fuel additives FORD FLEX 2011 1.G Owners Manual

Engine oil and filter recommendations
3.5L V6 engine
Look for this certification
trademark.
Use SAE 5W-20 engine oil
Only use oils certified for gasoline engines by the American Petroleum
Institute (API). An oil with this trademark symbol conforms to the
current engine and emission system protection standards and fuel
economy requirements of the International Lubricant Standardization and
Approval Committee (ILSAC), comprised of U.S. and Japanese
automobile manufacturers.
To protect your engine and engine’s warranty, use MotorcraftSAE
5W-20 or an equivalent SAE 5W-20 oil meeting Ford specification
WSS-M2C930-A.SAE 5W-20 oil provides optimum fuel economy and
durability performance meeting all requirements for your
vehicle’s engine. Refer toMaintenance product specifications and
capacitieslater in this section for more information.
Do not use supplemental engine oil additives, cleaners or other engine
treatments. They are unnecessary and could lead to engine damage that
is not covered by Ford warranty.
Change your engine oil according to the appropriate schedule listed in
thescheduled maintenance information.
Ford production and Motorcraftreplacement oil filters are designed for
added engine protection and long life. If a replacement oil filter is used
that does not meet Ford material and design specifications, start-up
engine noises or knock may be experienced.
It is recommended you use the appropriate Motorcraftoil filter or
another with equivalent performance for your engine application.
Maintenance and Specifications
344
2011 Flex(471)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

3.5L V6 EcoBoost™ engine
Look for this certification
trademark.
Use SAE 5W-30 engine oil
Only use oils “Certified For Gasoline Engines” by the American
Petroleum Institute (API). An oil with this trademark symbol conforms
to the current engine and emission system protection standards and fuel
economy requirements of the International Lubricant Standardization and
Approval Committee (ILSAC), comprised of U.S. and Japanese
automobile manufacturers.
To protect your engine and engine’s warranty, use MotorcraftSAE
5W-30 or an equivalent SAE 5W-30 oil meeting Ford specification
WSS-M2C929-A. Refer toMaintenance product specifications and
capacitieslater in this section for more information.
Do not use supplemental engine oil additives, cleaners or other engine
treatments. They are unnecessary and could lead to engine damage that
is not covered by Ford warranty.
Change your engine oil according to the appropriate schedule listed in
thescheduled maintenance information.
Ford production and Motorcraftreplacement oil filters are designed for
added engine protection and long life. If a replacement oil filter is used
that does not meet Ford material and design specifications, start-up
engine noises or knock may be experienced.
It is recommended you use the appropriate Motorcraftoil filter or
another with equivalent performance for your engine application.
Maintenance and Specifications
345
2011 Flex(471)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

Choosing the right fuel
Use only UNLEADED fuel or UNLEADED fuel blended with a maximum
of 10% ethanol. Do not use fuel ethanol (E85), diesel, methanol, leaded
fuel or any other fuel. The use of leaded fuel is prohibited by law and
could damage your vehicle.
Your vehicle was not designed to use fuel or fuel additives with metallic
compounds, including manganese-based additives.
Note:Use of any fuel other than those recommended may cause
powertrain damage, a loss of vehicle performance, and repairs may not
be covered under warranty.
Octane recommendations
3.5L V6 engine
Your vehicle will run normally on 87 octane regular fuel. Premium fuel
will provide improved performance.
3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine
Your vehicle is designed to run on regular fuel with an octane rating of
87 or higher. For best overall performance, premium fuel with an octane
rating of 91 or higher is recommended. The performance gained by using
premium fuel will be most noticeable in hot weather or in severe duty
applications such as towing a trailer.
Some stations offer fuels posted asRegularwith an octane rating below
87, particularly in high altitude areas. Fuels with octane levels below 87
are not recommended for either engine. Do not be concerned if your
engine sometimes knocks lightly. However, if it knocks heavily while you
are using fuel with the recommended octane rating, see your authorized
dealer to prevent any engine damage.
Fuel quality
If you are experiencing starting, rough idle or hesitation driveability
problems during a cold start, try a different brand of unleaded gasoline.
If the problems persist, see your authorized dealer.
Do not add aftermarket fuel additive products to your fuel tank. It
should not be necessary to add any aftermarket products to your fuel
87(R+M)/2 METHOD
Maintenance and Specifications
359
2011 Flex(471)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)