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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
38,161 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 Ford Flex electrical problems

electrical problem

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2009 Ford Flex Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #29

May 272023

Flex

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The door ajar sensor malfunctions and is crazy expensive to fix. There are numerous posts and videos online of workarounds bcz it-??s so common but they don-??t seem safe since that-??s a safety feature and the workarounds are simply a way to trick or bypass the warning sensors since the doors are actually closed in most cases. Ford needs to take ownership of this and issue a recall. There-??s a tire pressure sensor failure as well.

- Clover, SC, USA

problem #28

Jul 022019

Flex

  • 0 miles
When driving down city highway or city roads the all of the lights on the dash board will cut off, (ie. Radio, blinkers, heat & A/C controls) will shut off and the drive control button will appear with the door ajar and brake lights. It is now starting to make a dinging sound while you drive as well as smell like something is on fire. The car is completely shut and sealed. There isn't a time or instant where this is happening. It will just go in and out! Ford you really need to fix this problem since families are using these vehicles. I've done some research and see that it is a common problem with the 09 Flex.

- Detroit, MI, USA

problem #27

Jan 242019

Flex

  • 133,333 miles
Passenger door ajar dash light goes on and off when the door is secure and locked. Interior lights go on and off when ajar light is displayed and power locks unlock/lock at the same time. This is a serious issue at night when the interior lights go on and off the entire time when your driving blinding you as well as I have been pulled over because they thought I stole the car. While pulled over I was asked to step out of the car and when I exited the car ibecame possessed and the alarm went off and interior lights began blinking and flashing on and off. The car alarm consistently goes off at all hours of the day and night causing the battery to go dead if your not around to shut it off. This is also issue as my car can get stolen at any time if the factory alarm isn't working or I could get carjacked because the doors won't stay locked.this issue happens in park, in drive and reverse. It happens while driving or idling as well as it occurs on the highway and city streets. I have read many other reports and Ford needs to address this in the 2009 Flex as well.

- Hernando, MS, USA

problem #26

Nov 272017

Flex

  • 110,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

It keeps saying sensor we had replaced twice is still bad. The transmission doesn't accelerate sometimes

- Hemet, CA, USA

problem #25

Sep 302018

Flex

  • miles
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Flex. While the vehicle was parked in the driveway, smoke appeared from the hood and the vehicle spontaneously caught on fire. The contact extinguished the fire and disconnected the battery cables. The air bag warning indicator was illuminated, but the air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Moorhead, MS, USA

problem #24

Aug 312014

Flex

  • 65,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Flex. While the vehicle was stationary or while driving various speeds, the center console failed to operate. While driving approximately 50 mph, the contact heard a bell sound and the instrument panel lighting shut off. In addition, the low tire pressure indicator illuminated without warning and the turn signals and brake lights became inoperable. The contact disconnected and reconnected the battery cable in an attempt to correct the series of failures. Hall Ford (1310 North road St, elizabeth city, North Carolina 27909) was made aware of the failures and performed a series of unknown repairs. The diagnosis information was not provided. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was 65,000. The VIN was unknown.

- Poplar Branch, NC, USA

problem #23

Mar 092017

Flex

  • 100,500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

"takata recall " driver side heated seat only stays on for less then 2 minutes and shuts itself off..

- Green Bay, WI, USA

problem #22

Jun 252014

Flex 6-cyl

  • miles
I purchased this vehicle in may, 2014 as a used vehicle w/warranty (powertrain). While traveling from St.louis, Missouri in stop and go traffic, the car overheated. After speeding up to get out of traffic it suddenly cooled back off. Now, during this same time, the air conditioner stopped blowing cool air until we sped up to get out of traffic. After that, it didn't happen again until I was stuck in traffic. Same problem. The fans stopped working. Here recently, I was stuck in traffic and the car overheated and the check engine light came on. Only this time, when I sped up the car didn't cool down. The coolant was fine but the car still over heated. I took the car to the dealership today and was told that it is the cooling fan module and it should be replaced. Now, I've read in several different places that this is a problem with 2008-2012 Ford Flex vehicles. A recall was issued for the 2011-2012 series but not earlier models. Owners of these vehicles should not have to be responsible for faulty materials used to make these vehicles. The same recall that was afforded to the 2011-2012 models should also be afforded to owners of earlier models. The dealership wants $600 to repair this because my warranty only covers powertrain. Please address this asap. I have 6 children and cannot afford to spend $600 on something that is not even my fault or the fault of normal wear and tear.

