2012 FORD FLEX Owners Manual

When driving with the full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel additional
caution should be given to:
•Towing a trailer
•Driving vehicles equipped with a camper body
•Driving vehicles with a load on the cargo rack
Drive cautiously when using a full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel and
seek service as soon as possible.
Stopping and securing the vehicle
1. Park on a level surface, set the
parking brake and activate hazard
flashers.
2. Place gearshift lever in P (Park)
and turn engine off.
Removing the spare tire and jack
If the 3rd row seat is stowed in the floor, you will need to unstow it to
access the spare tire and jack. Refer toUnstowing the third row seatin
theSeating and Safety Restraintschapter for this procedure.
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1. Remove the carpeted floor panel
located in the rear of the vehicle,
remove the wing nut that secures
the spare tire by turning it
counterclockwise.
2. Lift and remove the spare tire
from the trunk.
3. Remove the second wing nut that
secures the jack retention bracket
by turning it counterclockwise,
remove the jack kit from the
vehicle.
4. Remove the jack, L-shaped bolt,
and the wrench from the felt bag.
Fold down the wrench socket to use
to loosen the lug nuts and to operate the jack.
Tire change procedure
WARNING:When one of the front wheels is off the ground, the
transaxle alone will not prevent the vehicle from moving or
slipping off the jack, even if the vehicle is in P (Park).
WARNING:To help prevent the vehicle from moving when you
change a tire, be sure to place the transmission in P (Park), set
the parking brake and block (in both directions) the wheel that is
diagonally opposite (other side and end of the vehicle) to the tire
being changed.
WARNING:If the vehicle slips off the jack, you or someone else
could be seriously injured.
WARNING:Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull far enough off the road to
avoid the danger of being hit when operating the jack or changing the
wheel.
Note:Passengers should not remain in the vehicle when the vehicle is
being jacked.
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1. Block the diagonally opposite
wheel.
2. Remove wheel cover (if
equipped) with the lug wrench tip
and loosen each wheel lug nut
one-half turn counterclockwise but
do not remove them until the wheel
is raised off the ground.
3. Put the jack in the jack notch
next to the tire you are changing.
Turn the jack handle clockwise until
the wheel is completely off the
ground.
4. Remove the lug nuts with the lug
wrench.
5. Replace the flat tire with the
spare tire, making sure the valve
stem is facing outward. Reinstall the
lug nuts until the wheel is snug
against the hub. Do not fully tighten
the lug nuts until the wheel has
been lowered.
6. Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
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7. Remove the jack and fully tighten
the lug nuts in the order shown.
Refer toWheel lug nut torque
specificationslater in this chapter
for the proper lug nut torque
specification.
8. Install the wheel cover (if
equipped).
Stowing the tire and jack
1. Fully collapse the jack, fold the
lug wrench socket into the handle
and place the jack and wrench into
the felt bag as shown. Place the
extension bolt or L-shaped bolt into
the external pocket of the felt bag.
Take care to position the jack as
shown to ensure that the locating
holes in the jack base can be placed
on the locating tabs of the jack
mounting bracket in the spare tire
tub.
2. Securely close the wrench compartment and the jack bag using the
Velcrostrips.
3. Place the jack kit on the angled bracket in the spare tire tub, using
the locating tabs to position the jack correctly.1
4 3
2 5
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4. Insert the straight end of the jack
retention bracket through the eyelet
of the angled bracket and swing the
retention bracket over the jack. With
the jack in place, place the looped
end of the retention bracket over
the threaded stud in the trunk floor
and secure it with the plastic wing
nut.
If you are stowing the flat tire,
remove the L-shaped bolt from the
external pocket of the felt bag. With
the 3rd row seat in the raised
position, stand the flat tire in the
rear of the vehicle with the tire’s
valve stem facing the rear of the
vehicle. Fasten the flat tire to the
vehicle by inserting the L-shaped
bolt through one of the lug bolt
holes in the wheel and turning
clockwise into the threaded hole in the vehicle until the tire is secured.
If you are stowing the temporary spare tire,place the tire over the
jack and secure it with the large wing nut.
WHEEL LUG NUT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
Retighten the lug nuts to the specified torque within 100 miles (160 km)
after any wheel disturbance (rotation, flat tire, wheel removal, etc.).
