
When the oil change message appears in
the information display, it is time for an oil
change. Make sure you perform the oil
change within two weeks or 500 miles
(800 kilometers) of the message
appearing. Make sure you reset the
Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor after each oil
change. See Oil Change Indicator Reset
(page 247).
If your information display resets
prematurely or becomes inoperative, you
should perform the oil change interval at
six months or 5000 miles (8000
kilometers) from your last oil change.
Never exceed one year or 10000 miles
(16000 kilometers) between oil change
intervals.
Your vehicle is very sophisticated and built
with multiple, complex, performance
systems. Every manufacturer develops
these systems using different
specifications and performance features.
That is why it is important to rely upon your
dealership to properly diagnose and repair
your vehicle.
Ford Motor Company has recommended
maintenance intervals for various parts
and component systems based upon
engineering testing. Ford Motor Company
relies upon this testing to determine the
most appropriate mileage for replacement
of oils and fluids to protect your vehicle at
the lowest overall cost to you and
recommends against maintenance
schedules that deviate from the scheduled
maintenance information.
We strongly recommend the use of only
genuine Ford, Motorcraft or
Ford-authorized re-manufactured
replacement parts engineered for your
vehicle. Additives and Chemicals
This owner's manual and the Ford
Workshop Manual list the recommended
additives and chemicals for your vehicle.
We do not recommend using chemicals or
additives not approved by us as part of
your vehicle
’s normal maintenance. Please
consult your warranty information.
Oils, Fluids and Flushing
In many cases, fluid discoloration is a
normal operating characteristic and, by
itself, does not necessarily indicate a
concern or that the fluid needs to be
changed. However, a qualified expert, such
as the factory-trained technicians at your
dealership, should inspect discolored fluids
that also show signs of overheating or
foreign material contamination
immediately.
Make sure to change your vehicle ’s oils and
fluids at the specified intervals or in
conjunction with a repair. Flushing is a
viable way to change fluid for many vehicle
sub-systems during scheduled
maintenance. It is critical that systems are
flushed only with new fluid that is the same
as that required to fill and operate the
system or using a Ford-approved flushing
chemical.
Owner Checks and Services
Make sure you perform the following basic
maintenance checks and inspections every
month or at six-month intervals.
370
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Scheduled Maintenance

Multi-Point inspection
Hazard warning system operation
Accessory drive belt(s)
Horn operation
Battery performance
Radiator, cooler, heater and air conditioninghoses
Engine air filter
Suspension components for leaks ordamage
Exhaust system
Steering and linkage
Exterior lamps operation
Tires (including spare) for wear and properpressure**
Fluid levels *
; fill if necessary
Windshield for cracks, chips or pits
For oil and fluid leaks
Washer spray and wiper operation
Half-shaft dust boots
* Brake, coolant recovery reservoir, automatic transmission and window washer
** If your vehicle is equipped with a temporary mobility kit, check the tire sealant expiration
Use By date on the canister. Replace as needed.
Be sure to ask your dealership service
advisor or technician about the multi-point
vehicle inspection. It is a comprehensive
way to perform a thorough inspection of
your vehicle. Your checklist gives you
immediate feedback on the overall
condition of your vehicle.
NORMAL SCHEDULED
MAINTENANCE
Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor™
Your vehicle is equipped with an Intelligent
Oil-Life Monitor that determines when you
should change the engine oil based on how
your vehicle is used. By using several
important factors in its calculations, the
monitor helps reduce the cost of owning
your vehicle and reduces environmental
waste at the same time. This means you do not have to remember
to change the oil on a mileage-based
schedule. Your vehicle lets you know when
an oil change is due by displaying a
message in the information display.
The following table provides examples of
vehicle use and its impact on oil change
intervals. It is a guideline only. Actual oil
change intervals depend on several factors
and generally decrease with severity of
use.
372
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Scheduled Maintenance

