2017 FORD FLEX airbag off

Parking aid
Parking brake
Power steering fluid
Power windows front/rear
Power window lockout
Requires registered technician
Safety alert
See Owner's Manual
See Service Manual
Service engine soon
Side airbag
Shield the eyes
Stability control
Windshield wash and wipe DATA RECORDING
Service Data Recording
Service data recorders in your vehicle are
capable of collecting and storing
diagnostic information about your vehicle.
This potentially includes information about
the performance or status of various
systems and modules in the vehicle, such
as engine, throttle, steering or brake
systems. In order to properly diagnose and
service your vehicle, Ford Motor Company
(Ford of Canada in Canada), and service
and repair facilities may access or share
among them vehicle diagnostic
information received through a direct
connection to your vehicle when
diagnosing or servicing your vehicle.
Additionally, Ford Motor Company (Ford
of Canada, in Canada) may, where
permitted by law, use vehicle diagnostic
information for vehicle improvement or
with other information we may have about
you, (for example, your contact
information), to offer you products or
services that may interest you. Data may
be provided to our service providers such
as part suppliers that may help diagnose
malfunctions, and who are similarly
obligated to protect data. We retain this
data only as long as necessary to perform
these functions or to comply with law. We
may provide information where required
in response to official requests to law
enforcement or other government
authorities or third parties acting with
lawful authority or court order, and such
information may be used in legal
proceedings. For U.S. only (if equipped), if
you choose to use connected apps and
services, such as SYNC Vehicle Health
Report or MyFord Mobile App, you consent
that certain diagnostic information may
also be accessed electronically by Ford
Motor Company and Ford authorized
service facilities, and that the diagnostic
information may be used to provide
9
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing IntroductionE139213 E231159 E231158 E167012 E138639

services to you, personalizing your
experience, troubleshoot, and to improve
products and services and offer you
products and services that may interest
you, where permitted by law. For Canada
only, for more information, please review
the Ford of Canada privacy policy at
www.ford.ca, including our U.S. data
storage and use of service providers in
other jurisdictions who may be subject to
legal requirements in Canada, the United
States and other countries applicable to
them, for example, lawful requirements to
disclose personal information to
governmental authorities in those
countries. See SYNC™ (page 321).
Event Data Recording
This vehicle is equipped with an event
data recorder. The main purpose of an
event data recorder is to record, in
certain crash or near crash-like
situations, such as an airbag
deployment or hitting a road obstacle;
this data will assist in understanding
how a vehicle ’s systems performed.
The event data recorder is designed to
record data related to vehicle dynamics
and safety systems for a short period
of time, typically 30 seconds or less.
The event data recorder in this vehicle
is designed to record such data as:
• How various systems in your vehicle
were operating;
• Whether or not the driver and
passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened;
• How far (if at all) the driver was
depressing the accelerator and/or
the brake pedal; and
• How fast the vehicle was traveling;
and
• Where the driver was positioning
the steering wheel. 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.
10
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Introduction

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 321).
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 321). CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNINGS
Some constituents of engine
exhaust, certain vehicle components,
certain fluids contained in vehicles
and certain products of component wear
contain or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm. Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
reproductive harm. Batteries also contain
other chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer. Wash your
hands after handling. PERCHLORATE
Certain components in your vehicle such
as airbag modules, seatbelt pretensioners
and remote control batteries may contain
perchlorate material. Special handling
may apply for service or vehicle end of life
disposal.
For more information visit:
Web Address
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazard- ouswaste/perchlorate
FORD CREDIT
US Only
Ford Credit offers a full range of financing
and lease plans to help you acquire your
vehicle. If you have financed or leased your
vehicle through Ford Credit, thank you for
your business.
11
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Introduction

We offer a number of convenient ways for
you to contact us, and to manage your
account.
Call 1-800-727-7000.
For more information about Ford Credit
and access to the Account Manager, go to
www.fordcredit.com.
REPLACEMENT PARTS
RECOMMENDATION
We have built your vehicle to the highest
standards using quality parts. We
recommend that you demand the use of
genuine Ford and Motorcraft parts
whenever your vehicle requires scheduled
maintenance or repair. You can clearly
identify genuine Ford and Motorcraft parts
by looking for the Ford, FoMoCo or
Motorcraft branding on the parts or their
packaging.
Scheduled Maintenance and
Mechanical Repairs
One of the best ways for you to make sure
that your vehicle provides years of service
is to have it maintained in line with our
recommendations using parts that
conform to the specifications detailed in
this Owner
’s Manual. Genuine Ford and
Motorcraft parts meet or exceed these
specifications.
Collision Repairs
We hope that you never experience a
collision, but accidents do happen.
Genuine Ford replacement collision parts
meet our stringent requirements for fit,
finish, structural integrity, corrosion
protection and dent resistance. During vehicle development we validate that
these parts deliver the intended level of
protection as a whole system. A great way
to know for sure you are getting this level
of protection is to use genuine Ford
replacement collision parts.
Warranty on Replacement Parts
Genuine Ford and Motorcraft replacement
parts are the only replacement parts that
benefit from a Ford Warranty. The Ford
Warranty may not cover damage caused
to your vehicle as a result of failed
non-Ford parts. For additional information,
refer to the terms and conditions of the
Ford Warranty.
SPECIAL NOTICES
New Vehicle Limited Warranty
For a detailed description of what is
covered and what is not covered by your
vehicle
’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty,
see the Warranty Manual that is provided
to you along with your Owner ’s Manual.
Special Instructions
For your added safety, your vehicle is fitted
with sophisticated electronic controls. WARNINGS
You risk death or serious injury to
yourself and others if you do not
follow the instruction highlighted by
the warning symbol. Failure to follow the
specific warnings and instructions could
result in personal injury. Never place front seat mounted
rear-facing child or infant seats in
front of an active passenger airbag. 12
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Introduction

