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). The Factory Keyless Entry Code application within the diagnostic scan tool will not provide an applicable master code for the accessory wireless keypad. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is not available, the "Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide" can be referenced and provides direction on how
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2015 Ford Flex electrical problems
severe 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 10 electrical complaints filed for the 2015 Ford Flex, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
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.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025. This may be due to small debris causing the VCT solenoid to stick. Before attempting any component diagnosis or replacement of the VCT solenoid, refer to Powertrain Control and Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) pinpoint test HK12 to cycle the affected VCT solenoid 10 times to attempt to clear the debris. For claiming, use causal part 6M280 and applicable labor operations in Section 10 of the Service Labor Time Standards (SLTS) Manual.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SSM 48619 - Various Vehicles - Perimeter Alarm Armed And Original Vehicle Keys Cannot Be Accessed to Enter Vehicle - CAN Protection Strategy Some 2013-2016 Model Year Vehicles may exhibit a concern in which the Perimeter Alarm is active and the original keys cannot be accessed to disable the perimeter alarm. This concern would most often occur when a customer loses keys and the dealership is attempting to program new keys to the vehicle. The Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 419-01A Perimeter Anti-Theft Alarm - System Operation and Component Description has been updated to inform of the Controller Area Network (CAN) Protection Strategy. Follow the procedure outlined to prevent replacement of th
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗For Ford and Lincoln vehicles that require positive or negative battery terminal replacement, it is not necessary to replace the complete battery cable harness (14300 and 14301) for this concern. Positive battery cable clamp BT4Z-14450-AA and negative battery cable clamp BT4Z-14450-BA are available for this type of repair. Do not cut or shorten the battery cable, instead carefully remove the affected battery cable clamp and clean the cable end as necessary to preserve wire length. Some rework may be necessary for some vehicle environments. Bend the new positive battery cable clamp as needed and crimp it to the existing battery cable. Make sure to use heat shrink tubing over the battery cable
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report eight distinct electrical issues on 2015 Ford Flex vehicles. Most common: unplanned engine stalls while driving without warning. One owner experienced five stalls over two years at various speeds requiring key-cycle restarts; dealer misdiagnosed it as throttle body failure twice before fuel pump control module replacement fixed it. Another owner had complete power loss when running the engine and A/C together, though the dealer called it normal operation.
Several owners report mysterious battery drain—vehicles go completely dead every 2-3 days despite battery replacement. Three different repair shops found no diagnostic codes or failed components, suggesting a parasitic drain nobody can pinpoint. One owner gave up driving the vehicle out of safety concerns.
Touchscreen becomes unresponsive to touch input while remaining partially functional, locking owners out of heated seats, climate control, and navigation. Backup cameras work intermittently with error messages and sometimes display upside down. One vehicle caught fire under the front end at highway speed with abnormal noise preceding the event. Finally, false door ajar and transmission warnings persist despite doors being closed and transmission being in gear while driving.
Same Ford Flex electrical reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2016 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Unplanned engine stall during driving
Engine shuts down without warning while vehicle is in motion, requiring ignition to be cycled off and back on to restart. Occurs at various speeds (30-70 mph) and in different driving conditions (turning and straight). Recall 16S31 identifies fuel pump control module as root cause, though some affected vehicles fall outside recall scope.
When: Multiple incidents over 2-year ownership period; documented as recent as June 2019. Also affects remote start functionality.
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of engine power without warning; Stall during turns; Stall while driving straight; Remote start failure
Repairs/costs cited: Fuel pump control module replacement (OEM part AA8A-9D412-CA replaced with AA8Z-9D370-B). Owner paid out-of-pocket. Dealerships initially misdiagnosed and replaced throttle body twice; both repairs were unsuccessful until FPCM replacement addressed issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Safety Recall 16S31 covers similar symptoms but excludes this vehicle based on VIN and engine type, despite having identical FPCM part number listed in recall. Owner states recall may not cover all affected vehicles.
