2009 FORD FLEX tow

Adjusting second row bucket and bench seat back
Lift the handle to adjust seatback.
Using same control will fold the
seatback flat.
WARNING:Always drive and ride with your seatback upright
and the lap belt snug and low across the hips.
WARNING:Reclining the seatback can cause an occupant to
slide under the seat’s safety belt, resulting in severe personal
injuries in the event of a collision.
Adjusting second row seats (six–passenger vehicles only)
Lift the control to adjust the seat
forward or backward.
Accessing the third row seats
Fold and tumble the second row seat to access the third row. Remove
items from the second row seat and ensure that no bulky objects such as
purses or briefcases are on the floor in front of the second row seats
before tumbling them.
Note:You may have to move the front row seat forward to allow the 2nd
row seat to be fully tumbled. Stow the head restraint by pushing the
head restraint release button while sliding the head restraint fully down.
2009 Flex(471)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
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3. To return the seatback to the
floor from tumbled position, rotate
the seat down until you hear it
latching to the floor.
4. To return the seatback to the
upright position
•Lift the seatback toward the rear
of the vehicle, and
•Rotate the seatback until you
hear a click, locking it in the
upright position.
Note:The seatback will not raise if
the rear latch hooks are not
properly engaged to the floor
striker. If the seatback does not raise, then repeat steps 3 and 4.
5. Pull the head restraint back up to its normal adjusted position.
WARNING:Before returning the seatback to its original
position, make sure that cargo or any objects are not trapped
behind the seatback. After returning the seatback to its original
position, pull on the seatback to ensure that it has fully latched. An
unlatched seat may become dangerous in the event of a sudden stop or
collision.
2nd row power fold and tumble seat (six-passenger vehicles only)
WARNING:Ensure that the seat is unoccupied when folding it
down. Folding the seat while occupied could result in occupant
injury or damage to the seat.
Note:The power feature is not operational when the vehicle is not in
park and the liftgate has been open for greater than ten minutes.
2009 Flex(471)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
161

Press the control located at the
back of the rear door opening one
time to fold the seat back down and
tumble the seat forward for access
to the 3rd row.
Exiting the third row seat
1. Stow the head restraint by pushing the head restraint release button
while sliding the head restraint fully down.
2. Pull on the strap located on the
back of the second row seat. This
will fold the seatback forward. Pull
the strap a second time to tumble
the seat forward, allowing easy exit
from the 3rd row seat.
3. To return the seatback to the
floor from tumbled position, rotate
the seat down until you hear it
latching to the floor.
2009 Flex(471)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
162

4. To return the seatback to the
upright position
•Lift the seatback toward the rear
of the vehicle, and
•Rotate the seatback until you
hear a click, locking it in the
upright position.
Note:The seatback will not raise if
the rear latch hooks are not
properly engaged to the floor
striker. If the seatback does not raise, then repeat steps 3 and 4.
5. Pull the head restraint back up to its normal adjusted position.
WARNING:Before returning the seatback to its original
position, make sure that cargo or any objects are not trapped
behind the seatback. After returning the seatback to its original
position, pull on the seatback to ensure that it has fully latched. An
unlatched seat may become dangerous in the event of a sudden stop or
collision.
Ensure that the rear latch hooks are
properly engaged with the floor
striker.
Note: Ensure that the seat and
seatback are latched securely in
position. Keep floor area free of
objects that would prevent proper
seat engagement.
2009 Flex(471)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
163

Stowing the third row seat
1. Remove all objects from the seat
and stowage tub.
2. Stow the head restraints by
pushing the head restraint release
button while sliding the head
restraints fully down.
3. From the rear of the vehicle, fold seatback by pulling and holding the
number 1 strap while pushing the seatback forward. Release strap once
seatback starts rotating forward.
4. Release the cushion latches by pulling the number 2 strap while
pulling on the strap located at the top of the seatback to tumble the seat
all the way into the tub in the floor.
Note:Do not use the seat anchors as cargo tie downs.
2009 Flex(471)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
165

Note:Do not use the third row
seatback as a load floor when the
seatback is folded.
Note:In order to allow the seat to latch in the stowed position, do not
stow objects under the seat before stowing.
Unstowing the third row seat
Note:Ensure that there are no objects such as books, purses or brief
cases on the load floor before unstowing the seat. Failure to remove all
objects from the top of the load floor prior to unstowing it may cause
damage to the seat.
Note:Ensure the area under the load floor is free of objects before
unstowing it.
1. Unlatch and lift the seat out of the tub in the floor by squeezing and
pulling up on the handle. Once the seat is at a vertical position, push the
seat over, letting it fall onto the latches.
2009 Flex(471)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
166

To properly position yourself away from the airbag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly one or two degrees from the upright position.
WARNING:Do not put anything on or over the air bag module.
Placing objects on or over the air bag inflation area may cause
those objects to be propelled by the air bag into your face and torso
causing serious injury.
WARNING:Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
airbag supplemental restraint systems or its fuses. See your
authorized dealer.
WARNING:Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of
the vehicle (including frame, bumper, front end body structure
and tow hooks) may affect the performance of the airbag system,
increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the
vehicle.
Children and airbags
Children must always be properly
restrained. Accident statistics
suggest that children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front
seating position. Failure to follow
these instructions may increase the
risk of injury in a collision.
WARNING:Airbags can kill
or injure a child in a child
seat.NEVERplace a rear-facing
child seat in front of an active
airbag. If you must use a
forward-facing child seat in the
front seat, move the seat all the
way back.
2009 Flex(471)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
183

WARNING:Sitting improperly out of position or with the seat
back reclined too far can take off weight from the seat cushion
and affect the decision of the front passenger sensing system, resulting
in serious injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright against your seatback, with your feet on the floor.
The front passenger sensing system may detect small or medium objects
placed on the seat cushion. For most objects that are in the front
passenger seat, the passenger airbag will be disabled. Even though the
passenger airbag is disabled, thepass airbag offlamp may or may not
be illuminated according to the table below.
ObjectsPass Airbag Off
Indicator LightPassenger Airbag
Small (i.e. three-ring
binder, small purse,
bottled water)Unlit Disabled
Medium (i.e. heavy
briefcase, fully packed
luggage)Lit Disabled
Empty seat, or small
to medium object with
safety belt buckledLit Disabled
If you think that the status of the passenger airbag off indicator lamp is
incorrect, check for the following:
•Objects lodged underneath the seat
•Objects between the seat cushion and the center console (if
equipped)
•Objects hanging off the seat back
•Objects stowed in the seatback map pocket (if equipped)
•Objects placed on the occupant’s lap
•Cargo interference with the seat
•Other passengers pushing or pulling on the seat
•Rear passenger feet and knees resting or pushing on the seat
The conditions listed above may cause the weight of a properly seated
occupant to be incorrectly interpreted by the passenger sensing system.
The person in the front passenger seat may appear heavier or lighter due
to the conditions described in the list above.
2009 Flex(471)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
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