2014 FORD FLEX warning

CLEANING THE INTERIOR
WARNING:Do not use cleaning solvents, bleach or dye on the
vehicle’s safety belts, as these actions may weaken the belt
webbing.
WARNING:On vehicles equipped with seat-mounted airbags, do
not use chemical solvents or strong detergents. Such products
could contaminate the side airbag system and affect performance of the
side airbag in a collision.
For fabric, carpets, cloth seats, safety belts and seats equipped with side
airbags:
•Remove dust and loose dirt with a vacuum cleaner.
•Remove light stains and soil with Motorcraft Professional Strength
Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner.
•If grease or tar is present on the material, spot-clean the area first
with Motorcraft Spot and Stain Remover. In Canada, use Motorcraft
Multi-Purpose Cleaner.
•If a ring forms on the fabric after spot cleaning, clean the entire area
immediately (but do not oversaturate) or the ring will set.
•Do not use household cleaning products or glass cleaners, which can
stain and discolor the fabric and affect the flame retardant abilities of
the seat materials.
CLEANING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND INSTRUMENT
CLUSTER LENS
WARNING:Do not use chemical solvents or strong detergents
when cleaning the steering wheel or instrument panel to avoid
contamination of the airbag system.
Clean the instrument panel and cluster lens with a clean, damp, white,
cotton cloth, then use a clean and dry, white, cotton cloth to dry these
areas.
•Avoid cleaners or polishes that increase the gloss of the upper portion
of the instrument panel. The dull finish in this area helps protect the
driver from undesirable windshield reflection.
Vehicle Care319
2014 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

GENERAL INFORMATION
Notice to Crossover Vehicle Owners
Crossover vehicles handle differently
than passenger cars in the various
driving conditions that are
encountered on streets, highways and
off-road. Crossover vehicles are not
designed for cornering at speeds as
high as passenger cars any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed to
perform satisfactorily under off-road conditions.
WARNING:Crossover vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles. To reduce the risk of
serious injury or death from a rollover or other crash you must:
•Avoid sharp turns and abrupt maneuvers;
•Drive at safe speeds for the conditions;
•Keep tires properly inflated;
•Never overload or improperly load your vehicle; and
•Make sure every passenger is properly restrained.
WARNING:In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
All occupants must wear seat belts. Children and infants must use
appropriate restraints to minimize the risk of injury or ejection.
Study your owner’s manual for specific information about equipment
features, instructions for safe driving and additional precautions to
reduce the risk of an accident or serious injury.
All-Wheel Drive System (If Equipped)
WARNING:Do not become overconfident in the ability of
all-wheel drive vehicles. Although an all-wheel drive vehicle may
accelerate better than a two-wheel drive vehicle in low-traction
situations, it will not stop any faster than two-wheel drive vehicles.
Always drive at a safe speed.
324Wheels and Tires
2014 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

