
Starting and Stopping the
Engine
General Information....................................147
Ignition Switch
...............................................147
Keyless Starting.............................................147
Starting a Gasoline Engine.......................148
Engine Block Heater
.....................................151
Fuel and Refueling
Safety Precautions
.......................................153
Fuel Quality....................................................154
Fuel Filler Funnel Location........................154
Running Out of Fuel....................................154
Refueling..........................................................155
Fuel Consumption........................................157
Emission Control System
..........................158
Transmission
Automatic Transmission
.............................161
All-Wheel Drive
Using All-Wheel Drive.................................165
Brakes
General Information.....................................172
Hints on Driving With Anti-Lock Brakes............................................................172
Parking Brake..................................................173
Traction Control
Principle of Operation.................................174
Using Traction Control................................174
Stability Control
Principle of Operation
.................................175
Using Stability Control
................................176
Parking Aids
Principle of Operation..................................177 Rear Parking Aid.............................................177
Active Park Assist.........................................178
Rear View Camera
.......................................182
Cruise Control
Principle of Operation
.................................185
Using Cruise Control....................................185
Using Adaptive Cruise Control................186
Driving Aids
Blind Spot Information System..............192
Cross Traffic Alert
.........................................194
Steering............................................................197
Collision Warning System
.........................198
Load Carrying
Cargo Nets
......................................................201
Roof Racks and Load Carriers.................201
Load Limit.......................................................201
Towing
Towing a Trailer............................................209
Trailer Sway Control
....................................210
Recommended Towing Weights............210
Essential Towing Checks...........................212
Transporting the Vehicle
............................215
Towing the Vehicle on Four Wheels......216
Driving Hints
Breaking-In......................................................218
Economical Driving
......................................218
Driving Through Water................................219
Floor Mats........................................................219
Roadside Emergencies
Roadside Assistance
...................................221
Hazard Warning Flashers..........................222
Fuel Shutoff
...................................................222
Jump Starting the Vehicle.........................223
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Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Table of Contents

Brake system
Cabin air filter
Check fuel cap
Child safety door lock or unlock
Child seat lower anchor
Child seat tether anchor
Cruise control
Do not open when hot
Engine air filter
Engine coolant
Engine coolant temperature
Engine oil
Explosive gas
Fan warning
Fasten seatbelt Front airbag
Front fog lamps
Fuel pump reset
Fuse compartment
Hazard warning flashers
Heated rear window
Heated windshield
Interior luggage compartment
release
Jack
Keep out of reach of children
Lighting control
Low tire pressure warning
Maintain correct fluid level
Note operating instructions
Panic alarm
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This data can help provide a better
understanding of the circumstances in
which crashes and injuries occur.
Note:
Event data recorder data is
recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data
is recorded by the event data recorder
under normal driving conditions and no
personal data or information (e.g., name,
gender, age, and crash location) is
recorded (see limitations regarding 911
Assist and Traffic, directions and
Information privacy below). However,
parties, such as law enforcement, could
combine the event data recorder data
with the type of personally identifying
data routinely acquired during a crash
investigation.
To read data recorded by an event data
recorder, special equipment is required,
and access to the vehicle or the event
data recorder is needed. In addition to
the vehicle manufacturer, other
parties, such as law enforcement, that
have such special equipment, can read
the information if they have access to
the vehicle or the event data recorder.
Ford Motor Company and Ford of
Canada do not access event data
recorder information without obtaining
consent, unless pursuant to court order
or where required by law enforcement,
other government authorities or other
third parties acting with lawful
authority. Other parties may seek to
access the information independently
of Ford Motor Company and Ford of
Canada. Note:
Including to the extent that any
law pertaining to Event Data Recorders
applies to SYNC or its features, please
note the following: Once 911 Assist (if
equipped) is enabled (set ON), 911 Assist
may, through any paired and connected
cell phone, disclose to emergency
services that the vehicle has been in a
crash involving the deployment of an
airbag or, in certain vehicles, the
activation of the fuel pump shut-off.
Certain versions or updates to 911 Assist
may also be capable of being used to
electronically or verbally provide to 911
operators the vehicle location (such as
latitude and longitude), and/or other
details about the vehicle or crash or
personal information about the
occupants to assist 911 operators to
provide the most appropriate emergency
services. If you do not want to disclose
this information, do not activate the 911
Assist feature. See SYNC™ (page 318).
Additionally, when you connect to
Traffic, Directions and Information (if
equipped, U.S. only), the service uses
GPS technology and advanced vehicle
sensors to collect the vehicle ’s current
location, travel direction, and speed
(“ vehicle travel information ”), only to
help provide you with the directions,
traffic reports, or business searches
that you request. If you do not want
Ford or its vendors to receive this
information, do not activate the
service. For more information, see
Traffic, Directions and Information,
Terms and Conditions. See
SYNC™
(page 318).
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Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Introduction

