2010 FORD FLEX warning light

BATTERY
Your vehicle is equipped with a
Motorcraftmaintenance-free
battery which normally does not
require additional water during its
life of service.
If your battery has a cover/shield, make sure it is reinstalled
after the battery has been cleaned or replaced.
For longer, trouble-free operation, keep the top of the battery clean and
dry. Also, make certain the battery cables are always tightly fastened to
the battery terminals.
If you see any corrosion on the battery or terminals, remove the cables
from the terminals and clean with a wire brush. You can neutralize the
acid with a solution of baking soda and water.
It is recommended that the negative battery cable terminal be
disconnected from the battery if you plan to store your vehicle for an
extended period of time. This will minimize the discharge of your battery
during storage.
Note: Electrical or electronic accessories or components added to
the vehicle by the dealer or the owner may adversely affect
battery performance and durability.
WARNING:Batteries normally produce explosive gases which
can cause personal injury. Therefore, do not allow flames, sparks
or lighted substances to come near the battery. When working near the
battery, always shield your face and protect your eyes. Always provide
proper ventilation.
WARNING:When lifting a plastic-cased battery, excessive
pressure on the end walls could cause acid to flow through the
vent caps, resulting in personal injury and/or damage to the vehicle or
battery. Lift the battery with a battery carrier or with your hands on
opposite corners.
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•Do not mix coolants. Add the coolant type originally equipped
in your vehicle.Refer toMaintenance product specifications and
capacitiesin this chapter.
Note:Do not use stop leak pellets or cooling system sealants/additives
as they can cause damage to the engine cooling and/or heating systems.
This damage would not be covered under your vehicle’s warranty.
•A large amount of water without engine coolant may be added, in case
of emergency, to reach a vehicle service location. In this instance, the
cooling system must be drained and refilled with a 50/50 mixture of
engine coolant and distilled water as soon as possible. Water alone
(without engine coolant) can cause engine damage from corrosion,
overheating or freezing.
•Do not use alcohol, methanol, brine or any engine coolants
mixed with alcohol or methanol antifreeze (coolant).Alcohol
and other liquids can cause engine damage from overheating or
freezing.
•Do not add extra inhibitors or additives to the coolant.These
can be harmful and compromise the corrosion protection of the engine
coolant.
For vehicles with overflow coolant systems with a non-pressurized cap
on the coolant recovery system, add coolant to the coolant recovery
reservoir when the engine is cool. Add the proper mixture of coolant and
water to the FULL COLD level. For all other vehicles which have a
coolant degas system with a pressurized cap, or if it is necessary to
remove the coolant pressure relief cap on the radiator of a vehicle with
an overflow system, follow these steps to add engine coolant.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of personal injury, make sure the
engine is cool before unscrewing the coolant pressure relief cap.
The cooling system is under pressure; steam and hot liquid can come
out forcefully when the cap is loosened slightly.
Add the proper mixture of coolant and water to the cooling system by
following these steps:
1. Before you begin, turn the engine off and let it cool.
2. When the engine is cool, wrap a thick cloth around the coolant
pressure relief cap on the coolant reservoir (a translucent plastic bottle).
Slowly turn cap counterclockwise (left) until pressure begins to release.
3. Step back while the pressure releases.
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and other factors. If this occurs, there is no need to pull off the road.
The vehicle can continue to be driven while this message is active.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of collision and injury, be
prepared that the vehicle speed may reduce and the vehicle may
not be able to accelerate with full power until the fluid temperatures
reduce.
The air conditioning may also cycle on and off during severe operating
conditions to protect overheating of the engine. When the engine coolant
temperature decreases to a more normal operating temperature, the air
conditioning will turn on once again.
If you notice any of the following:
•the engine coolant temperature gauge moves fully into the red (hot)
area
•the coolant temperature warning light illuminates
•the service engine soon indicator illuminates
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely possible and place the vehicle in P
(Park).
2. Leave the engine running until the coolant temperature gauge needle
moves away from the H range. After several minutes, if this does not
happen, follow the remaining steps.
3. Turn the engine off and wait for it to cool before checking the coolant
level.
WARNING:Never remove the coolant reservoir cap while the
engine is running or hot.
4. If the coolant level is normal, you may restart your engine and
continue on.