Complete loss of electrical power / dead battery
Vehicle loses all electrical power, leaving it completely unresponsive. Multiple independent repair shops unable to diagnose root cause despite extended testing. Three separate shops tested fuses, relays, and ran diagnostics with no codes retrieved. Owner suspects parasitic drain based on symptom pattern.
When: Recurring every 2-3 days over 6+ month period. Multiple battery replacements have not resolved issue.
Symptoms owners cite: Complete electrical system shutdown; Battery repeatedly dies despite replacement; No diagnostic codes present; Issue recurs within 2-3 days after jump-start or battery replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced twice at separate shops. All fuses and relays tested OK. No mechanical cause identified by three different repair facilities. Owner now avoids driving due to safety concerns.
Complete loss of power while operating accessories
Vehicle experiences sudden, total loss of electrical power when engine and air conditioning are activated simultaneously. Occurs without warning. Happened twice and was reported to manufacturer, but dealer determined vehicle was operating as designed.
When: Approximately 24,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of power; Occurs when engine and A/C both running; No warning signs
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer diagnosed as operating as designed; manufacturer notified.
Touchscreen unresponsive
Touchscreen display loses all touch responsiveness after brief vehicle shutdown. Screen physically functions (displays temperature changes when physical buttons pressed) but does not respond to any touch input. Disables access to critical vehicle controls including heated seats, lighting, navigation, and climate settings.
When: After less than 1 hour of parking; vehicle age approximately 4 years at time of report
Symptoms owners cite: Touchscreen completely unresponsive to touch; Loss of access to heated seats control; Loss of access to lighting controls; Loss of navigation function; Loss of audio input/output control; Loss of climate control access
Repairs/costs cited: Owner notes this is an extremely pricey repair. Vehicle also experienced fuel pump control module failure, wheel bearing failure, electric seat failure, and air compressor failure within 4 years.
Engine fire
Vehicle caught fire under the front end while in motion at highway speed. Fire erupted with abnormal noise preceding the event. Vehicle was actively burning when coasted to roadside.
When: Approximately 27,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal noise under front of vehicle; Fire erupts under front end; Smoke and flames visible
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to yard; fire inspection report pending. Root cause not yet determined.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was notified and indicated intent to investigate cause. Dealer (Kendall Ford of Anchorage) notified multiple times but had not responded.
Engine crank without turnover
Engine cranks normally but does not catch and start. Issue recurs after multiple attempted repairs by different dealerships.
When: 57,000 miles on vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Engine cranks but will not start; Recurring issue despite repair attempts
Repairs/costs cited: Russell and Smith Ford in Houston diagnosed battery issue; battery replaced but problem recurred within one week. Vehicle moved to Sterling McCall Ford in Houston with same problem persisting.
Backup camera intermittent function and error messages
Rear backup camera operates intermittently and displays error message 'Camera is unavailable. Please contact your dealership.' when not functioning. Camera may display black screen, be unavailable, work for short period then go blank, or display inverted image.
When: Not specified by owners
Symptoms owners cite: Camera only works intermittently; Error message: 'Camera is unavailable. Please contact your dealership'; Black screen display; Complete camera unavailability; Brief operation followed by blank screen; Inverted/upside-down image display
False door ajar and transmission warnings
Door ajar warning activates persistently despite all doors being securely closed. This triggers a related transmission not in park warning that activates while vehicle is in motion, which is logically incorrect since transmission is in gear while driving.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Door ajar warning illuminates when doors are closed; Transmission not in park warning activates while driving; Warnings persist despite correct vehicle state
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 Ford flex. While both the engine and air conditioning were activated for a short period of time, the vehicle experienced a complete loss of power. The failure occurred without warning. The failure occurred twice. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that it was operating as designed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure…
False and persistent door ajar warning and related transmission not in park warning (when in motion) .
Had electrical trouble with your 2015 Ford Flex?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2015 Ford Flex?
It's a meaningful issue. 10 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 48,400 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2015/Ford/Flex.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.