FORD 2012 Flex v.2 - Manual (Page 270)

N (Neutral)
With the gearshift lever in N (Neutral), the vehicle can be started and is
free to roll. Hold the brake pedal down while in this position.
D (Drive)
The normal driving position for the best fuel economy. Transmission
operates in gears one through six.
M (Manual) SelectShift Automatic™ Transmission (SST) with
Grade Assist
Initially, moving the lever to M (Manual) activates grade assist and
cancels overdrive.
Grade assist:
• Provides additional grade
(engine) braking for downhill
driving and extends lower gear
operation on uphill climbs for
hilly terrain or mountainous
areas.
• Provides additional engine
braking through the automatic
transmission shift strategy which
reacts to vehicle inputs (vehicle
acceleration, accelerator pedal,
brake pedal and vehicle speed).
This will increase engine RPM
during engine braking.
• The grade assist lamp in the
instrument cluster is illuminated.
Grade assist is designed to aid the
driver with optimal gear selection in
hilly terrain or mountainous areas
but is not intended for normal operation. It is recommended that you
return to O/D (overdrive mode) on flat terrain to provide the best fuel
economy and transmission function.
To return to normal D (Drive) position (with O/D), do one of the
following:
• Move the shift lever back from M (Manual) to D (Drive).
• Press the paddle shifters to exit grade assist and enable control of
selecting the gear you desire using the paddle shifters on the steering
wheel. This is called SelectShift Automatic™ Transmission (SST)
mode.
Driving
269
2012 Flex (471)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA (fus)