2018 Ford Flex: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
63 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 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. 2018 specifically: a year the record favours — 63 complaints, score 87/100. 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 2018 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 63 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 7.88
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the rearview camera became inoperable. The contact stated that the rearview camera image would appear blank and other times the camera not available warning message would display. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V829000 (Structure) and 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the reca…
Recall has not been remedied, and it has been over six months.I was told it would be remedied by june or ford would be held accountable for compensating for repairs on the.Recall. #25SA9/25v695 The recall addresses the camera for backing up witch is still not functioning in a safety risk.
Wile driving 40 mph, the right rear tire locked up and I had to counter steer aggressively to avoid spinning out and hitting oncoming traffic. The car was flat bed delivered to Ford and they recommended the following repairs. "Control Arm- Rear: rear suspension lateral links. The rear upper and lower control arms not only provide suspension travel but also secure the rear end to the vehicle." "*Tires - 4: passen…
Recalls: 3 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| 25V695000 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse. |
| 25V732000 | Structure:Body | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Flex vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving. |
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.
- Structure18 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Unknown Or Other16 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Back Over Prevention13 complaints · typical job: Reversing camera or park-sensor replacement (2.0 h labour + parts)$420–$940
- Electrical System11 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Suspension9 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Lane Departure2 complaints · typical job: Camera module replacement and calibration (2.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,700
Other Ford Flex years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Ford Flex?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Structure (18 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Ford Flex a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 87/100, computed from 63 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Ford Flex's most common problem?
18 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 Ford Flex sit in the Structure group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is body, subframe or corrosion repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,070–$2,920 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 2018 Ford Flex cost to run per year?
About $5,339 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,695 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 2018 Ford Flex have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Ford Flex, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 10/02/2020. 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 2018 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 — 63 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 63 NHTSA complaints on record (7.9/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (9.6/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems