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. In Canada, use
Motorcraft Engine Shampoo (CXC-66-A).
•Cover the highlighted areas to prevent water damage when cleaning
the engine.
•Never wash or rinse the engine while it is running; water in the
running engine may cause internal damage.
•Never wash or rinse any ignition coil, spark plug wire or spark plug
well, or the area in and around these locations.
PLASTIC (NON-PAINTED) EXTERIOR PARTS
Use only approved products to clean plastic parts. These products are
available from your authorized dealer.
•For routine cleaning, use Motorcraft Detail Wash (ZC-3-A).
•If tar or grease spots are present, use Motorcraft Bug and Tar
Remover (ZC-42).
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•Be certain to wash or wipe your hands clean if you have been in
contact with certain products such as insect repellent and suntan
lotion in order to avoid possible damage to the interior painted
surfaces.
•Do not use household or glass cleaners as these may damage the
finish of the instrument panel, interior trim and cluster lens.
WARNING:Do not use chemical solvents or strong detergents
when cleaning the steering wheel or instrument panel to avoid
contamination of the airbag system.
If a staining liquid like coffee/juice has been spilled on the instrument
panel or on interior trim surfaces, clean as follows:
1. Wipe up spilled liquid using a clean, white, cotton cloth.
2. Wipe the surface with a damp, clean, white cotton cloth. For more
thorough cleaning, use a mild soap and water solution. If the spot cannot
be completely cleaned by this method, the area may be cleaned using a
commercially available cleaning product designed for automotive
interiors.
3. If necessary, apply more soap and water solution or cleaning product
to a clean, white, cotton cloth and press the cloth onto the soiled
area–allow this to set at room temperature for 30 minutes.
4. Remove the soaked cloth, and if it is not soiled badly, use this cloth to
clean the area by using a rubbing motion for 60 seconds.
5. Following this, wipe area dry with a clean, white, cotton cloth.
INTERIOR
For fabric, carpets, cloth seats, safety belts and seats equipped with side
airbags:
•Remove dust and loose dirt with a vacuum cleaner.
•Remove light stains and soil with Motorcraft Professional Strength
Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner (ZC-54).
•If grease or tar is present on the material, spot-clean the area first
with Motorcraft Spot and Stain Remover (ZC-14). In Canada, use
Motorcraft Multi-Purpose Cleaner (CXC-101).
•If a ring forms on the fabric after spot cleaning, clean the entire area
immediately (but do not oversaturate) or the ring will set.
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Note: Electrical or electronic accessories or components added to
the vehicle by the dealer or the owner may adversely affect
battery performance and durability.
WARNING:Batteries normally produce explosive gases which
can cause personal injury. Therefore, do not allow flames, sparks
or lighted substances to come near the battery. When working near the
battery, always shield your face and protect your eyes. Always provide
proper ventilation.
WARNING:When lifting a plastic-cased battery, excessive
pressure on the end walls could cause acid to flow through the
vent caps, resulting in personal injury and/or damage to the vehicle or
battery. Lift the battery with a battery carrier or with your hands on
opposite corners.
WARNING:Keep batteries out of reach of children. Batteries
contain sulfuric acid. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing.
Shield your eyes when working near the battery to protect against
possible splashing of acid solution. In case of acid contact with skin or
eyes, flush immediately with water for a minimum of 15 minutes and
get prompt medical attention. If acid is swallowed, call a physician
immediately.
WARNING:Battery posts, terminals and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.Wash hands after handling.
Because your vehicle’s engine is electronically controlled by a computer,
some control conditions are maintained by power from the battery. When
the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the engine must
relearn its idle and fuel trim strategy for optimum driveability and
performance. To begin this process:
1. With the vehicle at a complete stop, set the parking brake.
2. Put the gearshift in P (Park), turn off all accessories and start the
engine.
3. Run the engine until it reaches normal operating temperature.
4. Allow the engine to idle for at least one minute.
5. Turn the A/C on and allow the engine to idle for at least one minute.
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WARNING:Do not add engine coolant when the engine is hot.
Steam and scalding liquids released from a hot cooling system
can burn you badly. Also, you can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts.
WARNING:Do not put engine coolant in the windshield washer
fluid container. If sprayed on the windshield, engine coolant
could make it difficult to see through the windshield.
•Do not mix coolants. Add the coolant type originally equipped
in your vehicle.Refer toMaintenance product specifications and
capacitiesin this chapter.
Note:Do not use stop leak pellets or cooling system sealants/additives
as they can cause damage to the engine cooling and/or heating systems.
This damage would not be covered under your vehicle’s warranty.
•A large amount of water without engine coolant may be added, in case
of emergency, to reach a vehicle service location. In this instance, the
cooling system must be drained and refilled with a 50/50 mixture of
engine coolant and distilled water as soon as possible. Water alone
(without engine coolant) can cause engine damage from corrosion,
overheating or freezing.
•Do not use alcohol, methanol, brine or any engine coolants
mixed with alcohol or methanol antifreeze (coolant).Alcohol
and other liquids can cause engine damage from overheating or
freezing.
•Do not add extra inhibitors or additives to the coolant.These
can be harmful and compromise the corrosion protection of the engine
coolant.
For vehicles with overflow coolant systems with a non-pressurized cap
on the coolant recovery system, add coolant to the coolant recovery
reservoir when the engine is cool. Add the proper mixture of coolant and
water to the FULL COLD level. For all other vehicles which have a
coolant degas system with a pressurized cap, or if it is necessary to
remove the coolant pressure relief cap on the radiator of a vehicle with
an overflow system, follow these steps to add engine coolant.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of personal injury, make sure the
engine is cool before unscrewing the coolant pressure relief cap.