- Fort Wayne, IN, USA

problem #21

Feb 252015

Flex

  • 75,986 miles
1#-Feb 25,2015 blew the two heating hoses off back of motor while car was sitting in parking lot with gear in park, took to joe cooper Ford to have repairs done and did. 2#- on March 14,2015 @ about 0930 during a trip to Texas, got caught in traffic in forth worth tex engine over heated and spewed anti-freeze from bottom of car. We replaced the thermostat and after further checking we found that the "cooling fans" did not work. Ford Motor Company has known of this problem since 2007. Joe cooper Ford did not bring this to our attention even thou they knew the cause and was not forth coming, nor have we heard from Ford Motor Company about this issue. We check the forum for Ford Flex and found that this is and on going issue since 2007 with the Ford Flex.

- Midwest, OK, USA

problem #20

Oct 202014

Flex

  • 25,500 miles
Six am, totally dark, lights on low beam, total power failure while in heavy traffic and inching forward. Engine died and all electrical components failed within 30 seconds. Battery was new in August of 2014, all connections tight. I was in lane three from the right on a six lane freeway that was totally impacted with vehicles. I tried to exit to right shoulder but could not and ended up blocking lanes two and three. No power to anything but I was able to get shift lever into park and the car started. Would not start in neutral or drive. Has not occurred since after driving approximately 650 miles.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #19

May 132014

Flex 6-cyl

  • 81,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle has had radiator cooling fan(s) failure(s) resulting in loss of power and overheating.

- Roseville, CA, USA

problem #18

May 012014

Flex 6-cyl

  • 78,496 miles
Vehicle overheated on several random occasions. Air conditioning blows hot air when not moving. Vehicle stalled in intersection on several random occasions. The cooling fan relay was replaced which temporarily corrected all related problems. This same problem occurred at 67540 miles. The relay was replaced with a genuine Ford replacement part and has failed again after only 8000 miles. After looking on the internet it is obvious this is not an isolated problem. A recall has been issued for 2011 and 2012 models but not the 09. This is a serious problem that could destroy the vehicles engine or worse get some one killed if it stalls while crossing traffic.

- Tega Cay, SC, USA

problem #17

Sep 122013

Flex 6-cyl

  • 67,540 miles
Vehicle overheated on several random occasions. Air conditioning blows hot air when not moving. Vehicle stalled in intersection on several random occasions. The cooling fan relay was replaced which temporarily corrected all related problems. This exact same problem has now developed after 8000 miles. After looking on the internet it is obvious this is not an isolated problem. A recall has been issued for 2011 and 2012 models but not the 09. This is a serious problem that could destroy the vehicles engine or worse get some one killed if it stalls while crossing traffic.

- Tega Cay, SC, USA

problem #16

Apr 152011

Flex

  • 25,000 miles
This is the third time the cooling fan system broke in 3 years since I have my Ford Flex 2009 model. O bought the car in dealer in January 2011. Few months after the cooling system broke. Then a year later it broke again and right now is broken for the third time. I always change for original parts but I want to know the root cause of this and to see if Ford is going to make a recall.

- Carolina, PR, USA

problem #15

Mar 242014

Flex 6-cyl

  • 100,200 miles
Driving stopped at a stop sign noticed the wrench light on (happens often while this happens will not accelerate like normal until it hits 2-3rd gear). I press the gas to accelerate after making the turn I had to make another turn about 1/4 mile up the street. I released the gas to make the turn but my car kept accelerating it was not going very fast but the engine was accelerating pushing the rpms up to 6000. My foot was not on the gas and nothing was pressing the gas no floor mat or items in the way of the pedals. I pressed on the break (with the engine still accelerating) put the car into neutral and pulled over. Turned the engine off and restarted the car. The car ran fine after restarted it. No check engine light was on at any point just the wrench light. The light did go off after I restarted the car. I drove it about another 40 miles since this has happened and has not recurred since. I did have the car taken in to check the codes at about 90K miles (without the wrench light because it goes off as soon as you restart the car) nothing came up for codes.

