Engine complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the engine temperature gauge increased, and the air conditioner would not blow cool air. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who discovered that the engine coolant level was extremely low, and that the water pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Recently while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power and would not properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who diagnosed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 65,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started shaking excessively and the vehicle briefly hesitated. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the water pump, resulting in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 50,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Flex. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check coolant warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the engine had experienced coolant intrusion and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 163,000.
Ford hid the fact that some of its vehicles may suffer a sudden internal water pump failure that poses significant safety risks to drivers including sudden catastrophic engine failure. From 2007 through at least 2020, Ford has incorporated the Cyclone Engine-containing a faulty internal water pump-into thousands of vehicles. Internal Water Pumps should last for the useful life of the engines without the need for any service, maintenance, or repair. Despite knowing for more than a decade that its' vehicles incorporating the "Duratec Engine", contain a defect in design that can cause the internal water pump to prematurely fail well before the end of the useful life of the engine. The issue has lead to a repair estimate of $2700 USD or could lead to catastrophic engine failure due to the water pumps' placement inside the engine block (Poor Design). …
Driving the vehicle on the highway and heard a clunk and felt a slight loss of power and control. Pulled over to check vehicle and noticed flames coming underneath the engine compartment. Car soon became engulfed and was a total loss. The origin and cause expert hired by our insurance company suspects an injector line came loose on the engine and sprayed fuel onto exhaust manifold.
July 1 I was driving the car running some errands (bank, post office, grocery store) when the car suddenly lost power turning across oncoming traffic on a four lane highway. This was one day after I had the car at the dealership for more diagnostic work and they could not find anything wrong without the code. I left the car running after making it home and called Ford roadside assistance for a tow to the dealership. When wrecker driver arrived after a two hour wait he said he could not tow car with engine running (against dot rules and regulations) so engine was turned off and code was lost again. Car was delivered to the dealership and I told them to keep the car until repairs were properly made. I ask for a loaner but I was told they didn't have one. No offer was made for a rental. They did give me a ride back home where I sat over the July 4th holiday with no transportation. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds; the vehicle lost automotive power and the steering wheel was pulling to the left and was difficult to turn in either direction. No warning light was illuminated. An appointment with the local independent dealer was scheduled to inspect the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the Year, Make, and Model being outside the selected VIN range. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to an unidentified NHTSA Campaign; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 130,400.
After reporting to work on [redacted], I discovered that the front of my vehicle was on fire. Emergency services were immediately contacted, and employees on site attempted to contain the fire using fire extinguishers. The fire department arrived shortly thereafter and successfully extinguished the fire. Despite these efforts, the vehicle was ultimately deemed a total loss. Later that day, my sister advised me to review footage from our Ring camera from that morning. The video shows visible sparks coming from underneath my vehicle prior to my departure. At that time, I drove approximately nine miles to work, unaware of any issue with the vehicle.
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Turbo/supercharger
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.
Remedy: 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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Flex years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2009 (53), 2010 (38), 2013 (37), 2011 (32) and 2014 (27) model years. Engine complaints make up 29% of all complaints for the 2009.
Is there a recall for Ford Flex engine problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 16V-925 (turbo/supercharger, Dec 22, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ford Flex engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 73,000 miles; 38% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the exhaust system (6 mentions), followed by the engine (4).
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.