2010 FORD FLEX ESP

TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires
of a different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces
fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling
and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator
to indicate when the system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as
the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function properly.
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Low Tire Pressure
Warning LightPossible cause Customer Action Required
Flashing Warning
LightSpare tire in use Your temporary spare tire is in
use. Repair the damaged road
wheel and re-mount it on the
vehicle to restore system
functionality. For a description
of how the system functions
under these conditions, refer to
When your temporary spare
tire is installedin this section.
TPMS
malfunctionIf your tires are properly
inflated and your spare tire is
not in use and the TPMS
warning light still flashes,
contact your authorized dealer
as soon as possible.
When inflating your tires
When putting air into your tires (such as at a gas station or in your
garage), the Tire Pressure Monitoring System may not respond
immediately to the air added to your tires.
It may take up to two minutes of driving over 20 mph (32 km/h) for the
light to turn OFF after you have filled your tires to the recommended
inflation pressure.
How temperature affects your tire pressure
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) monitors tire pressure in
each pneumatic tire. While driving in a normal manner, a typical
passenger tire inflation pressure may increase approximately 2 to 4 psi
(14 to 28 kPa) from a cold start situation. If the vehicle is stationary
over night with the outside temperature significantly lower than the
daytime temperature, the tire pressure may decrease approximately 3 psi
(21 kPa) for a drop of 30°F (17°C) in ambient temperature. This lower
pressure value may be detected by the TPMS as being significantly lower
than the recommended inflation pressure and activate the TPMS warning
for low tire pressure. If the low tire pressure warning light is ON, visually
check each tire to verify that no tire is flat. (If one or more tires are flat,
repair as necessary.) Check air pressure in the road tires. If any tire is
under-inflated, carefully drive the vehicle to the nearest location where
air can be added to the tires. Inflate all the tires to the recommended
inflation pressure.
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that assists in starting the engine. After releasing the key from the 4
(start) position, the engine may continue cranking for up to 10 seconds
or until the vehicle starts.
Note:Cranking may be stopped at any time by turning the key to the off
position
3. After idling for a few seconds, release the parking brake, apply the
brake, shift into gear and drive.
Note:If the engine does not start on the first try, turn the key to the off
position, wait 10 seconds and try Step 2 again. If the engine still fails to
start, press the accelerator to the floor and try Step 2 again, keeping the
accelerator on the floor until the engine begins to accelerate above
cranking speeds; this will allow the engine to crank with the fuel shut off
in case the engine is flooded with fuel.
Guarding against exhaust fumes
Carbon monoxide is present in exhaust fumes. Take precautions to avoid
its dangerous effects.
WARNING:If you smell exhaust fumes inside your vehicle, have
your dealer inspect your vehicle immediately. Do not drive if you
smell exhaust fumes.
Important ventilating information
If the engine is idling while the vehicle is stopped for a long period of
time, open the windows at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) or adjust the heating or
air conditioning to bring in fresh air.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (IF EQUIPPED)
An engine block heater warms the engine coolant which aids in starting
and allows the heater/defroster system to respond quickly. If your vehicle
is equipped with this system, your equipment includes a heater element
which is installed in your engine block and a wire harness which allows
the user to connect the system to a grounded 120 volt A/C electrical
source. The block heater system is most effective when outdoor
temperatures reach below 0°F (-18°C).
WARNING:Failure to follow engine block heater instructions
could result in property damage or physical injury.
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WARNING:To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use
your heater with ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged
(cheater) adapters.
Prior to using the engine block heater, follow these recommendations for
proper and safe operation:
•For your safety, use an outdoor extension cord that is product
certified by Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) or Canadian Standards
Association (CSA). Use only an extension cord that can be used
outdoors, in cold temperatures, and is clearly marked “Suitable for Use
with Outdoor Appliances.” Never use an indoor extension cord
outdoors; it could result in an electric shock or fire hazard.
•Use a 16 gauge outdoor extension cord, minimum.
•Use as short an extension cord as possible.
•Do not use multiple extension cords. Instead, use one extension cord
which is long enough to reach from the engine block heater cord to
the outlet without stretching.
•Make certain that the extension cord is in excellent condition (not
patched or spliced). Store your extension cord indoors at
temperatures above 32°F (0°C). Outdoor conditions can deteriorate
extension cords over a period of time.
•To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use your heater with
ungrounded electrical systems or two pronged (cheater) adapters.
Also ensure that the block heater, especially the cord, is in good
condition before use.
•Make sure that when in operation, the extension cord plug /engine
block heater cord plug connection is free and clear of water in order
to prevent possible shock or fire.
•Be sure that areas where the vehicle is parked are clean and clear of
all combustibles such as petroleum products, dust, rags, paper and
similar items.
•Be sure that the engine block heater, heater cord and extension cord
are solidly connected. A poor connection can cause the cord to
become very hot and may result in an electrical shock or fire. Be sure
to check for heat anywhere in the electrical hookup once the system
has been operating for approximately a half hour.
•Finally, have the engine block heater system checked during your fall
tune-up to be sure it’s in good working order.
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Night time and dark area use
At night time or in dark areas, the camera system relies on the reverse
lamp lighting to produce an image. Therefore it is necessary that both
reverse lamps are operating in order to get a clear image in the dark. If
either of the lamps are not operating, stop using the camera system, at
least in the dark, until the lamp(s) are replaced and functioning.
Servicing
•If the image comes on while the vehicle is not in R (Reverse), have
the system inspected by your authorized dealer.
