U.S. public vehicle records

2012 Ford FLEX problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

64 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

65,006 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 46 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 23 of 64 complaints (35.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	27	42.2%
Braking behavior	10	15.6%
Engine operation	5	7.8%
Electrical and battery issues	4	6.3%
Transmission and shifting	1	1.6%
Fuel system concerns	1	1.6%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Steering

Engine

Electrical System

Service Brakes

Fuel/Propulsion System

Unknown Or Other

Power Train

Air Bags

Steering: 23; Engine: 11; Electrical System: 10; Service Brakes: 8; Fuel/Propulsion System: 5; Unknown Or Other: 5; Power Train: 4; Air Bags: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 8; 25,000 to 49,999: 11; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 12; 150,000 and above: 4

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (12). 18 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2012: 2; 2013: 5; 2014: 5; 2015: 5; 2016: 7; 2017: 6; 2018: 3; 2019: 5; 2020: 6; 2021: 5; 2022: 2; 2023: 5; 2024: 3; 2025: 5

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 27 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10520188 · 2013-06-17 (June 17, 2013)

WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH VIRGINIA TO PENNSYLVANIA, THE FRONT BRAKES VIBRATE/PULSATE UPON LIGHT BRAKING. SEEMS AS THOUGH THE BRAKES WERE OVERHEATING IN THE MOUNTAINS. AT TIMES, THE PULSATING WAS VIOLENT ENOUGH TO TRANSMIT THROUGH THE VEHICLE AND STEERING WHEEL AND FLOOR. AFTER A LONG BREAK AT A STOP FOR LUNCH, THE PROBLEM LESSENS BUT RETURNS AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE PROBABLY 30 MINUTES OR SO. THESE MOMENTS OF PULSATION, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE REDUCTION OF BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. THE PROBLEMS HAVE WORSENED SINCE JANUARY AND NOW THE PULSATIONS ARE HAPPE…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10520188 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10620756 · 2014-08-07 (August 7, 2014)

TRAVELING STRAIGHT DOWN A MAIN, 2 LANE ROAD, THE VEHICLE CHIMED AND I RECEIVED TWO ERRORS ON THE DIAGNOSTIC SCREEN. FIRST WAS FOR POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT AND THE SECOND WAS ADVANCE TRAC FAULT. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WAS DISABLED AND THE STEERING WHEEL HAD GONE STIFF. I WAS ABLE TO DO A ROLLING RESTART (NEUTRAL, KEY OFF, RESTART, BACK INTO DRIVE) WITHOUT INCIDENT, THE WARNINGS ON THE DASH CLEARED, AND THE POWER STEERING WAS RESTORED. GIVEN ANY WINDING ROAD OR TURNING INTO OR OUT OF TRAFFIC SCENARIO, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE TREACH…

Owner-reported narrative. 41,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10620756 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10468831 · 2012-08-01 (August 1, 2012)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JUMPED A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A POST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000. UPDATED 9/25/12 *CN UPDATED 10/03/2012 *JS

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10468831 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10566570 · 2014-03-01 (March 1, 2014)

VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN OR INCREASE ENGINE POWER: PRESSING DOWN THE THROTTLE HAD NO EFFECT. FIRST I THOUGHT THE ENGINE HAD STALLED. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS THE ENGINE DID FUNCTION AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES BEFORE, BUT ONLY INTERMITTENTLY. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM FOR ME BECAUSE IF IT HAPPENS WHILE I AM PASSING A CAR I AM LOSING A MAJOR CONTROL. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10566570 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10823784 · 2016-02-02 (February 2, 2016)

WHILE DRIVING I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE DASHBOARD FLASHED "POWER ASSIST FAILURE". THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF TWO WEEKS. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR IN TO SOUND FORD IN RENTON, WA AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A KNOWN RECALL ISSUE (#15S18). MY COMPLAINT IS WITH REGARD TO THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. BOTH THE DEALER AND THE FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE PART ( A STEERING GEAR) IS ON ENDLESS BACKORDER DUE TO MANUFACTURING DELAYS. DRIVING THE CAR AT THIS POINT IS DANGEROUS AND I'M …

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10823784 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10616891 · 2014-07-28 (July 28, 2014)

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH ADVANCE TRAC AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. OCCURS EVERY FIVE TO SIX MONTHS. SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC INDICATOR COMES ON ALONG WITH CONTROL ISSUES IN RAIN AND SNOW, BRAKE LIGHTS NOT SHUTTING OFF, CRUISE CONTROL NOT OPERATING AND IGNITION SYSTEM HAS QUIT WORKING. NOT ALL OF THIS HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME BUT THE RECURRING ISSUE IS THE ADVANCE TRAC SYSTEM AND THEN ANOTHER PART OF THE SYSTEM FAILS OR HAS PROBLEMS ALONG WITH THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC WARNING. *JS

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10616891 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10628387 · 2014-08-26 (August 26, 2014)

TOUCH SCREEN WENT COMPLETELY BLANK. COULD NOT OPERATE ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH TOUCHSCREEN. CALLED DEALER, TOLD ME THEY COULD GET IT IN NEXT WEEK. ARE YOU KIDDING. LOOKED ON LINE FOR HELP. ENDED UP DISCONNECTING BATTERY, AND RECONNECTING. WORKS NOW. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10628387 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11311999 · 2020-02-28 (February 28, 2020)

2012 FORD FLEX LI HAS 70K THOUSAND MILES. WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STARTED TO HUM. SUDDENLY CAR STARTS TO SHAKE AND GRINDING NOISES COMING FROM CENTER OF VEHICLE AND VEHICLE BECOMES DISABLED IN MID-STREAM DRIVING. VEHICLE SMELLS OF BURNT TRANSMISSION OIL. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON POSSIBLE PROBLEMS, PTU IS IMPROPERLY FILLED WITH EXTREMELY LOW AMOUNTS OF LUBRICANT FROM FACTORY. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, SEE LEAKING OIL FROM PTU WHICH IS ALREADY LOW. I WAS LUCKY TO BE DRIVING AT A SLOWER SPEED OR THE SHAKING AND VIBRATIONS COULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDEN…

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11311999 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10533384 · 2013-08-03 (August 3, 2013)

JUNE 27: GET TO FLORIDA 6 BLOCKS AWAY FROM WHERE WE WILL BE STAYING AND NEW FORD FLEX GAS TANK RUPTURES LEAVING US WITH NO GAS TO GET OFF FREEWAY. CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT SINCE VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY CALLED A TOW TRUCK. JUNE 29: DROPPED OFF KEYS FOR FORD FLEX AT TROPICAL FORD AT 9AM. EXPLAINED TO JACK WHAT WAS WRONG WITH GAS TANK. GOT A CALL FROM JACK A FEW HOURS LATER AND HE SAID THEY WERE ALL SET. I ASKED IF HE FOUND THE GAS TANK ISSUE AND HE SAID NO THEY LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND IT DIDN'T APPEAR ANYTHING WAS WRO…

Owner-reported narrative. 31,255 miles reported. Look up ODI 10533384 at NHTSA ↗