2012 FORD FLEX spare tire

DRIVER DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the driver door is not
completely closed.
PASSENGER DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the passenger door is
not completely closed.
REAR LEFT DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the rear left door is not
completely closed.
REAR RIGHT DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the rear right door is
not completely closed.
PARK BRAKE ENGAGED— Displayed when the parking brake is set,
the engine is running and the vehicle is driven more than 3 mph
(5 km/h). If the warning stays on after the parking brake is released,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
XXX MILES TO E FUEL LEVEL LOW— Displayed as an early
reminder of a low fuel condition.
CHECK FUEL FILL INLET— Displayed when the fuel fill inlet may
not be properly closed. Refer toEasy Fuel “no cap” fuel systemin the
Maintenance and Specificationschapter.
CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM— Displayed when the braking system is not
operating properly. If the warning stays on or continues to come on,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
LIFTGATE AJAR— Displayed when the liftgate is not completely
closed. Press RESET to reset display.
CHECK PARK AID (if equipped)— Displayed when the transmission
is in R (Reverse) and the reverse sensing system (park aid) is disabled.
REMOVE OBJECTS NEAR PASS SEAT— Displayed when objects
are by the passenger seat. After the objects are moved away from the
seat, if the warning stays on or continues to come on, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
BRAKE FLUID LEVEL LOW— Indicates the brake fluid level is low
and the brake system should be inspected immediately. Refer toBrake
fluidin theMaintenance and Specificationschapter.
AWD OFF (if equipped)— Displayed when the AWD system has been
automatically disabled to protect itself. This is caused by operating the
vehicle with the compact spare tire installed or if the system is
overheating. The AWD system will resume normal function and clear this
message after driving a short distance with the road tire re-installed or
after the system is allowed to cool.
CHECK AWD (if equipped)— Displayed when a problem exists with
the AWD system. Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
Instrument Cluster
23
2012 Flex(471)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

LOW TIRE PRESSURE— Displayed when one or more tires on your
vehicle has low tire pressure. Refer toInflating your tiresin theTires,
Wheels and Loadingchapter.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR FAULT— Displayed when the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System is malfunctioning. If the warning stays on or
continues to come on, contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible.
TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR FAULT— Displayed when a tire pressure
sensor is malfunctioning, or your spare tire is in use. For more
information on how the system operates under these conditions, refer to
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)in theTires, Wheels and
Loadingchapter. If the warning stays on or continues to come on,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT— The power steering system
has disabled power steering assist due to a system error; service is
required.
SERVICE POWER STEERING— The power steering system has
detected a condition that requires service.
SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW— The power steering system
has detected a condition that requires service immediately.
ENGINE OIL CHANGE SOON— Displayed when the engine oil life
remaining is 5% to 1%.
OIL CHANGE REQUIRED— Displayed when the oil life left reaches
0%.
INTKEY COULD NOT PROGRAM— Displayed when an attempt is
made to program a fifth integrated key to the remote key entry system.
For more information on integrated key, refer to theLocks and Security
chapter in this manual.
ADVANCETRAC OFF— Displayed briefly when the system has been
disabled.
ADVANCETRAC ON— Displayed briefly when the system has been
enabled.
TRACTION CONTROL ON— Displayed briefly when the system has
been enabled.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF— Displayed briefly when the system has
been disabled.
TRAILER SWAY REDUCE SPEED (if equipped)— Displayed when
the trailer sway control has detected trailer sway. For more information,
refer to theDrivingchapter for more information.
Instrument Cluster
24
2012 Flex(471)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

