2009 Ford Flex: loss of power steering

Filed Oct 30, 2015 · Engine · 93,000 miles · MT

My daughter was driving on interstate at 70 MPH when the flex totaling shut down. She had no power steering, brakes or lights. It started back up after a couple of hours and was giving bogus messages on the display. Ford dealer says there are no codes showing up, so they won't be able to determine what caused this. We cannot drive anymore without knowing what happened, since it might happen again and would be very dangerous if going over a mountain pass at the time it happens. We live in montana.

Filed May 29, 2015 · Engine · 94,000 miles · VA

Car stalled at low speed. Started again when stopped and in park. During event, no power steering / brakes available. Not a safe condition.

Filed May 11, 2015 · Steering · 52,000 miles · MI

Experienced a total loss of power steering. No codes/warning lights were shown. Power steering fluid was filled properly, and there were no leaks found. Thankfully this didn't occur at a higher speed as this is a terrifying safety concern. A message board was found with at least 6 pages full of people that experienced the same exact problem (http://www.fordflex.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10080). This issue needs to be addressed before someone dies!

Filed Nov 13, 2014 · Steering · 115,000 miles · MI

Was driving onto ramp and steering became harder to drive and there was a humming sound.

Filed Feb 28, 2013 · Brakes, Engine · 24,000 miles · MD

Drove 30 miles at highway speed. Then in shopping mall engine quit suddenly at 20 MPH without any warning. No power brakes, no power steering. It was if someone had turned off the ignition. I was able to muscle the car out of traffic and was thankful this sudden failure did not occur at speed or while making a turn across traffic. This seems to be a problem identical to those reported by other 09 flex owners, but ford ( or at least my local dealer) is not interested in addressing the problem. Considering that the car had a loss of control, it is puzzling that this defect is not being taken more seriously. In terms of severity of the problem, this sounds like a '10'. The proposed fix is new throttle body, reprogram computer, clean injectors. Since no fault codes appeared and since this is intermittent, the mechanical breakdown policy does not cover what is clearly a manufacturing defect on these early builds. So the problem is twofold: the car dies suddenly and the computer does not recognize this as a fault.

Filed Aug 2, 2012 · Electrical, Engine · 3,611 miles · CA

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.

Filed Dec 28, 2011 · Brakes, Electrical · 25,000 miles · DE

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!

Filed Jan 17, 2011 · Engine · 8,000 miles · SC

2009 ford flex (less than 8000 miles) suddenly stopped running while I was driving around a curve on a road at about 20 to 30 miles per hour. Lost power steering. Engine light, battery light and oil light came on. Car restarted after I stopped it on the side of the road.

Filed Aug 3, 2009 · Electrical · 13,900 miles · MO

2009 ford flex. Driving through my neighborhood when I noticed loss of power steering and brakes. The car had simply died while driving. Was able to stop it on the side of the street and restart it. Continued on without another occurrence. Learned through a web forum that this has occurred to approximately 8 other owners of this vehicle.