2011 FORD FLEX oil

6. Replace the air filter housing
cover and secure the clamps. Be
sure that the air cleaner cover tabs
are engaged into the slots of the air
cleaner housing.
Note:Failure to use the correct air filter element may result in severe
engine damage. The customer warranty may be void for any damage to
the engine if the correct air filter element is not used.
VEHICLE STORAGE
If you plan on storing your vehicle for an extended period of time
(30 days or more), refer to the following maintenance recommendations
to ensure your vehicle stays in good operating condition.
All motor vehicles and their components were engineered and tested for
reliable, regular driving. Long term storage under various conditions may
lead to component degradation or failure unless specific precautions are
taken to preserve the components.
General
•Store all vehicles in a dry, ventilated place.
•Protect from sunlight, if possible.
•If vehicles are stored outside, they require regular maintenance to
protect against rust and damage.
Body
•Wash vehicle thoroughly to remove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from
exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housing and underside of front fenders.
See theCleaningchapter for more information.
•Periodically wash vehicles stored in exposed locations.
•Touch-up raw or primed metal to prevent rust.
•Cover chrome and stainless steel parts with a thick coat of auto wax
to prevent discoloration. Re-wax as necessary when the vehicle is
washed. See theCleaningchapter for more information.
•Lubricate all hood, door and trunk lid hinges, and latches with a light
grade oil. See theCleaningchapter for more information.
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•Cover interior trim to prevent fading.
•Keep all rubber parts free from oil and solvents.
Engine
•The engine oil and filter should be changed prior to storage, as used
engine oil contain contaminates that may cause engine damage.
•Start the engine every 15 days. Run at fast idle until it reaches normal
operating temperature.
•With your foot on the brake, shift through all the gears while the
engine is running.
Fuel system
•Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel until the first automatic shutoff
of the fuel pump nozzle.
Note:During extended periods of vehicle storage (30 days or more),
fuel may deteriorate due to oxidation. Add MotorcraftGas Stabilizer or
equivalent meeting Ford material specification ESE-M99C112-A to the
vehicle fuel system whenever actual or expected storage periods exceed
30 days. Follow the instructions on the additive label. The vehicle should
then be operated at idle speed to circulate the additive throughout the
fuel system.
Cooling system
•Protect against freezing temperatures.
•When removing vehicle from storage, check coolant fluid level.
Confirm there are no cooling system leaks, and fluid is at the
recommended level.
Battery
•Check and recharge as necessary. Keep connections clean.
•If storing your vehicle for more than 30 days without recharging the
battery, it may be advisable to disconnect the battery cables to ensure
battery charge is maintained for quick starting.
Note:If battery cables are disconnected, it will be necessary to reset
memory features.
Brakes
•Make sure brakes and parking brake are fully released.
Tires
•Maintain recommended air pressure.
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Miscellaneous
•Make sure all linkages, cables, levers and pins under vehicle are
covered with grease to prevent rust.
•Move vehicles at least 25 feet (8 m) every 15 days to lubricate
working parts and prevent corrosion.
Removing vehicle from storage
When your vehicle is ready to come out of storage, do the following:
•Wash your vehicle to remove any dirt or grease film build-up on
window surfaces.
•Check windshield wipers for any deterioration.
•Check under the hood for any foreign material that may have collected
during storage (mice/squirrel nests).
•Check the exhaust for any foreign material that may have collected
during storage.
•Check tire pressures and set tire inflation per the Tire Label.
•Check brake pedal operation. Drive the vehicle 15 ft (4.5 meters) back
and forth to remove rust build up.
•Check fluid levels (including coolant, oil and gas) to make sure there
are no leaks, and fluids are at recommended levels.
•If the battery was removed, clean the battery cable ends and inspect.
If you have any concerns or issues, contact your authorized dealer.
