repaired · 2017 Q3
Air bags: frontal
Risk. An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
2010 Ford FlexProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 139 owner complaints about the 2010 Ford Flex, most often about the steering. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 16V-247 the manufacturer reports only 84% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 20, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2010 Ford Flex has problems
139 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
32Steering1 crash/fire/injury
30Engine1 crash/fire/injury
13Electrical system
12Fuel/propulsion system1 crash/fire/injury
12Power train1 crash/fire/injury
9Vehicle speed control
9Service brakes, hydraulic
8Air bags
8Engine and engine cooling
4016 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 32 | 1 |
| Engine | 30 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 13 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 12 | 1 |
| Power train | 12 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 9 | 0 |
| Air bags | 8 | 5 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 8 | 0 |
| 16 other systems | 40 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2010 Ford Flex recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.
Mileage at failure
When do steering problems start?
93kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 29 steering complaints. 55% were reported before 100,000 miles.
1under 30k miles16under 100k miles13100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2010 vs. every other Flex year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Flex median. How we score
'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2010 Ford Flex safety ratings
2010 Ford Flex 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 4 stars (15.1% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Flex owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Leaving home to go to the grocery store and as I exited my street a dash warning came on stating "Power Steering Assist" fault Steering wheel locked up making it impossible for me to steer. Fortunately this happened in a spot where there was no other traffic and I was able to just turn off the car…
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a metal clicking and scraping sound coming from underneath the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that the wheels felt loose. The contact stated that a nearby driver informed her that sparks…
Vehicle loses power steering intermittently upon vehicle startup as well as in motion. Vehicle is then extremely hard to control without power steering. Message " POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" prints to the instrument cluster above the steering wheel. Turning the vehicle off and back on may resolve…
Own a 2010 Flex?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.