Engine coolant temperature
gauge:Indicates engine coolant
temperature. At normal operating
temperature, the needle will be in
the normal range (between “H” and
“C”).If it enters the red section,
the engine is overheating. Stop
the vehicle as soon as safely
possible, switch off the engine and let the engine cool.
Never remove the coolant reservoir cap while the engine is
running or hot.
Fuel gauge:Indicates
approximately how much fuel is left
in the fuel tank (when the ignition
is in the ON position). The fuel
gauge may vary slightly when the
vehicle is in motion or on a grade.
The FUEL icon and arrow indicates
which side of the vehicle the fuel
filler door is located.
Refer toFilling the tankin theMaintenance and Specifications
chapter for more information.
Tachometer:Indicates the engine
speed in revolutions per minute.
Driving with your tachometer
pointer continuously at the top of
the scale may damage the engine.
Odometer:Registers the total miles
(kilometers) of the vehicle.
If equipped with a message center,
refer toMessage Centerin the
Driver Controlschapter on how to
switch the display from Metric to English.
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To aid in side window defogging/demisting in cold weather:
1. Select
.
2. Select A/C.
3. Adjust the temperature control to maintain comfort.
4. Set the fan speed to the highest setting.
5. Direct the outer instrument panel vents towards the side windows.
To increase airflow to the outer instrument panel vents, close the vents
located in the middle of the instrument panel.
Do not place objects on top of the instrument panel as these
objects may become projectiles in a collision or sudden stop.
REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER
R
The rear defroster control is located on the climate control panel and
works to clear the rear window of fog and thin ice.
The engine must be running to operate the rear window defroster.
Press
Rto turn the rear window defroster on. An indicator light on
the button will illuminate when active. The rear window defroster turns
off automatically after a predetermined amount of time, if a low battery
condition is detected or when the ignition is turned to the 1 (LOCK) or
2 (ACC) position. To manually turn off the rear window defroster at any
time, press the control again.
If your vehicle is equipped with both rear defroster and heated mirrors,
the same button will activate both. Refer toHeated outside mirrorsin
theDriver Controlschapter.
Do not use razor blades or other sharp objects to clean the inside
of the rear window or to remove decals from the inside or the
rear window. This may cause damage to the heated grid lines and
will not be covered by your warranty.
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The auxiliary power point is located
in the instrument panel.
A second auxiliary power point is
located on the rear side of the
center console.
Do not use the power point for
operating the cigarette lighter
element (if equipped).
To prevent the fuse from being
blown, do not use the power
point(s) over the vehicle capacity of 12 VDC/180W. If the power point or
cigar lighter socket is not working, a fuse may have blown. Refer to
Fuses and Relaysin theRoadside Emergencieschapter for information
on checking and replacing fuses.
To prevent the battery from being discharged, do not use the power
point longer than necessary when the engine is not running.
Always keep the power point caps closed when not being used.
Cigar/Cigarette lighter (if equipped)
Do not plug optional electrical accessories into the cigarette lighter
socket.
Do not hold the lighter in with your hand while it is heating, this will
damage the lighter element and socket. The lighter will be released from
its heating position when it is ready to be used.
Improper use of the lighter can cause damage not covered by your
warranty.
POWER WINDOWS
Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle and do not let
children play with the power windows. They may seriously injure
themselves.
When closing the power windows, you should verify they are free
of obstructions and ensure that children and/or pets are not in
the proximity of the window openings.
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3. Press the SET + control and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator
pedal.
5. The indicator light
on the
instrument cluster will turn on.
Note:
•Vehicle speed may vary momentarily when driving up and down a
steep hill.
•If the vehicle speed increases above the set speed on a downhill, you
may want to apply the brakes to reduce the speed.
•If the vehicle speed decreases more than 10 mph (16 km/h) below
your set speed on an uphill, your speed control will disengage.
•If the vehicle speed decreases to 30 mph (48 km/h) or less, your
speed control will disengage
Disengaging speed control
To disengage the speed control:
•Depress the brake pedal
Disengaging the speed control will not erase previous set speed.
Note:When you use the clutch pedal to disengage the speed control,
the engine speed may briefly increase, this is normal.
Resuming a set speed
Press the RESUME control and
release it. This will automatically
return the vehicle to the previously
set speed.
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3. Liftgate and glass
4. DTE/Fuel level
Oil life
An oil change is required whenever indicated by the message center.
USE ONLY RECOMMENDED ENGINE OILS.
To reset the oil monitoring system to 100% after each oil change
[approximately 7,500 miles (12,000 km) or 12 months] perform the
following:
1. Press and release the SETUP
control to display “OIL LIFE =
XXX% HOLD RESET = NEW”.
2. Press and hold the RESET
control for 2 seconds and release.
Oil life is set to 100% and “OIL LIFE
SET TO 100%” is displayed.
3. While “OIL LIFE SET TO 100%”
is displayed, if a lower oil life start
value is desired, press and release the RESET control to reduce the start
value. Each press of the RESET control reduces the value by 10 percent.
Note:Oil life start value of 100% equals 7,500 miles (12,000 km) or 12
months. For example, setting oil life start value to 60% sets the oil life
start value to 4,500 miles (7,200 km) and 108 days.
Units (English/Metric)
1. Select this function from the
SETUP menu for the current units
to be displayed.
