FORD FLEX · model year

2016 FORD FLEX

99 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2016FORDFLEX carries 99 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2016 FLEX is electrical system with 17 filings, followed by unknown or other (10) and suspension (9). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 3 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 2016 FLEX, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

99
Complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

99 filings

Crashes Reported

5 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 — Not rated · Front: Not Rated/5 · Side: Not Rated/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM17
UNKNOWN OR OTHER10
SUSPENSION9
POWER TRAIN8
STEERING7
ENGINE7
STRUCTURE:BODY5
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL4
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING4
BACK OVER PREVENTION4
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)3
SEAT BELTS3
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS3
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES2

Recalls (3)

16V92500022/12/2016

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

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.

25V69500013/10/2025

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

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 wh

20V07200010/02/2020

SUSPENSION:REAR

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.

Recent Complaints

20260213TIRES

I am reporting repeated structural failures involving Cooper Zeon RS3‑G1 tires (size 255/45R20) installed on my 2016 Ford Flex AWD. These failures include steel belt exposure, rubber separation, and premature carcass breakdown, all occurring at under 30,000 km (~18,600 miles). This represents catastrophic structural failure well before even half of the expected service life for comparable performance all‑season tires. The failures occurred across two separate sets of RS3‑G1 tires under normal driving conditions. The tires were properly inflated, aligned, rotated, and used seasonally. This is not treadwear, misalignment, or maintenance‑related — it is structural degradation of the tire body. Structural separation with exposed belts presents a serious safety hazard, including the potential for sudden air loss or blowout at highway speeds. Risk is further elevated on AWD vehicles due to driveline sensitivity to uneven rolling diameters or abrupt tire failure. I contacted Cooper/

20260205BACK OVER PREVENTION

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 while in reverse, the rear-view camera image was blurry. No warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

Mileage: 55,000

20260107BACK OVER PREVENTION

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 the rearview camera displayed a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse(R), and the screen glitched. The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.

20251114SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had frightened him because a pedestrian was nearly struck by the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the RPM was elevated and then lowered. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000.

Mileage: 35,000

20251022ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Hands free phone and sync will not connect. Not able to enter the correct date. 05/2023.

20251016ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I am getting a "Transmission Not In Park" error that will also sometimes flash "Door Ajar" while driving. Door appears to be closed - not sure if it's latched, transmission is obviously NOT in park because the car is moving. I'm concerned that this shouldn't be driven and is a safety issue.

20251016ENGINE

I am getting a "Transmission Not In Park" error that will also sometimes flash "Door Ajar" while driving. Door appears to be closed - not sure if it's latched, transmission is obviously NOT in park because the car is moving. I'm concerned that this shouldn't be driven and is a safety issue.

20251016STRUCTURE:BODY

I am getting a "Transmission Not In Park" error that will also sometimes flash "Door Ajar" while driving. Door appears to be closed - not sure if it's latched, transmission is obviously NOT in park because the car is moving. I'm concerned that this shouldn't be driven and is a safety issue.

20251014ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Rear Backup Camera malfunction. Screen goes black or upside down.

20250917ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Backup camera is malfunctioning and showing not available. Can't see behind the vehicle.

20250915CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Same issue as ever expanding recall for safety camera backing up. Blue screen, camera not available warning that does not go away while driving, black screen, upside down screen, distorted screen, and intermittantly operational and then not!

20250915CrashBACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

Same issue as ever expanding recall for safety camera backing up. Blue screen, camera not available warning that does not go away while driving, black screen, upside down screen, distorted screen, and intermittantly operational and then not!

20250914ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My 2016 Ford Flex’s reverse camera has been shorting out, blinking off and on. If the camera does come on the picture is upside down. This has been happening for over a month and I have not had it looked at. This is similar to the most recent back up camera recall for other Ford vehicles for this year range.

20250914UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My 2016 Ford Flex’s reverse camera has been shorting out, blinking off and on. If the camera does come on the picture is upside down. This has been happening for over a month and I have not had it looked at. This is similar to the most recent back up camera recall for other Ford vehicles for this year range.

20250914BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING

My 2016 Ford Flex’s reverse camera has been shorting out, blinking off and on. If the camera does come on the picture is upside down. This has been happening for over a month and I have not had it looked at. This is similar to the most recent back up camera recall for other Ford vehicles for this year range.

20250912LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION

camera recall number is 25S72 (NHTSA 25V442000). I own a 2016 Ford Flex and its having the same issue. I had the camera replaced at the dealership out of pocket once before and its still not working. I feel my issue is the same as this recall just affecting a different model.

20250911UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Rear backup camera constantly blacks out or inverts itself.

20250911UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My rear camera has stopped working and ford has issue with many models with this same problem.

20250910BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

Backup camera constantly shows a blank screen or distorted upside down image. There was a recall issued today for my model year, but not my specific model. I was quite surprised because I have the identical issue with my vehicle as well. The camera has not worked in close to a year. At first it started to glitch occasionally, but now it never works. The screen is either blank or shows that distorted flipped image.

20250910BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING

Backup camera constantly shows a blank screen or distorted upside down image. There was a recall issued today for my model year, but not my specific model. I was quite surprised because I have the identical issue with my vehicle as well. The camera has not worked in close to a year. At first it started to glitch occasionally, but now it never works. The screen is either blank or shows that distorted flipped image.

Compare 2016FORDFLEX to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2016 FORD FLEX have?
The 2016 FORD FLEX has 99 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2016 FORD FLEX?
The 2016 FORD FLEX received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2016 FORD FLEX?
Yes, the 2016 FORD FLEX has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 FORD FLEX?
The most-complained component for the 2016 FORD FLEX is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 17 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and SUSPENSION.
Is the 2016 FORD FLEX safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2016 FORD FLEX has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.