<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-05-16</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000830916</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MULTI FINELINE ELECTRONIX INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MFLX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001577574</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>UNITED ENGINEERS LTD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>12 ANG MO KIO STREET 64</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>#01-01 UE BIZHUB CENTRAL</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SINGAPORE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>U0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>569088</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SINGAPORE</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001577575</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>UE CENTENNIAL VENTURE PTE. LTD.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>12 ANG MO KIO STREET 64</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>#01-01 UE BIZHUB CENTRAL</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SINGAPORE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>U0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>569088</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SINGAPORE</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>14817052</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes 1 and 2</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares of the Issuer's Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (&quot;Shares&quot;) are held as follows: 11,817,052 Shares held by Wearnes Technology (Private) Limited (&quot;WT&quot;) and 3,000,000 Shares held by United Wearnes Technology Pte Ltd (&quot;UWT&quot;). WBL Corporation Limited (&quot;WBL&quot;) may be deemed to beneficially own the Shares held by WT and UWT. Each of WT, UWT and WBL has previously reported its beneficial ownership of the Shares on Form 3, filed October 5, 2005. United Engineers Limited (&quot;UEL&quot;), through UE Centennial Venture Pte. Ltd. (&quot;UECV&quot;), its wholly-owned subsidiary, owned or had agreed to acquire, pursuant to a cash offer, more than 50% of the ordinary stock units of WBL, such that each of UEL and UECV may be deemed to indirectly beneficially own the Shares beneficially owned by WBL as of May 16, 2013. Additional details concerning the offer are available in the Schedule 13D filed by the Reporting Persons on May 28, 2013, which is incorporated by reference herein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Each Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the Shares reported herein except to the extent of his or its pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that such Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of the Shares for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or for any other purpose.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>United Engineers Limited, By: /s/ Wong Hein Jee, Chief Financial Officer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-05-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>UE Centennial Venture Pte. Ltd., By: /s/ United Engineers Limited, its sole owner, By: /s/ Wong Hein Jee, Chief Finiancial Officer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-05-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