5. If the coolant is low, add coolant, restart the engine and take your
vehicle to an authorized dealer. SeeAdding engine coolantin this
chapter for more information.
Refer to fail-safe cooling for additional information.
What you should know about fail-safe cooling
If the engine coolant supply is depleted, this feature allows the vehicle to
be driven temporarily before incremental component damage is incurred.
The “fail-safe” distance depends on ambient temperatures, vehicle load
and terrain.
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How fail-safe cooling works
If the engine begins to overheat:
•The engine coolant temperature gauge will move to the red (hot)
area.
•The coolant temperature warning light
will illuminate.
•The service engine soon
indicator will illuminate.
If the engine reaches a preset over-temperature condition, the engine
will automatically switch to alternating cylinder operation. Each disabled
cylinder acts as an air pump and cools the engine.
When this occurs the vehicle will still operate. However:
•The engine power will be limited.
•The air conditioning system will be disabled.
Continued operation will increase the engine temperature and the engine
will completely shut down, causing steering and braking effort to
increase.
Once the engine temperature cools, the engine can be re-started. Take
your vehicle to a service facility as soon as possible to minimize engine
damage.
When fail-safe mode is activated
You have limited engine power when in the fail-safe mode, so drive the
vehicle with caution. The vehicle will not be able to maintain high-speed
operation and the engine will run rough. Remember that the engine is
capable of completely shutting down automatically to prevent engine
damage, therefore:
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely possible and turn off the engine.
2. Arrange for the vehicle to be taken to a service facility.
3. If this is not possible, wait a short period for the engine to cool.
4. Check the coolant level and replenish if low.
WARNING:Never remove the coolant reservoir cap while the
engine is running or hot.
5. Re-start the engine and take your vehicle to a service facility.
Driving the vehicle without repairing the engine problem
increases the chance of engine damage. Take your vehicle to a
service facility as soon as possible.
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If you have run out of fuel:
•You may need to cycle the ignition from off to on several times after
refueling to allow the fuel system to pump the fuel from the tank to
the engine. On restarting, cranking time will take a few seconds longer
than normal.
•Normally, adding 1 gallon (3.8L) of fuel is enough to restart the
engine. If the vehicle is out of fuel and on a steep grade, more than
1 gallon (3.8L) may be required.
•The service engine soon
indicator may come on. For more
information on the service engine soon indicator, refer toWarning
lights and chimesin theInstrument Clusterchapter.
Refilling with a portable fuel container
With the Easy Fuel™ “no cap” fuel system, use the following directions
when filling from a portable fuel container:
WARNING:Do not insert the nozzle of portable fuel containers
or aftermarket funnels into the Easy Fuel™ system. This could
damage the fuel system and its seal, and may cause fuel to run onto
the ground instead of filling the tank, which could result in serious
personal injury.
WARNING:Do not try to pry open or push open the Easy
Fuel™ system with foreign objects. This could damage the fuel
system and its seal and cause injury to you or others.
When filling the vehicle’s fuel tank from a portable fuel container, use the
funnel included with the vehicle.
1. After lifting the carpeted floor
panel, locate the white plastic
funnel. It is attached to the rear,
lower edge of the spare tire
compartment.
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emission control, such non-Ford parts should be equivalent to genuine
Ford Motor Company parts in performance and durability.
WARNING:Do not park, idle, or drive your vehicle in dry grass
or other dry ground cover. The emission system heats up the
engine compartment and exhaust system, which can start a fire.
Illumination of the service engine soon
indicator, charging system
warning light or the temperature warning light, fluid leaks, strange odors,
smoke or loss of engine power could indicate that the emission control
system is not working properly.
An improperly operating or damaged exhaust system may allow exhaust
to enter the vehicle. Have a damaged or improperly operating exhaust
system inspected and repaired immediately.
WARNING:Exhaust leaks may result in entry of harmful and
potentially lethal fumes into the passenger compartment.
Do not make any unauthorized changes to your vehicle or engine. By
law, vehicle owners and anyone who manufactures, repairs, services,
sells, leases, trades vehicles, or supervises a fleet of vehicles are not
permitted to intentionally remove an emission control device or prevent
it from working. Information about your vehicle’s emission system is on
the Vehicle Emission Control Information Decal located on or near the
engine. This decal also lists engine displacement.
Please consult yourWarranty Guide/Customer Information Guidefor
complete emission warranty information.
