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Your vehicleHome›Ford›Flex› 2017
Ford · Large SUV

2017 Ford Flex

Gas
Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
C
Safety Signal
76 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 4
Complaints2 crash · 2 injured reported 42
Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 19 mpg
2019201820172016

The 2017 Ford Flex is sold in the U.S. as a gas large SUV with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Flex FWD, is EPA-rated at 19 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 42 complaints, most often about the suspension.

Ford Flex — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Ford Flex · Photo: IFCAR · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Flex FWDGasFWD3.5L 6-cyl162319$3,550
Flex AWDGasAWD3.5L 6-cyl162218$3,700
Flex AWDGasAWD3.5L 6-cyl turbo152117$3,950

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 38418, 38420, 38421.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Flex AWD, Flex FWD6 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / LEV-II ULEVAll 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders6
Displacement3.5 L
Engine configurationV-Shaped

Engine Output

Horsepower287 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows3
Seating capacity7 seats

Transmission

DrivetrainFWD/Front-Wheel Drive

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control

Optional: Adaptive cruise control, Automatic emergency braking, Forward collision warning, Parking assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Limited, SE, SEL). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length202.0 in
Width (body, without mirrors)76.0 in
Height67.7 in
Wheelbase118.1 in
Track, front65.7 in
Track, rear65.7 in
Curb weight4,469–4,839 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear54/46

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 5-door Cuv AWD, 5-door Cuv FWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2017 Flex
Other years The 2018 Flex Recalls Ford recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2017 Ford Flex is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Structure

25SB8
92,347 vehicles
Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Flex vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving. Risk Door trim that detaches while driving can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will repair or replace the B-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 17, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated March 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SB8. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 28, 2025.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFInterim owner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 25V732000 reported Oct 24, 2025 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Back Over Prevention

25SA9
1,448,655 vehicles 1% reported repaired
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 driver’s 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'
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 25V695000 reported Oct 13, 2025 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Suspension

20S04
211,207 vehicles 70% reported repaired built Sep 12, 2011 – Jun 1, 2017
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 i
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF
NHTSA campaign 20V072000 reported Feb 10, 2020 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Engine And Engine Cooling

16S46
1,163 vehicles 88% reported repaired built Oct 18, 2016 – Nov 10, 2016
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.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 16V925000 reported Dec 22, 2016 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars — B-Pillar Trim Detachment closed

On August 7, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE25007 to investigate instances of B-pillar trim detachment in model year (MY) 2019 Ford Flex vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company. During the investigation, MY 2011-2018 Ford Flex vehicles were analyzed as peer vehicles, and subsequently incorporated into the subject population because they use B-pillar trim pieces that are substantially similar to those used on the MY 2019 Ford Flex vehicles. In July 2025, prior to the opening of PE25007, ODI and Ford met to discuss B-pillar trim detachment in Ford Flex vehicles. Ford reported that its warranty analysis indicated that Flex B-pillar trim had a low detachment rate an

Opened Aug 7, 2025 · closed Aug 5, 2026 · action PE25007 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Flex

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2017 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Ford publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Ford’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2017 Ford Flex, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2017 Ford Flex

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Flex →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
42complaints filed

2 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 2 injuries · 0 deaths reported

34 per 10,000 built · Ford reported 12,413 Flex built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2017: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 12 · 2026: 10

Most-cited components

Suspension 13
Unspecified 13
Back Over Prevention 7
Visibility/Wiper 4
Steering 3
Electrical System 3

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Flex. The contact stated that months after a routine service appointment with a local dealer, the rear-view camera failed to operate as designed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention).
Back Over Prevention at 60,000 miles Feb 10, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11716950
The rear seat belts come unbuckled. I was driving and about to get on a highway, and my children told me their seat belts unbuckled, another time it happened while I was driving in town. There's been a few others times too. I have not taken my vehicle to a dealer to check it out. This vehicle has not been inspected by anyone.
Seat Belts Nov 24, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11701224
Component or System Failed: The rearview/backup camera system has failed. The image consistently displays upside down when the camera activates, and at times the camera does not turn on at all. The system remains installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request.
Visibility/Wiper Sep 10, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11686323
Subject: Request for Review: 2017 Ford Flex Rear Suspension Toe Link Failure Outside Recall VIN Range To: NHTSA I am writing to formally request a review and consideration of my vehicle's eligibility for RECALL 20V072000 (Ford Recall 20S04), which addresses rear suspension toe link fractures on 2013-2018 Ford Flex models.
Suspension Jul 10, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11672460
My cv joints are popping I wanted to make sure this didn't have any recalls on it before I fixed it
Steering Feb 26, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11574123
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while traveling at 45 MPH, she depressed the brake pedal as she heard approaching police sirens. As the contact came to a complete stop, she was hit from behind by another vehicle and was thrust into the middle of an intersection. The air bags did not deploy upon impact.
Air Bags at 70,000 miles May 13, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11324447

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Ford itself: 2 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 16 per 100,000 built. Every Flex model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 77k

miles, typically

Half the 14 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 58,000 and 90,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 14 on file: 2 20k–30k, 1 30k–40k, 1 50k–60k, 1 60k–70k, 2 70k–80k, 3 80k–90k, 1 90k–100k, 2 100k–150k, 1 150k +.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWDnot ratednot ratednot rated★★★★☆15%
SUV FWDnot ratednot ratednot rated★★★★☆16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 82
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-30
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 80 service bulletins, 1 emissions, 1 other

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Power Train, Unknown Or Other.

