Most common 2018 Ford Flex problems
Share of the 68 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Flex complaints by model year
Best Flex years: 2017, 2012, 2016. Years to avoid: 2013, 2019, 2014, 2009. Compare all years →
2018 Ford Flex recalls (3)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2018 Ford Flex:
B-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…
What 2018 Ford Flex owners say
Body & structure
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Flex. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign: 25V732000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver-side B-pillar trim with the Security Key pad had detached and almost struck nearby vehicles. The contact stated that she managed to pull over on the shoulder of the road; however, the vehicle independently locked, leaving the occupants on the shoulder of the road temporarily. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on another occasion, the front Passenger-side B-Pillar trims had detached. …
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Flex. The contact stated that the driver's side exterior B-Pillar trim had previously detached and was replaced by the dealer. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V732000 (Structure). The dealer was contacted for reimbursement and informed that reimbursement would be provided when the recall remedy became available. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the passenger's side windshield exterior A-Pillar trim detached and flew off the vehicle. The contact was able to retrieve the trim from the road with the assistance of bystanders. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was inspected, and the contact was informed that there would be a charge for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
Driver assistance
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Flex. The contact stated while reversing, the rear view camera displayed a solid green screen. The contact stated that because of the failure, the contact almost crashed into another vehicle. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. In addition, the B- Pillar on the driver's side rear door was detached. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, however the vehicle was not inspected. The contact was informed that the parts were unavailable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact received recall notifications: NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention) and NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V732000 (Structurer) however the parts were unavailable. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse the vehicle, the rearview camera became inoperable and the camera image appeared blurry. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention) and 25V732000 (Structure); however, the parts required to complete the recall repairs were not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the remedy parts were currently unavailable for the vehicle, although the contact was informed that remedy parts were available for the Mustang models. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to provide a remedy for the recall repairs. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000.
Electrical system
APIM or SYNC 3 malfunction. Navigation failure and not working properly alerts, clock in car not set correctly and won't allow owner to fix it, no audio at all, no panel touch tones, popping/cracking intermittent throughout car, Bluetooth connection drops, slow glitching screen, reverse camera displayed distortion or black/blue screen with alerts saying "camera unavailable" which already caused a collision on 10/11/2025. Vehicle was taken to ford dealership an owner was advised to wait for recall remedy unless "I have an endless wallet" to pay to fix issue. Ford dealership is aware of all issues and owner opened a case with ford company. There were no warning signs of issue until reverse camera began to malfunction in September 2025 then issues all happened after.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH in the rain, the windshield wipers engaged but were moving significantly fast and significantly slow intermittently. The contact stated that the driver's assist system, including the blind spot detection system, the engine auto Start-Stop system, and the lane departure systems, was inoperable. Additionally, the contact stated that the remote start system was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with BCM failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
2018 Ford Flex engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Ford Flex a good car?
Based on 68 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Flex rates average: 38% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Flex at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Ford Flex?
The body & structure — 18 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the driver assistance (16) and electrical system (12).
How many recalls does the 2018 Ford Flex have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2018 Ford Flex, the most recent from October 24, 2025 (body). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Flex?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2012 and 2016. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2019, 2014 and 2009. See the full Ford Flex years comparison.
At what mileage do 2018 Ford Flex problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 60,000 miles; 40% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.