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Ford FlexModel year report

2013 Ford Flex Problems

Compared with other Ford Flex years

More complaints than typical for this model

100/100 5.6× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2012, 2016

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
580filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
65,000miles, 434 complaints with mileage
Recalls
6campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
20 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl FWD · 18 city / 25 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2013 Ford Flex (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe loss of power steering assist, usually announced by a 'Power Steering Assist Fault' message, and door ajar warnings that stay on when the doors are shut. Fuel pump and fuel filler problems that cause stalling or a no-start are also frequent, and many complaints mention that the VIN was not covered by the related recalls.

  1. Steering

    Power steering assist cuts out

    • 146 complaints (25%)
    • median 100,690 mi at 6.9 yrs old (106 state mileage)
    • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 12 quotes)
    • filed 2013–2026

    Complaints describe the power steering assist dropping out, often with a 'Power Steering Assist Fault' or 'Service Advancetrac' message, leaving the wheel very hard to turn. Some say it happens at low speed leaving a parking lot or making a turn, others at highway speed. Restarting the vehicle sometimes restores assist for a while. Several owners report the dealer replaced the rack and pinion or steering control module, and some were told their VIN was not included in the steering recall. Reported from roughly 50,000 to over 200,000 miles, often on vehicles with well over 80,000 miles.

    Recall 15V3400001 related service bulletin

    What to check: On a test drive, watch for the power steering warning message and check whether the wheel returns to center after a turn. Ask whether the steering rack or control module has been replaced and whether a bulletin or recall applies to the VIN.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Driving down the road when suddenly lost all power steering without notice. Alert showed up on dashboard. Very hard to control especially at slow speeds. Brought to Ford dealership and they will not honor the recall since it doesnt apply to my VIN but everything else they recalled for matches my car.”

    NHTSA complaint #11341362, filed 2020-07, 90,000 miles

    “Power steering went out while driving at 70 MPH on I-95 exit. Vehicle veered off into ditch. Luckily a nice person saw me go over the road and pulled the car out. Car was taken to Ford who then charged me close to 3,000 to replace a computer module. Has happened another time since then..”

    NHTSA complaint #11320740, filed 2020-04, 115,000 miles
  2. Body and structure

    Door ajar warning stays on, doors unlock

    • 266 complaints (46%)
    • median 57,472 mi at 3.7 yrs old (206 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $500 (median of 27 quotes)
    • filed 2014–2026

    Complaints describe the door ajar light and dome lights staying on with all doors closed, sometimes draining the battery. Some report doors locking and unlocking on their own, the alarm sounding, or a door failing to latch. Several owners say the dealer identified a faulty door sensor or latch, and some note the problem appeared after a door latch repair on another door. Mostly reported between about 55,000 and 170,000 miles.

    5 related service bulletins

    What to check: With all doors shut, check that the door ajar lamp and dome lights go out, and try locking and unlocking each door. Ask whether any door sensor or latch has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “2013 Ford FLEX issues with door sensors reading door open when doors are closed. Dome lights stay on, alarm will not go on and panic alarm goes off on its own. Drive door lock no longer work & neither does the right back passenger door.”

    NHTSA complaint #11414771, filed 2021-05, 58,000 miles

    “Door ajar indicator activates when door is closed. Dome light remains on and so does the indicator light. Passenger side rear door. Same problem hundreds of others are reporting.”

    NHTSA complaint #11308856, filed 2020-02, 80,000 miles
  3. Fuel system

    Fuel pump failure, stalling or no restart

    • 68 complaints (12%)
    • median 68,000 mi at 5.3 yrs old (59 state mileage)
    • filed 2013–2024

    Owners describe the engine stalling while driving or the vehicle failing to restart, sometimes with no warning light. Several say the dealer diagnosed a failed fuel pump, and one reports repeated pump replacements at roughly 20,000 to 30,000 mile intervals. Some complaints also mention hard starting or a delayed response when pressing the accelerator. A few owners say their VIN was not covered by the fuel pump recall. Reported from about 36,000 to over 220,000 miles, with several cases in the 70,000 to 130,000 mile range.

