the same or a related issue. No errors or codes appear. I have not taken to a dealer yet because they charge $300 just to do a diagnosis.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Flex. The contact stated that upon start of the vehicle, the door ajar warning light would illuminate on the instrument panel despite all doors being checked and fully closed. The contact also stated that a warning chime would continuously ring and the front interior lights would remain on while driving. The contact stated that the interior lights would shut off after driving above a certain speed; however, the warning chime and the warning light would persist. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
The car started jerking and slowing down on the highway and would not accelerate. I was able to pull over to the side of the road and had the car towed to a service center. A repair shop did a print out of the error codes from the computer which indicated an error relating to the power steering control module. A search online show that many other Ford flex owners have experienced similar issues.
The APIM stopped working, this unit controls all of the SYNC functions as well as front cabin vent selection. We can no longer use the windshield defrost because the air will only blow from the vents facing the driver and passenger seat. All hands free phone features, aux input, and USB port have also stopped working.
My 2016 Ford Flex's reverse camera has been shorting out, blinking off and on. If the camera does come on the picture is upside down. This has been happening for over a month and I have not had it looked at. This is similar to the most recent back up camera recall for other Ford vehicles for this year range.
Rear back up camera first started flickering in and out when I would go in reverse and now it doesn't work at all. No warning before it went out just the flickering and now nothing. Then I seen where other vehicles my year had problems with their camera systems and thought it's probably the same thing.
I am getting a "Transmission Not In Park" error that will also sometimes flash "Door Ajar" while driving. Door appears to be closed - not sure if it's latched, transmission is obviously NOT in park because the car is moving. I'm concerned that this shouldn't be driven and is a safety issue.
Electrical complaints in other Flex years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2016 Ford Flex?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the electrical system of the 2016 Ford Flex, 23% of the model year's 100 complaints. The component named most often is instrument panel › speedometer/odometer (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Ford Flex electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2016 Ford Flex, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Ford Flex electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 155,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.