MOTORCRAFT PART NUMBERS
Component 3.5L V6 Engine 3.5L V6 EcoBoost
Engine
Engine air filter element FA-1884 FA-1884
Battery BXT-65-650 BXT-65-750
Oil filter FL-500-S FL-500-S
Spark Plugs SP-411
1SP-512-A1
1
For spark plug replacement, see your authorized dealer. Refer to
scheduled maintenance informationfor the appropriate intervals for
changing the spark plugs.
Replace the spark plugs with ones that meet Ford material and
design specifications for your vehicle, such as Motorcraftor
equivalent replacement parts. The customer warranty may be void
for any damage to the engine if such spark plugs are not used.
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Items CapacityFord Part Name or
equivalentFord Part Number /
Ford Specification
Engine oil
(3.5L V6 engine)5.5 quarts (5.2L)•MotorcraftSAE 5W-20
Premium Synthetic
Blend Motor Oil (US)
•MotorcraftSAE 5W-20
Full Synthetic Motor Oil
(US)
•MotorcraftSAE 5W-20
Super Premium Motor
Oil (Canada)
•MotorcraftSAE 5W20
Synthetic Motor Oil
(Canada)
4
•XO-5W20-QSP (US)
•XO-5W20-QFS (US)
•CXO-5W20-LSP12
(Canada)
•CXO-5W20-LFS12
(Canada) /
WSS-M2C930-A and API
Certification Mark
Engine oil
(3.5L V6 EcoBoost
engine)5.5 quarts (5.2L)•MotorcraftSAE 5W-30
Premium Synthetic
Blend Motor Oil (US)
•MotorcraftSAE 5W-30
Full Synthetic Motor Oil
(US)
•MotorcraftSAE 5W-30
Super Premium Motor
Oil (Canada)
•MotorcraftSAE 5W-30
Synthetic Motor Oil
(Canada)
4
•XO-5W30-QSP (US)
•XO-5W30-QFS (US)
•CXO-5W30-LSP12
(Canada)
•CXO-5W30-LFS12
(Canada) /
WSS-M2C929-A with API
Certification Mark
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Items CapacityFord Part Name or
equivalentFord Part Number /
Ford Specification
Engine coolant
(with rear heater)13.2 quarts
(12.5L)
(3.5L engine)
6
•MotorcraftSpecialty
Green Engine Coolant
3
•VC-10-A2 (US)
•CVC-10-A (Canada) /
WSS-M97B55-A
Power steering fluid
(except EcoBoost
engine)Between MAX and
MIN on reservoirMotorcraft
MERCONVATFXT-5-QM /
MERCONV
Fuel tank18.6 gallons
(70.4L)——
Windshield washer fluid Fill as requiredMotorcraftPremium
Windshield Washer
Concentrate (US)
Premium Quality
Windshield Washer Fluid
(Canada)ZC-32-A (US)
CXC-37-(A, B, D, and F)
(Canada) /
WSB-M8B16-A2/- -
1Approximate dry fill capacity. Actual amount may vary during fluid changes.2Automatic transmissions that require MERCONLV should only use MERCONLV fluid. Refer to
scheduled maintenance informationto determine the correct service interval. Use of any fluid
other than the recommended fluid may cause transmission damage.3Add the coolant type originally equipped in your vehicle.4Use of synthetic or synthetic blend motor oil is not mandatory. Engine oil need only meet the
requirements of Ford specification WSS-M2C930-A (3.5L V6 engine) or WSS-M2C929-A (3.5L V6
EcoBoost engine) and the API Certification mark.5See your authorized dealer for fluid level checking or filling.63.5L EcoBoost engine coolant capacity- 13.7 quarts (13.0L)
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ENGINE DATA
Engine 3.5L V6 engine3.5L V6 EcoBoost™
engine
Cubic inches 214 214
FuelSeeOctane
recommendations
earlier in this chapter.SeeOctane
recommendationsearlier
in this chapter.
Firing order 1–4–2–5–3–6 1–4–2–5–3–6
Spark plug gap0.052–0.056 inch
(1.32–1.42 mm)0.033–0.037 inch (.84–
.94 mm)
Ignition system Coil on plug Coil on plug
Compression
ratio10.3:1 10.0:1
Engine drivebelt routing
3.5L V6 engine
1. Short drivebelt is on first pulley groove closest to engine (not
applicable to vehicles with electric power assisted steering).
