2011 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID ignition

WARNING:Several airbag system components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them after inflation.
WARNING:If the side
airbag has deployed,the
airbag will not function again.
The side airbag system
(including the seat) must be
inspected and serviced by an
authorized dealer.If the airbag
is not replaced, the unrepaired
area will increase the risk of injury
in a collision.
Determining if the system is operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer toWarning lights and
chimesin theInstrument Clusterchapter. Routine maintenance of the
side airbag is not required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness light (same light as for front airbag system) will either
flash or stay lit.
•The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is
turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system may
not function properly in the event of a collision.
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A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness light (same light as for front airbag system) will either
flash or stay lit.
•The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is
turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system may
not function properly in the event of a collision.
SOS Post-Crash Alert System™
The system automatically flashes the turn signal lamps and sounds the
horn three times at four second intervals in the event of a serious impact
that deploys an airbag (front, side, side curtain or Safety Canopy)or
the safety belt pretensioners.
The system can be turned off when any one of the following actions are
taken by the driver or any other person:
•pressing the hazard control button,
•or pressing the panic button on the remote entry transmitter.
The feature will continue to operate until the vehicle runs out of power.
Disposal of airbags and airbag equipped vehicles
(including pretensioners)
Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible. Airbags MUST BE
disposed of by qualified personnel.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR CHILDREN
See the following sections for directions on how to properly use safety
restraints for children. Also seeAirbag supplemental restraint system
(SRS)in this chapter for special instructions about using airbags.
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RECREATIONAL TOWING
An example of “recreational towing” is towing your vehicle behind a
motorhome.
Note:Put your climate control system in recirculated air mode to
prevent exhaust fumes from entering the vehicle. Refer to theClimate
Controlschapter for more information.
Note:If you tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground, follow
these instructions:
•Tow only in the forward direction.
•Release the parking brake.
•Place the transmission shift lever in N (Neutral).
•Place the ignition to the accessory position (refer toStartingin the
Drivingchapter).
•Your vehicle may be towed up to a speed of 75 mph (120 km/h), but
you should always obey local speed limits.
You also have the option of trailering the vehicle with its front wheels on
a dolly (FWD only), or trailering with all four wheels off the ground.Do
not tow your four–wheel drive (4WD) vehicle with the front
wheels off the ground and the rear wheels on the ground (such as
with the use of a tow dolly).This will cause damage to your 4WD
system.
For other towing requirements, refer toWrecker towingin theRoadside
Emergencieschapter.
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STARTING
Positions of the ignition
1. Off— locks the gearshift lever
and allows key removal.
2. Accessory— allows the electrical
accessories such as the radio to
operate while the vehicle is not
running.
3. On— all electrical circuits
operational and warning lights will
illuminate. This is the position the
key is in when you’re driving.
4. Start— starts the vehicle and electrical power systems.
Preparing to start your vehicle
Engine starting is controlled by the electronically-controlled
Continuously Variable Transaxle (eCVT). For more information on
starting the vehicle, refer toStarting the vehiclein this chapter.
WARNING:Extended idling at high engine speeds can produce
very high temperatures in the engine and exhaust system,
creating the risk of fire or other damage.
WARNING:Do not park, idle, or drive your vehicle in dry grass
or other dry ground cover. The emission system heats up the
engine compartment and exhaust system, which can start a fire.
WARNING:Do not start your vehicle in a closed garage or in
other enclosed areas. Exhaust fumes can be toxic. Always open
the garage door before you start the engine. SeeGuarding against
exhaust fumesin this chapter for more instructions.
WARNING:If you smell exhaust fumes inside your vehicle, have
your dealer inspect your vehicle immediately. Do not drive if you
smell exhaust fumes.
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Note:If the engine fails to start when it should, which is indicated by
the service engine soon
light , put the gearshift lever into P (Park),
turn the ignition off, then attempt to start the vehicle again. If the
vehicle still does not start, it may require refueling, jump starting,
resetting of the fuel pump/high voltage shut-off switches or service. For
information on jump starting the vehicle and resetting the fuel
pump/high voltage shut-off switches, refer to theJump starting (low
voltage [underhood] battery only)section and theFuel pump/High
voltage shut-off switchessection found in theRoadside Emergencies
chapter.
Guarding against exhaust fumes
Carbon monoxide is present in exhaust fumes. Take precautions to avoid
its dangerous effects.
WARNING:If you smell exhaust fumes inside your vehicle, have
your dealer inspect your vehicle immediately. Do not drive if you
smell exhaust fumes.
Important ventilating information
If the engine is idling while the vehicle is stopped for a long period of
time, open the windows at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) or adjust the heating or
air conditioning to bring in fresh air.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (IF EQUIPPED)
An engine block heater warms the engine coolant which aids in starting
and allows the heater/defroster system to respond quickly. If your vehicle
is equipped with this system, your equipment includes a heater element
which is installed in your engine block and a wire harness which allows
the user to connect the system to a grounded 120 volt A/C electrical
source. The block heater system is most effective when outdoor
temperatures reach below 0°F (-18°C).
