Ford Flex 2009-2012 Service & Repair Manual

Description

The complete factory service and repair manual for the 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 Ford Flex — the same procedures a Ford dealer technician works from, delivered as a searchable PDF the moment you pay. It runs to 6,402 pages across 81 factory service sections, with step-by-step procedures, wiring diagrams, specifications and torque figures for every system on the vehicle.

About the 2009–2012 Flex

The Flex was Ford’s three-row crossover that refused to look like one — a low, squared-off six- and seven-seater on the D4 platform it shared with the Taurus and the Lincoln MKT. The grooved bodysides and blunt proportions made it the most distinctive thing in the showroom, and the packaging was the point: a flat floor, a proper third row and a driving position closer to a car than a truck. It launched on the naturally aspirated 3.5L Duratec, and from 2010 the twin-turbocharged 3.5L EcoBoost joined the range and made it genuinely quick. It is a comfortable, roomy vehicle with a short list of well-documented trouble spots — which is where a full factory manual earns its keep.

Vehicles covered

Ford Flex (first generation, pre-facelift)
Model years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Engines documented

• 3.5L Duratec V6 (4V, naturally aspirated)
• 3.5L EcoBoost V6 (GTDI, twin-turbocharged) — from 2010

Transmission & drivetrain

• 6F50 and 6F55 six-speed automatic transaxles, with external controls and transmission cooling
• Front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive
• Power transfer unit and four-wheel-drive system
• Driveshaft, front and rear halfshafts, and rear drive axle/differential

What’s inside

All 81 factory service sections. Engine teardown and assembly for both 3.5L V6s, fuel charging and controls including the turbocharger, electronic engine controls, ignition, starting and charging, cooling, exhaust, evaporative emissions and the fuel tank and lines. The 6F50/6F55 transaxles, their external controls and cooling, the power transfer unit, driveline, halfshafts and rear axle. Suspension, wheels and tyres, brakes with anti-lock and hydraulic actuation, the parking brake, and steering including electronic and hydraulic power assist. Climate control and auxiliary climate control, instrument cluster and message centre, information and entertainment, parking aid and active park assist, exterior and interior lighting, the module communications network and module configuration, anti-theft and the passive anti-theft system. Restraints and safety belts, body closures, handles, locks and latches, glass and mechanisms, seating, interior and exterior trim, the roof opening panel, bumpers, and unibody and collision repair. Wiring diagrams, schematics and connector and pinout information run throughout the electrical sections.

Common issues this manual helps you tackle

Every vehicle has its known trouble spots, and the first-generation Flex is no exception. These are the documented ones, and the factory sections that address each:

• Coolant pump failing internally (3.5L) — the pump is chain-driven and sits inside the engine, so when its seal lets go the coolant runs into the crankcase instead of onto the driveway. It is the most expensive failure reported on these cars and sits behind a good share of the engine failures logged against 2009–2011 examples. Section 303-03 Engine Cooling documents the coolant pump and its drive; sections 303-01A and 303-01B cover both engines down to the last bolt.
• All-wheel-drive power transfer unit leaks — PTU seal leaks are common enough that Ford published a general service bulletin on AWD PTU sealing covering the Flex from 2009 with the 6F50 and 6F55 transaxles, with symptoms ranging from a weep at the right-hand side to fluid between the transaxle and the unit. Section 308-07B Transfer Case — Power Transfer Unit and section 308-07A Four Wheel Drive carry the seal kits, fluid specifications and removal procedures.
• Driver frontal airbag recall (NHTSA 16V247000) — every 2009–2012 Flex was recalled for a driver airbag that could inflate improperly during second-stage deployment in a high-speed crash. Section 501-20B Supplemental Restraint System is the largest single section in the manual and documents the airbag modules, the restraints control module, the clockspring and the associated wiring.
• Electric power steering assist shutdown, 2011–2012 (NHTSA 15V340000) — a steering motor sensor fault can shut the assist down and leave the steering heavy at low speed. Ford’s remedy is a power steering control module check for stored codes, then either a module calibration or a steering gear replacement. Section 211-00A Steering System — Electronic Power Assist and section 211-02 Power Steering cover the diagnosis, the module and the gear.
• Electronic throttle body sticking and limp-home mode — a wrench light with P2111 or P2112 stored is the classic symptom of a contaminated throttle body on this generation, and Ford extended coverage for it under customer satisfaction programs 13N03 and 16B32. Section 310-02 Acceleration Control and section 303-14 Electronic Engine Controls cover the throttle body, its relearn procedure and the control circuits behind it.
• Fuel gauge reading inaccurately — a gauge that sticks or reads wrong is one of the most-reported complaints on the early cars, and the fault is usually the sender in the fuel delivery module rather than the cluster. Section 310-01 Fuel Tank and Lines covers the fuel delivery module and pump, and section 413-01 Instrumentation, Message Center and Warning Chimes covers the cluster and its inputs.

Whether you are doing the work yourself, keeping a Flex on the road well out of warranty, or checking whether a shop’s diagnosis holds up, these are the procedures the dealer technicians follow.

Format

Searchable PDF, 6,402 pages, with the text layer intact throughout. Opens on Windows, Mac, Linux, tablets and phones — no special software beyond a PDF reader. English. Instant download — your link is issued as soon as payment clears.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cover the EcoBoost?
Yes. Both 3.5L V6s are documented — the naturally aspirated Duratec 4V and the twin-turbocharged EcoBoost GTDI, including the turbocharger, its oil and coolant feeds and the charge air cooler.

Does it cover all-wheel drive as well as front-wheel drive?
Yes. Both are covered, including the power transfer unit, the driveshaft, the rear drive axle and the halfshafts front and rear.

Does it include wiring diagrams?
Yes. The electrical sections carry wiring diagrams, schematics and connector and pinout information across lighting, the module communications network, the instrument cluster, entertainment and the restraint system.

Can I search it?
Yes. The text layer is intact across all 6,402 pages, so you can jump straight to a part name, a diagnostic trouble code or a torque figure instead of paging through a scan.

Will it fit a 2013 or later Flex?
No. Ford facelifted the Flex for 2013 with a revised front end and the Ti-VCT engine change, so a 2013-onward car needs the later manual. This one covers 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.