2014 FORD FLEX traction control

Hints on driving with anti-lock brakes......................208
Parking brake........................................208
Traction Control 209
TractionControl™ ....................................209
Stability Control 210
AdvanceTrac®.......................................211
Parking Aids 212
Sensing system.......................................212
Active park assist.....................................213
Rear-view camera system...............................218
Cruise Control 223
Using cruise control...................................223
Using Adaptive Cruise Control............................224
Driving Aids 232
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross Traffic Alert
(CTA) .............................................232
Collision warning system................................237
Steering............................................240
Load Carrying 242
Cargo net...........................................242
Roof racks and load carriers.............................242
Vehicle loading.......................................243
Towing 251
Trailertowing........................................251
Wrecker towing......................................258
Recreational towing...................................259
Driving Hints 261
Economical driving....................................261
Driving through water..................................262
Floormats..........................................263
Table of Contents5
2014 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

•Engaged (green light): Illuminates when the adaptive cruise control
system is engaged. Turns off when the speed control system is
disengaged.
Stability Control System
Displays when the AdvanceTrac®/Traction control is active. If
the light remains on, have the system serviced immediately.
Stability Control System Off
Illuminates when AdvanceTrac®/Traction control has been
disabled by the driver.
Airbag readiness
If this light fails to illuminate when the ignition is turned on,
continues to flash or remains on, contact your authorized dealer
as soon as possible. A chime will sound when there is a
malfunction in the indicator light.
Anti-lock brake system
If the ABS light stays illuminated or continues to flash, a
malfunction has been detected. Contact your authorized dealer
as soon as possible. Normal braking is still functional unless the
brake warning light also is illuminated.
Brake system warning light
To confirm the brake system warning light is functional, it will
momentarily illuminate when the ignition is turned to the on
position when the engine is not running, or in a position
between on and start, or by applying the parking brake when the ignition
is turned to the on position.
If it illuminates when you are driving, check that the parking brake is not
engaged. If the parking brake is not engaged, this indicates low brake
fluid level or a brake system malfunction. Have the system checked
immediately by your authorized dealer.
11 2Instrument Cluster
2014 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

Fuel Economy
Distance to E
Inst Fuel Econ
Average Fuel
†SeeTrip and fuel economy computerlater in this section for more
information.
Information
MyKey® Distance (if key is programmed) — Distance traveled when a
programmed key is in use.
MyKey® Information — Number of MyKeys and admin keys
programmed)
Coolant Temp. — The engine coolant indicator will change colors
indicating: blue for cool, gray for normal and red for hot. If the engine
coolant temperature exceeds the normal range, stop the vehicle as
soon as safely possible, switch off the engine and let the engine cool.
Settings
Driver Assist Traction Control — check enabled (default) / uncheck
disabled
Blind Spot — check enabled (default) / uncheck
disabled
Collision
WarningSensitivity High, Normal or Low
Chimes (not selectable if using a MyKey)
Warning (not selectable if using a
MyKey)
Cross Traffic — check enabled (default) / uncheck
disabled
Cruise
ControlAdaptive or Normal
Rear Park Aid — check enabled (default) / uncheck
disabled
Trailer Sway — check enabled (default) / uncheck
disabled
11 8Information Displays
2014 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

•Inst. Fuel Economy: This display shows a visual graph of your
instantaneous fuel economy.
•XX. Min Fuel History: This display shows a bar chart of your fuel
history.
Driver Assist
In this mode, you can configure different driver setting choices.
Note:Some items are optional and may not appear.
Driver Assist
Traction Control — check enabled (default) / uncheck disabled
Blindspot — check enabled (default) / uncheck disabled
Collision Warning Sensitivity High / Normal / Low
Cross Traffic — check enabled (default) / uncheck disabled
Cruise Control Adaptive or Normal
Front Park Aid — check enabled (default) / uncheck disabled
Rear Park Aid — check enabled (default) / uncheck disabled
Trailer Sway — check enabled (default) / uncheck disabled
124Information Displays
2014 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

Settings (cont’d)
*MyKey MyKey Status MyKeys / Admin Keys
Create
MyKeyHold OK to Create MyKey
911 Assist Always On / User Selectable
Traction
ControlAlways On / User Selectable
Max Speed Choose desired speed or off
Speed Minder Choose desired speed or off
Volume
LimiterOn/Off
Do Not
DisturbAlways On / User Selectable
MyKey
ReportOn/Off
Clear MyKeys Hold OK to Clear All MyKeys
*Some MyKey items will only appear if a MyKey is set.
Settings (cont’d)
Display Distance Miles & GAL, l/100km or km/l
Gauge
DisplayFuel Gauge / Fuel + Tach
Language Select your applicable language
Temperature Fahrenheit (°F) / Celsius (°C)
126Information Displays
2014 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