    Recall 16V621000Recall 15V812000Recall 13V227000

    What to check: Ask whether the fuel pump or fuel delivery module has been replaced and whether the fuel pump recall applies to the VIN. During a test drive, listen for hard starting and check for any stumble on acceleration.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Third time having the fuel pump replaced . Pump fails every 20-30k miles. Car will stop running while driving on roadways, unable to restart vehicle. Had to pull over to side of road and wait for tow. 1st time 36,000 miles 2nd 53,000, 3rd 90,000. All repairs were performed by Ford service center”

    NHTSA complaint #11309111, filed 2020-02, 36,000 miles

    “The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed; after coming to a complete stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled backwards unintendedly. After depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle responded as designed and was safely driven to the destination. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with a failed fuel pump. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11552716, filed 2023-10, 158,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection that focuses on the steering assist, door ajar warnings and fuel system is worthwhile on this model year. Ask for records of any steering rack, door latch or fuel pump work and check whether the relevant recalls were completed for the VIN.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 580 consumer complaints for the 2013 Ford Flex. 434 of the complaints include a mileage, and 29% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 65,000 miles. Of all complaints, 11 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 13 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns and 70 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 10 Ford Flex model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 100 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Seat belts (12), Transmission and drivetrain (11), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (9), Seats (7), Brakes (6), Air bags (5), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (5), Tires (5), Engine cooling (4), Wheels (4), Vehicle speed control (3), Equipment (2), Forward collision avoidance (1), Interior lighting (1), Lane departure (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “I have had two door latches fail in the same vehicle within 2 years of each other. No matter whether the vehicle is moving or stationary, I got a warning stating the right rear (and now the right front) door was not closed when in fact it was. There is a faulty sensor in the door latches. This also prevents the child locks from engaging since it thinks the doors are open.”

NHTSA complaint #11196869, filed 2019-04, 60,000 miles

Steering: “I was doing a u-turn on a cul de sac and all of a sudden the steering wheel jerked and the motor died and when I restarted the car I had no power steering capabilities and the warning lights for the power steering control and the advance trac came on and the turn signals would not stay on without holding them in the up or down position.”

NHTSA complaint #11040428, filed 2017-10, 117,000 miles

Other or unknown: “As I'm driving the check engine light turns on and it slows down my car to two miles per hour once I turn it back off and back on it starts working again but as soon as I drive for a couple of miles or not even a couple of minutes the light comes back on and my car go straight to driving to miles per hour I want to know what could be wrong with this and why is it doing it”

NHTSA complaint #11032580, filed 2017-10, 35 miles

Fuel system: “My car is affected by the same recall as many other Ford FLEX vehicles, however, my vehicle is not listed as part of the recall. I am having issues with the fuel pump control module of my vehicle and it will not start. It cranks and acts like it wants to start however it will not start due to the lack of fuel created by the fuel pump module.”

NHTSA complaint #11074476, filed 2018-02, 57,500 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

29% of the 434 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 45,000 and 90,000 miles.

4%0–103%10–2523%25–5030%50–7519%75–10017%100–1505%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (434 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 65,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’12’14’16100’18’20’22’24’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2013 Ford Flex. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Flex · SUV AWDnot rated———4 · 15.1% risk
Flex · SUV FWDnot rated———4 · 16.4% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2013 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning not available, automatic emergency braking not available.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2013 Ford Flex version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Flex AWD3.5L 6-cyl6-speed automatic172319$3,550
Flex AWD3.5L 6-cyl6-speed automatic162218$3,700
Flex FWD3.5L 6-cyl6-speed automatic182520$3,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2013 Ford Flex → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 70 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 70 bulletins →

Other model years of the Ford Flex

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
201925750,0004—1950 · TypicalRising
20186960,0003—1931 · FewerRising
20174278,5004—190 · FewerRising
201610162,1553—1929 · FewerRising
201511556,8004—2053 · TypicalStable
201424965,0004—2078 · MoreFalling
201358065,0006—20100 · MoreFalling
20126465,0062—1925 · FewerStable
201114473,5002—1951 · TypicalStable
201013972,0001—2047 · TypicalStable
200918160,0001—1973 · MoreFalling

All Ford Flex model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford Flex?

Owners of this model year most often describe loss of power steering assist, usually announced by a 'Power Steering Assist Fault' message, and door ajar warnings that stay on when the doors are shut. The issues reported most often: Power steering assist cuts out; Door ajar warning stays on, doors unlock; Fuel pump failure, stalling or no restart.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2013 Ford Flex have?

NHTSA recorded 580 consumer complaints for the 2013 Ford Flex as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2013 Ford Flex is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 201 complaints (35% of the total), followed by steering with 149.

Has the 2013 Ford Flex been recalled?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2013 Ford Flex get?

The EPA rates the 2013 Ford Flex (Flex FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 20 mpg combined, 18 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2013 Ford Flex reported?

Among the 434 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 65,000 miles and the middle half falls between 45,000 and 90,000 miles; 29% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.