Lug nut socket
size/Bolt sizeWheel lug nut torque*
ft-lb N•m
12x 20 100 135
* Torque specifications are for nut and bolt threads free of dirt and
rust. Use only Ford recommended replacement fasteners.
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WARNING:When a wheel is installed, always remove any
corrosion, dirt or foreign materials present on the mounting
surfaces of the wheel or the surface of the wheel hub, brake drum or
brake disc that contacts the wheel. Ensure that any fasteners that
attach the rotor to the hub are secured so they do not interfere with
the mounting surfaces of the wheel. Installing wheels without correct
metal-to-metal contact at the wheel mounting surfaces can cause the
wheel nuts to loosen and the wheel to come off while the vehicle is in
motion, resulting in loss of control.
Note:Inspect the wheel pilot hole
(1) and mounting surface prior to
installation. Remove any visible
corrosion or loose particles.
RUNNING OUT OF FUEL
If you have run out of fuel and need to refill the vehicle with a portable
fuel container, seeRunning out of fuelin theMaintenance and
Specificationschapter for proper fuel filling method using a portable
fuel container and the included fuel filler funnel.Do notinsert the
nozzle of portable fuel containers or any type of aftermarket funnels into
the Easy Fuel“no cap” fuel system as it can be damaged. You must use
the included funnel in such circumstances.
WARNING:Do not insert the nozzle of portable fuel containers
or aftermarket funnels into the Easy Fuelsystem. This could
damage the fuel system and its seal, and may cause fuel to run onto
the ground instead of filling the tank, all of which could result in
serious personal injury.
JUMP STARTING
WARNING:The gases around the battery can explode if
exposed to flames, sparks, or lit cigarettes. An explosion could
result in injury or vehicle damage.
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WARNING:Batteries contain sulfuric acid which can burn skin,
eyes and clothing, if contacted.
Do not attempt to push-start your automatic transmission
vehicle. Automatic transmissions do not have push-start
capability. Attempting to push-start a vehicle with an automatic
transmission may cause transmission damage.
Preparing your vehicle
When the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the
automatic transmission must relearn its shift strategy. As a result, the
transmission may have firm and/or soft shifts. This operation is
considered normal and will not affect function or durability of the
transmission. Over time, the adaptive learning process will fully update
transmission operation.
1.Use only a 12–volt supply to start your vehicle.
2. Do not disconnect the battery of the disabled vehicle as this could
damage the vehicle’s electrical system.
3. Park the booster vehicle close to the hood of the disabled vehicle
making sure the two vehiclesdo nottouch. Set the parking brake on
both vehicles and stay clear of the engine cooling fan and other moving
parts.
4. Check all battery terminals and remove any excessive corrosion before
you attach the battery cables. Ensure that vent caps are tight and level.
5. Turn the heater fan on in both vehicles to protect from any electrical
surges. Turn all other accessories off.
Connecting the jumper cables
Note:In the illustration, the vehicle on the bottom is used to designate
the assisting (boosting) battery.
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1. Connect the positive (+) jumper
cable to the positive (+) terminal of
the discharged battery.
2. Connect the other end of the
positive (+) cable to the positive
(+) terminal of the assisting battery.
3. Connect the negative (-) cable to
the negative (-) terminal of the
assisting battery.
4. Make the final connection of the
negative (-) cable to an exposed
metal part of the stalled vehicle’s
engine, away from the battery and
the carburetor/fuel injection system.
Note:Do not attach the negative (-) cable to fuel lines, engine rocker
covers, the intake manifold or electrical components as grounding points.
WARNING:Do not connect the end of the second cable to the
negative (-) terminal of the battery to be jumped. A spark may
cause an explosion of the gases that surround the battery.
Ensure that the cables are clear of fan blades, belts, moving parts of both
engines, or any fuel delivery system parts.
Jump starting
1. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and run the engine at
moderately increased speed.
2. Start the engine of the disabled vehicle.
3. Once the disabled vehicle has been started, run both engines for an
additional three minutes before disconnecting the jumper cables.
Removing the jumper cables
Remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were
connected.
+–
+–
2
3
14
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