ABOUT THIS MANUAL
Thank you for choosing Ford. We recommend that you take some time to
get to know your vehicle by reading this manual. The more that you
know about it, the greater the safety and pleasure you will get from
driving it.
WARNING:Always drive with due care and attention when
using and operating the controls and features on your vehicle.
Note:This manual describes product features and options available
throughout the range of available models, sometimes even before they
are generally available. It may describe options not fitted to your vehicle.
Note:Some of the illustrations in this manual may show features as used
in different models, so may appear different to you on your vehicle.
Note:Always use and operate your vehicle in line with all applicable
laws and regulations.
Note:Pass on this manual when selling your vehicle. It is an integral
part of the vehicle.
This manual may qualify the location of a component as left-hand side or
right-hand side. The side is determined when facing forward in the seat.
A. Right-hand side
B. Left-hand side
Protecting the Environment
You must play your part in protecting the environment. Correct
vehicle usage and the authorized disposal of waste, cleaning
and lubrication materials are significant steps toward this aim.
A
B
10Introduction
2015 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, October 2014
USA(fus)
•Keep the buckle release button pointing up and away from the safety
seat, with the tongue between the child seat and the release button,
to prevent accidental unbuckling.
•Place the vehicle seat upon which the child seat will be installed in
the upright position.
•For second-row seating positions, the recliner may be adjusted slightly
to improve child seat fit. If needed, the head restraints may be
removed.
•For third-row seating positions, the head restraints may be stowed to
improve child seat fit. See theSeatschapter for information on folding
the head restraints.
•Put the safety belt in the automatic locking mode. See Step 5 below.
This vehicle does not require the use of a locking clip.
Perform the following steps when installing the child seat with
combination lap and shoulder belts:
Note:Although the child seat illustrated is a forward-facing child seat,
the steps are the same for installing a rear-facing child seat.
Note:The lock-off device on some child restraints may not
accommodate the shoulder portion of the inflatable safety belt. Follow all
instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint
regarding the necessary and proper use of the lock-off device. In some
instances these devices have been provided only for use in vehicles with
safety belt systems that would otherwise require a locking clip.
1. Position the child safety seat in a
seat with a combination lap and
shoulder belt.
Child Safety21
2015 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, October 2014
USA(fus)
WARNING:When possible, all children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in a rear seating position. Failure
to follow this could seriously increase the risk of injury or death.
WARNING:Safety belts and seats can become hot in a vehicle
that has been closed up in sunny weather; they could burn a
small child. Check seat covers and buckles before you place a child
anywhere near them.
WARNING:Front and rear seat occupants, including pregnant
women, should wear safety belts for optimum protection in an
accident.
All seating positions in this vehicle have lap and shoulder safety belts. All
occupants of the vehicle should always properly wear their safety belts,
even when an airbag supplemental restraint system is provided.
The safety belt system consists of:
•Lap and shoulder safety belts.
•Shoulder safety belt with automatic locking mode (except driver and
rear inflatable safety belt).
•Height adjuster at the front outboard seating positions.
•Safety belt pretensioner at the front outboard seating positions.
•Belt tension sensor at the front outboard passenger seating position.
•Safety belt warning light and chime. SeeSafety Belt
Warning Light and Indicator Chimelater in this chapter.
•Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness
indicator. SeeCrash Sensors and Airbag Indicatorin the
Supplemental Restraint Systemchapter.
The safety belt pretensioners and rear inflatable safety belts are designed
to activate in frontal, near-frontal and side crashes, and in rollovers. The
safety belt pretensioners at the front seating positions are designed to
tighten the safety belts firmly against the occupant’s body when
activated. This helps increase the effectiveness of the safety belts. In
frontal crashes, the safety belt pretensioners can be activated alone or, if
the crash is of sufficient severity, together with the front airbags.
Safety Belts39
2015 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, October 2014
USA(fus)
Automatic Locking Mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt or lap belt is automatically pre-locked.
The belt will still retract to remove any slack in the shoulder or lap belt.
The automatic locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt.
When to Use the Automatic Locking Mode
This mode should be used any time a child safety seat, except a booster,
is installed in passenger front or rear seating positions. Children 12 years
old and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating position
whenever possible.
How to use the automatic locking mode
Non-inflatable safety belts
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder
belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and
pull downward until the entire belt is pulled
out.
3. Allow the belt to retract. As the belt
retracts, you will hear a clicking sound. This
indicates the safety belt is now in the
automatic locking mode.
Rear outboard inflatable safety belts (second row only–if equipped)
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder
belt.
2. Grasp the lap portion of the belt and pull
upward until the entire belt is pulled out.
3. Allow the belt to retract. As the belt
retracts, you will hear a clicking sound. This
indicates the safety belt is now in the
automatic locking mode.
How to Disengage the Automatic Locking Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap and shoulder belt and allow it to retract
completely to disengage the automatic locking mode and activate the
vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.
42Safety Belts
2015 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, October 2014
USA(fus)
Read Steps1-5thoroughly before proceeding with the programming
procedure.
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
•The parking brake is set.
•The transmission is in park (P).