INFORMATION MESSAGES
Note:Depending on the vehicle options equipped with your vehicle, not
all of the messages will display or be available. Certain messages may be
abbreviated or shortened depending upon which cluster type you have.
Press the OK button to
acknowledge and remove some
messages from the information
display. Other messages will be
removed automatically after a short
time. When a warning message
appears, you must wait two seconds
before being able to clear it. Certain
messages need to be confirmed before you can access the menus.
Message indicators:Some messages will be supplemented by a system
specific symbol.
Adaptive Cruise
Control MessagesAction / Description
Adaptive Cruise
MalfunctionDisplayed when a radar malfunction is
preventing the ACC from engaging.
Adaptive Cruise Not
AvailableDisplayed when conditions exist such that the
adaptive cruise cannot function properly.
Adaptive Cruise Not
Available Sensor
BlockedDisplayed when the radar is blocked because
of poor radar visibility due to bad weather or
ice/mud/water in front of radar. Driver can
typically clean the sensor to resolve.
AdvanceTrac® /
Traction Control
MessagesAction / Description
Service AdvanceTrac Displayed when the AdvanceTrac® system has
detected a condition that requires service.
Contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible.
Traction control off Displayed when the traction control has been
disabled by the driver.
Trailer Sway Reduce
SpeedDisplayed when the trailer sway control has
detected trailer sway.
Information Displays127
2014 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

To resume normal AWD function as soon as possible, stop the vehicle in
a safe location and stop the engine for at least 10 minutes. After the
engine has been restarted and the AWD system has adequately cooled,
the AWD Off message will turn off and normal AWD function will return.
In the event the engine is not stopped, the AWD Off message will turn
off when the system cools and normal AWD function returns.
When driving at slow speeds in deep sand under high outside
temperatures, use L (Low) gear when possible. L (Low) gear operation
will maximize the engine and transmission cooling capability.
Under severe operating conditions, the A/C may cycle on and off to
protect overheating of the engine.
Avoid driving at excessive speeds, this causes vehicle momentum to work
against you and your vehicle could become stuck to the point that
assistance may be required from another vehicle. Remember, you may be
able to back out the way you came if you proceed with caution.
Mud and Water
If you must drive through high water, drive slowly. Traction or brake
capability may be limited.
When driving through water, determine the depth; avoid water higher
than the bottom of the wheel rims (for cars) or the bottom of the hubs
(for trucks) (if possible) and proceed slowly. If the ignition system gets
wet, the vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes. Wet brakes do not stop the
vehicle as effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be improved by moving
your vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle speed or direction when you
are driving in mud. Even AWD vehicles can lose traction in slick mud. As
when you are driving over sand, apply the accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning your wheels. If the vehicle does slide, steer in the direction of
the slide until you regain control of the vehicle.
After driving through mud, clean off residue stuck to rotating driveshafts
and tires. Excess mud stuck on tires and rotating driveshafts causes an
imbalance that could damage drive components.
Note:Driving through deep water may damage the transmission.
If the front or rear axle is submerged in water, the axle lubricant and
PTU (power transfer unit) lubricant should be checked and changed if
necessary.
All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)203
2014 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

“Tread Lightly” is an educational
program designed to increase public
awareness of land-use regulations
and responsibilities in our nations
wilderness areas. Ford Motor
Company joins the U.S. Forest
Service and the Bureau of Land Management in encouraging you to help
preserve our national forest and other public and private lands by
“treading lightly.”
Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Note:Avoid driving crosswise or turning on steep slopes or hills. A
danger lies in losing traction, slipping sideways and possibly rolling over.
Whenever driving on a hill, determine beforehand the route you will use.
Do not drive over the crest of a hill without seeing what conditions are
on the other side. Do not drive in reverse over a hill without the aid of
an observer.
Although natural obstacles may make it necessary to travel diagonally up
or down a hill or steep incline, you should always try to drive straight up
or straight down.
When climbing a steep slope or hill, start in a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from a higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the engine and the possibility of stalling.
If you do stall out, do not try to turnaround because you might roll over.
It is better to back down to a safe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels to climb the hill. Too much
power will cause the tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting in loss of
vehicle control.
Descend a hill in the same gear you
would use to climb up the hill to
avoid excessive brake application
and brake overheating. Do not
descend in neutral; instead,
disengage overdrive or manually
shift to a lower gear. When
descending a steep hill, avoid
sudden hard braking as you could
lose control. The front wheels have
to be turning in order to steer the
vehicle.
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, therefore apply the brakes steadily.
Do not “pump” the brakes.
204All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
2014 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)