Ford Flex ball joint problems

Filed Nov 4, 2026 · Suspension · 124,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Flex. The contact stated that after the wife had started the vehicle and attempted to drive forward, the front suspension failed and the vehicle became undrivable. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the front driver’s-side suspension ball joint and axle had fractured, and the front driver’s-side wheel was pointed outward. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic, who replaced the lower control arm and the axle, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,000.

Filed May 28, 2026 · Brakes, Suspension · KY

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: passenger rear inner sidewall damaged."

Filed May 10, 2026 · Brakes, Steering · MI

I have had this vehicle since about August 2025, the brakes and wheel bearings have failed twice, the strut failed, the power steering system has messed up repeatedly, the coolant came FLYING out of the car (while parked) FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON! There have been multiple warning lights on since I got the vehicle and I have been told they are just sensors from multiple mechanics and that they don't mean anything. As it relates to the issues, the brakes, calipers, and wheel bearings have given out twice WHILE DRIVING without any sort of warning up until they seized! The strut on the front passenger side has broken for no known reason and the power steering system has been non stop eating power steering fluid with no leaks. Since I have gotten this vehicle, I have put OVER 7,000 dollars worth of work into it. This went to fixing the brake calipers, brakes, rotors, all the steering mechanisms (tie rods, sway bars, etc.) and wheel bearings twice, trying to figure out why coolant flew out of the vehicle for no known reason, trying to figure out where the power steering fluid is going, all to no avail. I have had multiple mechanics look at and check all the components of the vehicle, and they can't even figure out what is going on other than things just fail without warning non stop. There is something wrong with these vehicles, EVERY SINGLE OWNER OF A 2011 FORD FLEX THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO HAS SAID THE SAME EXACT THING, THEY ARE DEALING WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUES AS I AM, AND NO ONE KNOWS WHY! THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE RECALLED AND A CHECK FOR THE PRICE OF A PERFECT 2011 FORD FLEX GIVEN TO EVERY 2011 FORD FLEX OWNER, THEN THEY NEED TO BE TAKEN OFF THE STREETS AS THEY ARE A DANGER TO THE PEOPLE DRIVING THEM AND ALL OTHER DRIVERS AS WELL AS PASSENGERS IN THE FLEX AND ANY OTHER VEHICLE! A 2011 FOR FLEX IN PERFECT CONDITION IS WORTH APPROXIMATELY $15,000, FORD SHOULD BE SUED FOR THIS! My vehicle is available for inspection when necessary, thank you!

Filed Oct 18, 2025 · Brakes, Transmission · MI

My brakes locked up suddenly on the rear end causing me to get stuck in the middle of the road and unable to move it, even to tow it. I had to take 2 days almost to fix it in the middle of the road, since yesterday morning. They also began locking up suddenly on the front end, the wheel bearing, CV Joint, Tie Rods, CV Axles, CV Boots, and sway bars began failing out of nowhere as well. The brakes may or may not be able to be replicated, as they are partially fixed and yes my entire front end can be replicated. The danger is my brakes locked up as I was driving, in the middle of the road at that. I have not been able to get the front end fixed as it is expensive, however the danger of this is the tires falling off or the front end failing all together. ALL of the other people who drive these that I have talked to and met have had the same problem and yes they are factory parts! Even the people who have only 30 to 60000 miles on their 2011 Ford Flex Titaniums have these issues! Not only this but also the sensors go bad almost immediately off the lot, which can cause the car to brake without warning, stop running out of nowhere, make the power steering module fail, make your vehicle stutter because ALL of the sensors are bad. These vehicles need to be recalled and fixed, or recalled and replaced with better vehicles (from $60,000 up to $95,000) with any mileage any year. Please recall these and please help! I just got mine, this isn't right!

Filed Jun 13, 2024 · Steering, Suspension · CA · crash · 2 injuries

Steering locked up lower control arm snapped at the ball joint where it's connected to cv axel. Sent my car into the rails and nearly.killed me and my passenger.

Filed Mar 6, 2024 · Fuel system, Suspension · 138,000 miles · MI · crash

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while her wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly after the steering wheel jerked in the right direction. As a result, the driver lost control of the vehicle and collided with a dividing wall on the side of the roadway. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was not filed, and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with both control arms. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who was able to duplicate the failure but was unable to provide a diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Safety Recall 15S18. The contact also stated that before the control arm failure, upon entering the vehicle and attempting to start the ignition, the vehicle failed to start as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The contact repaired the vehicle herself upon replacing the fuel pump control module. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Safety Recall 16S31. The manufacturer was notified of both failures but referred the contact to the federal safety agency hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 138,000.

Filed Mar 27, 2023 · Suspension · 77,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle would fishtail while making turns or switching lanes. The contact stated that the rear of the vehicle was wobbly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the tie rods were malfunctioning and needed to be replaced. The independent mechanic informed the contact that the failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 20V072000 (Suspension). The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 77,000.

Filed Aug 23, 2022 · Steering · 142,000 miles · WV

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Flex. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was shuddering. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the front ball joints, front control arms, and front struts were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while driving to the dealer, the steering wheel seized inadvertently and would not turn to the right. The steering could be turned to the left, almost causing a crash. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and was able to continue driving; however, the failure recurred the same day. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion and the electronic gear box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). A case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000.

Filed Sep 5, 2020 · Engine · IN

My cradle is rusted through all the way to the lower control arm and has a visible crack. I'm told this is a safety issue and concern as well as a safety hazard when one can be injured due to the engine falling out to name one. I'm told by a mechanic this is a factory default.I am very concerned and would greatly appreciate some assistance with this matter. Sincerely, [xxx] 09/05/2020 information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Feb 28, 2020 · 6,500 miles · PA

Occasionally when I am turning left or right there is a clunking noise under the front end of my car. I typically back into a parking space and when I am lining up my car to back in is mostly when the noise occurs. It is a loud sound that almost sounds like a popping or snapping. It does not matter the temperature outside, nor does it matter whether it is dry or wet. It isn't happening every time either. It is frightening, though, because I had a tie rod snap on a car one time and it always makes me think of that. I did take it to a ford garage and it didn't make the sound so they did nothing because they really couldn't tell me what it may be. My car is garage kept.