•The ignition is off.
•The driver and front passenger safety belts are unbuckled.
1. Switch the ignition on. Do not start the engine.
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off (about one minute).
3. Wait 10 seconds after the safety belt warning light turns off.
•Once you complete Step 3, you must complete Step 4 within
20 seconds.
4. For the seating position you are switching off, buckle then unbuckle
the safety belt three times at a moderate speed, ending in the unbuckled
state.
•After Step 4, the safety belt warning light turns on for three seconds.
5. Within about seven seconds of the light turning off, buckle then
unbuckle the safety belt.
•This will switch the feature off for that seating position if it is
currently on.
•This will switch the feature on for that seating position if it is
currently off.
REAR INFLATABLE SAFETY BELT (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING:Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the rear
inflatable safety belt as you could be seriously injured or killed.
Note:The rear inflatable safety belts are compatible with most infant
and child safety car seats and belt positioning booster seats when
properly installed. This is because they are designed to fill with a cool
gas at a lower pressure and at a slower rate than traditional airbags.
After inflation, the shoulder portion of the safety belt remains cool to the
touch.
The rear inflatable safety belts are located in the shoulder portion of the
safety belts of the second-row outboard seating positions.
46Safety Belts
2015 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, October 2014
USA(fus)
PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
MyKey allows you to program keys with restricted driving modes to
promote good driving habits. All but one of the keys programmed to the
vehicle can be activated with these restricted modes.
Any keys that have not been programmed are referred to as
administrator keys or admin keys. These can be used to:
•Create a MyKey.
•Program configurable MyKey settings.
•Clear all MyKey features.
When you have programmed a MyKey, you can access the following
information using the information display:
•How many admin keys and MyKeys are programmed to your vehicle.
•The total distance your vehicle has traveled using a MyKey.
Note:All MyKeys are programmed to the same settings. You cannot
program them individually.
Note:For vehicles with intelligent access (push-button start), when both
a MyKey and an admin transmitter are present, the admin transmitter
will be recognized to start the vehicle.
Non-configurable Settings
The following settings cannot be changed by an admin key user:
•Belt-Minder. You cannot disable this feature. The audio system will
mute when the front seat occupants’ safety belts are not fastened.
•Early low fuel warning. The low fuel warning is activated earlier, giving
the MyKey user more time to refuel.
•Driver assist features, if equipped on your vehicle, are forced on:
parking aid, blind spot information system (BLIS) with cross traffic
alert, lane departure warning and forward collision warning system.
•Satellite radio adult content restrictions.
Configurable Settings
With an admin key, you can configure certain MyKey settings when you
first create a MyKey and before you recycle the key or restart the
engine. You can also change the settings afterward with an admin key.
•A vehicle speed limit can be set. Warnings will be shown in the display
followed by an audible tone when your vehicle reaches the set speed.
You cannot override the set speed by fully depressing the accelerator
pedal or by setting cruise control.
70MyKey
2015 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, October 2014
USA(fus)
LOCKING AND UNLOCKING
You can use the power door lock control or the remote control to lock
and unlock your vehicle.
Power Door Locks
The power door lock control is located on the driver and front passenger
door panels.
A. Unlock
B. Lock
Remote Control
You can use the remote control anytime your vehicle is not running.
Unlocking the Doors (Two-Stage Unlock)
Press the button to unlock the driver door.
Press the button again within three seconds to unlock all doors.
The turn signals will flash.
Press and hold both the lock and unlock buttons on the remote control
for four seconds to disable or enable two-stage unlocking. Disabling
two-stage unlocking allows all vehicle doors to unlock with one press of
the button. The turn signals will flash twice to indicate a change to the
unlocking mode. The unlocking mode applies to the remote control,
keyless entry keypad and intelligent access.
Intelligent access at the driver door unlocks all doors when you have
disabled two-stage unlocking.
A
B
74Locks
2015 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, October 2014
USA(fus)
Illuminated Entry
The interior lamps and select exterior lamps illuminate when you use the
integrated keyhead transmitter, intelligent access key or the keyless
entry keypad to unlock the vehicle.
The system will turn off the lights if:
•you switch the ignition on
•you press the lock button on the remote control
•you lock your vehicle using the keyless entry keypad
•after 25 seconds of illumination.
The lights will not turn off if:
•you turn them on with the dimmer control
•any door is open.
Illuminated Exit
The interior lamps and select exterior lamps illuminate when all doors
are closed and you switch the ignition off and remove the key from the
ignition (integrated keyhead transmitter only).
The lamps turn off if all the doors remain closed and:
•25 seconds elapse
•you insert the key in the ignition (integrated keyhead transmitter
only)
•you press theSTART/STOPbutton (intelligent access key only).
Battery Saver
If you leave the courtesy lamps, dome lamps or headlamps on, the
battery saver shuts them off 10 minutes after you switch the ignition off.
Accessory Mode Battery Saver for Intelligent Access Keys
(If Equipped)
If you leave your vehicle in the run ignition state, it will shut off once it
detects a certain amount of battery drain or after 45 minutes.
78Locks
2015 Flex(471)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, October 2014
USA(fus)