2013 Ford Flex Body & Structure Problems

Repeated problems with door latch system in 2013 Ford Flex. Door is interpreted as being ajar, despite being closed. Two warning lights/messages to this effect persist, interior lights will not turn off (which drains the battery), doors will not automatically lock while driving in this condition and as I understand it, if an accident occurred, the airbags would NOT deploy due to the doors not being 'locked'. This is a serious safety issue and causes continual drain on the battery if left in this condition. The only way to sometimes get it to recognize the door being shut is to repeatedly close the door, often having to slam the door shut; this can take up to 15 attempts. Driver's door has been cycled & subsequently replaced six months later. We are taking it in now for a likely 2nd replacement on this door alone. The rear right passenger door & front passenger door have each been replaced as well. The first two repairs/replacement on the driver's door were under warranty, the remaining 2 replacements (and upcoming additional replacement) have been and will be at our own cost. This same door latch system has been recalled on three different occasions on other Ford models, yet not on the Flex. There should be a recall on this 2013 Ford Flex and we should get refunds for our out-of-pocket costs for this repeated and known problem.

The rear power lift gate will at times unexpectedly come down on you while you’re standing under it and won’t go back up… it has hit me in my head multiple times… and may be the cause of the compressed disc in my cervical spine… it happens mostly when it’s cold, but now that it’s 65° (Los Angeles) it’s still doing it

The right rear door keeps showing that it's open on the dash when its physically closed. The alarm goes off at night when the vehicle is locked because the door will randomly show it's open when its actually closed. I was told by Ford that the parts were $450 plus dollars to fix the problem and that's not including labor. Ive also found out that I'm not the only Flex owner dealing with this issue that should be covered under warranty.

DOOR ADJAR. DOOR OPENED WHILE DRIVING. DOOR RANDOMLY UNLOCKS AND SETS ALARM OFF. HAS CAUSED A DEAD BATTERY. WILL LOCK & UNLOCK WHILE TRAVELING.

DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND ALL DOME LIGHTS, WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED. SAYS DOOR IS OPEN WHEN IT IS NOT. CAN NOT GET DOME LIGHTS TO TURN OFF, DRAINING BATTERY. *TR

DOOR AJAR INDICATOR ACTIVATES WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED. DOME LIGHT REMAINS ON AND SO DOES THE INDICATOR LIGHT. PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR. SAME PROBLEM HUNDREDS OF OTHERS ARE REPORTING.

DEFECTIVE DOOR LATCH. THE LATCH REPORTS "DOOR AJAR" WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED, UNLOCKING ALL DOORS AT ALL TIMES.

PASSENGER DOOR AJAR INDICATOR LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN THOUGH DOOR CLOSED (CONSTANT - WHETHER STOPPED OR MOVING). IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. IT KEEPS LIGHTS ON INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS I'VE HEARD (ONLINE) IT COULD BE A SENSORY ISSUE, BUT I FEAR IT MAY BE A FAULTY LATCH ISSUE. WHEN I FELT THE LATCH, IT SEEMED SLUGGISH (I CAN PUSH IT A LITTLE AND IT STAYS - DOESN'T SPRING BACK TO EITHER OPEN OR CLOSED). I FEEL THE LATCH IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND MAY NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY. I ALSO WORRY THAT THE BATTERY WILL DIE BECAUSE IT KEEPS LIGHTS ON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED TO LOCK AND THE DOOR AJAR WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT HER CHILD WOULD BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CENTURY FORD OF MT. AIRY (302 CENTURY DR, MT AIRY, MD 21771, (301) 829-2800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT ALL FOUR DOOR LATCHES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND WAS ADVISED TO CALL NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

MY DRIVER SIDE PASSANGER DOOR AJAR, DOME LIGHTS WON'T GO OFF, MY 4YR OLD DAUGHTER SITS ON THAT SIDE, WAS DRIVING AND IT HAPPEND DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK, TOOK TO FORD DEALER, WAS QUOTED $435. HAVE TO HAVE IT REPLACED AS IT IS DRAINING MY BATTER, AND MAKING CAR ALARM GO OFF, IT HAPPENS IN MOTION, AND STATIONARY, IT IS VERY UNSAFE, AND SHOULD BE RECALLED

LIFTGATE AJAR LIGHT ON WHEN LIFTGATE IS CLOSED. INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON. DOORS STAY UNLOCKED DURING DRIVE.