Gracenote uses a unique identifier to track
queries for statistical purposes. The
purpose of a randomly assigned numeric
identifier is to allow Gracenote to count
queries without knowing anything about
who you are. For more information, see the
web page at www.gracenote.com for the
Gracenote Privacy Policy.
THE GRACENOTE SOFTWARE, EACH ITEM
OF GRACENOTE DATA AND THE
GRACENOTE CONTENT ARE LICENSED
TO YOU "AS IS". NEITHER GRACENOTE
MAKES ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
REGARDING THE ACCURACY OF ANY
GRACENOTE DATA FROM THE
GRACENOTE SERVERS OR GRACENOTE
CONTENT. GRACENOTE COLLECTIVELY
AND SEPARATELY RESERVE THE RIGHT
TO DELETE DATA AND/OR CONTENT
FROM THE COMPANIES' RESPECTIVE
SERVERS OR, IN THE CASE OF
GRACENOTE, CHANGE DATA
CATEGORIES FOR ANY CAUSE THAT
GRACENOTE DEEMS SUFFICIENT. NO
WARRANTY IS MADE THAT EITHER
GRACENOTE CONTENT OR THE
GRACENOTE SOFTWARE OR
GRACENOTE SERVERS ARE ERROR-FREE
OR THAT THE FUNCTIONING OF THE
GRACENOTE SOFTWARE OR
GRACENOTE SERVERS WILL BE
UNINTERRUPTED. GRACENOTE IS NOT
OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ANY
ENHANCED OR ADDITIONAL DATA TYPES
THAT GRACENOTE MAY CHOOSE TO
PROVIDE IN THE FUTURE AND IS FREE
TO DISCONTINUE ITS ONLINE SERVICES
AT ANY TIME. GRACENOTE DISCLAIM ALL
WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND
NON-INFRINGEMENT. NEITHER
GRACENOTE WARRANTS THE RESULTS
THAT WILL BE OBTAINED BY YOUR USE
OF THE GRACENOTE SOFTWARE OR ANY
GRACENOTE SERVER. IN NO CASE WILL
GRACENOTE BE LIABLE FOR ANY
CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL
DAMAGES OR FOR ANY LOST PROFITS
OR LOST REVENUES FOR ANY REASON
WHATSOEVER. © Gracenote 2007.
FCC ID: ACJ-SYNCG3-L
IC: 216B-SYNCG3-L
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules and with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
(2)
this device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation. WARNING
Changes or modifications not
expressively approved by the party
responsible for compliance could
void the user's authority to operate the
equipment. The term "IC" before the radio
certification number only signifies that
Industry Canada technical specifications
were met. The antenna used for this transmitter must
not be co-located or operating in
conjunction with any other antenna or
transmitter.
403
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Appendices

Climate Controlled Seats...........................137
Cooled Seats......................................................... 137
Heated Seats........................................................ 137
Collision Warning System.........................198 PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION........................... 198
Coolant Check See: Engine Coolant Check........................... 248
Crash Sensors and Airbag Indicator........47
Creating a MyKey............................................55
Programming/Changing Configurable
Settings............................................................... 55
Cross Traffic Alert.........................................194 False Alerts............................................................ 197
Switching the System Off and On................197
System Errors....................................................... 197
System Lights, Messages and Audible Alerts.................................................................. 196
System Limitations............................................ 196
Using the System............................................... 194
Cruise Control
..................................................74
Principle of Operation....................................... 185
Type 1........................................................................\
. 74
Type 2........................................................................\
74
Cruise control See: Using Cruise Control................................ 185
Customer Assistance
.................................226
D
Data Recording
..................................................9
Event Data Recording........................................... 9
Service Data Recording........................................ 9
Daytime Running Lamps
.............................82
Direction Indicators.......................................84 Lane Change.......................................................... 84
Driver and Passenger Airbags....................42 Children and Airbags........................................... 42
Proper Driver and Front Passenger Seating Adjustment........................................................ 42
Driving Aids
.....................................................192
Driving Hints...................................................218
Driving Through Water................................219
DRL See: Daytime Running Lamps......................... 82
E
Economical Driving
......................................218 Emission Control System
..........................158
On-Board Diagnostics (OBD-II)................... 159
Readiness for Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Testing................................................... 160
End User License Agreement
.................388
VEHICLE SOFTWARE END USER LICENSE
AGREEMENT (EULA) ................................ 388
Engine Block Heater
.....................................151
Using the Engine Block Heater...................... 152
Engine Coolant Check...............................248 Adding Engine Coolant.................................... 249
Checking the Engine Coolant....................... 248
Recycled Engine Coolant................................ 249
Severe Climates................................................. 250
What You Should Know About Fail-Safe Cooling............................................................. 250
Engine Immobilizer See: Passive Anti-Theft System..................... 70
Engine Oil Check
...........................................247
Adding Engine Oil............................................... 247
Engine Oil Dipstick.......................................247
Engine Specifications - 3.5L Duratec..........................................................297
Drivebelt Routing............................................... 297
Engine Specifications - 3.5L Ecoboost™..................................................297
Drivebelt Routing............................................... 298
Environment......................................................14
Essential Towing Checks...........................212 Before Towing a Trailer..................................... 214
Hitches.................................................................... 213
Launching or Retrieving a Boat or Personal Watercraft (PWC)......................................... 215
Safety Chains....................................................... 213
Trailer Brake Controller Connector...............213
Trailer Brakes........................................................ 213
Trailer Lamps........................................................ 214
Trailer Towing Connector (Vehicles with a Trailer Towing Package and 7 –Pin
Connector)....................................................... 212
When Towing a Trailer...................................... 214
Event Data Recording See: Data Recording.............................................. 9
Export Unique Options..................................13
407
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Index