
When driving through water, determine the depth; avoid water higher
than the bottom of the wheel rims (for cars) or the bottom of the hubs
(for trucks) (if possible) and proceed slowly. If the ignition system gets
wet, the vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes. Wet brakes do not stop the
vehicle as effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be improved by moving
your vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle speed or direction when you
are driving in mud. Even AWD vehicles can lose traction in slick mud. As
when you are driving over sand, apply the accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning your wheels. If the vehicle does slide, steer in the direction of
the slide until you regain control of the vehicle.
If the engine, transmission, AWD System components or axles are
submerged in water, their fluids should be checked and changed, if
necessary.
Driving through deep water may damage the engine or
transmission.
If the front or rear axle is submerged in water, the axle lubricant and
PTU (Power Transfer Unit) lubricant should be checked and changed if
necessary.
After driving through mud, clean off residue stuck to rotating driveshafts
and tires. Excess mud stuck on tires and rotating driveshafts causes an
imbalance that could damage drive components.
“Tread Lightly” is an educational
program designed to increase public
awareness of land-use regulations
and responsibilities in our nations
wilderness areas. Ford Motor
Company joins the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land
Management in encouraging you to help preserve our national forest and
other public and private lands by “treading lightly.”
Driving on hilly or sloping terrain
Although natural obstacles may make it necessary to travel diagonally up
or down a hill or steep incline, you should always try to drive straight up
or straight down.Avoid driving crosswise or turning on steep
slopes or hills.A danger lies in losing traction, slipping sideways and
possibly rolling over. Whenever driving on a hill, determine beforehand
the route you will use. Do not drive over the crest of a hill without
seeing what conditions are on the other side. Do not drive in reverse
over a hill without the aid of an observer.
2009 Fusion(fsn)
Owners Guide
USA(fus)
Driving
218

Preparing your vehicle
When the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the
automatic 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 from any electrical
surges. Turn all other accessories off.
Connecting the jumper cables
1. Connect the positive (+) jumper cable to the positive (+) terminal of
the discharged battery.
Note:In the illustrations,lightning boltsare used to designate the
assisting (boosting) battery.
+–+–
2009 Fusion(fsn)
Owners Guide
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
237

Use the following guidelines to avoid electrostatic charge build-up when
filling an ungrounded fuel container:
•Place approved fuel container on the ground.
•DO NOT fill a fuel container while it is in the vehicle (including the
cargo area).
•Keep the fuel pump nozzle in contact with the fuel container while
filling.
•DO NOT use a device that would hold the fuel pump handle in the fill
position.
Fuel filler cap
Your fuel tank filler cap has an indexed design with a 1/4 turn on/off
feature.
When fueling your vehicle:
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Carefully turn the filler cap counterclockwise until it spins off.
3. Pull to remove the cap from the fuel filler pipe.
4. To install the cap, align the tabs on the cap with the notches on the
filler pipe.
5. Turn the filler cap clockwise 1/4 of a turn until it clicks at least once.
If the check fuel cap light
or a “check fuel cap” message comes on,
the fuel filler cap may not be properly installed. The light or message can
come on after several driving events after you’ve refueled your vehicle.
At the next opportunity, safely pull off of the road, remove the fuel filler
cap, align the cap properly and reinstall it. The check fuel cap
light
or “check fuel cap” message may not reset immediately; it may
take several driving cycles for the check fuel cap light
or “check fuel
cap” message to turn off. A driving cycle consists of an engine start-up
(after four or more hours with the engine off) followed by city and
highway driving.
Continuing to drive with the check fuel cap light
or “check fuel cap”
message on may cause the
light to turn on as well.
If you must replace the fuel filler cap, replace it with a fuel filler
cap that is designed for your vehicle. The customer warranty may
be void for any damage to the fuel tank or fuel system if the
correct genuine Ford, Motorcraft or other certified fuel filler cap
is not used.
2009 Fusion(fsn)
Owners Guide
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
281

•Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
•Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
•You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if
unnecessary shifting between the top gears occurs. Unnecessary
shifting of this type could result in reduced fuel economy.
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer toMaintenance product
specifications and capacitiesin this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found inscheduled maintenance information.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle may reduce fuel economy at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] of weight carried).
•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example; bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
8–10 miles (12–16 km) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
•Close windows for high speed driving.
EPA fuel economy estimates
Every new vehicle should have a window sticker containing EPA fuel
economy estimates. Contact your authorized dealer if the window sticker
2009 Fusion(fsn)
Owners Guide
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
286

