2016 FORD FLEX snow chains

Post-Crash Alert System..........................225
Customer Assistance
Getting the Services You Need...............226
In California (U.S. Only).............................227
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Auto
Line Program (U.S. Only)......................228
Utilizing the Mediation/Arbitration Program (Canada Only).......................229
Getting Assistance Outside the U.S. and Canada........................................................229
Ordering Additional Owner's Literature....................................................230
Reporting Safety Defects (U.S. Only)..............................................................231
Reporting Safety Defects (Canada Only)..............................................................231
Fuses
Fuse Specification Chart...........................233
Changing a Fuse...........................................242
Maintenance
General Information
...................................243
Opening and Closing the Hood..............243
Under Hood Overview - 3.5L Duratec........................................................245
Under Hood Overview - 3.5L Ecoboost™................................................246
Engine Oil Dipstick.......................................247
Engine Oil Check..........................................247
Oil Change Indicator Reset.......................247
Engine Coolant Check
...............................248
Automatic Transmission Fluid Check ............................................................
252
Brake Fluid Check........................................253
Power Steering Fluid Check.....................254
Washer Fluid Check....................................254
Changing the 12V Battery.........................254
Checking the Wiper Blades.....................256
Changing the Wiper Blades.....................256 Adjusting the Headlamps.........................257
Removing a Headlamp.............................258
Changing a Bulb...........................................258
Bulb Specification Chart
............................261
Changing the Engine Air Filter................263
Vehicle Care
General Information
...................................264
Cleaning Products
.......................................264
Cleaning the Exterior..................................264
Waxing.............................................................265
Cleaning the Engine
...................................266
Cleaning the Windows and Wiper Blades..........................................................266
Cleaning the Interior...................................267
Cleaning the Instrument Panel and Instrument Cluster Lens........................267
Cleaning Leather Seats.............................268
Repairing Minor Paint Damage..............268
Cleaning the Alloy Wheels
.......................268
Vehicle Storage
............................................269
Wheels and Tires
General Information.....................................271
Tire Care
...........................................................273
Using Snow Chains.....................................287
Tire Pressure Monitoring System..........288
Changing a Road Wheel
............................291
Technical Specifications..........................296
Capacities and Specific- ations
Engine Specifications - 3.5L Duratec........................................................297
Engine Specifications - 3.5L Ecoboost™................................................297
Motorcraft Parts - 3.5L Duratec.............298
Motorcraft Parts - 3.5L Ecoboost™......299
Vehicle Identification Number...............300
Vehicle Certification Label........................301
4
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Table of Contents

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.
Driving on Snow and Ice WARNING
If you are driving in slippery
conditions that require tire chains or
cables, then it is critical that you drive
cautiously. Keep speeds down, allow for
longer stopping distances and avoid
aggressive steering to reduce the chances
of a loss of vehicle control which can lead
to serious injury or death. If the rear end of
the vehicle slides while cornering, steer in
the direction of the slide until you regain
control of the vehicle. Note:
Excessive tire slippage can cause
driveline damage.
AWD vehicles have advantages over 2WD
vehicles in snow and ice but can skid like
any other vehicle. Should you start to slide while driving on
snowy or icy roads, turn the steering wheel
in the direction of the slide until you regain
control.
Avoid sudden applications of power and
quick changes of direction on snow and
ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and
steadily when starting from a full stop.
Avoid sudden braking as well. Although an
AWD vehicle may accelerate better than
a two-wheel drive vehicle in snow and ice,
it won
’t stop any faster, because as in other
vehicles, braking occurs at all four wheels.
Do not become overconfident as to road
conditions.
Make sure you allow sufficient distance
between you and other vehicles for
stopping. Drive slower than usual and
consider using one of the lower gears. In
emergency stopping situations, apply the
brake steadily. Since your vehicle is
equipped with a four wheel (ABS), do not
“pump ” the brakes. See Hints on Driving
With Anti-Lock Brakes (page 172).
Maintenance and Modifications
The suspension and steering systems on
your vehicle have been designed and
tested to provide predictable performance
whether loaded or empty and durable load
carrying capability. For this reason, Ford
Motor Company strongly recommends that
you do not make modifications such as
adding or removing parts (such as lowering
kits or stabilizer bars) or by using
replacement parts not equivalent to the
original factory equipment.
Any modifications to a vehicle that raise
the center of gravity can make it more likely
the vehicle will rollover as a result of a loss
of control. Ford Motor Company
recommends that caution be used with
any vehicle equipped with a high load or
device (such as ladder or luggage racks).
170
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing All-Wheel Drive
(If Equipped)E143949

