2013 FORD FLEX automatic transmission

D (Drive) with Grade Assist (if equipped)
Press the transmission control
switch on the side of the gearshift
lever to activate grade assist.
Grade assist:
•Improves driving experience in hilly terrain or mountainous areas by
providing additional grade (engine) braking and extends lower gear
operation on uphill climbs.
•Provides additional engine braking through the automatic transmission
shift strategy which reacts to vehicle inputs (vehicle acceleration,
accelerator pedal, brake pedal and vehicle speed).
•Allows the transmission to select gears that will provide the desired
engine braking based on the vehicle inputs mentioned above. This will
increase engine RPM during engine braking.
•The grade assist lamp in the instrument cluster is
illuminated.
Grade assist is designed to provide optimal gear selection in hilly terrain
or mountainous areas. It is recommended that you return to D (Drive) on
flat terrain to provide the best fuel economy and transmission function.
Press the transmission control switch again to return to O/D (overdrive
mode).
•The grade assist lamp in the instrument cluster will not be illuminated.
•The transmission will operate in gears one through six.
L (Low)
•Provides maximum engine braking
•Will downshift to the lowest available gear for the current vehicle
speed; allows for first gear when vehicle reaches lower speeds
•Is not intended for use under extended or normal driving conditions
and results in lower fuel economy.
PRNDL
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S (Sport)
Moving the gearshift lever to S (Sport):
•Provides additional grade (engine) braking and extends lower gear
operation to enhance performance for uphill climbs, hilly terrain or
mountainous areas. This will increase engine RPM during engine
braking.
•Provides additional lower gear operation through the automatic
transmission shift strategy which reacts to vehicle inputs (vehicle
acceleration, accelerator pedal, brake pedal and vehicle speed).
•Gears are selected more quickly and at higher engine speeds.
SelectShift Automatic™ Transmission (If Equipped)
Note:Your transmission must be in S (Sport) for SelectShift to operate
properly.
Your SelectShift automatic transmission gives you the ability to manually
change gears if you’d like. To use SelectShift, move the gearshift lever
into S (Sport). Now you can use select shift to manually change gears.
Note:The system will stay in S (Sport) until the gear shift lever is
moved into another gear for example P (park) or D (Drive).
If your vehicle is equipped with the +/– buttons on the side of your
gearshift lever:
•Press (–) on the gearshift lever
button to manually downshift the
transmission.
•Press (+) on the gearshift lever
button to manually upshift the
transmission.
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If your vehicle is equipped with paddles on the steering wheel:
•Pull the left paddle(–)to
downshift the transmission.
•Pull the right paddle (+) to upshift
the transmission.
Upshift to the recommended shift speeds according to the following
chart:
Upshifts when accelerating (recommended for best fuel
economy)
Shift from:
1 - 2 15 mph (24 km/h)
2 - 3 25 mph (40 km/h)
3 - 4 40 mph (64 km/h)
4 - 5 45 mph (72 km/h)
5 - 6 50 mph (80 km/h)
The instrument cluster will show the selected gear you are currently in.
In order to prevent the engine from running at too low an RPM, which
may cause it to stall, SelectShift will automatically make some downshifts
if it has determined that you have not downshifted in time. It will still
allow you to downshift at any time as long as SelectShift determines that
the engine will not be damaged from over-revving.
Note:If manual control is no longer desired, you must return the gear
shift lever from S (Sport) to D (Drive).
Note:Engine damage may occur if excessive engine revving is held
without shifting.
Automatic transmission adaptive learning
This feature is designed to increase durability and provide consistent
shift feel over the life of the vehicle. A new vehicle or 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.
Additionally, whenever the battery is disconnected or a new battery
installed, the strategy must be relearned.
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AVehicle without AdvanceTrac
skidding off its intended route.
BVehicle with AdvanceTrac
maintaining control on a slippery
surface.
USING ADVANCETRACWITH RSC
The system automatically activates when you start your engine. The
AdvanceTracwith RSCsystem cannot be completely turned off, but
the ESC and RSCportions of the system are disabled when the
transmission is in R (Reverse). The traction control portion of the system
can be turned off independently. See theTraction Controlchapter.
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Automatic Steering into Parking Space
Note:If vehicle speed exceeds 6 mph (10 km/h), the system turns off and
you need to take full control of the vehicle.
Note:If a maneuver is interrupted before completion, the system turns
off. The steering wheel position will not indicate the actual position of
the steering and you have to full take control of the vehicle.
With hands off the wheel (and nothing obstructing its movement) and
the transmission in R (Reverse), the vehicle steers itself as instructions
to safely move the vehicle back and forward in the space are displayed in
the touch screen. While reversing, the touch screen displays a message
instructing the driver to check their surroundings (for safety reasons)
and to back-up slowly, accompanied by a corresponding graphic.