TIRE CARE
Information About Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires. The Tire
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 1
12times 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
WARNING:The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction characteristics.
326Wheels and Tires
2014 Flex(471)
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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.
Temperature A B C
WARNING:The temperature grade for this tire is established for
a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 139. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
•Tire label:A label showing the OE (Original Equipment) tire sizes,
recommended inflation pressure and the maximum weight the vehicle
can carry.
•Tire Identification Number (TIN):A number on the sidewall of
each tire providing information about the tire brand and
manufacturing plant, tire size and date of manufacture. Also referred
to as DOT code.
•Inflation pressure:A measure of the amount of air in a tire.
•Standard load:A class of P-metric or Metric tires designed to carry a
maximum load at 35 psi [37 psi (2.5 bar) for Metric tires]. Increasing
the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not increase the tire’s
load-carrying capability.
Wheels and Tires327
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J.Tire Ply Composition and Material Used:Indicates the number of
plies or the number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire tread and
sidewall. Tire manufacturers also must indicate the ply materials in the
tire and the sidewall, which include steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
K.Maximum Load:Indicates the maximum load in kilograms and
pounds that can be carried by the tire. See the Safety Compliance
Certification Label (affixed to either the door hinge pillar, door-latch
post, or the door edge that meets the door-latch post, next to the
driver’s seating position), for the correct tire pressure for your vehicle.
L.Treadwear, Traction and Temperature Grades
•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.
•Traction: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.
•Temperature:The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
M.Maximum Inflation Pressure:Indicates the tire manufacturer’s
maximum permissible pressure or the pressure at which the maximum
load can be carried by the tire. This pressure is normally higher than the
vehicle manufacturer’s recommended cold inflation pressure, which can
be found on the Safety Compliance Certification Label (affixed to either
the door hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the door edge that meets the
door-latch post, next to the driver’s seating position), or Tire Label which
is located on the B-Pillar or the edge of the driver’s door. The cold
inflation pressure should never be set lower than the recommended
pressure on the vehicle label.
The tire suppliers may have additional markings, notes or warnings, such
as standard load or radial tubeless.
Wheels and Tires331
2014 Flex(471)
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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.
WARNING:Under-inflation is the most common cause of tire
failures and may result in severe tire cracking, tread separation
or blowout, with unexpected loss of vehicle control and increased risk
of injury. Under-inflation increases sidewall flexing and rolling
resistance, resulting in heat build-up and internal damage to the tire. It
also may result in unnecessary tire stress, irregular wear, loss of vehicle
control and accidents. A tire can lose up to half of its air pressure and
not appear to be flat!
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.
Always inflate your tires to the Ford recommended inflation pressure
even if it is less than the maximum inflation pressure information found
on the tire. The Ford recommended tire inflation pressure is found on
the Safety Compliance Certification Label (affixed to either the door
hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the door edge that meets the door-latch
post, next to the driver’s seating position), or Tire Label which is located
on the B-Pillar or the edge of the driver’s door. Failure to follow the tire
pressure recommendations can cause uneven treadwear patterns and
adversely affect the way your vehicle handles.
Maximum Inflation Pressureis the tire manufacturer’s maximum
permissible pressure or the pressure at which the maximum load
can be carried by the tire. This pressure is normally higher than the
manufacturer’s recommended cold inflation pressure, which can be found
334Wheels and Tires
2014 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

WARNING: Age
Tires degrade over time depending on many factors such as
weather, storage conditions, and conditions of use (such as load, speed,
inflation pressure) 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.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number
Both U.S. and Canada Federal regulations require tire manufacturers to
place standardized information on the sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and describes the fundamental characteristics of
the tire and also provides a U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number for
safety standard certification and in case of a recall.
This begins with the letters DOT and indicates that the tire meets all
federal standards. The next two numbers or letters are the plant code
designating where it was manufactured, the next two are the tire size
code and the last four numbers represent the week and year the tire was
built. For example, the numbers 317 mean the 31st week of 1997. After
2000 the numbers go to four digits. For example, 2501 means the 25th
week of 2001. The numbers in between are identification codes used for
traceability. This information is used to contact customers if a tire defect
requires a recall.
Wheels and Tires337
2014 Flex(471)
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USA(fus)

Tire Replacement Requirements
WARNING:Only use replacement tires and wheels that are the
same size, load index, speed rating and type (such as P-metric
versus LT-metric or all-season versus all-terrain) as those originally
provided by Ford. The recommended tire and wheel size may be found on
either the Safety Compliance Certification Label (affixed to either the door
hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the door edge that meets the door-latch
post, next to the driver’s seating position), or the Tire Label which is
located on the B-Pillar or edge of the driver’s door. If this information is
not found on these labels, then you should contact your authorized dealer
as soon as possible. Use of any tire or wheel not recommended by Ford
can affect the safety and performance of your vehicle, which could result
in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death. Additionally the use of non-recommended tires and
wheels could cause steering, suspension, axle, transfer case or power
transfer unit failure. If you have questions regarding tire replacement,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of serious injury, when mounting
replacement tires and wheels, you should not exceed the
maximum pressure indicated on the sidewall of the tire to set the beads
without additional precautions listed below. If the beads do not seat at
the maximum pressure indicated, re-lubricate and try again.
When inflating the tire for mounting pressures up to 20 psi (1.38 bar)
greater than the maximum pressure on the tire sidewall, the following
precautions must be taken to protect the person mounting the tire:
1. Make sure that you have the correct tire and wheel size.
2. Lubricate the tire bead and wheel bead seat area again.
3. Stand at a minimum of 12 feet (3.66 meters) away from the tire
wheel assembly.
4. Use both eye and ear protection.
For a mounting pressure more than 20 psi (1.38 bar) greater than the
maximum pressure, a Ford dealer or other tire service professional
should do the mounting.
Always inflate steel carcass tires with a remote air fill with the person
inflating standing at a minimum of 12 feet (3.66 meters) away from the
tire wheel assembly.
338Wheels and Tires
2014 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)