USING SNOW CHAINS
WARNING
Snow tires must be the same size,
load index, and speed rating as those
originally provided by Ford. 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. It is also
strongly advised to follow the Ford
recommended tire inflation pressure 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 door. Failure to follow the tire
pressure recommendations can cause
uneven treadwear patterns and adversely
affect the way your vehicle handles. Note:
The suspension insulation and
bumpers will help prevent vehicle damage.
Do not remove these components from your
vehicle when using snow tires and chains.
The tires on your vehicle have all-weather
treads to provide traction in rain and snow.
However, in some climates, you may need
to use snow tires and cables. If you need
to use cables, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and
specifications) be used, as cables may chip
aluminum wheels. Follow these guidelines when using snow
tires and chains:
•
If possible, avoid fully loading your
vehicle.
• Use only SAE Class S snow chains,
snow cables or equivalent on the front
axle for P235/60R17, P235/60R18, and
P235/55R19 equipped vehicles. The
use of snow chains, snow cables or
other traction assist devices that are
larger than SAE Class S may cause
damage to your vehicle ’s wheel house,
suspension and/or body.
• Do not install tire chains, cables, or
optional traction devices on the rear
tires. This could cause damage to the
vehicle ’s wheel house or body.
• Do not use tire chains, cables, or
optional traction devices with
255/45R20 tires.
• Install cable chains securely, verifying
that the cables do not touch any wiring,
brake lines or fuel lines.
• Do not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) with
tire cables on your vehicle.
• Drive cautiously. If you hear the cables
rub or bang against your vehicle, stop
and retighten the cables. If this does
not work, remove the cables to prevent
damage to your vehicle.
• Remove the tire cables when they are
no longer needed. Do not use tire
cables on dry roads.
287
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Wheels and Tires

1.
T-type mini-spare: This spare tire
begins with the letter T for tire size and
may have Temporary Use Only molded in
the sidewall.
2. Full-size dissimilar spare with label
on wheel:
This spare tire has a label on
the wheel that states: THIS WHEEL AND
TIRE ASSEMBLY FOR TEMPORARY USE
ONLY.
When driving with one of the dissimilar
spare tires listed above, do not:
• Exceed
50 mph (80 km/h).
• Load the vehicle beyond maximum
vehicle load rating listed on the Safety
Compliance Label.
• Tow a trailer.
• Use snow chains on the end of the
vehicle with the dissimilar spare tire.
• Use more than one dissimilar spare tire
at a time.
• Use commercial car washing
equipment.
• Try to repair the dissimilar spare tire.
Use of one of the dissimilar spare tires
listed above at any one wheel location can
lead to impairment of the following:
• Handling, stability and braking
performance.
• Comfort and noise.
• Ground clearance and parking at curbs.
• Winter weather driving capability.
• Wet weather driving capability.
• All-wheel driving capability.
3. Full-size dissimilar spare without
label on wheel
When driving with the full-size dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly, do not:
• Exceed
70 mph (113 km/h).
• Use more than one dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly at a time. •
Use commercial car washing
equipment.
• Use snow chains on the end of the
vehicle with the dissimilar spare wheel
and tire assembly.
The usage of a full-size dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly can lead to
impairment of the following:
• Handling, stability and braking
performance.
• Comfort and noise.
• Ground clearance and parking at curbs.
• Winter weather driving capability.
• Wet weather driving capability.
• All-wheel driving capability.
When driving with the full-size dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly additional
caution should be given to:
• Towing a trailer.
• Driving vehicles equipped with a
camper body.
• Driving vehicles with a load on the
cargo rack.
Drive cautiously when using a full-size
dissimilar spare wheel and tire assembly
and seek service as soon as possible.
Tire Change Procedure WARNINGS
When one of the front wheels is off
the ground, the transmission alone
will not prevent your vehicle from
moving or slipping off the jack, even if the
transmission is in park (P) or neutral (N). To help prevent your vehicle from
moving when you change a tire, be
sure to place the transmission in park
(P) or neutral (N), set the parking brake,
and block (in both directions) the wheel
that is diagonally opposite (other side and
end of your vehicle) to the tire being
changed.
292
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Wheels and Tires

