Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2009 Ford Flex
NHTSA data on file today
The 2009 Ford Flex has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 181 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #16V247000 Air Bag Second Stage may not Inflate Properly NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine 36 complaints
- Electrical System 32 complaints
- Power Train 23 complaints
- Steering 18 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 17 complaints
- Unknown or Other 17 complaints
Of the 181 complaints on file, 7 report a crash and 2 a fire; across all 181 complaints, owners report 6 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $8,500–$15,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2009 Ford FLEX has a below-average reliability rating due to numerous owner complaints, especially related to the engine and electrical system. With 181 complaints and one airbag recall, the vehicle's reliability concerns are based on substantial evidence from NHTSA data.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| engine | 80,000–120,000 miles | $1,500–$5,000 | very common |
| electrical system | 70,000–100,000 miles | $300–$1,500 | very common |
| power train | 90,000–130,000 miles | $1,000–$4,000 | common |
| service brakes | 50,000–80,000 miles | $300–$1,500 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake pad and rotor inspection
- Cooling system flush
- Transmission fluid replacement
- Battery and electrical check
- Tire rotation and alignment
- Suspension system check
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Engine knocking noises
- Electrical system failures
- Transmission slipping
- Unexpected brake noises
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2009 Ford Flex at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.