2011 Ford Flex: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
144 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2013 Flex, which scores 34 on 578 owner complaints, and the 2019, the final year, which scores 42 on 240 complaints with 134 of them for the rearview camera. Buy a 2015 to 2018, which score 79, 83, 91 and 87 on 105 or fewer complaints each, or a 2011 or 2012 at 81 and 89. Read the full note on the model page. 2011 specifically: a year the record favours — 144 complaints, score 81/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Ford Taurus and Flex: the years to avoid, including 2011 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 144 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 9.6
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Went to put car in reverse and it kept driving forward- no weird sound or anything. Proceeded to put the car in park and it was still moving forward. Transmission was stuck on drive.The shifter is disconnected from the transmission with no warning .Just looked and the transmission shifter bushing is disconnected. Also saw that this part is a recall on other ford vehicles. Had this been recalled on all vehicles with t…
I had changed all my bulbs and fuses to my car for my brake lights several times and they still don’t work. My car almost got hit with me and my kids in it due to my break lights not working. Also my car keeps saying service advance trac and keeps saying it every time I drive. My car also keeps running out of power steering fluid every two week I have to add more to keep it from making that loud noise while driving.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Flex. The contact stated that on several occasions while attempting to start the vehicle, the power steering assist warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel became firm. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the electronic power steering module link needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The conta…
Recalls: 2 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 15V340000 | Steering:Electric Power Assist System | 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 Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles… |
| 16V247000 | Air Bags:Frontal | 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 speed crash. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 18 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,400
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Steering57 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Engine25 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train19 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other11 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System9 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Service Brakes8 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Ford Flex years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Ford Flex?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Steering (57 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Ford Flex a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 81/100, computed from 144 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Ford Flex's most common problem?
57 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Ford Flex sit in the Steering group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement: about 5.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,020–$2,500 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 Ford Flex cost to run per year?
About $6,072 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $30,360 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2011 Ford Flex have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Ford Flex, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 02/06/2015. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other fullsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2011 Ford Flex really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 144 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 144 NHTSA complaints on record (9.6/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (9.6/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems