2011 FORD EXPLORER checking oil

SERVICE ADVANCETRAC— Displayed when the AdvanceTrac
system has detected a condition that requires service. Contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
SHIFT TO PARK— Displayed when the start/stop button is pressed to
shut off the engine with the shift select lever in any position other than
P (Park). Refer toFast restart featureinPush button start systemin
theDrivingchapter for more information.
LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE— Stop the vehicle as soon as safely
possible, turn off the engine. Check the oil level. SeeChecking the
engine oilin theMaintenance and Specificationschapter. If the
warning stays on or continues to come on with your engine running,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON— Displayed when the engine oil life
remaining is 10% or less.
OIL CHANGE REQUIRED— Displayed when the oil life left reaches 0%.
ENGINE COOLANT OVER TEMP— Displayed when the engine
coolant temperature is excessively high.
WASHER FLUID LEVEL LOW— Indicates the washer fluid reservoir is
less than one quarter full. Check the washer fluid level. Refer to
Windshield washer fluidin theMaintenance and Specificationschapter.
TURN POWER OFF TO SAVE BATTERY (if equipped)— Displayed
when the electrical system determines that the battery is at a low level.
Turn off as many of the electrical loads as soon as possible to prevent
automatic shutdown of certain vehicle accessories.
LOW BATTERY FEATURES TEMPORARILY TURNED OFF (if
equipped)— Displayed when the electrical system determines that the
battery is at a low level. Various vehicle features will be disabled to help
preserve the battery. When the vehicle is started or if the battery power
has recovered, the accessories will operate again as normal.
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 System (TPMS)in the
Tires, Wheels and Loadingchapter. If the warning stays on or continues
to come on, contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
BUCKLE UP TO UNMUTE AUDIO— Displayed when a MyKey™ is in
use and Belt-Minderis activated. Refer toMyKey™in theLocks and
Securitychapter for more information.
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CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM— Displayed when the brake system needs
servicing. If the warning stays on or continues to come on, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
PARK BRAKE ENGAGED— Displayed when the parking brake is set,
the engine is running and the vehicle is driven more than 3 mph
(5 km/h). If the warning stays on after the parking brake is released,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM— Displayed when the charging system
needs servicing. If the warning stays on or continues to come on, contact
your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
TURN POWER OFF TO SAVE BATTERY (if equipped)— Displayed
when the electrical system determines that the battery is at a low level.
Turn off as many of the electrical loads as soon as possible to prevent
automatic shutdown of certain vehicle accessories.
LOW BATTERY FEATURES TEMPORARILY TURNED OFF (if
equipped)— Displayed when the electrical system determines that the
battery is at a low level. Various vehicle features will be disabled to help
preserve the battery. When the vehicle is started or if the battery power
has recovered, the accessories will operate again as normal.
SERVICE ADVANCETRAC— Displayed when the AdvanceTrac
system has detected a condition that requires service. Contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
SHIFT TO PARK— Displayed when the start/stop button is pressed to
shut off the engine with the shift select lever in any position other than
P (Park). Refer toFast restart featureinPush button start systemin
theDrivingchapter for more information.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON— Displayed when the engine oil life
remaining is 10% or less.
ENGINE COOLANT OVER TEMP— Displayed when the engine
coolant temperature is excessively high.
LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE— Stop the vehicle as soon as safely
possible, turn off the engine. Check the oil level. SeeChecking the
engine oilin theMaintenance and Specificationschapter. If the
warning stays on or continues to come on with your engine running,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
OIL CHANGE REQUIRED— Displayed when the oil life left reaches
0%.
Instrument Cluster
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3. To attach the new wiper to the
wiper arm, align the slot (1) and
cross pin (2) and firmly press the
wiper arm into the wiper blade until
a click is heard.
ENGINE OIL
Checking the engine oil
Refer to thescheduled maintenance informationfor the appropriate
intervals for checking the engine oil.
1. Make sure the vehicle is on level ground.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 minutes for the oil to drain into the
oil pan.
3. Set the parking brake and ensure the gearshift is securely latched in P
(Park).
4. Open the hood. Protect yourself from engine heat.
5. Locate and carefully remove the
engine oil level dipstick. See
Identifying components in the
engine compartmentin this
chapter for location of dipstick.
6. Wipe the dipstick clean. Insert the dipstick fully, then remove it again.
•If the oil level isbetween the lower and upper holes,the oil level
is acceptable,DO NOT ADD OIL.
•If the oil level is below the lower hole, add enough oil to raise the
level within the lower and upper holes.
•Oil levels above the upper hole may cause engine damage. Some oil
must be removed from the engine by an authorized dealer.
7. Put the dipstick back in and ensure it is fully seated.
1
2
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Adding engine oil
1. Check the engine oil. For instructions, refer toChecking the engine
oilin this chapter.
2. If the engine oil level is not within the normal range, add only certified
engine oil of the recommended viscosity. Remove the engine oil filler cap
and use a funnel to pour the engine oil into the opening.
3. Recheck the engine oil level. Make sure the oil level is not above the
upper hole on the engine oil level dipstick.
4. Install the dipstick and ensure it is fully seated.
5. Fully install the engine oil filler cap by turning the filler cap clockwise
until three clicks can be heard.
To avoid possible oil loss, DO NOT operate the vehicle with the
engine oil level dipstick and/or the engine oil filler cap removed.