Side Airbags.....................................................45
Sitting in the Correct Position..................123
Snow Chains See: Using Snow Chains................................. 287
Special Notices................................................12 New Vehicle Limited Warranty......................... 12
On-board Diagnostics (OBD-II)....................... 12
Special Instructions.............................................. 12
Special Operating Conditions Scheduled Maintenance...............................................375
Exceptions............................................................ 376
Speed Control See: Cruise Control............................................ 185
Stability Control
.............................................175
Principle of Operation....................................... 175
Starter Switch See: Ignition Switch............................................ 147
Starting a Gasoline Engine.......................148 Automatic Engine Shutdown........................ 150
Failure to Start..................................................... 150
Guarding Against Exhaust Fumes.................151
Important Ventilating Information................151
Stopping the Engine When Your Vehicle is Moving................................................................. 151
Stopping the Engine When Your Vehicle is Stationary......................................................... 150
Vehicles with an Ignition Key......................... 148
Vehicles with Keyless Start............................. 149
Starting and Stopping the Engine..........147 General Information........................................... 147
Steering............................................................197 Electric Power Steering..................................... 197
Steering Wheel
................................................72
Storage Compartments.............................145
Sunroof See: Moonroof...................................................... 89
Sun Visors.........................................................89 Illuminated Vanity Mirror................................... 89
Supplementary Restraints System..........41 Principle of Operation......................................... 41
Symbols Glossary
.............................................7 SYNC™ Applications and
Services........................................................336
911 Assist............................................................... 336
SYNC Services: Traffic, Directions & Information (TDI) (If Equipped, United
States Only)................................................... 340
Vehicle Health Report (If Equipped, United States Only).................................................... 338
SYNC™ AppLink ™
.....................................344
SYNC Mobile Apps............................................ 344
SYNC™............................................................318 General Information.......................................... 318
SYNC™ Troubleshooting
.........................356
T
Tailgate See: Manual Liftgate........................................... 63
See: Power Liftgate............................................. 64
Technical Specifications See: Capacities and Specifications............297
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Auto Line Program (U.S. Only)
.......................228
Tire Care...........................................................273 Glossary of Tire Terminology......................... 275
Information About Uniform Tire Quality Grading.............................................................. 273
Information Contained on the Tire Sidewall............................................................ 276
Temperature A B C............................................. 274
Traction AA A B C............................................... 274
Treadwear............................................................. 274
Tire Pressure Monitoring System..........288 Changing Tires With a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System....................................... 289
Understanding Your Tire Pressure Monitoring System ...................................... 289
Tires See: Wheels and Tires....................................... 271
Towing a Trailer
............................................209
Load Placement................................................ 209
Towing the Vehicle on Four Wheels...........................................................216
Emergency Towing............................................. 216
Recreational Towing.......................................... 216
Towing.............................................................209
Traction Control.............................................174 Principle of Operation....................................... 174
412
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Index

Trailer Sway Control....................................210
Transmission Code Designation.............301
Transmission...................................................161
Transmission See: Transmission............................................... 161
Transporting the Vehicle
............................215
U
Under Hood Overview - 3.5L Duratec.........................................................245
Under Hood Overview - 3.5L Ecoboost™.................................................246
Universal Garage Door Opener...............138 HomeLink Wireless Control System...........138
USB Port
...........................................................317
Using Adaptive Cruise Control................186 Automatic Cancellation................................... 189
Blocked Sensor................................................... 190
Canceling the Set Speed................................. 188
Changing the Set Speed................................. 189
Detection Issues................................................. 189
Following a Vehicle............................................ 187
Hilly Condition Usage....................................... 189
Overriding the System...................................... 188
Resuming the Set Speed................................. 189
Setting the Adaptive Cruise Speed..............187
Setting the Gap Distance................................ 188
Switching Adaptive Cruise Control Off....................................................................... 189
Switching Adaptive Cruise Control On........................................................................\
186
Switching to Normal Cruise Control.............191
System Not Available....................................... 190
Using All-Wheel Drive.................................165 Driving In Special Conditions With
All-Wheel Drive (AWD)............................... 167
Operating AWD Vehicles With Mismatched Tires.................................................................... 166
Operating AWD Vehicles With Spare Tires.................................................................... 166
Using Cruise Control....................................185 Switching Cruise Control Off......................... 186
Switching Cruise Control On.......................... 185
Using MyKey With Remote Start Systems..........................................................58
Using Snow Chains.....................................287
Using Stability Control................................176 Using SYNC™ With Your Media
Player............................................................346
Accessing Your Play Menu............................... 351
Connecting Your Digital Media Player to the USB Port.......................................................... 346
Media Menu Features...................................... 349
Media Voice Commands................................ 348
System Settings................................................. 353
What's Playing?................................................. 347
Using SYNC™ With Your Phone............323 Accessing Features Through the Phone
Menu.................................................................. 327
Accessing Your Phone Settings.................... 332
Making a Call....................................................... 326
Pairing a Cell Phone for the First Time................................................................... 323
Pairing Subsequent Cell Phones.................324
Phone Options during an Active Call.........326
Phone Voice Commands................................ 324
Receiving Calls.................................................... 326
System Settings................................................. 333
Text Messaging................................................... 330
Using Traction Control................................174 Switching the System Off................................ 174
System Indicator Lights and Messages........................................................... 174
Using a Switch...................................................... 174
Using the Information Display Controls..............................................................174
Using Voice Recognition
...........................320
Initiating a Voice Session................................ 320
System Interaction and Feedback...............321
Utilizing the Mediation/Arbitration Program (Canada Only)........................229
V
Vehicle Care
...................................................264
General Information......................................... 264
Vehicle Certification Label........................301
Vehicle Identification Number...............300
413
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Index