2003 FORD ESCAPE brake

Driving while you tow
When towing a trailer:
•Turn off the speed control. The speed control may shut off
automatically when you are towing on long, steep grades.
•Consult your local motor vehicle speed regulations for towing a trailer.
•To eliminate excessive shifting, use a lower gear. This will also assist
in transmission cooling. (For additional information, refer to the
Driving with a 4–speed automatic transmissionsection in this
chapter.
•Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
•Do not exceed the GCWR rating or transmission damage may occur.
Servicing after towing
If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more
frequent service intervals. Refer to your scheduled maintenance guide for
more information.
Trailer towing tips
•Practice turning, stopping and backing up before starting on a trip to
get the feel of the vehicle trailer combination. When turning, make
wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles.
•Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached.
•The trailer tongue weight should be 10–15% of the loaded trailer
weight.
•After you have traveled 80 km (50 miles), thoroughly check your
hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts.
•To aid in engine/transmission cooling and A/C efficiency during hot
weather while stopped in traffic, place the gearshift lever in P (Park)
(automatic transmission) or N (Neutral) (manual transmissions).
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. If you must
park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer’s wheels.
Launching or retrieving a boat
Disconnect the wiring to the trailer before backing the trailer
into the water. Reconnect the wiring to the trailer after the
trailer is removed from the water.
When backing down a ramp during boat launching or retrieval:
•do not allow the static water level to rise above the bottom edge of
the rear bumper.
Driving
144

Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPassenger Compartment Fuse
Panel Description
24 15A Stoplamps, High mounted
stoplamp, Trailer stoplamp, ABS
unit, ASC unit (Brake Pedal
Position Switch), PCM, Shift
solenoid
25 30A Power window motors
26 30A Power door lock motors, GEM
(door lock relay coil), Power seat,
4WD relay
27 10A GEM, Audio, Cluster, Interior lamp,
Map lamp, Cargo lamp, Datalink
connector
ACC—Accessory relay
Power distribution box
The power distribution box is
located in the engine compartment.
The power distribution box contains
high-current fuses that protect your
vehicle’s main electrical systems
from overloads.
Always disconnect the battery before servicing high current
fuses.
To reduce risk of electrical shock, always replace the cover to
the Power Distribution Box before reconnecting the battery or
refilling fluid reservoirs.
If the battery has been disconnected and reconnected, refer to the
Batterysection of theMaintenance and specificationschapter.
Roadside Emergencies
151

Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPower Distribution Box
Description
INJ 30A** EEC (VPWR), EVR, MAF, IAC,
Bulkhead, HEGO fuse
MAIN 120A Main
ALT 15A* Alternator/ Regulator
(DRL) 15A* Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
unit (feed), DRL relay
(DRL2) (HLEV)15A*(DRL2)
10A(HLEV)DRL module, HLEV
PWR 1 15A* Auxiliary power point
FOG 20A* Foglamps, Foglamp indicator
A/C 15A* A/C clutch
(ABS) 25A* Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
SOL, EVAC & FILL
PWR 2 15A* Auxiliary power point
IG MAIN 40A** Starter
HTR 40A** Blower motor, Blower motor relay
BTN 1 40A** JB - Accessory relay, Radio, TNS
relay, Cigar lighter, Cluster, Power
mirror, GEM, Accessory delay
relay, Power windows, Power
moonroof
(ABS) 60A** ABS motor, EVAC & FILL
BTN 2 40A** JB - Radio, CD changer, Cluster,
Dome lamps, Map lamps, Cargo
lamps, Horn relay, GEM, Power
locks, Speed control
MAIN FAN 40A** (2.0 L)
50A(3.0 L)Main fan
R DEF 30A** Rear defroster
ADD FAN 40A**(2.0 L)
50A(3.0 L)Add fan
EEC MAIN ISO—EEC relay
FUEL PUMP ISO—Fuel pump relay
Roadside Emergencies
153

Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPower Distribution Box
Description
MAIN FAN ISO—Low-speed fan control relay
(2.0L engine)
High-speed fan control relay 1
(3.0L engine)
ADD FAN ISO—High-speed fan control relay 1
(2.0L engine)
Low-speed fan control relay
(3.0L engine)
DEF RELAY ISO—Rear defroster relay
ST RELAY ISO—Starter relay
ADD FAN 2 ISO—High-speed fan control relay 2
(3.0L engine)
Medium-speed fan control relay
(2.0L engine)
FOG RELAY
MICRO—Foglamp relay
A/C RELAY
MICRO—A/C clutch relay
CHANGING THE TIRES
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not apply the brake heavily.
Instead, gradually decrease your speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly
and slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road.
The use of tire sealants is not recommended and may
compromise the integrity of your tires.
Temporary spare tire information
The temporary spare tire for your vehicle is labeled as such. It is smaller
than a regular tire and is designed for emergency use only.
If you use the temporary spare tire continuously or do not follow
these precautions, the tire could fail, causing you to lose control
of the vehicle, possibly injuring yourself or others.
Roadside Emergencies
154

