Ford Flex warning lights comes on

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 Dec 9, 2025 · Electrical · KS

You can be driving down the road, and all your gauges will stop working, and all the warning lights on the dash will light up. The first time this happened my wife got stuck at a gas station all the warning lights were on and the car would not start, people tried to jump it and it would not affected at all. I looked on the internet and found were someone said to beat on the passenger side floorboard, I called my wife and told her to try that, and when she did the car would start. It doesn't do it all the time, you never know when it's going to happen. We have to just stomp on the passenger floor to get everything to start working again. If I had not found this information from somebody else on the internet my wife would have been stuck about a hundred miles from home. I've taken it to the Ford house and they say they've never heard of anything like this but I know it's happened before two other people that's how I knew to stomp on the floorboard on the passenger side.

Filed Oct 16, 2020 · Steering · 154,000 miles · AZ

I was making a right turn on a residential street and all of a sudden couldn't steer my steering wheel. My dash lit up like a christmas tree and gave me a power steering assist fault message. I pulled over and tried to restart the car and immediately got the power steering assist fault message again. It was scary and very dangerous. I now have no power steering and apparently my vehicle does not fall under the recall. It is my understanding that there are thousands having this issue. If ford really cared about our safety they would at least meet us halfway with the cost of repairs. I'm looking at over $2000 out of pocket. This is frustrating and painful for me as I have rheumatoid arthritis and it causes stress on my joints to drive it as is. I am now terrified every time I get in my car to drive.

Filed Jul 2, 2019 · Electrical · MI

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.

Filed Jun 26, 2019 · Electrical · 85,000 miles · VA

2 door lock/sensors replaced to date (6/2019). Door sensors say it is open when all doors are closed. Occasionally it will decide the door is open while driving, causing all lights in the vehicle to go on. Hazard when driving in the dark. Doors do not lock at all while driving if sensor says door is open. Was also unable to lock the car while the sensor issue was ongoing because the alarm would go off multiple times a night. Battery drained multiple times because interior lights remained on all night and there is no way to turn off interior lights in the 2013 model.

Filed Sep 11, 2018 · Steering · 70,000 miles · NY

Car was parked, started all lights came on warning steering needed to be serviced, I shut car off, restarted it all cleared up, happen 1st time in august, now have a clicking sound front right of vehicle, what happens if this happens while driving down road at high speed.

Filed Jun 7, 2017 · Electrical, Engine · 127,000 miles · NH

Driving up an on ramp to an interstate, suddenly all the lights started flashing on the dashboard display. I could not see any speed or driving information. I pulled over to the side of the road turned off the vehicle and it would not restart. Nothing would happen when I turned the key, dashboard lights still flashed. Car restarted after 5 minutes and I drove it directly to the dealership. By the time I arrived at grappone ford in concord, nh my dealership the dashboard lights were again flashing and I could not see any data.

Filed Dec 18, 2015 · Engine · 151,000 miles · CA

While waiting at a light in my 2010 ford flex the engine was idling rough, after the signal turned green the power seemed low and sluggish as I accelerated. When I was at about 45 MPH the engine power returned and seemed more normal, suddenly without notice the engine turned off and all dash lights illuminated. I was able to pull into a drive way but was very hard as there was no power steering. I was able to coast to a stop safely. Once stopped there was a very strong smell of coolant. I opened the hood and found a large amount of coolant on right side of engine. My car was towed to my home to figure out what the issue could be. On further inspection it is suspected that the water pump failed which is internal to the timing chain cover and therefore dumped a large amount of coolant into the crankcase which then contaminated the engine oil and over filled the oil pan. I was fortunate that this occurred on a city street and not on the freeway as this could have caused a major accident. On further research I have found this has occurred many times. The engine in question is the cyclone engine and is fords latest v6 family of gasoline engines introduced in 2006, and is known as the duratec 35 which displaces 3.5 l, the duratec 37 which displaces 3.7l and the ecoboost 35 which is a twin turbo charged variant of the duratec 35, these engines are installed in the following vehicles, 2007'present ford edge, 2010'2012 ford fusion sport, 2011'present ford mustang, 2009'present ford flex, 2010'present ford taurus sho, 2013'present police interceptor sedan, 2011'present ford explorer, 2013'present ford police interceptor utility, 2011'present ford f-150, 2015'present ford expedition/expedition el, 2014'present ford transit, 2015'present lincoln navigator/navigator l, 2010'present lincoln mks, 2010'present lincoln mkt, 2007'present lincoln mkx, 2007'present mazda cx-9(mzi).

Filed Aug 23, 2015 · Electrical, Lights · 60,012 miles · FL

Traveling on interstate highway in rain storm, mid morning, windshield wipers on, instrument panel lights and headlights shut off. Pulled off highway and set headlight control to all four positions and all lights remained off regardless of control position. Shut engine off and restarted. Lights came on in all control positions. Set to auto function and returned to highway to go home. Still raining, windshield wipers on. Traveled approximately 20 miles when all lights shut off again. After reaching home, shut engine off. Restarted and lights work in all control positions. Will retest again with second driver to verify circumstances

Filed Mar 18, 2013 · Engine · 53,431 miles · MI

While driving on a highway during rush hour traffic, as the traffic slowed down, and I pressed the brake, the engine shut completely down. First the battery light came on and then all lights within the speedometer cluster came on. Traffic began to pick back up and I was going up hill, yet I was merely coasting at the speed I was before I stopped and slowing down. Luckily the traffic did not come to a complete stop because I would have been sitting in the middle of the road. I am not exactly sure what the speed was because I was more concerned with what I should do. I was in the middle lane and not able to get over. With my wife and two toddlers in the car, I thought quickly and put the car in neutral and attempted to restart the car, it worked, and I was able to place the car in drive without even making a traffic backup. All this happen so fast. I dropped everyone off and took it to a ford authorized dealer who so far has told me that there is nothing they can do because there are no errors in the computer and they cannot duplicate the error. They told me "I" would have to drive it more to get a better understanding of what is going on. So in order for ford to do something about this error, (that I have found all over the web (engine shutting down) regarding the ford flex), more with the 2009 models; I have to get in a car accident because my car shut down in the middle of traffic. (this is my interpretation of what the dealership told me). That is the only way I can get ford to look at the problem seriously. This is the second incident. The first time I thought it was a fluke, but I was coming to a stop the first time. The car started again so I thought it was a fluke.