•If the image is not clear, then check if there is anything covering the
lens such as dirt, mud, ice, snow, etc. If the image is still not clear
after cleaning, have your system inspected by your authorized dealer.
ACTIVE PARK ASSIST (APA) (IF EQUIPPED)
Active Park Assist (APA) will detect an available parallel parking space
and automatically steer the vehicle into the space (hands free) while you
control the accelerator, gearshift and brakes. The system will visually
and/or audibly instruct the driver to park the vehicle.
WARNING:This system is designed to be a supplementary park
aid. It may not work in all conditions and is not intended to
replace the driver’s attention and judgment. The driver is responsible
for avoiding hazards and maintaining a safe distance and speed, even
when the APA is in use.
Conditions in which the system may not work:
•Something passes between the front bumper and the space such as a
pedestrian or cyclist
•The edge of the vehicle is high from the ground such as a bus, tow
truck or flat bed truck
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APA Finished
When Active Park Assist has completed the automated steering, the
message center displays ACTIVE PARK FINISHED followed by a chime.
The driver is responsible to assess and correct as necessary the final
parking position and put the vehicle in P (Park).
The system can also be deactivated at any time by the following:
•Pressing the APA control switch.
•Grabbing the steering wheel.
•Exceeding a vehicle speed of 18 mph (30 km/h) for 30 seconds during
Active Park Searching.
•Exceeding a vehicle speed of 6 mph (10 km/h) during automatic
steering.
•Deactivating the AdvanceTracsystem or the system has activated on
a slippery or loose surface.
•ABS activation or failure.
•Any door (except the driver’s door) opens.
•Something touching the steering wheel.
If a fault is present in the system, the message ACTIVE PARK FAULT
will be displayed followed by a chime. Contact an authorized dealer to
have your vehicle serviced.
The system should not be used if:
•A foreign object (i.e. bike rack, trailer, etc.) is attached to the front or
rear of the vehicle or at another location close to the sensors.
•The front bumper or side sensors are damaged (i.e. in a collision) or
obstructed by a foreign object (i.e. front bumper cover).
•A mini-spare tire is used
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•One of the parked vehicles has a high altitude attachment (i.e. salt
sprayer, snow plow, moving truck high bed, etc.) High altitude
attachments may not be detected by the system.
•The parking space length or parked objects position have changed
after the vehicle has passed the parking space.
•The temperature around your vehicle changed quickly such as you
just drove from a heated garage into the cold or just left a car wash.
As a result, the outside air temperature displayed in the vehicle may
not be close enough to the actual temperature. APA relies on a
correctly sensing the temperature outside for precisely positioning the
vehicle.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a full-time All Wheel Drive (AWD)
system. The AWD system is an active system, meaning it not only
responds to wheel slip between the front and rear axles but also has the
ability to anticipate wheel slip and transfer torque to the rear wheels
before slip occurs. The AWD system is active all the time and requires no
input from the operator.
All components of the AWD system are sealed for life and require no
maintenance.
Note:When an AWD system fault is present, the warningCHECK AWD
will display in the message center. The AWD system is not functioning
correctly and defaulted to front wheel drive. When this warning is
displayed, have your vehicle serviced at an authorized dealer
If your vehicle is equipped with AWD, a spare tire of a different size
other than the tire provided should never be used. If the spare tire is
installed, the AWD system may disable automatically and enter front
wheel drive only mode to protect driveline components. This condition
may be indicated by anAWD OFFmessage in the message center (see
Message centersection in theInstrument Clusterchapter for more
information). If there is anAWD OFFmessage in the message center
from using the spare tire, this indicator should turn off after reinstalling
the repaired or replaced normal road tire and driving a short distance. It
is recommended to reinstall the repaired or replaced road tire as soon as
possible. Major dissimilar tire sizes between the front and rear axles
could cause the AWD system to stop functioning and default to front
wheel drive or damage the AWD system.
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•In the event of an emergency stop, avoid skidding the tires and do not
attempt any sharp steering wheel movements.
•If the vehicle goes from one type of surface to another (i.e., from
concrete to gravel) there will be a change in the way the vehicle
responds to a maneuver (steering, acceleration or braking). Again,
avoid these abrupt inputs.
AWD Systems (if equipped)
AWD uses all four wheels to power the vehicle. This increases traction,
enabling you to drive over terrain and road conditions that a
conventional two-wheel drive vehicle cannot.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all four wheels on the most solid
area of the trail. Avoid reducing the tire pressures but shift to a lower
gear and drive steadily through the terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly
and avoid spinning the wheels.
When driving at slow speeds in deep sand under high outside
temperatures, use a low gear when possible. Lower gear operation will
maximize the engine and transmission cooling capability.
Under severe operating conditions, the A/C may cycle on and off to
protect overheating of the engine.
Avoid excessive speed because vehicle momentum can work against you
and cause the vehicle to become stuck to the point that assistance may
be required from another vehicle. Remember, you may be able to back
out the way you came if you proceed with caution.
Mud and water
If you must drive through high water, drive slowly. Traction or brake
capability may be limited.
When driving through water, determine the depth; avoid water higher
than the bottom of the wheel rims (if possible) and proceed slowly. If the
ignition system gets wet, the vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes. Wet brakes do not stop the
vehicle as effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be improved by moving
your vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle speed or direction when you
are driving in mud. Even AWD vehicles can lose traction in slick mud. As
when you are driving over sand, apply the accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning your wheels. If the vehicle does slide, steer in the direction of
the slide until you regain control of the vehicle.
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