When you think the vehicle has enough space in front and behind it, or you
hear a solid tone from the parking aid, bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
When automatic steering is finished, the touch screen displays a message
indicating that the active park assist process is done. The driver is
responsible for checking the parking job and making any necessary
corrections before putting the transmission in P (Park).
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Deactivating the Park Assist Feature
The system can be deactivated manually by:
•pressing the active park assist button
•grabbing the steering wheel
•driving above approximately 20 mph (35 km/h) for 30 seconds during
an active park search
•driving above 6 mph (10 km/h) during automatic steering
•turning off the traction control system.
Certain vehicle conditions can also deactivate the system:
•Traction control has activated on a slippery or loose surface.
•Anti-lock brake system activation or failure.
•Any door (except the driver’s) opens.
•Something touches the steering wheel.
If a problem occurs with the system, a warning message is displayed,
followed by a chime. Occasional active park assist messages may occur in
normal operation. For recurring or frequent active park assist faults,
contact an authorized dealer to have your vehicle serviced.
Troubleshooting the System
The system does not look for a space
The traction control system may be off
Any door (except the driver’s) may not be completely closed
The system does not offer a particular space
Something may be contacting the front bumper or side sensors
There is not enough room on both sides of the vehicle in order to park
There is not enough space for the parking maneuver on the opposite
side of the parking space
The vehicle is farther than 5 ft (1.5 m) from the parking space
The vehicle is closer than 16 in. (40 cm) from neighboring parked
vehicles
The transmission is in R (Reverse); the vehicle must be moving forward
to detect a parking space
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Visual Park Aid Alert
Note:Visual park alert is only available when the transmission is in R
(Reverse).
Note:The reverse sensing system is not effective at speeds above 3 mph
(5 km/h) and may not detect certain angular or moving objects.
The system uses red, yellow and green highlights which appear on top of
the video image when an object is detected by the reverse sensing
system. The alert highlights the closest object detected. The reverse
sensing alert can be disabled and if visual park aid alert is enabled,
highlighted areas are still displayed.
Selectable settings for this feature are ON and OFF.
Manual Zoom
WARNING:When manual zoom is on, the full area behind the
vehicle is not shown. Be aware of your surroundings when using
the manual zoom feature.
Note:Manual zoom is only available when the transmission is in R
(Reverse).
Note:When manual zoom is enabled, only the centerline is shown.
Allows the driver to get a closer view of an object behind the vehicle.
The zoomed image keeps the bumper in the image to provide a
reference. The zoom is only active while the transmission is in R
(Reverse), When the transmission is shifted out of R (Reverse), the
feature automatically turns off and must be reset when it is used again.
Selectable settings for this feature are OFF, Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3.
Press the up and down arrows to change the view. The selection level
appears between the buttons (i.e. Level 1). The default setting for the
manual zoom is OFF.
Rear Camera Delay
When shifting the transmission out of R (Reverse) and into any gear
other than P (Park), the camera image remains in the display until the
vehicle speed reaches 5 mph (8 km/h). This occurs when the rear
camera delay feature is on, or until a radio button is selected.
Selectable settings for this feature are ON and OFF. The default setting
for the rear camera delay is OFF.
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Trailer Lamps
Trailer lamps are required on most towed vehicles. Make sure all running
lights, brake lights, turn signals and hazard lights are working. Do not
connect trailer lamps directly to your vehicle’s tail lamps. This can cause
damage to your vehicle’s electrical system. Contact your authorized
dealer or trailer rental agency for proper instructions and equipment for
hooking-up trailer lamps.
WARNING:Never connect any trailer lamp wiring to the
vehicle’s tail lamp wiring; this may damage the electrical system
resulting in fire. Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible for
assistance in proper trailer tow wiring installation. Additional electrical
equipment may be required.
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing-up to get the feel of the
vehicle-trailer combination before starting on a trip. When turning, make
wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
•Do not drive faster than 70 mph (113 km/h) during the first 500 miles
(800 kilometers) and do not make full-throttle starts.
•Check your hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts
thoroughly after you have traveled 50 miles (80 kilometers).
•Place the gearshift lever in P (Park) to aid in engine/transmission
cooling and A/C efficiency during hot weather while stopped in traffic.
•Turn off the speed control. The speed control may turn off
automatically when you are towing on long, steep grades.
•Shift to a lower gear when driving down a long or steep hill. Do not
apply the brakes continuously, as they may overheat and become less
effective.
•If your transmission is equipped with the grade assist feature, use this
feature when towing. This provides engine braking and helps eliminate
excessive transmission shifting for optimum fuel economy and
transmission cooling.
•Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached; anticipate
stops and brake gradually.
•Avoid parking on a grade. However, if you must park on a grade, place
wheel chocks under the trailer’s wheels.
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