Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Flex, and it carries 2 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 21 | 33% |
| Unknown or other | 5 | 8% |
| Engine | 4 | 6% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 6% |
| Suspension | 2 | 3% |
| Power train | 2 | 3% |
| Engine | 2 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 3% |
| Structure | 2 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the ABS and the ESC warnings illuminated. The contact stated that she had recently heard an abnormal grinding sound while
NHTSA complaint: Steering
There is serious safety trouble occurring with the power steering components, and the brake system. I went to the Ford dealership and they said the recalls weren’t fixed back in 2015. And those recalls are the same issue
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Ford said the recall was fixed 10 years ago, however it went out on me last night. It's been towed to the Folsom Ford dealership in California, they quoted me $3,000 to fix my power steering assistant failure that had a
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Flex. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle intermittently became difficult to maneuver. The failure occurred on several occasions, including while the contact was driv
NHTSA complaint: Steering
vehicle power steering stops working. Manual steering is extremely difficult to operate.
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Front Passenger seat air bag light is on all the time. should I stop driving the car? Is this dangerous what does it mean? It is a 2012 Ford flex which I love and have not had any trouble with.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Flex. The contact stated while his granddaughter was driving 10 MPH and attempting to leave a parking lot, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. After the failure occurred, the "Po
NHTSA complaint: Steering
I was driving around 55 and suddenly lost control and fish tailed to the right, then to the left over the center line, then back to the right. Luckily no other vehicles on the road. The rear driver side toe link broke.
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2012 Ford Flex. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high spe
Risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016. Owners may contact
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford
Risk: If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC). If dealers find any loss of steering assist DTCs, the steering gear will
| Reliability raw | 71 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 70 | good |
| Maintenance | 69 | good |
| Depreciation | 100 | excellent |
| Performance | 76 | good |
| Efficiency | 35 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 21 of them (33%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 71/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 70/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2012 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 72/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.