2014 Ford Flex: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
249 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 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. 2014 specifically: 249 complaints on record, score 52/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Used Ford Taurus and Flex: the years to avoid, including 2014 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 249 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 20.75
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Hello, I was driving my Ford Flex at 60mph yesterday with my 15 year old friend helping me move. The engine completely died for several seconds and continued running. That night the engine was idling rough which was a new symptom. Today, I made it to my destination and the car died, then it did not start after cranking. The Fuel pump module Aa8a-9d412-ca was faulty and now I am out $142+ from Ford to replace a part m…
I noticed about 6 months ago, the Backup camera has been cutting out randomly, and has been getting worse. I noticed that there is a recall for 2015 - current models of Ford Flex for this issue. Not sure why the 2014 model isn't a part of the recall, as my car seems to be doing the exact thing described in the recall.
Back up camera is disabled when backing up. it is not consistent with backing up making it a safety concern. the beeping seems to work but the camera will be black.
Recalls: 4 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V393000 | Power Train:Axle Assembly:Axle Shaft | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles manufactured September 2, 2010, to November 30, 2013; 2013-2014 Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured August 25, 2011, to November 30, 2013; and 2013-2014 Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT vehicles manufactured September 12, 2011, to November 30, 2013.… |
| 14V710000 | Seats | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Ford F-150 and Flex vehicles manufactured March 1, 2014, to May 31, 2014. The affected vehicles were manufactured with a reduced clearance between the seat frame and the seat track assembly. |
| 20V072000 | Suspension:Rear | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension. |
| 16V621000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI Ecoboost engines and 2013-2015 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor vehicles. A component within the fuel pump electric module (PEM) may overheat causing a loss of electrical power to the fuel pump. |
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.
- Steering66 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Electrical System57 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Fuel/Propulsion System46 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Suspension26 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Unknown Or Other24 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine22 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
Other Ford Flex years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2014 Ford Flex?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Steering (66 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2014 Ford Flex a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 52/100, computed from 249 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2014 Ford Flex's most common problem?
66 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2014 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 2014 Ford Flex cost to run per year?
About $6,074 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $30,370 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 2014 Ford Flex have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2014 Ford Flex, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 02/07/2014. 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 2014 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.
Strong evidence — 249 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 249 NHTSA complaints on record (20.8/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (9.6/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems