Most common 2019 Ford Flex problems
Share of the 256 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 →
2019 Ford Flex recalls (4)
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.
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Flex, Fiesta, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. The rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed January 22, 2025.
Electrical system › Starter assembly
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, 2019 Ford Flex, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. The power supply cables at the starter and the alternator may not have been properly secured, possibly resulting in an electrical arc.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator and starter motor power supply cables to verify that they are properly secured, correcting them as necessary, free of charge.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2019 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…
Rear-view Camera Failure
On October 11, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24030) to assess alleged failures of the rear-view camera in Model Year (MY) 2019 Ford Flex vehicles. Complaints submitted to NHTSA through Vehicle Online Questionnaires (VOQs), reviewed by ODI, report blank, distorted, or inverted rear-view camera images when in reverse.
What 2019 Ford Flex owners say
Driver assistance all 147 →
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Flex. The contact stated that the rearview camera was inoperable or displayed an inverted image while reversing. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera was inoperable, causing the vehicle to hit another parked unoccupied vehicle on one occasion, and the vehicle hit a dumpster pole on another occasion. There was no injury sustained. The contact's vehicle was damaged, but the other vehicle was more damaged. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the infotainment system was replaced; however, the rearview camera failure persisted, and the rearview camera displayed a narrow view occasionally. Additionally, the contact stated that the exterior door B-pillar trim had detached and was previously replaced. …
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Flex. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION) and 25V732000 (STRUCTURE); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a black screen while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The message "Rear-view Camera Unavailable" was displayed on the screen. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side B-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. …
Body & structure all 59 →
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Flex. The contact stated that the rearview camera was inoperable or displayed an inverted image while reversing. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera was inoperable, causing the vehicle to hit another parked unoccupied vehicle on one occasion, and the vehicle hit a dumpster pole on another occasion. There was no injury sustained. The contact's vehicle was damaged, but the other vehicle was more damaged. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the infotainment system was replaced; however, the rearview camera failure persisted, and the rearview camera displayed a narrow view occasionally. Additionally, the contact stated that the exterior door B-pillar trim had detached and was previously replaced. …
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle at unknown speeds, the passenger's side rear door panel detached from the vehicle. The contact stated that it was unknown if the panel crashed into another vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was repaired, however, the failure recurred with the same part, however, the panel was not completely detached, it was loose. The failure recurred when the panel detached and crashed into another vehicle. There were no known injuries. There was no police report filed. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.
Electrical system all 23 →
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Flex. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start, and needed to be jumpstarted. Upon replacing the battery and jumping starting the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart independently. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the independent mechanic replaced the battery and all components connected to the battery; however, the vehicle failed to independently start. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V548000 (Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. …
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the exterior of the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and upon inspection, the contact became aware that the keypad had detached from the door and was hanging down. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be repaired. The contact taped the keypad to the door to avoid water from entering the keypad. Three-quarters of the keypad had detached and flown off while driving. The buttons on the keypad still functioned as intended. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
2019 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 2019 Ford Flex a good car?
Based on 256 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2019 Flex rates avoid: 3.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Flex at the same age. It is one of the Flex years we suggest avoiding. 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 2019 Ford Flex?
The driver assistance — 147 complaints, 57% of all complaints for this model year, most often about sensing system › camera. Next are the body & structure (59) and electrical system (23).
How many recalls does the 2019 Ford Flex have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2019 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 2019 Ford Flex problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 45% 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.