Use a child safety seat (sometimes called
an infant carrier, convertible seat, or
toddler seat) for infants, toddlers or
children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less
(generally age four or younger).
Using Lap and Shoulder Belts WARNINGS
Airbags can kill or injure a child in a
child seat. Never place a rear-facing
child seat in front of an active airbag.
If you must use a forward-facing child seat
in the front seat, move the seat upon which
the child seat is installed all the way back. Airbags can kill or injure a child in a
child seat. Children 12 and under
should be properly restrained in the
rear seat whenever possible. Depending on where you secure a
child restraint, and depending on the
child restraint design, you may block
access to certain seatbelt buckle
assemblies and LATCH lower anchors,
rendering those features potentially
unusable. To avoid risk of injury, occupants
should only use seating positions where
they are able to be properly restrained. When installing a child safety seat with
combination lap and shoulder belts:
•
Use the correct seatbelt buckle for that
seating position.
• Insert the belt tongue into the proper
buckle until you hear a snap and feel it
latch. Make sure the tongue is securely
fastened in the buckle.
• 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,
adjust the recliner slightly to improve
child seat fit. If needed, remove the
head restraints.
• For third-row seating positions, stow
the head restraints to improve child
seat fit. See
Head Restraints (page
125).
• Put the seatbelt in the automatic
locking mode. See Step 5. 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 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.
Standard seatbelts 20
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Child SafetyE142528

Children and booster seats vary in size and
shape. Choose a booster that keeps the
lap belt low and snug across the hips,
never up across the stomach, and lets you
adjust the shoulder belt to cross the chest
and rest snugly near the center of the
shoulder. The following drawings compare
the ideal fit (center) to a shoulder belt
uncomfortably close to the neck and a
shoulder belt that could slip off the
shoulder. The drawings also show how the
lap belt should be low and snug across the
child's hips.If the booster seat slides on the vehicle
seat upon which it is being used, placing a
rubberized mesh sold as shelf or carpet
liner under the booster seat may improve
this condition. Do not introduce any item
thicker than this under the booster seat.
Check with the booster seat
manufacturer's instructions.
CHILD RESTRAINT
POSITIONING WARNINGS
Airbags can kill or injure a child in a
child seat. Never place a rear-facing
child seat in front of an active airbag.
If you must use a forward-facing child seat
in the front seat, move the vehicle seat
upon which the child seat is installed all
30
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Child SafetyE142596 E142597

The Personal Safety System provides an
improved overall level of frontal crash
protection to front seat occupants and is
designed to help further reduce the risk of
airbag-related injuries. The system is able
to analyze different occupant conditions
and crash severity before activating the
appropriate safety devices to help better
protect a range of occupants in a variety
of frontal crash situations.
Your vehicle's Personal Safety System
consists of:
•
Driver and passenger dual-stage airbag
supplemental restraints.
• Front seat outboard safety belts with
pretensioners, energy management
retractors (first row only) and safety
belt usage sensors.
• Driver seat position sensor.
• Front passenger sensing system.
• Passenger airbag off and on indicator
lamp.
• Front crash severity sensors.
• Restraints control module with impact
and safing sensors.
• Restraint system warning light and
backup tone.
• The electrical wiring for the airbags,
crash sensors, safety belt
pretensioners, front safety belt usage
sensors, driver seat position sensor,
front passenger sensing system and
indicator lights. How Does the Personal Safety
System Work?
The Personal Safety System can adapt the
deployment strategy of the safety devices
according to crash severity and occupant
conditions. A collection of crash and
occupant sensors provides information to
the restraints control module. During a
crash, the restraints control module may
deploy the safety belt pretensioners, one
or both stages of the dual-stage airbags
based on crash severity and occupant
conditions.
43
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Personal Safety System
™

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.
46
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Supplementary Restraints SystemE142846 E224572