A
Accessory delay ..........................73
AdvanceTrac ..............................200
Air cleaner filter ...............295–297
Air conditioning ....................47, 49
Airbag supplemental restraint
system ........................135, 144, 147
and child safety seats ............137
description ..............135, 144, 147
disposal ....................................150
driver airbag ............137, 145, 148
indicator light .........144, 146, 149
operation .................137, 145, 148
passenger airbag .....137, 145, 148
side airbag ...............................144
All Wheel Drive (AWD),
driving off road .........................215
Ambient mood/lighting ...............58
Antifreeze
(see Engine coolant) ................272
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ......................198–199
Anti-theft system ..............106, 110
arming the system ..................110
disarming a triggered
system .....................................111
triggering .................................111
Audio system
(see Radio) ......................17, 21, 29
Automatic transaxle
fluid, adding ............................291
fluid, checking ........................291
Automatic transmission
driving an automatic
overdrive .........................208–209
fluid, adding ....................293, 295
fluid, checking ................293, 295fluid, refill capacities ..............299
fluid, specification ..................299
Auxiliary input jack (Line in) ....37
Axle
lubricant specifications ..........299
B
Battery .......................................270
acid, treating emergencies .....270
jumping a disabled battery ....236
maintenance-free ....................270
replacement, specifications ...297
servicing ..................................270
Belt-Minder.............................130
Booster seats .............................162
Brakes ........................................198
anti-lock ...........................198–199
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light ...........................199
fluid, checking and adding ....290
fluid, refill capacities ..............299
fluid, specifications .................299
lubricant specifications ..........299
parking ....................................199
shift interlock ..........................206
Break-in period .............................5
Bulbs ............................................58
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....299
Cassette tape player ...................21
Cell phone use ..............................7
Changing a tire .........................230
Child safety seats ......................154
attaching with tether straps ..160
in front seat ............................154
2009 Fusion(fsn)
Owners Guide
USA(fus)
Index
307

service points ..................262–263
starting after a collision .........223
Engine block heater .................196
Engine oil ..................................265
change oil soon warning,
message center .......................265
checking and adding ..............265
dipstick ....................................265
filter, specifications ........269, 297
recommendations ...................269
refill capacities ........................299
specifications ..........................299
Event data recording ....................6
Exhaust fumes ..........................196
F
Fail safe cooling ........................277
Fluid capacities .........................299
Foglamps .....................................54
Four-Wheel Drive vehicles
driving off road .......................215
Fuel ............................................279
calculating fuel
economy ............................83, 284
cap ...........................................281
capacity ...................................299
choosing the right fuel ...........282
comparisons with EPA fuel
economy estimates .................286
detergent in fuel .....................283
filling your vehicle with
fuel ...........................279, 281, 284
filter, specifications ........278, 297
fuel pump shut-off switch .....223
improving fuel economy ........284
octane rating ...................282, 302
quality ......................................283
running out of fuel .................283safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................279
Fuel pump shut-off switch .......223
Fuses ..................................223–224
G
Gas cap (see Fuel cap) ............281
Gas mileage
(see Fuel economy) .................284
Gauges .........................................14
H
Hazard flashers .........................222
Headlamps ...................................53
aiming ........................................56
autolamp system .......................53
bulb specifications ....................59
daytime running lights .............54
flash to pass ..............................55
high beam .................................55
replacing bulbs .........................60
turning on and off ....................53
Heating
heating and air conditioning
system ...........................45, 47, 49
Hood ..........................................261
How to get going ........................17
I
Ignition ...............................193, 302
Illuminated visor mirror .............69
Infant seats
(see Safety seats) .....................154
Inspection/maintenance (I/M)
testing ........................................289
2009 Fusion(fsn)
Owners Guide
USA(fus)
Index
309

Instrument panel ........................71
cleaning ...................................256
cluster ........................................10
lighting up panel and
interior .......................................55
J
Jack ............................................230
positioning ...............................230
storage .....................................230
Jump-starting your vehicle ......236
K
Keyless entry system ...............105
autolock .....................................94
keypad .....................................105
locking and unlocking doors ..106
programming entry code .......105
Keys .....................................91, 108
positions of the ignition .........193
L
Lamps
autolamp system .......................53
bulb replacement
specifications chart ..................59
daytime running light ...............54
fog lamps ...................................54
headlamps .................................53
headlamps, flash to pass ..........55
instrument panel, dimming .....55
interior lamps ...........................57
replacing bulbs .........................60
LATCH anchors .........................157
Lights, warning and indicator ....10
anti-lock brakes (ABS) ..........199
Load limits .................................187Locks
autolock .....................................94
childproof ..................................97
doors ..........................................93
Lubricant specifications ...........299
Lug nuts ....................................235
Lumbar support, seats .............115
M
Manual transmission .................211
fluid capacities ........................299
lubricant specifications ..........299
reverse .....................................212
Message center .....................81–82
english/metric button ...............87
system check button ................86
warning messages .....................88
Mirrors ...................................74–75
automatic dimming rearview
mirror ........................................74
heated ........................................75
side view mirrors (power) .......75
Moon roof ....................................80
Motorcraft parts ........259, 278, 297
N
Navigation system .......................44
O
Octane rating ............................282
Oil (see Engine oil) ..................265
P
Parking brake ............................199
Parts (see Motorcraft parts) ....297
2009 Fusion(fsn)
Owners Guide
USA(fus)
Index
310