FordFlex2009Overview/ford/flex/2009/base/

2009 Ford Flex

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 Flex.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic 6-spd

The 2009 Ford Flex is an SUV pairing a 6-speed automatic transmission with an engine that requires 6.0 quarts of 5W-20 API oil. This model achieves an EPA-rated 16/22/18 mpg and carries a reliability record of two recalls and 180 total owner complaints, primarily centered on the engine. Across the 2009-2019 production run, the 2009 model's complaint volume sits between the 2013 peak of 578 complaints and the 2017 low of 40.

Model year201920182017201620152014201320122009

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 · 750 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 65 · 750 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP235-60R18OEM · verified
Wheel / rimN//A inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Thermostat9T4Z8A586B

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 6-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length202 in
Overall width76 in
Overall height67.7 in
Wheelbase118.1 in
Curb weight4641 lb
Track (front / rear)65.7 / 65.7 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 22 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Flex of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.4–9.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.40 sec — 2009 Limited
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2009Limited 3.5L V68.40 sec16.40 sec262 hpAWD
2009SEL 3.5L V68.40 sec16.40 sec262 hpAWD
2009Limited 3.5L V69.00 sec16.80 sec262 hpAWD
2010SEL 3.5L EcoBoost 3.5L Twin-Turbo V66.00 sec14.60 sec355 hpAWD
2013Limited 3.5L EcoBoost 3.5L Twin-Turbo V65.70 sec14.20 sec365 hpAWD
2016Limited 3.5L EcoBoost 3.5L Twin-Turbo V66.20 sec14.70 sec365 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 20.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidFord Mercon LV
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity11.0-11.5
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7.4 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts59 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug20.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs7 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug15.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug15.0
Front Wheel Hub258 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub258 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity2.25 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity11.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number65
Standard BCI Cranking Performance750 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature180 °F
Engine Oil Pressure30 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM1500 rpm
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.014-0.018 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket53 ft-lbs / 24 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle111 ft-lbs / 76 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.118; Rear: 0.118 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.122 in / 0.393 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
117 ft. lbs. Step 2: 32 ft. lbs., Step 3: 9017 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
189 ft. lbs., step 2: 360 degrees, step 3: 37 ft. lbs., step 4: 9089 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1install 6 new exhaust manifold stud9 ft lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 90,000 mi; coolant every 45,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 45,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Temperature Controlled Seat Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 90,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Belt (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 105,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · PCV Valve (replace)
At 150,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2009 Ford Flex sits at the beginning of its generation with 181 complaints and 2 recalls—numbers that were moderate for the time but would later be dwarfed by subsequent years. Looking at the trend, complaints actually declined from 2009 through 2012, reaching a low of just 64 complaints in 2012, before exploding to 578 in 2013 alongside a spike to 6 recalls. The 2009 model year therefore represents the early phase before the significant quality issues that plagued the 2013-2014 model years, though it is not the most problem-free year in the generation—that distinction belongs to 2012. Notably, the 2009 Flex has the lowest TSB count (24) of any model year in the dataset, suggesting fewer technical service bulletins were issued. The top complaint areas (Engine, Electrical System, Fuel/Propulsion System, Steering) indicate no single dominant failure mode, and the 7 crash-related complaints and 2 fire complaints are present but not exceptional. The takeaway: 2009 is a reasonably safe choice within this generation, benefiting from its position before the major 2013 quality spike while offering lower TSB activity than later years, though 2012-2017 models generally show improving or stable complaint trajectories.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
24
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
180
Owner complaints
7 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 180 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine18
Electrical System14
Fuel/Propulsion System11
Steering10
Power Train10
Unknown Or Other9
Service Brakes, Hydraulic8
Engine & Engine Cooling8

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V247000Air Bags:FrontalReported 26/04/2016

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 24 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SSM 546012026-02-23Electrical SystemFord and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory…
SSM 524762024-04-24EquipmentAll accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the…
SSM 515362023-04-04StructureFor 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis…
RFI20210317_810-2021-03-17SuspensionThis SKU is a Control Arm. The customer communication requested return of unsold…
SSM 480702019-07-02Electrical SystemSome 2009-2017 Expedition/Navigator, 2009-2014 F-150/Mustang, 2008-2009 Sable, 2008-2019…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Flex. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2009 Flex take?

6.0 qt of 5W-20 API MEETING FORD SPECIFICATION WSS-M2C945-A, per the factory manual.

Does the 2009 Flex have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Flex get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.