The cooling system is under pressure; steam and hot liquid can come
out forcefully when the cap is loosened slightly.
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How fail-safe cooling works
If the engine begins to overheat:
•The engine coolant temperature gauge will move to the H (hot) area.
•The
symbol will display in the message center.
•The message center will display COOLANT OVER TEMPERATURE.
•A chime will sound.
•Theservice engine soon
indicator light will illuminate.
If the engine reaches a preset over-temperature condition, the engine
will automatically switch to alternating cylinder operation. Each disabled
cylinder acts as an air pump and cools the engine.
When this occurs the vehicle will still operate. However:
•The engine power will be limited.
•The air conditioning system will be disabled.
Continued operation will increase the engine temperature and the engine
will completely shut down, causing steering and braking effort to
increase.
Once the engine temperature cools, the engine can be re-started. Take
your vehicle to an authorized dealer as soon as possible to minimize
engine damage.
When fail-safe mode is activated
You have limited engine power when in the fail-safe mode, so drive the
vehicle with caution. The vehicle will not be able to maintain high-speed
operation and the engine will run rough. Remember that the engine is
capable of completely shutting down automatically to prevent engine
damage, therefore:
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely possible and turn off the engine.
2. Arrange for the vehicle to be taken to an authorized dealer.
3. If this is not possible, wait a short period for the engine to cool.
4. Check the coolant level and replenish if low.
WARNING:Never remove the coolant reservoir cap while the
engine is running or hot.
5. Re-start the engine and take your vehicle to an authorized dealer.
Driving the vehicle without repairing the engine problem
increases the chance of engine damage. Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
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Refueling
WARNING:Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel fire can cause
severe injuries. To help avoid injuries to you and others:
•Read and follow all the instructions on the pump island;
•Turn off your engine when you are refueling;
•Do not smoke if you are near fuel or refueling your vehicle;
•Keep sparks, flames and smoking materials away from fuel;
•Stay outside your vehicle and do not leave the fuel pump unattended
when refueling your vehicle — this is against the law in some places;
•Keep children away from the fuel pump; never let children pump
fuel.
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
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 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
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lightor 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.
WARNING:The fuel system may be under pressure. If the fuel
filler cap is venting vapor or if you hear a hissing sound, wait
until it stops before completely removing the fuel filler cap. Otherwise,
fuel may spray out and injure you or others.
WARNING:If you do not use the proper fuel filler cap,
excessive vacuum in the fuel tank may damage the fuel system
or cause the fuel cap to disengage in a collision, which may result in
personal injury.
FFV (Flex Fuel Vehicle) fuel cap
If your vehicle is FFV capable, it will have a yellow colored fuel cap.
Choosing the right fuel
If your vehicle is a flexible fuel vehicle (FFV), use only UNLEADED
FUEL and FUEL ETHANOL (Ed75–Ed85).
If your vehicle is not a flexible fuel vehicle (FFV), then only use
UNLEADED fuel or UNLEADED fuel blended with a maximum of 10%
ethanol. Do not use fuel ethanol (E85), diesel, methanol, leaded fuel or
any other fuel.
The use of leaded fuel is prohibited by law and could damage your
vehicle.
Your vehicle was not designed to use fuel or fuel additives with metallic
compounds, including manganese-based additives.
Note:Use of any fuel other than those recommended may cause
powertrain damage, a loss of vehicle performance, and repairs may not
be covered under warranty.
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Cleaner air
Ford endorses the use of reformulated “cleaner-burning” gasolines to
improve air quality, per the recommendations in theChoosing the right
fuelsection.
Octane recommendations
Your vehicle is designed to use “Regular” unleaded gasoline with a pump
(R+M)/2 octane rating of 87. Some stations offer fuels posted as
“Regular” with an octane rating below 87, particularly in high altitude
areas. Fuels with octane levels below 87 are not recommended.
Do not be concerned if your engine
sometimes knocks lightly. However,
if it knocks heavily under most
driving conditions while you are
using fuel with the recommended
octane rating, see your authorized dealer to prevent any engine damage.
FFV engine (if equipped)
If your vehicle is flex fuel capable, it is designed to use Fuel Ethanol
(Ed75–Ed85), “Regular” unleaded gasoline or any mixture of the two
fuels.
Use of other fuels such as Fuel Methanol may cause powertrain
damage, a loss of vehicle performance, and your warranty may be
invalidated.
It is best not to alternate repeatedly between gasoline and E85. If you do
switch fuels, it is recommended that you add as much fuel as
possible—at least half a tank. Do not add less than five gallons (18.9L)
when refueling. You should drive the vehicle immediately after refueling
for at least 5 miles (8 km) to allow the vehicle to adapt to the change in
ethanol concentration.
If you operate your vehicle 50% or more of the time on ethanol, you
should follow a different maintenance schedule. In addition to this, if you
exclusively use E85 fuel, it is also recommended to fill the fuel tank with
regular unleaded gasoline once every 3,000 miles (4,800 km). See
scheduled maintenance informationfor more information.
Fuel quality
Do not add aftermarket fuel additive products to your fuel tank. It
should not be necessary to add any aftermarket products to your fuel
tank if you continue to use high quality fuel of the recommended octane
87(R+M)/2 METHOD
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