2016 Ford Flex recalls and problems

The 2016 Ford Flex has 3 safety recalls and 105 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Ford dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

105

Crashes / fires

4 / 0

Injuries / deaths

3 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2016 Ford Flex vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2016 Ford Flex recalls

Recall 25V-695: Back Over Prevention

Reported Oct 13, 2025 · 1,448,655 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.

Risk: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driverâs view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.

Recall 20V-072: Suspension

Reported Feb 10, 2020 · 211,207 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.

Risk: A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. Remedy parts are not currently available. Owners were notified about the recall on March 3, 2020. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts become available, which is currently expected to be the end of September 2020. The recall began October 28, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or Lincoln customer service at 1-800-521-4140. Ford's number for this recall is 20S04.

Recall 16V-925: Engine and Engine Cooling

Reported Dec 22, 2016 · 1,163 vehicles affected · Ford Motor Company

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Taurus, 2016-2017 Ford Flex, Lincoln MKT, 2017 Ford Explorer and Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. Improperly brazed turbocharger oil supply tubes may leak oil on engine components.

Risk: An oil leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the turbocharger oil supply tubes, free of charge. The recall began on January 31, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S46.

2016 Ford Flex problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Back Over Prevention	34
Electrical System	24
Unknown or Other	14
Suspension	10
Structure	9
Power Train	8
Steering	8
Engine	8
Vehicle Speed Control	4
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)	3
Fuel/Propulsion System	3
Latches/Locks/Linkages	3

Most reported parts

Structure › Body — 6
Back Over Prevention › Rearview System Braking — 5
Back Over Prevention › Warnings — 3
Back Over Prevention › Sensing System › Camera — 2
Lane Departure › Blind Spot Detection — 2
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch — 1
Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking — 1
Electrical System › Instrument Panel › Speedometer/Odometer — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 66,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2016 Ford Flex complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Back Over Prevention · reported Nov 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a distorted image. The failure was a persistent failure. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the parts were not available to repair the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, parts were not yet available.

Electrical System · reported Nov 2, 2026

I am writing about the two active recalls for my vehicle. They are both over ONE YEAR old from when they were announced, They both still state something like "Parts not available". How long does it take to get parts for this? My vehicle is directly affected by both recalls and I would like to get them repaired.

Back Over Prevention · at 85,000 miles · reported Oct 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Flex. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V69500 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. While reversing, the rear-view camera intermittently displayed a blank or distorted image. The failure almost caused the contact to strike a pedestrian. An unknown dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The failure mileage was…

Back Over Prevention · at 25,000 miles · reported Oct 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Flex. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that occasionally, while in reverse, the rear-view camera failed to display an image. The local dealer was contacted on several occasions. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

Back Over Prevention · at 137,000 miles · reported Oct 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Flex. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the parts to complete the recall repair were unavailable. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rear-view camera intermittently failed to display a clear image. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall remedy. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.

Other Ford Flex years

2019 2018 201720162015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009

Compare all Ford Flex years · All Ford models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Ford Flex have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2016 Ford Flex: 25V-695 (back over prevention), 20V-072 (suspension), 16V-925 (engine and engine cooling). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Ford Flex?

Owners report back over prevention problems most often (34 reports), followed by electrical system (24). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 66,000 miles.

Are Ford recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Ford dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.