On board diagnostics (OBD-II)
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer that monitors the engine’s
emission control system. This system is commonly known as the On
Board Diagnostics System (OBD-II). The OBD-II system protects the
environment by ensuring that your vehicle continues to meet
government emission standards. The OBD-II system also assists your
authorized dealer in properly servicing your vehicle. When the service
engine soon
indicator illuminates, the OBD-II system has detected
a malfunction. Temporary malfunctions may cause the service engine
soon
indicator to illuminate. Examples are:
1. The vehicle has run out of fuel—the engine may misfire or run poorly.
2. Poor fuel quality or water in the fuel—the engine may misfire or run
poorly.
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A
Accessory delay ........................102
Active Park Assist .....................280
AdvanceTrac ..............................262
Air cleaner filter ...............376–378
Air conditioning ..............68, 71, 74
manual heating and air
conditioning system .................68
Airbag supplemental restraint
system ................184–185, 193, 195
and child safety seats ............186
description ..............185, 193, 195
disposal ....................................199
driver airbag ............187, 194, 196
indicator light .................193, 198
operation .................187, 194, 196
passenger airbag .....187, 194, 196
side airbag ...............................193
All Wheel Drive (AWD),
driving off road .........................285
Ambient mood/lighting ...............85
AM/FM .........................................28
Antifreeze
(see Engine coolant) ................354
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ..............................260
Anti-theft system ..............140, 149
arming the system ..................149
disarming a triggered
system .....................................150
Audio system (see Radio) .........28
Automatic transaxle
fluid, refill capacities ..............379
fluid, specification ..................379Automatic transmission
driving an automatic
overdrive .........................271, 273
fluid, adding ............................374
fluid, checking ........................374
Selectshift (SST) ....................275
Auxiliary input jack (Line in) ....37
B
Battery .......................................352
acid, treating emergencies .....352
jumping a disabled battery ....319
maintenance-free ....................352
replacement, specifications ...378
servicing ..................................352
Belt-Minder.............................180
Booster seats .............................213
Brakes ........................................260
anti-lock ...................................260
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light ...........................261
fluid, checking and adding ....374
fluid, refill capacities ..............379
fluid, specifications .................379
lubricant specifications ..........379
parking ....................................261
shift interlock ..........................269
Bulbs ............................................86
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....379
Car2UHome Automation
System .......................................113
Cargo net ...................................124
CD ................................................28
Cell phone use ..............................9
Changing a tire .........................302
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Engine ........................................382
cleaning ...................................336
coolant .....................................354
fail-safe cooling .......................359
idle speed control ...................352
lubrication specifications .......379
refill capacities ........................379
service points ..................345–346
Engine block heater .................258
Engine oil ..................................349
change oil soon warning,
message center .......................349
checking and adding ..............349
dipstick ....................................349
filter, specifications ........351, 378
recommendations ...................351
refill capacities ........................379
specifications ..........................379
Event data recording ....................7
Exhaust fumes ..........................258
F
Fail safe cooling ........................359
Family entertainment system ....46
Fleet MyKey programming ......143
Fluid capacities .........................379
Fog lamps ....................................81
Four-Wheel Drive vehicles
driving off road .......................286
Freezer ........................................97
Fuel ............................................361
calculating fuel
economy ............................20, 367
cap ...........................................363
capacity ...................................379
choosing the right fuel ...........364comparisons with EPA fuel
economy estimates .................370
detergent in fuel .....................365
filler funnel .............................365
filling your vehicle with
fuel ...........................361, 363, 367
filter, specifications ........361, 378
fuel pump shut-off ..................294
improving fuel economy ........367
octane rating ...................364, 382
quality ......................................365
running out of fuel .........319, 365
safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................361
Fuses ..........................................294
G
Garage door opener ..................109
Gas cap (see Fuel cap) ............363
Gas mileage
(see Fuel economy) .................367
Gauges .........................................16
H
Hazard flashers .........................293
Head restraints .................160, 162
Headlamps ...................................80
aiming ..................................82–83
autolamp system .......................80
bulb specifications ....................86
daytime running lights .............82
flash to pass ..............................81
high beam .................................81
replacing bulbs .........................87
turning on and off ....................80
Heating
heating and air conditioning
system ...........................68, 71, 74
Index
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