2. Long drivebelt is on second pulley groove farthest from engine.
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GENERAL MAINTENANCE INFORMATION
Why maintain your vehicle?
This guide describes the scheduled maintenance required for your
vehicle. Carefully following this schedule helps protect against major
repair expenses resulting from neglect or inadequate maintenance and
may also help to increase the value of your vehicle when you sell or
trade it.
It is your responsibility to see that all scheduled maintenance is
performed and that the materials used meet Ford engineering
specifications. Failure to perform scheduled maintenance specific in this
guide will invalidate warranty coverage on parts affected by the lack of
maintenance. Be sure receipts for completed maintenance are kept with
the vehicle and confirmation of the work performed is always recorded in
this guide.
Your Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealer has factory-trained technicians who
can perform the required maintenance using genuine Ford parts. They
are committed to meeting your service needs and to assuring your
continuing satisfaction.
Protecting your investment
Maintenance is an investment that will pay dividends in the form of
improved reliability, durability and resale value. To ensure the proper
performance of your vehicle and its emission control systems, it is
imperative that scheduled maintenance be completed at the designated
intervals.
For your convenience, your vehicle is equipped with a message center
which determines the proper oil change service interval. You should
perform the engine oil change as indicated by the instrument cluster
message center. The message center will display ENGINE OIL CHANGE
SOON or OIL CHANGE REQUIRED to indicate when an oil change is
needed. The engine oil change service needs to be completed within two
weeks or 500 miles (800 km) after the OIL CHANGE REQUIRED
message is displayed. Your oil change service interval can be up to one
year or 10,000 miles (16,000 km). Reset your Intelligent Oil Life
Monitor™ after each engine oil and filter change; refer to the
Instrument Clusterchapter.
If your message center is prematurely reset or becomes inoperative, you
should perform the oil change interval at six months or 5,000 miles
(8,000 km) from your last oil change.
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Your vehicle is very sophisticated and built with multiple complex
performance systems. Every manufacturer develops these systems using
different specifications and performance features. That’s why it’s
important to rely upon your Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealership to
properly diagnose and repair your vehicle.
Ford Motor Company has recommended maintenance intervals for
various parts and component systems based upon engineering testing.
Ford Motor Company relies upon this testing to determine the most
appropriate mileage for replacement of oils and fluids to protect your
vehicle at the lowest overall cost to you and recommends against
maintenance schedules that deviate from the scheduled maintenance
information.
Ford strongly recommends the use of genuine Ford replacement parts.
Parts other than Ford, Motorcraftor Ford-authorized remanufactured
parts that are used for maintenance replacement or for the service of
components affecting emission control must be equivalent to genuine
Ford Motor Company parts in performance and durability. It is the
owner’s responsibility to determine the equivalency of such parts. Please
consult yourWarranty Guidefor complete warranty information.
Non-Ford approved chemicals or additives are not required for factory
recommended maintenance. In fact, Ford Motor Company recommends
against the use of such additive products unless specifically
recommended by Ford for a particular application.
Oil, fluids and flushing
In many cases, fluid discoloration is a normal operating characteristic
and, by itself, does not necessarily indicate a concern or that the fluid
needs to be changed. However, discolored fluids that also show signs of
overheating and/or foreign material contamination should be inspected
immediately by a qualified expert such as the factory-trained technicians
at your Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealership. Your vehicle’s oils and fluids
should be changed at the specified intervals or in conjunction with a
repair. Flushing is a viable way to change fluid for many vehicle
sub-systems during scheduled maintenance. It is critical that systems are
flushed only with new fluid that is the same as that required to fill and
operate the system, or using a Ford-approved flushing chemical.
Genuine Ford parts and service
When planning your maintenance services, consider your Ford and
Lincoln Mercury dealership for all your vehicle’s needs.
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