12 of the 272 complaints about the 2009 Ford Flex are about the stability control — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 48,000 miles.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
AS I AM DRIVING COME TO A STOP. PROCEED IN MOTION MAKING A LEFT TURN OR RIGHT TURN VEHICLE WILL LOCK UP SLOWING DOWN WITH GRINDING. NOW THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES ON THE ROAD CAUSING TRAFFIC TO STOP.
NHTSA complaint #11181580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND COASTED OFF THE ROAD. WHEN THE DRIVER RESUMED DRIVING, A GRINDING NOISE OCCURRED FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING HOME, THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO GARBER FORD (3380 US-17, GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FL 32043, (904) 264-2442) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT A FAILURE CODE COULD NOT BE LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
NHTSA complaint #11176494 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
IT KEEPS SAYING SENSOR WE HAD REPLACED TWICE IS STILL BAD. THE TRANSMISSION DOESN'T ACCELERATE SOMETIMES
NHTSA complaint #11153628 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
INITIALLY STARTED IN 2014 CAR SEEMINGLY LOCKED UP ON ME WHEN EXITING WORK PLACE DRIVEWAY AND MAKING RIGHT TURN. TOOK CAR TO AIRPORT MARINA FORD THEY KEPTT IT FOR APPROX 2 -3 DAYS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. TROUBLE HAS NOW REAPPEARED IN MAY AND AGAIN TODAY. NOT SURE WHAT TO DO BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS DEALERSHIP CASE WITH THEM NOT BEING ABLE TO DUPLICATE. I ACTUALLY REFUSED TO TAKE CAR BACK ASKING THE THE MANAGER DRIVE IT AROUND NOTHING FOUND.
NHTSA complaint #11000939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
JULY 22, 2016. WIFE STARTED CAR IN SCHOOL PARKING LOT AND HEADED TO THE EXIT. WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO THE MAIN ROAD, AND ACCELERATING, LOUD NOISES AGAIN HEARD UNDER THE CAR AND IT LOST POWER EVEN WHILE GIVING IT GAS. HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHUT OFF CAR AND RE-STARTED. NO ISSUES. WIFE REFUSES TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL FIXED. TAKEN TO DEALER ON JULY 29, 2016. UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. RETURNING TO DEALER AUG 5 FOR COMPUTER RE-FLASH. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS BEING REPORTED ALL OVER THE FORD FLEX FORUMS AND IT APPEARS FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10893029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
WIFE STARTED CAR IN SCHOOL PARKING LOT. TURNED LEFT AND HEADED SHORT DISTANCE THE LOT EXIT. WHILE TURNING RIGHT ONTO THE MAIN ROAD AND STARTING TO ACCELERATE, HEARD 'LOAD NOISES' THAT SEEMED TO BE UNDER THE CAR. CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS GIVING IT GAS. SHE PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. DIDN'T NOTICE ANY DASH LIGHTS (ABS OR TCS). RESTARTED CAR AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. CAR HAS 128,000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #10893028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
WHILE LEAVING A PARKING LOT AND ACCELERATING TO BARELY 10 MPH, THE LEFT FRONT BRAKES SEEMED TO LOCK UP AND THE CAR STUTTERED. AFTER STOPPING AND ACCELERATING AGAIN, THE PROBLEM DID NOT REOCCUR AT THAT TIME. THE SECOND TIME, I WAS LEAVING MY DRIVEWAY, AGAIN GOING NO MORE THAT 10 MPH AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED, THIS TIME I NOTICED MY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT FLASHING. I PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE, BACKED UP A BIT THINKING I'D RUN OVER SOMETHING, AND ACCELERATED AGAIN. NOPE, DIDN'T RUN OVER ANYTHING, JUST TRACTION CONTROL SEIZING UP. VERY CONCERNED THIS MAY HAPPEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10651327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. UPDATED 07/23/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN FROM A STOP OR A NEAR STOP INTO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE TRACTION CONTROL AND THERE WOULD BE A LOSS OF ENGINE TORQUE. THE CONSUMER STATED WITHIN THE FIRST 11 MONTHS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE, HIS WIFE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE VEHICLE LOSING POWER, AS SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. UPDATED 07/24/13
NHTSA complaint #10513775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. UPDATED 07/23/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN FROM A STOP OR A NEAR STOP INTO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE TRACTION CONTROL AND THERE WOULD BE A LOSS OF ENGINE TORQUE. THE CONSUMER STATED WITHIN THE FIRST 11 MONTHS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE, HIS WIFE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE VEHICLE LOSING POWER, AS SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. UPDATED 07/24/13
