2016 FORD FLEX weight

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

GENERAL INFORMATION
See the following sections for directions
on how to properly use safety restraints
for children.
WARNINGS
Always make sure your child is
secured properly in a device that is
appropriate for their height, age and
weight. Child safety restraints must be
bought separately from your vehicle.
Failure to follow these instructions and
guidelines may result in an increased risk
of serious injury or death to your child. All children are shaped differently.
The recommendations for safety
restraints are based on probable
child height, age and weight thresholds
from the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and other safety
organizations, or are the minimum
requirements of law. We recommend
checking with a NHTSA Certified Child
Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) and WARNINGS
consult your pediatrician to make sure your
child seat is appropriate for your child, and
is compatible with and properly installed
in your vehicle. To locate a child seat fitting
station and CPST, contact NHTSA toll free
at 1-888-327-4236 or go to
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov. In Canada,
contact Transport Canada toll free at
1-800-333-0371 or go to www.tc.gc.ca to
find a Child Car Seat Clinic in your area.
Failure to properly restrain children in
safety seats made especially for their
height, age, and weight may result in an
increased risk of serious injury or death to
your child. Do not leave children or animals
unattended in the vehicle. On hot
days, the temperature in the trunk or
vehicle interior can rise very quickly.
Exposure of people or animals to these
high temperatures for even a short time
can cause death or serious heat-related
injuries, including brain damage. Small
children are particularly at risk. 15
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Recommendations for Safety Restraints for Children
Recommended restraint
type
Child size, height, weight, or age
Child
Use a child safety seat(sometimes called an
infant carrier, convertible seat, or toddler seat).
Children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less
(generally age four or younger).
Infants or
toddlers
Use a belt-positioningbooster seat.
Children who have outgrown or no longer
properly fit in a child safety seat (gener-ally children who are less than 4 ft. 9 in. (1.45 m) tall, are greater than age four
and less than age 12, and between 40 lb
(18 kg) and 80 lb (36 kg) and upward to 100 lb (45 kg) if recommended by your child restraint manufacturer).
Small children
Use a vehicle safety belthaving the lap belt snug
and low across the hips, shoulder belt centered
across the shoulder and chest, and seat back upright.
Children who have outgrown or no longer
properly fit in a belt-positioning booster
seat (generally children who are at least
4 ft. 9 in. (1.45 m) tall or greater than 80 lb (36 kg) or 100 lb (45 kg) if recom-
mended by child restraint manufacturer).
Larger children
• You are required by law to properly use
safety seats for infants and toddlers in
the United States and Canada.
• Many states and provinces require that
small children use approved booster
seats until they reach age eight, a
height of 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters)
tall, or 80 pounds (36 kilograms).
Check your local and state or provincial
laws for specific requirements about
the safety of children in your vehicle.
• When possible, always properly
restrain children 12 years of age and
under in a rear seating position of your
vehicle. Accident statistics suggest that
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating positions
than in a front seating position. See
Front Passenger Sensing System
(page 43). INSTALLING CHILD
RESTRAINTS
Child Seats
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7. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor
to make sure the retractor is in the
automatic locking mode (you should
not be able to pull more belt out). If the
retractor is not locked, unbuckle the
belt and repeat Steps 5 and 6. 8.
Remove remaining slack from the belt.
Force the seat down with extra weight,
for example, by pressing down or
kneeling on the child restraint while
pulling up on the shoulder belt in order
to force slack from the belt. This is
necessary to remove the remaining
slack that will exist once the extra
weight of the child is added to the child
restraint. It also helps to achieve the
proper snugness of the child seat to
your vehicle. Sometimes, a slight lean
toward the buckle will provide extra
help to remove remaining slack from
the belt.
9. Attach the tether strap (if the child seat
is equipped). 10. Before placing the child in the seat,
forcibly move the seat forward and
back to make sure the seat is securely
held in place. To check this, grab the
seat at the belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and forward and
back. There should be no more than
1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of movement
for proper installation.
We recommend checking with a NHTSA
Certified Child Passenger Safety
Technician to make certain the child
restraint is properly installed. In Canada,
check with Transport Canada for referral
to a Child Car Seat Clinic.
Inflatable seatbelts 1. Position the child safety seat in a seat
with a combination lap and shoulder
belt.
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Note:
Unlike the standard seatbelt, the
inflatable seatbelt's unique lap portion locks
the child seat for installation. The ability for
the shoulder portion of the belt to move
freely is normal, even after the lap belt has
been put into the automatic locking mode.
Note: The lock-off device on some child
restraints may not accommodate the
shoulder portion of the inflatable seatbelt.
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 seatbelt systems that would otherwise
require a locking clip.
6. Allow the belt to retract to remove slack. The belt will click as it retracts
to indicate it is in the automatic locking
mode.
7. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is in the
automatic locking mode (you should
not be able to pull more belt out). If the
retractor is not locked, unbuckle the
belt and repeat Steps 5 and 6. 8.
Remove remaining slack from the belt.
Force the seat down with extra weight,
for example, by pressing down or
kneeling on the child restraint while
pulling down on the lap belt in order to
force slack from the belt. This is necessary to remove the remaining
slack that will exist once the extra
weight of the child is added to the child
restraint. It also helps to achieve the
proper snugness of the child seat to
your vehicle. Sometimes, a slight lean
toward the buckle will additionally help
to remove remaining slack from the
belt.
9. Attach the tether strap (if the child seat
is equipped). 10. Before placing the child in the seat,
forcibly move the seat forward and
back to make sure the seat is securely
held in place. To check this, grab the
seat at the belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and forward and
back. There should be no more than
1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of movement
for proper installation.
We recommend checking with a NHTSA
Certified Child Passenger Safety
Technician to make certain the child
restraint is properly installed. In Canada,
check with Transport Canada for referral
to a Child Car Seat Clinic.
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WARNINGS
the way back. When possible, all children
age 12 and under should be properly
restrained in a rear seating position. If all
children cannot be seated and restrained
properly in a rear seating position, properly
restrain the largest child in the front seat. Always carefully follow the
instructions and warnings provided
by the manufacturer of any child
restraint to determine if the restraint device
is appropriate for your child's size, height,
weight, or age. Follow the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions and warnings
provided for installation and use in
conjunction with the instructions and
warnings provided by your vehicle
manufacturer. A safety seat that is
improperly installed or utilized, is
inappropriate for your child's height, age,
or weight or does not properly fit the child
may increase the risk of serious injury or
death. WARNINGS
Never let a passenger hold a child on
his or her lap while your vehicle is
moving. The passenger cannot
protect the child from injury in a crash,
which may result in serious injury or death. Never use pillows, books, or towels
to boost a child. They can slide
around and increase the likelihood
of injury or death in a crash. Always restrain an unoccupied child
seat or booster seat. These objects
may become projectiles in a crash or
sudden stop, which may increase the risk
of serious injury. Never place, or allow a child to place,
the shoulder belt under a child's arm
or behind the back because it
reduces the protection for the upper part
of the body and may increase the risk of
injury or death in a crash. To avoid risk of injury, do not leave
children or pets unattended in your
vehicle.
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Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Child Safety