  • 25E10-S1 Other
    2026-09-30 · Power Train
  • 25E10-S1 Owner letter
  • 25E10-S1 Emissions
    2026-07-02 · Unknown Or Other
  • NEW VEHICLE DELIVERY HOLD - Emissions Recall 25E10 - Supplement #1 Certain 2018-2020 Model Year F-150 Vehicles With 3.3L Engines and 2016-2019 Model Year Explorer, Taurus, and Flex Vehicles With 3.5L Engines Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Reprogramming
  • SSM 54601 Service bulletin
    2026-02-24 · Electrical System
  • Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). Th
  • TSB 25-2570 Service bulletin
    2025-11-26 · Electrical System
  • This article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit various SYNC performance related concerns including but not limited to:  Display operation concerns  Navigation inoperative  Voice recognition concerns  Phone connection issues  Dropped phone connections  Applink related performance  Travel Link not present
  • SSM 54366 Service bulletin
    2025-11-12 · Power Train
  • Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. Pinpoint test HK in the Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) or in Section 303-14 of the Workshop Manual (WSM) has been updated to address this concern.
  • SSM 53040 Service bulletin
    2024-10-10 · Unknown Or Other
  • While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.
  • TSB 24-2165 Service bulletin
    2024-05-27 · Unknown Or Other
  • This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty, and 2018-2019 EcoSport vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience various SYNC performance relat
  • SSM 52476 Service bulletin
    2024-04-24 · Equipment
  • All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during initial delivery. Unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad, the accessory keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P0011
P0011 on Ford →		Camshaft timing on bank 1 is more advanced than commanded.Power Train6 bulletins
P0012
P0012 on Ford →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train6 bulletins
P0014
P0014 on Ford →		The second camshaft on bank 1 is timed further advanced than commanded.Power Train6 bulletins
P0015
P0015 on Ford →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train6 bulletins
P0016
P0016 on Ford →		The crankshaft and camshaft are not where they should be relative to each other — timing, chain or phaser.Power Train6 bulletins
P0017
P0017 on Ford →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train6 bulletins
P0018
P0018 on Ford →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train6 bulletins
P0019
P0019 on Ford →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train6 bulletins
P0021
P0021 on Ford →		Camshaft timing on bank 2 is more advanced than commanded.Power Train6 bulletins
P0022
P0022 on Ford →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train6 bulletins
P0024
P0024 on Ford →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train6 bulletins
P0025
P0025 on Ford →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train6 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Ford Flex failed the emissions check on 3.5% of first inspections — close to the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 3.5% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%).

New York inspections 3.5%

failed emissions

200 initial inspections of 190 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2017 FlexEvery 2017 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check3.5%3.7%200
Failed the safety inspection3.5%2.1%200
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0%0.25%200

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2017 vehicle” is every 2017 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Flex by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2019 C 4 257 19 mpg2018 B 3 69 19 mpg2017 this page C 4 42 19 mpg2016 B 3 101 19 mpg

Common questions about the 2017 Flex

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2017 Ford Flex have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2017 Ford Flex. The most serious on file is 25V732000, covering Structure. 3 of them were filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. The manufacturer's own estimate for when a fix would be ready: March 2027. 1 campaign is phased, so the repair reached some model years before others. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2017 Ford Flex?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2017 Ford Flex yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it C (76/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Ford Flex?

Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2017 Ford Flex, the best EPA combined figure is 19 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2017 Ford Flex?

Transport Canada measured it at 202.0 in long, 76.0 in wide (body, without mirrors), 67.7 in tall, on a 118.1 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,469–4,839 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2017 Ford Flex?

Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Ford Flex, most often about suspension, unspecified, back over prevention. Of those, 2 involved a crash, 2 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2017 Ford Flex?

The EPA smog rating for the 2017 Ford Flex is 6 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, LEV-II ULEV — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 Ford Flex?

The manufacturer has filed 82 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2017 Ford Flex, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-09-30. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2017 Ford Flex do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Ford Flex failed the emissions check on 3.5% of first inspections — close to the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 3.5% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations3 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates3 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls4NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints42NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings2 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins82NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations1NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationOpen and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA11 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2018 Flex The Flex model year with the cleanest record on file — grade B, 3 recalls.Recalls Every Ford recall on file All campaigns filed against Ford vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Flex by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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