Is the 2019 Ford Flex a bad year?
263 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Flex years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2019 Ford Flex are in line with other Flex years. Backup camera and body structure stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2019 Flex owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 50,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backup cameraSTANDS OUT | 148 (56%) | 37k–74k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 60 (23%) | 40k–76k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 23 (9%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 12 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Engine | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 7 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 50,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 263 complaints: 4 mention a crash · 1 reports an injury · 8 say the car was towed.
113 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2019 Ford Flex: 4
The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving. Door trim that detaches while driving can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse. A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. A rearview camera that displays a blank or distorted image can reduce the drivers view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The power supply cables at the starter and the alternator may not have been properly secured, possibly resulting in an electrical arc. An electrical arc can increase the risk of a fire.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Ford: 48
Repair instructions Ford sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2019 Ford Flex. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Some vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022…
During service and repair requiring removal and replacement of a crankshaft bolt and/or crankshaft damper…
Some vehicles may exhibit an oil leak from the turbocharger oil supply or return tubes, O-rings or 6.7L pedestal gasket
Some 2018-2019 Explorer/Flex/Taurus/MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL)…
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
Rear-view Camera Failure
Neighbouring years
2018 Flex: 69 complaints, keep it.
Every Ford Flex year
2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · All Flex years side by side
Other Ford models: Ford 500 · Ford Bronco · Ford Bronco Sport · Ford C-Max · Ford Contour · Ford Crown Victoria · Ford E-150 · Ford E-250 · Ford E-350 · Ford E-450 · Ford EcoSport · Ford Edge · Ford Escape · Ford Escape Hybrid · Ford Escort · Ford Excursion · Ford Expedition · Ford Explorer · Ford Explorer Sport · Ford Explorer Sport Trac · Ford F SD · Ford F-150 · Ford F-150 Hybrid · Ford F-150 Lightning BEV · Ford F-250 SD · Ford F-350 SD · Ford F-450 SD · Ford F-550 SD · Ford Fiesta · Ford Five Hundred · Ford Focus · Ford Focus Electric · Ford Ford · Ford Freestar · Ford Freestyle · Ford Fusion · Ford Fusion Energi · Ford Fusion Hybrid · Ford Maverick · Ford Maverick Hybrid · Ford Mustang · Ford Mustang GT · Ford Mustang Mach-E · Ford Ranger · Ford Taurus · Ford Taurus X · Ford Thunderbird · Ford Transit · Ford Transit Connect · Ford Windstar. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2019 Ford Flex a bad year?
263 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Flex years. At 50,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Ford Flex?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: backup camera (148), body structure (60), electrical system (23), visibility and wipers (12), engine (8).
How many recalls does the 2019 Ford Flex have?
4 recall campaigns list this model year: Body structure (NHTSA 25V-732), Backup camera (NHTSA 25V-695), Backup camera (NHTSA 24V-951), Electrical system (NHTSA 18V-548). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.