DOOR LATCH AND DOOR SENSORS OVER THE COURSE OF AT LEAST A YEAR, FORD HAS BEEN RECALLING VEHICLES BECAUSE OF A FAULTY DOOR LATCH. FORD HAS NOT RECALLED THE FLEX. SAFETY ISSUES INVOLVED WITH THE DOOR LATCH INCLUDE THE INABILITY TO LOCK THE DOOR FOR SAFETY BECAUSE IF THE SENSOR REGISTERS THE DOOR IS OPEN, THE DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT ENGAGE. THERE IS ALSO A KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE DOORS WITH A FAULTY LATCH. IT SOUNDS AS IF THE LATCHES ARE NOT FULLY ENGAGED. AS A RESULT OF THE SENSOR PROBLEM, INSIDE LIGHTS RUN FOR HOURS ON END AS IF A DOOR IS OPEN, RUNNING DOWN A PERFECTLY NEW AND CHARGED BATTERY. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH FORD CORPORATE AND DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY SAID IT WILL NOT BE FIXED ON THEIR DIME UNTIL A RECALL IS ISSUED. ASSUMINGLY, IF OTHER MODELS ARE BEING RECALLED BECAUSE OF SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE DOOR LATCHES, THE FORD FLEX, WHICH ALSO HAS DOOR LATCH PROBLEMS SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR SAFETY AS WELL. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WOULD RATHER FLEX OWNERS PAY $500 PER LATCH TO ENSURE OUR FAMILY IS SAFE WHILE RIDING IN A NEGLIGENTLY MANUFACTURED VEHICLE. DOES IT TAKE A KID FALLING OUT OF A FORD FLEX FOR THE RECALL TO BE ISSUED?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AJAR LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE REVERSING THE VEHICLE THE GEAR SHIFT BECAME INOPERABLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,492. THE VIN WAS INCOMPLETE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS WOULD CONSTANTLY UNLOCK AND THE DOOR AJAR SENSOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LATCH ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 06/13/17*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLATCH. ALSO, THE DOOR SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN THE DOORS WERE CLOSED, THE SENSOR WOULD SHOW THE DOOR AS OPEN. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE CAR ALARM TO GO OFF DURING THE NIGHT. UPDATED 09/07/2017*JS

THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCKS AND UNLOCKS ITSELF EVEN WHILE DRIVING. I GET A PASSENGER DOOR AJAR WARNING EVEN WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED COMPLETELY. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER I HAVE TURNED OFF AND EXITED THE CAR BECAUSE IT THINKS THE DOOR IS AJAR. THE ALARM GOES OFF OFTEN BECAUSE THE DOORS ARE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THEMSELVES AND THE CAR THINKS THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HAS BEEN OPENED WHEN IT IS UNOCCUPIED. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY, IN MOTION (EVEN ON THE FREEWAY) AND ALSO WHEN THE WEATHER CHANGES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FLEX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR AJAR WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED EVEN WHEN THE DOORS WERE CLOSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DID NOT CEASE TO FUNCTION, THE DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK, AND THE HORNS WOULD FUNCTION INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTERIOR DOOR LATCHES WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 39,000.

RIGHT FRONT DOOR DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THAT THAT IT IS CLOSED. THIS HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AND HAS RESULTED IN ALL OF THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS NUMEROUS TIMES (LISTED IN ORDER OF MY GREATEST TO LEAST SAFETY CONCERN): 1) UNABLE TO LOCK DOORS WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION OR NOT. THIS PROBLEM CONCERNS ME THE MOST AS IT COULD RESULT IN ONE OF MY SMALL CHILDREN OPENING THE DOOR AND FALLING OUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED (OR ANY SPEED FOR THAT MATTER). 2) BATTERY DRAIN. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF AND THE DOOR DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S CLOSED, ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS REMAIN ON. BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS NO WAY OF DISABLING THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, THIS HAS RESULTED IN A DEAD BATTERY ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. 3) FACTORY ALARM SOUNDING. WHEN THE DOOR (LATCH SENSOR?) IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND THE VEHICLE IS OFF WITH THE DOORS LOCKED, IF THE DOOR MALFUNCTIONS IT CAUSES THE ALARM TO SOUND. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT ALL TIMES OF DAY, AT VARIOUS TEMPERATURES AND IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS (DRY, RAIN, SNOW, ETC). THIS HAS LED TO THE NEED FOR US TO STOP LOCKING THE DOORS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF.

SENSOR INDICATES ONE OF THE BACK SEAT DOORS IS AJAR, BUT IT APPEARS TO BE CLOSED. REPEATED CLOSING OF DOOR DOES NOT RESOLVE ISSUE. CAR ALARM SOUNDS WHEN VEHICLE THINKS DOOR IS AJAR. INSIDE LIGHTS STAY ILLUMINATED WHEN DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS. I SEE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON OTHER MODELS, I'VE SEEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM FLEX OWNERS ONLINE, AND I BELIEVE THE FLEX SHOULD BE RECALLED AS WELL, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY ARE FAMILY VEHICLES AND OFTEN (AS IN MY CASE) ARE USED TO TRANSPORT MULTIPLE CHILDREN. *TR

PASSENGER DRIVER SIDE DOOR ALWAYS SAYS AJAR, DOORS DON'T LOCK, DOME LIGHT ALWAYS STAYS ON. DRIVING, AND STATIONARY. *TR

THE SENSORS ON THE PASSENGER REAR DOOR THINK THAT THE DOOR IS OPEN EVEN WHEN IT IS CLOSED. MY CAR ALARM GOES OFF CONSTANTLY, THE CHILD SAFETY LATCH WON'T ENGAGE, AND MY DOORS NO LONGER AUTOMATICALLY LOCK ONCE I DRIVE OVER 25 MPH. THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR EVERY 2013 FORD FLEX OWNER THAT IS ACTIVE ONLINE. FORD KNOWS THIS IS AN ISSUE AND ISN'T ADDRESSING IT.