When driving with the temporary spare tiredo not:
•use more than one temporary spare tire at a time
•exceed 80 km/h (50 mph) or drive further than 3 200 km
(2 000 miles) total under any circumstances
•load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load rating listed on the
Safety Compliance Label
•tow a trailer
•use tire chains
•try to repair the temporary spare tire or remove it from its wheel
•use the wheel for any other type of vehicle
Use of a temporary spare tire at any one wheel location can lead to
impairment of the following:
•handling, stability and braking performance
•comfort and noise
•ground clearance and parking at curbs
•Winter driving capability
Tire change procedure
When one of the front wheels is off the ground, the transmission
alone will not prevent the vehicle from moving or slipping off the
jack, even if the vehicle is in P (Park) (automatic transaxle) or R
(Reverse) (manual transaxle).
To prevent the vehicle from moving when you change a tire, be
sure the parking brake is set, then block (in both directions) the
wheel that is diagonally opposite (other side and end of the vehicle) to
the tire being changed.
If the vehicle slips off the jack, you or someone else could be
seriously injured.
Roadside Emergencies
155

1. Park on a level surface, activate
hazard flashers and place gearshift
lever in P (Park) (automatic
transmission) or R (Reverse)
(manual transmission).
2. Set the parking brake and turn
engine OFF.
3. Block the diagonally opposite
wheel.
4. Lift the cargo cover and remove
the tool bag with jack handle, lug
nut wrench and long spare tire rod
and spare tire from the wheel well.
5. Loosen each wheel lug nut
one-half turn counterclockwise but
do not remove them until the wheel
is raised off the ground.
Roadside Emergencies
156

Preparing your vehicle
When the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the
transmission must relearn its shift strategy. As a result, the transmission
may have firm and/or soft shifts. This operation is considered normal and
will not affect function or durability of the transmission. Over time, the
adaptive learning process will fully update transmission operation.
1.Use only a 12–volt supply to start your vehicle.
2. Do not disconnect the battery of the disabled vehicle as this could
damage the vehicle’s electrical system.
3. Park the booster vehicle close to the hood of the disabled vehicle
making sure the two vehiclesdo nottouch. Set the parking brake on
both vehicles and stay clear of the engine cooling fan and other moving
parts.
4. Check all battery terminals and remove any excessive corrosion before
you attach the battery cables. Ensure that vent caps are tight and level.
5. Turn the heater fan on in both vehicles to protect any electrical
surges. Turn all other accessories off.
Connecting the jumper cables
1. Connect the positive (+) booster cable to the positive (+) terminal of
the discharged battery.
Note:In the illustrations,lightning boltsare used to designate the
assisting (boosting) battery.
+–+–
Roadside Emergencies
160

•Remove particles such as bird droppings, tree sap, insect deposits, tar
spots, road salt and industrial fallout before repairing paint chips.
•Always read the instructions before using the products.
ALUMINUM WHEELS AND COVERS
Aluminum wheel rims or covers are coated with a clearcoat paint finish.
In order to maintain their shine:
•Clean with Motorcraft Wheel and Tire Cleaner (ZC-37–A), which is
available from your dealer.
•Never apply any cleaning chemical to hot or warm wheel rims or
covers.
•Some automatic car washes may cause damage to the finish on your
wheel rims or covers. Chemical-strength cleaners, or cleaning
chemicals, in combination with brush agitation to remove brake dust
and dirt, could wear away the clearcoat finish over time.
•Do not use hydrofluoric acid-based or high caustic-based wheel
cleaners, steel wool, fuels or strong household detergent.
•To remove tar and grease, use Ford Extra Strength Tar and Road Oil
Removal (B7A-19520–AA), available from your dealer.
ENGINE
Engines are more efficient when they are clean because grease and dirt
buildup keep the engine warmer than normal. When washing:
•Take care when using a power washer to clean the engine. The
high-pressure fluid could penetrate the sealed parts and cause
damage.
•Do not spray a hot engine with cold water to avoid cracking the
engine block or other engine components.
•Spray Motorcraft Engine Shampoo and Degreaser (ZC-20) on all parts
that require cleaning and pressure rinse clean.
•Cover the highlighted areas to prevent water damage when cleaning
the engine.
Cleaning
178