The horn sounds and the direction
indicators flash. We recommend you use
this method to locate your vehicle, rather
than using the panic alarm.
Note:
If any door or the liftgate is open, or
if the hood is open on vehicles with an
anti-theft alarm or remote start, the horn
will sound twice and the direction indicators
will not flash.
Sounding the Panic Alarm Press the button to sound the
panic alarm. Press the button
again or switch the ignition on to
turn it off.
Note: The panic alarm only operates when
the ignition is off.
Remote Start (If Equipped) WARNING
To avoid exhaust fumes, do not use
remote start if your vehicle is parked
indoors or in areas that are not well
ventilated. Note:
Do not use remote start if your fuel
level is low. The remote start button is on the
transmitter.
This feature allows you to start your
vehicle from the outside. The transmitter
has an extended operating range.
Vehicles with automatic climate control
can be configured to operate when the
vehicle is remote started. See Automatic
Climate Control
(page 115).
Many states and provinces have
restrictions for the use of remote start.
Check your local and state or provincial
laws for specific requirements regarding
remote start systems. The remote start system does not work if
any of the following occur:
•
The ignition is on.
• The anti-theft alarm triggers.
• You switch off the feature.
• The hood is open.
• The transmission is not in park (P).
• The battery voltage is below the
minimum operating voltage.
• The service engine soon indicator was
on the last time your vehicle was
driven.
Remote Starting Your Vehicle
Note: You must press each button within
three seconds of each other. If you do not
follow this sequence, your vehicle does not
start remotely, the direction indicators do
not flash twice and the horn does not sound. The label on your transmitter details the
starting procedure.
To start your vehicle remotely:
1. Press the lock button to lock all the
doors.
2. Press the remote start button twice. The exterior lamps flash twice.
The horn sounds if the system fails to start,
unless quiet start is on. Quiet start runs the
blower fan at a slower speed to reduce
noise. You can switch this feature on or off
in the information display. See
General
Information (page 97).
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PRINCIPLE 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. They 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 equipped with a
push-button start switch: When both a
MyKey and an admin key are present when
you start your vehicle, the system recognizes
the admin key only.
Non-configurable Settings
The following settings cannot be changed
by an admin key user:
• Belt-Minder or safety belt reminder.
You cannot disable this feature. The
audio system will mute when the front
seat occupants’ safety belts are not
fastened.
• Early low fuel. 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),
cross traffic alert, lane departure
warning and forward collision warning
system.
• Satellite radio adult content
restrictions (available only in some
markets).
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 vehicle. 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. WARNING
Do not set MyKey maximum speed
limit to a limit that will prevent the
driver from maintaining a safe speed
considering posted speed limits and
prevailing road conditions. The driver is
always responsible to drive in accordance
with local laws and prevailing conditions.
Failure to do so could result in accident or
injury. 54
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing MyKey
™

INTERIOR MIRROR
WARNING
Do not adjust the mirror when your
vehicle is moving.
Note:
Do not clean the housing or glass of
any mirror with harsh abrasives, fuel or other
petroleum or ammonia-based cleaning
products.
You can adjust the interior mirror to your
preference. Some mirrors also have a
second pivot point. This lets you move the
mirror head up or down and from side to
side.
Auto-Dimming Mirror
Note: Do not block the sensors on the front
and back of the mirror. Mirror performance
may be affected. A rear center passenger or
raised rear center head restraint may also
block light from reaching the sensor.
The mirror will dim automatically to reduce
glare when bright lights are detected from
behind your vehicle. It will automatically
return to normal reflection when you select
reverse gear to make sure you have a clear
view when backing up.
SUN VISORS Rotate the sun visor toward the side
window and extend it rearward for extra
shade.
Illuminated Vanity Mirror
Lift the cover to switch the lamp on.
MOONROOF (If Equipped)
WARNINGS
Do not let children play with the
moonroof or leave them unattended
in the vehicle. They may seriously
hurt themselves. When closing the moonroof, you
should verify that it is free of
obstructions and make sure that
children and pets are not in the proximity
of the roof opening. You can manually open or close the sliding
shade when the moonroof is closed. Pull
the shade toward the front of your vehicle
to close it.
The moonroof controls are located on the
overhead console and have a one-touch
open and close feature. To stop it during
one-touch operation, press the control a
second time.
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GAUGES
Note:
Cluster shown in standard measure
– metric clusters similar. Tachometer.
A
Information Display. See General Information (page 97).
B
Speedometer.
C
Fuel Gauge.
D
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Engine Oil
If it illuminates with the engine
running or when you are driving,
this indicates a malfunction.
Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe to
do so and switch the engine off. Check the
engine oil level. See Engine Oil Check
(page 247).
Note: Do not resume your journey if it
illuminates despite the level being correct.
Have the system checked by your authorized
dealer immediately.
Fasten Seatbelt It will illuminate and a chime will
sound to remind you to fasten
your seatbelt. See
Seatbelt
Reminder (page 37).
Front Airbag If it fails to illuminate when you
start your vehicle, continues to
flash or remains on, it indicates
a malfunction. Have the system checked
by your authorized dealer.
Front Fog Lamps
(If Equipped) Lights when you switch the front
fog lamps on.
Head Up Display
(If Equipped) A red beam of lights will
illuminate on the windshield in
certain instances when using
adaptive cruise control and/or the collision
warning system. It will also illuminate
momentarily when you start your vehicle
to make sure the display works. High Beam It will illuminate when you switch
the high beam headlamps on. It
will flash when you use the
headlamp flasher.
Liftgate Ajar Illuminates when you do not
completely close the liftgate.
Low Fuel Level It will illuminate when the fuel
level is low or the fuel tank is
nearly empty. Refuel as soon as
possible.
Low Tire Pressure Warning It will illuminate when your tire
pressure is low. If the lamp
remains on with the engine
running or when driving, check your tire
pressure as soon as possible.
It will also illuminate momentarily when
you switch the ignition on to confirm the
lamp is functional. If it does not illuminate
when you switch the ignition on, or begins
to flash at any time, have the system
checked by your authorized dealer.
Low Washer Fluid It will illuminate when the
windshield washer fluid is low.
Parking Lamps It will illuminate when you switch
the parking lamps on.
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