driving surfaces are relatively level, obstruction-free and otherwise
similar to normal on-road driving conditions. Operating your vehicle
under other than those conditions could subject the vehicle to excessive
stress which might result in damage which is not covered under your
warranty.
For AWD vehicles, a spare tire of a different size other than the tire
provided should never be used. A dissimilar spare tire size (other than
the spare tire provided) or major dissimilar tire sized between the front
and rear axles could cause the AWD system to stop functioning and
default to front-wheel drive.
WARNING:Do not become overconfident in the ability of AWD
vehicles. Although a AWD vehicle may accelerate better than
two-wheel drive vehicle in low traction situations, it won’t stop any
faster than two-wheel drive vehicles. Always drive at a safe speed.
How your vehicle differs from other vehicles
Crossover vehicles can differ from
some other vehicles in a few
noticeable ways. Your vehicle may
be:
•Higher – to allow higher load
carrying capacity.
•Shorter – to give it the capability
to approach inclines. All other
things held equal, a shorter
wheelbase may make your vehicle
quicker to respond to steering
inputs than a vehicle with a
longer wheelbase.
•Narrower – to provide greater
maneuverability in tight spaces.
As a result of the above dimensional differences, crossover vehicles often
will have a higher center of gravity and a greater difference in center of
gravity between the loaded and unloaded condition.
These differences that make your vehicle so versatile also make it handle
differently than an ordinary passenger car.
Tires, Wheels and Loading
213
2012 Flex(471)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

INFORMATION ABOUT UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires. The
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For
example:
•Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
These Tire Quality Grades are determined by standards that the United
States Department of Transportation has set.
Tire Quality Grades apply to new pneumatic passenger car tires. They do
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires, space-saver or
temporary use spare tires, light truck or “LT” type tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches or limited production tires as
defined in Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 575.104(c)(2).
U.S. Department of Transportation-Tire quality grades:The U.S.
Department of Transportation requires Ford Motor Company to give you
the following information about tire grades exactly as the government
has written it.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1
12) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices, and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Tires, Wheels and Loading
214
2012 Flex(471)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

Increasing the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not increase
the tire’s load carrying capability.
•kPa:Kilopascal, a metric unit of air pressure.
•PSI:Pounds per square inch, a standard unit of air pressure.
•Cold inflation pressure:The tire pressure when the vehicle has
been stationary and out of direct sunlight for an hour or more and
prior to the vehicle being driven for 1 mile (1.6 km).
•Recommended inflation pressure:The cold inflation pressure found
on the Safety Compliance Certification Label or Tire Label located on
the B-Pillar or the edge of the driver’s door.
•B-pillar:The structural member at the side of the vehicle behind the
front door.
•Bead area of the tire:Area of the tire next to the rim.
•Sidewall of the tire:Area between the bead area and the tread.
•Tread area of the tire:Area of the perimeter of the tire that
contacts the road when mounted on the vehicle.
•Rim:The metal support (wheel) for a tire or a tire and tube assembly
upon which the tire beads are seated.
INFLATING YOUR TIRES
Safe operation of your vehicle requires that your tires are properly
inflated. Remember that a tire can lose up to half of its air pressure
without appearing flat.
Every day before you drive, check your tires. If one looks lower than the
others, use a tire gauge to check pressure of all tires and adjust if
required.
At least once a month and before long trips, inspect each tire and check
the tire pressure with a tire gauge (including spare, if equipped). Inflate
all tires to the inflation pressure recommended by Ford Motor Company.
You are strongly urged to buy a reliable tire pressure gauge, as automatic
service station gauges may be inaccurate. Ford recommends the use of a
digital or dial-type tire pressure gauge rather than a stick-type tire
pressure gauge.
Use the recommended cold inflation pressure for optimum tire
performance and wear. Under-inflation or over-inflation may cause
uneven treadwear patterns.
Tires, Wheels and Loading
216
2012 Flex(471)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