2. Press the RESET control to
change from English to Metric.
Autolamp delay
This feature keeps your headlights on for up to three minutes after the
ignition is switched off.
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REAR LEFT DOOR AJAR.Displayed when the rear left door is not
completely closed.
REAR RIGHT DOOR AJAR.Displayed when the rear right door is not
completely closed.
PARK BRAKE ENGAGED.Displayed when the manual park brake is
set, the engine is running and the vehicle is driven more than 3 mph
(5 km). If the warning stays on after the park brake is released, contact
your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
XXX MILES TO EMPTY FUEL LEVEL LOW.Displayed as an early
reminder of a low fuel condition.
LIFTGATE/GLASS AJAR.Displayed when the liftgate or liftgate glass
is not completely closed. Press RESET to reset display.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM.Displayed when the braking system is not
operating properly. If the warning stays on or continues to come on,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
LOW BRAKE FLUID.Indicates the brake fluid level is low and the
brake system should be inspected immediately. Refer toBrake fluid
reservoirin theMaintenance and Specificationschapter.
LOW TIRE PRESSURE.Displayed when one or more tires on your
vehicle have low tire pressure. Refer toInflating Your Tiresin the
Tires, Wheels and Loadingchapter.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR FAULT.Displayed when the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System is malfunctioning. If the warning stays on or
continues to come on, have the system inspected by your authorized
dealer.
TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR FAULT.Displayed when a tire pressure
sensor is malfunctioning, or your spare tire is in use. For more
information on how the system operates under these conditions, refer to
Understanding Your Tire Pressure Monitoring Systemin theTires,
Wheels and Loadingchapter. If the warning stays on or continues to
come on, have the system inspected by your authorized dealer
XX% OIL LIFE CHANGE SOON/OIL CHANGE REQUIRED.
Displayed when the engine oil life remaining is 10% or less. When oil life
left is between 10% and 0%, the XX% OIL LIFE CHANGE SOON
message will be displayed. When oil life left reaches 0%, the OIL
CHANGE REQUIRED message will be displayed.
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Unlocking and locking the doors and liftgate using keyless entry
To unlock the driver’s door,enter the factory set 5-digit code or your
personal code. Each number must be pressed within five seconds of each
other. The interior lamps will illuminate.
To unlock all doors and liftgate,press the 3•4 control within five
seconds.
To lock all doors and liftgate,press the 7•8 and the 9•0atthe
same time.Note:The driver’s door must be closed. Youdo notneed to
enter the keypad code first.
To open the liftglass,press the 5•6.
SECURILOCKPASSIVE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM
SecuriLockpassive anti-theft system is an engine immobilization
system. This system is designed to help prevent the engine from being
started unless acoded Integrated Keyhead Transmitter (IKT)
programmed to your vehicleis used. The use of the wrong type of
coded key may lead to a “no-start” condition.
Your vehicle comes with two coded Integrated Keyhead Transmitters;
additional coded IKTs may be purchased from your authorized dealer.
Standard SecuriLockkeys without remote entry transmitter
functionality can also be purchased from your authorized dealer if
desired. The authorized dealer can program your spare IKTs to your
vehicle or you can program the IKTs yourself. Refer toProgramming
spare Integrated Keyhead Transmittersfor instructions on how to
program the coded key.
Note:The SecuriLockpassive anti-theft system is not compatible with
non-Ford aftermarket remote start systems. Use of these systems may
result in vehicle starting problems and a loss of security protection.
Note:Large metallic objects, electronic devices that are used to
purchase gasoline or similar items, or a second coded key on the same
key chain may cause vehicle starting issues. You need to prevent these
objects from touching the coded IKT while starting the engine. These
objects will not cause damage to the coded IKT, but may cause a
momentary issue if they are too close to the IKT when starting the
engine. If a problem occurs, turn the ignition off, remove all objects on
the key chain away from the coded IKT and restart the engine.
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Replacing coded keys can be very costly. Store an extra programmed key
away from the vehicle in a safe place to help prevent any
inconveniences. Please visit an authorized dealer to purchase additional
spare or replacement keys.
Programming spare keys
You can program your own Integrated Keyhead Transmitters or standard
SecuriLockcoded keys to your vehicle. This procedure will program
both the engine immobilizer keycode and the remote entry transmitter
portion of the IKT to your vehicle.Note: A maximum of eight coded
keys can be programmed to your vehicle; only four of these eight can be
IKTs with remote entry functionality.
Tips:
•Only use Integrated Keyhead Transmitters (IKTs) or standard
SecuriLockkeys.
•You must have two previously programmed coded keys (keys that
already operate your vehicle’s engine) and the new unprogrammed
key(s) readily accessible.
•If two previously programmed coded keys are not available, you must
take your vehicle to your authorized dealer to have the spare key(s)
programmed.
Please read and understand the
entire procedure before you begin.
1. Insert the first previously
programmedcoded keyinto the
ignition.
2. Turn the ignition from the 1 (LOCK) position to the 3 (RUN) position.
Keep the ignition in the 3 (RUN) position for at least three seconds, but
no more than 10 seconds.
3. Turn the ignition to the 1 (LOCK) position and remove the firstcoded
keyfrom the ignition.
4. Within ten seconds of turning the ignition to the 1 (LOCK) position,
insert the second previouslycoded keyinto the ignition.
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