Page 17 of 496
recommendations and specifications that
are unique to your vehicle. This Owner
’s
Manual is written primarily for the U.S. and
Canadian Markets. Features or equipment
listed as standard may be different on units
built for export. Refer to this Owner ’s
Manual for all other required
information and warnings.
14
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Introduction
Page 18 of 496
PROTECTING THE
ENVIRONMENT
You must play your part in protecting the
environment. Correct vehicle usage and
the authorized disposal of waste, cleaning
and lubrication materials are significant
steps toward this aim.
15
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Environment
Page 19 of 496
INSTRUMENT PANEL OVERVIEW
Air vent.
A
Wiper lever. See Windshield Wipers (page 79).
B
Direction Indicators. See
Direction Indicators (page 86).
C
Information display control. See
Information Display Control (page 77).
D
Instrument cluster. See
Instrument Cluster (page 93).
E
Information display control. See
Information Display Control (page 77).
F
Audio system. See
Audio System (page 313).
G
Hazard flasher switch. See
Hazard Warning Flashers (page 221).
H
Information and entertainment display. See Information Displays (page 99).
I
Passenger airbag indicator light. See Front Passenger Sensing System (page
46
).
J
Climate controls. See
Climate Control (page 116).
K
Keyless start button. See
Keyless Starting (page 149).
L
Audio control. See
Audio Control (page 76).
M
16
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing At a GlanceE232260
Page 20 of 496
Horn.
N
Steering wheel adjustment. See Adjusting the Steering Wheel (page 75).
O
Cruise control switches. See
Using Cruise Control (page 188).
P
Hood release. See
Opening and Closing the Hood (page 244).
Q
Instrument panel dimmer control. See
Instrument Lighting Dimmer (page
84).
R
Lighting control. See
Lighting (page 82).
S
17
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing At a Glance
Page 21 of 496

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 National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and other safety
organizations, base their recommendations
for child restraints on probable child height,
age and weight thresholds, or on the
minimum requirements of the law. We
recommend that you check with a NHTSA
Certified Child Passenger Safety WARNINGS
Technician (CPST) to make sure that you
properly install the child restraint in your
vehicle and that you consult your
pediatrician to make sure you have a child
restraint appropriate for your child. To
locate a child restraint fitting station and
CPST, contact NHTSA toll free at
1-888-327-4236 or go to
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 child
restraints made especially for their height,
age and weight, may result in an increased
risk of serious injury or death to your child. On hot days, the temperature inside
the vehicle 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. 18
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Child Safety
Page 22 of 496

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 seatback 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 lb (36 kg). 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
46). INSTALLING CHILD
RESTRAINTS
Child Seats
19
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Child SafetyE142594
Page 23 of 496

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
Page 24 of 496

1. Position the child safety seat in a seat
with a combination lap and shoulder
belt. 2. After positioning the child safety seat
in the proper seating position, pull
down on the shoulder belt and then
grasp the shoulder belt and lap belt
together behind the belt tongue. 3.
While holding the shoulder and lap belt
portions together, route the tongue
through the child seat according to the
child seat manufacturer's instructions.
Be sure the belt webbing is not twisted. 4. Insert the belt tongue into the proper
buckle (the buckle closest to the
direction the tongue is coming from)
for that seating position until you hear
a snap and feel the latch engage. Make
sure the tongue is latched securely by
pulling on it. 5. To put the retractor in the automatic
locking mode, grasp the shoulder
portion of the belt and pull downward
until all of the belt is pulled out.
Note: The automatic locking mode is
available on the front passenger and rear
seats.
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.
21
Flex (), enUSA, First Printing Child SafetyE142529 E142530 E142531 E142875