Note:If you have to drive a distance to get air for your tire(s), check
and record the tire pressure first and add the appropriate air pressure
when you get to the pump. It is normal for tires to heat up and the air
pressure inside to go up as you drive.
2. Remove the cap from the valve on one tire, then firmly press the tire
gauge onto the valve and measure the pressure.
3. Add enough air to reach the recommended air pressure.
Note:If you overfill the tire, release air by pressing on the metal stem in
the center of the valve. Then recheck the pressure with your tire gauge.
4. Replace the valve cap.
5. Repeat this procedure for each tire, including the spare.
Note:Some spare tires operate at a higher inflation pressure than the
other tires. For T-type/mini-spare tires (see theDissimilar spare
tire/wheel informationsection for description): Store and maintain at
60 psi (4.15 bar). For full-size and dissimilar spare tires (see the
Dissimilar spare tire/wheel informationsection for description): Store
and maintain at the higher of the front and rear inflation pressure as
shown on the Tire Label.
6. Visually inspect the tires to make sure there are no nails or other
objects embedded that could poke a hole in the tire and cause an air
leak.
7. Check the sidewalls to make sure there are no gouges, cuts or bulges.
TIRE CARE
Inspecting your tires and wheel valve stems
Periodically inspect the tire treads for uneven or excessive wear and
remove objects such as stones, nails or glass that may be wedged in the
tread grooves. Check the tire and valve stems for holes, cracks, or cuts
that may permit air leakage and repair or replace the tire and replace
the valve stem. Inspect the tire sidewalls for cracking, cuts, bruises and
other signs of damage or excessive wear. If internal damage to the tire is
suspected, have the tire demounted and inspected in case it needs to be
repaired or replaced. For your safety, tires that are damaged or show
signs of excessive wear should not be used because they are more likely
to blow out or fail.
Tires, Wheels and Loading
218
2012 Flex(471)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

Improper or inadequate vehicle maintenance can cause tires to wear
abnormally. Inspect all your tires, including the spare, frequently, and
replace them if one or more of the following conditions exist:
Tire wear
When the tread is worn down to
1/16th of an inch (2 mm), tires must
be replaced to help prevent your
vehicle from skidding and
hydroplaning. Built-in treadwear
indicators, or “wear bars”, which
look like narrow strips of smooth
rubber across the tread will appear
on the tire when the tread is worn
down to 1/16th of an inch (2 mm).
When the tire tread wears down to
the same height as these “wear bars”, the tire is worn out and must be
replaced.
Damage
Periodically inspect the tire treads and sidewalls for damage (such as
bulges in the tread or sidewalls, cracks in the tread groove and
separation in the tread or sidewall). If damage is observed or suspected
have the tire inspected by a tire professional. Tires can be damaged
during off-road use, so inspection after off-road use is also
recommended.
WARNING: Age
Tires degrade over time depending on many factors such as
weather, storage conditions, and conditions of use (load, speed,
inflation pressure, etc.) the tires experience throughout their lives.
In general, tires should be replaced after six years regardless of tread
wear. However, heat caused by hot climates or frequent high loading
conditions can accelerate the aging process and may require tires to be
replaced more frequently.
You should replace your spare tire when you replace the road tires or
after six years due to aging even if it has not been used.
Tires, Wheels and Loading
219
2012 Flex(471)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

•Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking
WARNING:If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc.,do
notrapidly spin the tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire and
cause an explosion. A tire can explode in as little as three to five
seconds.
WARNING:Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h).
The tires may fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Highway hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there’s always the possibility that you
may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving, or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tires for damage. If a tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and replace it with your spare tire and wheel. If
you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest repair
facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
Tire and wheel alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or cause damage to your tires. If your
vehicle seems to pull to one side when you’re driving, the wheels may be
out of alignment. Have an authorized dealer check the wheel alignment
periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by an authorized dealer.
Front-wheel drive (FWD) vehicles and those with an independent rear
suspension (if equipped) may require alignment of all four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular tire wear.
Tire rotation
Rotating your tires at the recommended interval (as indicated in the
Scheduled Maintenancechapter) will help your tires wear more evenly,
providing better tire performance and longer tire life.
Tires, Wheels and Loading
222
2012 Flex(471)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)