- Glen Burnie, MD, USA

problem #14

Aug 282009

Flex 6-cyl

  • 3,611 miles
Twice while driving my Ford Flex, I had spontaneous total shut downs of the engine. The first time, my car was only a few months old and I was idling in front of a friend's house when all the lights came on and it completely died. I started it right back up (and it subsequently performed perfectly) and I drove it to Ford where they did some diagnostics checks and found no anomaly. It concerned me but thinking it may be a fuel injection issue while only idling, I went about my business. On July 20, 2012, at 38K mile, my Ford Flex died again! total shutdown of the engine and all the lights came on while I was driving approximately 30 miles per hour with my daughter in the car! no power steering, no power brakes, no power anything! because I was on a slight downhill, I was able to get the car over to the side of the road without catastrophe, thank god. The engine started up again as if nothing occurred. I drove direct to Ford where they did 10 minutes of diagnostic testing and told me once again that there was no anomaly. I went a little crazy, informed them that I was leaving for a 10- day vacation the following morning and that they had the full 10 days to fix the car or that I wasn't going to be picking it up ever again. A Ford tech drove my car with a computer plugged into the car, typed in the problem and after maneuvering the car to try and get a repeated response, the car did indeed shut down while he was driving it! apparently, the throttle body was binding internally and needed to be replaced. After replacing part # 1 7T4Z 9E926 fa, Ford walnut creek ca is telling me it is fixed. Let's hope so. I pray that no one has been involved in a fatal or injury accident as a result of this part's failure. I am writing this as an alert and a heads up to anyone who has had the same scary experience.

- Lafayette, CA, USA

problem #13

Sep 092010

Flex

  • 25,000 miles
I purchased my Flex new on Oct 2009 and it has shut off while driving three times since I bought it. The first time it happened I was driving through my neighborhood (with my children in the car with me) at 20mph all the warning lights came on my engine shut off, loss of power steering, loss of brakes. Luckily I was able coast to the side of the street. I waited a few minutes and it wouldn't start. I tried to start it again and it started up. The second time I was driving on the highway(with my children in the car with me) at 55mph engine shut off, loss of power steering, loss of brakes and check engine light came on, I coasted to the shoulder, waited a few minutes and it started right up. I took it to the dealership; they told me they couldn't find any issues that would cause the vehicle to turn off while driving so they didn't attempt to fix it. The third time was last week while driving through my neighborhood(with my children in the car with me) at 20 mph, engine shut off, loss of power steering, loss of brakes and check engine light came on. I took it to the dealership again and again they told me that they couldn't duplicate the issue so they didn't attempt to fix it. My children were in the car with me all three times. I've taken to the dealership 3 times for this issue and they cant duplicate the issue so they can't find the problem so they didn't even attempt to fix it. I just dropped it off this week for the fourth time. Its very frustrating to have this issue especially since im scared to drive the vehicle with my kids in the car. I feel its a huge safety issue. Its a total inconvenience to have to keep going back to the dealership and drop off my vehicle. I have three children and need a dependable vehicle. Luckily we weren't injured but im worried that the next time it happens an injury could occur. Why hasn't Ford listed this issue in their tsb!

- Felton, DE, USA

problem #12

Oct 082011

Flex 6-cyl

  • 23,126 miles
Intermittent no start of vehicle. Towed to dealer after 5 previous incidents. Delivered to dealership in same no start behavior. Upon initial attempt a relay was replaced as the PCM (main engine computer) was not receiving power. Service advisor calls to indicate vehicle is ready and starts up after repair. At the dealership, picking up the vehicle, car starts up, however, dash lights light up, warning "check AWD, check this, check that..." service engine light on as well (the wrench). Shut the car down, try to restart, will not restart. Tech is with me and observes behavior and tries as well. No start again. Tech attempts to download error codes. Mentions rfi interference. Will be doing another diagnostic. Previously, car was towed to dealership for stalling at freeway speeds (65+). ended up being a soaked PCM (main engine computer). This took two trips (towed both times). This is now four times to repair the same non-running / no start defect. The rear brakes were also repaired due to dragging calipers as per tsb 10-7-2.

- Belmont, CA, USA

problem #11

Jul 082011

Flex

  • 38,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Flex. The contact was driving approximately 5 mph when the tire monitor default warning light illuminated. Every electrical feature failed including the headlights, defroster and anti skid activator. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics where the technician replaced the battery, the wiring connected to the brake pedal and the wiring connected to the remote started yet, the failure persisted. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 38,000.

- Simpsonville, KY, USA

problem #10

Jan 082011

Flex 6-cyl

  • 16,225 miles
2009 Ford Flex will not start. Warning about low fuel, check AWD with 3/4 full tank of gas.

- Belmont, CA, USA

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