NHTSA complaint #10513775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
OUR FORD FLEX CAME TO A STOP, (ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF) FROM APPROX. 10 MPH, WITHOUT THE DRIVER, MY WIFE, APPLYING THE BRAKES, IN A MALL PARKING LOT. SHE SHUT IT OFF AND STARTED IT AGAIN. IT DROVE FINE. SINCE WE HAVE HAD BRAKE ISSUES WITH THE FLEX BEFORE, WE IMMEDIATLY TOOK THE FLEX TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG, EVEN DRIVING IT "20 MILES" AROUND TOWN TO REPLICATE ANY PROBLEM. THEY ALSO SAID THEY CONTACTED FORD FOR ANY SUGGESTIONS. WE PICKED THE CAR UP TWO DAYS LATER AND MY WIFE & DAUGHTER DROVE THE CAR 350 MILES TO VISIT RELATIVES. WHILE ON THIS TRIP, THE CAR STALLED, ENGINE QUIT, IN TRAFFIC AT ABOUT 15 MPH. THIS HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER FILLING THE FLEX WITH FUEL. THE CAR STARTED AGAIN AND WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, WHERE THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. WE HAVE HAD MANY BRAKE ISSUES AS WELL WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE REAR BRAKES SMOKE FROM SELF APPLICATION (THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT ON), ENOUGH SMOKE THAT OTHER DRIVERS HAVE WAVED US DOWN ON THE ROAD THINKING THE FLEX'S BRAKES WERE ON FIRE. WE HAVE HAD THE REAR ROTORS AND CALIPERS REPLACED AT 15,300 MILES (UNDER WARRANTY) DO TO EXTREMELY QUICK WEAR. THE REAR BRAKES HAVE SMOKED AGAIN SINCE THIS REPLACEMENT. I'M BEGINNING TO THINK THESE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED IN THE ABS/TRACTION CONTROL/STABLITY CONTROL SYSTEM. OF COURSE, THE DEALER, AND APPARENTLY FORD, SAY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THE TRANSMISSION CLUNKS ("NOTHING WRONG") AND IS RELUCTANT TO DOWNSHIFT (SAFETY FACTOR WHEN IN TRAFFIC), THE FRONT BRAKES ARE MAKING THAT GRINDING NOISE OTHER OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT, AND TRIM PIECES FALL OFF THE CAR. THIS IS MY WIFE'S VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT KIDS IN AND WE ARE EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED WITH OUR FLEX AND FEEL THIS "FAMILY CAR" IS UNSAFE. WE ARE CONSIDERING CALIFORNIA'S "LEMON LAW" IF FORD AND THEIR DEALERS DON'T ACKNOWLEDE THAT THE FORD FLEX HAS SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #10409879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
IN OCT. 2008 I BOUGHT A NEW 2009 FORD FLEX. SOON AFTER I STARTED GETTING LOUD GRINDING NOISES IN THE BRAKES. THE DEALER SAID THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE ORDER ON THIS COMPLAINT AND CHANGED THE BRAKE PADS (TWICE). SINCE THEN THE PROBLEM HAS COME BACK INTERMITTENTLY AND THIS WEEK I HAD MY FOOT BARELY ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE WHEN I STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND THE GRINDING NOISE CAME AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP MOMENTARILY. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH FORD AND THEY DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND I FEEL THE LOCAL DEALER IS NOT PURSUING A SOLUTION. LAST TIME I WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP I ASKED IF FORD HAD ANY ANSWER AND THEY JUST SAID "WE HAVE CHANGED THE PADS TWICE". THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND HARD TO PIN DOWN AS TO WHEN AND HOW OFTEN IT HAPPENS, BUT IS NOISY WHEN IT DOES AND ANNOYING. THE DEALER SAID "IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE" I WONDER WHEN THEY LOCKED UP A COUPLE DAYS AGO. LAST INCIDENT IS BELOW. THANK YOU
NHTSA complaint #10344532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
WHILE ENTERING A 4 LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY FROM THE DRIVEWAY OF A DRUGSTORE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASH OF MY 2009 FORD FLEX BEGAN FLASHING AND I COULD HEAR THE BUZZING OF THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS). THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING LESS THAN 15 MILES AN HOUR AT THE TIME SO THERE WAS NO RISK OF THE VEHICLE GOING OUT OF CONTROL. THE APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES BY THE ESC/ABS PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING WHICH I BELIEVE CREATED A SAFETY HAZARD WHILE TRYING TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. NO CRASH OCCURRED BUT THERE IS SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH. I DISABLED THE ESC VIA THE SWITCH ON THE DASHBOARD WHICH ALLOWED ME TO ACCELERATE BUT NOW I DID NOT HAVE THE SAFETY BENEFIT OF THE ESC. THIS OCCURRED ONCE YESTERDAY, THE CAR IS NEW,I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR 4 DAYS AND IT HAS ACCUMULATED LESS THAN 500 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #10263718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.