WARNING:Failure to follow engine block heater instructions
could result in property damage or physical injury.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use
your heater with ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged
(cheater) adapters.
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distance. The ABS will be activated immediately, allowing you to retain
steering control during hard braking and on slippery surfaces. However,
the ABS does not decrease stopping distance.
ABS warning lamp
The ABS lamp in the instrument
cluster momentarily illuminates
when the ignition is turned on. If
the light does not illuminate during
start up, remains on or flashes, the
ABS may be disabled and may need to be serviced.
Even when the ABS is disabled,
normal braking is still effective. If
your BRAKE warning lamp
illuminates with the parking brake
released, have your brake system
serviced immediately by an authorized dealer.
Regenerative Braking System (RBS)
Your vehicle uses a feature known as regenerative braking. This is used
to simulate the engine braking of an internal combustion engine and
assist the standard brake system while recovering some of the energy of
motion and storing it in the battery to improve fuel economy. The
standard brake system is designed to fully stop the car if regenerative
braking is not available. During regenerative braking, the motor is spun
as a generator to create electrical current. This recharges the high
voltage battery and slows the vehicle. In effect, once the accelerator
pedal is released, the motor changes from an energy user to an energy
producer.
When the accelerator pedal is released or the brake pedal is applied, the
brake controller automatically detects the amount of deceleration
requested and optimizes how much of the deceleration will be produced
by regenerative braking. The remaining portion is generated by standard
friction braking. When the battery is almost fully charged, the amount of
regenerative braking is limited to avoid overcharging, and the requested
deceleration is produced by standard friction braking alone.
Regenerative braking does not take the place of the standard friction
brakes; it only assists them. Regenerative braking has also been designed
to interact with the anti-lock brake system (ABS). Regenerative braking
is disabled when the ABS is activated or the battery is fully charged.
ABS
P!
BRAKE
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Parking brake
Apply the parking brake whenever
the vehicle is parked. To set the
parking brake, press the parking
brake pedal down until the pedal
stops.
The BRAKE warning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates and
remains illuminated (when the
ignition is turned on) until the
parking brake is released.
WARNING:If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake
warning lamp remains illuminated, the brakes may not be
working properly. See your authorized dealer.
WARNING:Always set the parking brake fully and make sure
that the gearshift is securely latched in P (Park).
The parking brake is not recommended to stop a moving vehicle.
However, if the normal brakes fail, the parking brake can be used to stop
your vehicle in an emergency. Since the parking brake applies only the
rear brakes, the vehicle’s stopping distance will increase greatly and the
handling of your vehicle will be adversely affected.
BRAKE RELEASE P
P!
BRAKE
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WARNING:Trailer sway control does not prevent a trailer from
swaying, it mitigates the sway from increasing once it has
occurred. TSC cannot stop all trailers from swaying. If you are
experiencing trailer sway, it is likely that the trailer is improperly
loaded for the correct tongue weight or the speed of the vehicle and
trailer is too high. Pull the vehicle-trailer over to a safe location to
check the trailer weight distribution and tongue load and reduce speed
to a safe level while towing. If trailer sway is experienced, SLOW
DOWN. Always use caution when towing a trailer and follow the
tongue weight recommendations. Refer to theTrailer towingsection
in theTires Wheels and Loadingchapter of this owner’s guide for
more information on towing a trailer with your vehicle.
During trailer sway control events, the stability control light in the
instrument cluster will flash momentarily. In some cases, when trailer
sway is detected, the vehicle speed is too high and may be at or above a
speed at which trailer sway will grow continuously. This may cause the
system to activate multiple times, and you may experience a slight
deceleration of the vehicle.
Disabling trailer sway control
Trailer sway control can be disabled during any key cycle. Pressing and
holding the stability control button for more than five seconds will
disable the trailer sway control feature and the stability control light will
flash momentarily and then illuminate solid for that ignition cycle. Trailer
sway control can be re-enabled by momentarily pressing the stability
control button. Trailer sway control will also be re-enabled at each new
key cycle.
WARNING:Turning off trailer sway control increases the risk of
loss of vehicle control, serious injury, or death. Ford does not
recommend disabling this feature except in situations where speed
reduction may be detrimental (e.g., hill climbing), the driver has
significant trailer towing experience, and can control trailer sway and
maintain safe operation.
STEERING
Your vehicle is equipped with an electric power-assisted steering (EPAS)
system. There is no fluid reservoir to check or fill.
If your vehicle loses electrical power while you are driving (or if the
ignition is turned off), you can steer the vehicle manually, but it takes
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