There are 4 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2012 Ford Flexin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS STUCK SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, GOING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL ROAD, WHEN THERE WAS A THUMP FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE (FRONT) WHEEL. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE BRAKE PADS WANTED TO FALL OUT. THERE WERE NO OBSTRUCTIONS, DEBRIS, POTHOLES AND I WAS NOT BRAKING AT THE TIME. TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR EVALUATION, WHERE THE MECHANICS ADVISED BOTH CALIPERS WERE BAD. I HAD TO HAVE BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS, ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS NOT DRIVEN HARD OR THROUGH HARSH CONDITIONS. SIMILAR EVENT OCCURRED ALMOST A YEAR AGO ON THE REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLY. THAT "EVENT" ALSO REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF ROTORS, CALIPERS AND PADS.
MY FORD FLEX HAS A TOTAL OF 82000 MILES ON IT. I LIVE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK. I HAVE HAD THREE INSTANCES WHERE THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS STICK AND SEVERELY REQUIRE BOTH PAD AND ROTOR REPLACEMENT. AT 60 YEARS OLD I CAN'T HEAR THE HIGH PITCHED SQUEALING BUT ON TWO OCCASIONS MY SON HAS NOTICE AND UPON STOPPING TO CHECK FOR THE NOISE, THE REAR WHEEL IS TOO HOT TO EVEN TOUCH. IN ONE INSTANCE THE PAD WAS COMPLETELY WORN TO THE METAL NO DOUBT RESULTING IN LOSE OF BRAKING POWER. THE FREQUENCY OF THIS PROBLEM IS DISTURBING. THE ONLY DOCUMENTATION I HAVE IS THE RECEIPTS FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR.
WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH VIRGINIA TO PENNSYLVANIA, THE FRONT BRAKES VIBRATE/PULSATE UPON LIGHT BRAKING. SEEMS AS THOUGH THE BRAKES WERE OVERHEATING IN THE MOUNTAINS. AT TIMES, THE PULSATING WAS VIOLENT ENOUGH TO TRANSMIT THROUGH THE VEHICLE AND STEERING WHEEL AND FLOOR. AFTER A LONG BREAK AT A STOP FOR LUNCH, THE PROBLEM LESSENS BUT RETURNS AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE PROBABLY 30 MINUTES OR SO. THESE MOMENTS OF PULSATION, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE REDUCTION OF BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. THE PROBLEMS HAVE WORSENED SINCE JANUARY AND NOW THE PULSATIONS ARE HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY AND AT SLOWER SPEEDS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JUMPED A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A POST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000. UPDATED 9/25/12 *CN UPDATED 10/03/2012 *JS
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026