Recommendations for attaching child safety restraints for children
Use any attachment method as indicated below by X
Combined weight ofchild and
child seat
Restraint
Type Safety belt
only
Safety belt
and LATCH
(lower
anchors and top tether
anchor)
Safety belt
and toptether
anchor
LATCH
(lower
anchors only)
LATCH
(lower
anchors and top tether
anchor)
X
X
Up to 65 lb
(29.5 kg)
Rear facing
child seat
X
Over
65 lb
(29.5 kg)
Rear facing
child seat
X
X
X
Up to
65 lb
(29.5 kg)
Forward
facing
child seat
X
X
Over
65 lb
(29.5 kg)
Forward
facing
child seat
Note: The child seat must rest tightly
against the vehicle seat upon which it is
installed. It may be necessary to lift or
remove the head restraint. See Seats (page
123
).
CHILD SAFETY LOCKS
When these locks are set, the rear doors
cannot be opened from the inside. 29
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Child SafetyE112197

Children must always be properly
restrained. Accident statistics suggest that
children are safer when properly restrained
in the rear seating positions than in the
front seating position. Failure to follow
these instructions may increase the risk of
injury in a crash.
FRONT PASSENGER SENSING
SYSTEM
WARNINGS
Even with Advanced Restraints
Systems, children 12 and under
should be properly restrained in a
rear seating position. Failure to follow this
could seriously increase the risk of injury or
death. Sitting improperly out of position or
with the seatback reclined too far
can take off weight from the seat
cushion and affect the decision of the front
passenger sensing system, resulting in
serious injury or death in a crash. Always
sit upright against your seatback, with your
feet on the floor. Any alteration or modification to the
front passenger seat may affect the
performance of the front passenger
sensing system which could seriously
increase the risk of injury or death. This system works with sensors that are
part of the front passenger seat and
seatbelt to detect the presence of a
properly-seated occupant and determine
if the front passenger frontal airbag should
be enabled (may inflate) or not.
The front passenger sensing system uses
a passenger airbag status indicator that
will illuminate indicating that the front
passenger frontal airbag is either ON
(enabled) or OFF (disabled).
The indicator lamp is located in the center
stack of the instrument panel.
Note:
The passenger airbag status indicator
OFF and ON indicator lamps will illuminate
for a short period of time when the ignition
is first turned on to confirm it is functional.
The front passenger sensing system is
designed to disable (will not inflate) the
front passenger's frontal airbag when the
front passenger seat is unoccupied, or a
rear facing infant seat, a forward-facing
child restraint, or a booster seat is
detected. Even with this technology,
parents are strongly encouraged to
always properly restrain children in the rear
seat. The sensor also turns off the
passenger front airbag and seat-mounted
side airbag when the passenger seat is
empty.
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