2001 FORD ESCAPE towing

WRECKER TOWING
If you need to have your vehicle towed, contact a professional towing
service or, if you are a member, your roadside assistance center.
It is recommended that your vehicle be towed with a wheel lift and
dollies or flatbed equipment. Do not tow with a slingbelt. Ford Motor
Company has not approved a slingbelt towing procedure.
If your vehicle is to be towed from the rear using wheel lift equipment, it
is recommended that the front wheels (drive wheels) be placed on a
dolly to prevent damage to the transaxle.
On 4x4 vehicles, it isrequiredthat your vehicle be towed with a wheel
lift and dollies or flatbed equipment with all the wheels off the ground to
prevent damage to the 4x4 system or vehicle.
If the vehicle is towed by other means or incorrectly, vehicle
damage may occur.
In case of a roadside emergency with a disabled vehicle (without access
to wheel dollies, car hauling trailer, or flatbed transport vehicle) your
vehicle (regardless of transmission powertrain configuration) can be flat
Roadside emergencies
194

towed (all wheels in the ground) under the following conditions:
²Place the transmission in N (Neutral).
²Maximum speed is not to exceed 56 km/h (35 mph).
²Maximum distance is 80 km (50 miles).
Ford Motor Company provides a towing manual for all authorized tow
truck operators. Have your tow truck operator refer to this manual for
proper hook-up and towing procedures for your vehicle.
Roadside emergencies
195

²Idling for long periods of time (greater than one minute) may waste
fuel.
²Anticipate stopping; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop.
²Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel economy.
²Slow down gradually.
²Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 88 km/h [55 mph] uses 15%
less fuel than traveling at 105 km/h [65 mph]).
²Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
²Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
²You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if
unnecessary shifting between third and fourth gear occurs.
Unnecessary shifting of this type could result in reduced fuel
economy.
²Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
²Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
²Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
²Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
²Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
²Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle scheduled maintenance guide.
Conditions
²Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
²Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
²Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
²Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
Maintenance and care
232

Ford Extended Service Plan
You can get more protection for your new car or light truck by
purchasing Ford Extended Service Plan (Ford ESP) coverage. Ford ESP
is an optional service contract which is backed by Ford Motor Company
or Ford Motor Service Company (in the U.S.) and Ford of Canada (in
Canada). It provides the following:
²Benefits during the warranty period depending on the plan you
purchase (such as: reimbursement for rentals; coverage for certain
maintenance and wear items).
²Protection against covered repair costs after your Bumper-to-Bumper
Warranty expires.
You may purchase Ford ESP from any participating Ford and Lincoln
Mercury and Ford of Canada dealer. There are several plans available in
various time, distance and deductible combinations which can be tailored
to fit your own driving needs. Ford ESP also offers reimbursement
benefits for towing and rental coverage.
When you buy Ford ESP, you receive Peace-of-Mind protection
throughout the United States and Canada, provided by a network of
more than 5,000 participating Ford or Lincoln Mercury and Ford of
Canada dealers.
If you did not take advantage of the Ford Extended Service Plan at the
time of purchasing your vehicle, you may still be eligible. Please contact
your dealer for further information. Since this information is subject to
change, please ask your dealer for complete details about Ford Extended
Service Plan coverage options, or visit the Ford ESP website at
www.ford-esp.com.
Customer assistance
255

Load limits .................................155
GAWR ......................................155
GVWR ......................................155
trailer towing ..........................155
Loading instructions .................156
Locks
childproof ..................................84
Lubricant specifications ...250, 252
Lumbar support, seats .............100
M
Manual transaxle
fluid, checking and adding ....216
Manual transmission
fluid capacities ........................247
lubricant specifications ..........252
Mirrors
cleaning ...................................246
fold away ...................................20
side view mirrors (power) .......19
Moon roof ....................................79
Motorcraft parts ................230, 247
O
Octane rating ............................227
Odometer .....................................18
Off-Road Driving .......................152
Oil (see Engine oil) ..................201
Overdrive ...................................146
P
Panic alarm feature, remote
entry system ................................90
Parking brake ............................143Parts (see Motorcraft parts) ....247
Power distribution box (see
Fuses) ........................................180
Power door locks ........................84
Power steering ..........................144
fluid, checking and adding ....213
fluid, refill capacity ................247
fluid, specifications .........250, 252
Preparing to drive your
vehicle ........................................145
R
Radio ............................................26
Rear window defroster ...............20
Relays ........................................176
Remote entry system ...........89±90
illuminated entry ......................92
locking/unlocking doors ...........90
panic alarm ...............................90
replacement/additional
transmitters ...............................91
replacing the batteries .............91
Roof rack ...................................162
S
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ....................15, 107±111
Safety defects, reporting ..........269
Safety restraints ................107±111
belt minder .............................113
cleaning the safety
belts .................................117, 246
extension assembly ................112
for adults .........................108±110
for children .............................127
lap belt ....................................112
Index
274

warning light and
chime ...........................12, 15, 113
Safety seats for children ..........128
Seat belts (see Safety
restraints) ..................................107
Seats ............................................98
child safety seats ....................128
cleaning ...................................245
SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ....................................93±94
Servicing your vehicle ..............196
Snowplowing .................................5
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................247, 252
Special notice ................................4
ambulance conversions ..............5
utility-type vehicles ....................4
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................250, 252
Speed control ..............................73
Speedometer ...............................17
Starting your vehicle ........137, 139
jump starting ..........................188
Steering wheel
controls ......................................73
T
Tachometer .................................17
Temperature control (see
Climate control) ..........................21
Tires ...........................183, 219±221
changing ..........................183±184
checking the pressure ............221
replacing ..................................223rotating ....................................221
snow tires and chains ............223
tire grades ...............................220
treadwear ................................220
Towing .......................................157
recreational towing .................161
trailer towing ..........................157
wrecker ....................................194
Transaxle
automatic operation ...............146
fluid, checking and adding
(manual) .................................216
Transmission
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................214
fluid, refill capacities ..............247
lubricant specifications ..250, 252
Turn signal ............................12, 71
V
Vehicle dimensions ...................252
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ..........................................254
Vehicle loading ..........................155
Ventilating your vehicle ...........141
W
Warning chimes ...........................15
Warning lights (see Lights) .......10
Washer fluid ..............................206
Water, Driving through .............157
Windows
power .........................................82
rear wiper/washer .....................77
Index
275

Windshield washer fluid and
wipers
checking and adding fluid .....206
checking and cleaning ....218±219
liftgate reservoir .....................207operation ...................................76
replacing wiper blades ...........219
Wrecker towing .........................194
Index
276