Engine oil and filter recommendations
Look for this certification
trademark.
Use SAE 5W-20 engine oil
Only use oils certified for gasoline engines by the American Petroleum
Institute (API). An oil with this trademark symbol conforms to the
current engine and emission system protection standards and fuel
economy requirements of the International Lubricant Standardization and
Approval Committee (ILSAC), comprised of U.S. and Japanese
automobile manufacturers.
To protect your engine and engine’s warranty, use MotorcraftSAE
5W-20 or an equivalent SAE 5W-20 oil meeting Ford specification
WSS-M2C930-A.SAE 5W-20 oil provides optimum fuel economy and
durability performance meeting all requirements for your
vehicle’s engine.Refer toMaintenance product specifications and
capacitieslater in this chapter for more information.
Maintenance and Specifications
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Note:Electrical or electronic accessories added to the vehicle may
adversely affect battery performance and durability and may also affect
the performance of other electrical systems in the vehicle.
When a battery replacement is required, the battery should only be
replaced with a Ford recommended replacement battery that matches
the electrical requirements of the vehicle.
ENGINE COOLANT
Checking engine coolant
The concentration and level of engine coolant should be checked at the
intervals listed inscheduled maintenance information.The coolant
concentration should be maintained at 50/50 coolant and distilled water.
Coolant concentration testing is possible with a hydrometer or antifreeze
tester. The level of coolant should be maintained within the COLD FILL
RANGE in the coolant reservoir. If the level falls below, add coolant per
the instructions in theAdding engine coolantsection.
Your vehicle was factory-filled with a 50/50 engine coolant and water
concentration. If the concentration of coolant falls below 40% or above
60%, the engine parts could become damaged or not work properly.A
50/50 mixture of coolant and water provides the following:
•Improved freeze protection
•Improved boiling protection
•Protection against rust and other forms of corrosion.
•Enables calibrated gauges to work properly.
When the engine is cold, check the level of the engine coolant in the
reservoir.
The engine coolant should be within
the COLD FILL RANGE as listed on
the engine coolant reservoir.
Refer toscheduled maintenance informationfor service interval
schedules.
Maintenance and Specifications
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Changing a tire .........................336
Child safety seats ......................216
in front seat ............................217
in rear seat ..............................217
LATCH .....................................222
recommendations ...................214
tether anchorage hardware ...224
Child safety seats - booster
seats ...........................................228
Cleaning your vehicle
engine compartment ..............369
instrument panel ....................370
interior .....................................371
plastic parts ............................369
washing ....................................367
waxing .....................................368
wheels ......................................368
wiper blades ............................370
Climate control
(see Air conditioning or
Heating) ...........................63, 66, 68
Clock ............................................52
Collision Warning System .........300
Console ..................................95–96
overhead ....................................95
rear ............................................96
Controls
power seat ...............................163
steering column ......................113
Coolant
checking and adding ..............385
refill capacities ................388, 411
specifications ..........................411
Cross Traffic Alert ....................310
Cruise control
(see Speed control) ..................103
Customer Assistance ................325Ford Extended Service
Plan ..................................419, 422
Getting assistance outside
the U.S. and Canada ..............363
Getting roadside assistance ...325
Getting the service you
need .........................................359
Ordering additional owner’s
literature .................................365
Utilizing the
Mediation/Arbitration
Program ...................................363
D
Daytime running lamps
(see Lamps) ................................79
Defrost
rear window ..............................75
Dipstick
automatic transmission
fluid ..........................................404
engine oil .................................380
Driving under special
conditions ..................293, 317, 320
sand .........................................319
snow and ice ...........................321
through water .................319, 324
E
Electronic message center ...23, 34
Emergencies, roadside
jump-starting ..........................354
running out of fuel .........353, 396
Emission control system ..........401
Engine ........................................414
cleaning ...................................369
coolant .....................................385
fail-safe cooling .......................390
Index
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idle speed control ...................382
lubrication specifications .......411
refill capacities ........................411
service points ..........................377
Engine block heater .................273
Engine oil ..................................380
checking and adding ..............380
dipstick ....................................380
filter, specifications ........381, 410
recommendations ...................381
refill capacities ........................411
specifications ..........................411
Event data recording ....................8
Exhaust fumes ..........................272
F
Fail safe cooling ........................390
Fleet MyKey programming ......132
Floor mats .................................122
Fluid capacities .........................411
Fog lamps ....................................78
Four-Wheel Drive vehicles
driving off road .......................316
preparing to drive your
vehicle .....................................286
Fuel ............................................392
calculating fuel economy .......398
cap ...........................................394
capacity ...................................411
choosing the right fuel ...........395
detergent in fuel .....................396
filler funnel .............................396
filling your vehicle with
fuel ...........................392, 394, 398
filter, specifications ........391, 410
fuel pump shut-off ..................327
improving fuel economy ........398
octane rating ...................395, 414quality ......................................396
running out of fuel .........353, 396
safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................392
Fuses ..................................327–328
G
Garage door opener ..................116
Gas cap (see Fuel cap) ............394
Gas mileage
(see Fuel economy) .................398
Gauges .........................................21
H
Hazard flashers .........................326
Headlamps ...................................77
aiming ........................................80
autolamp system .......................77
bulb specifications ....................85
daytime running lights .............79
flash to pass ..............................78
high beam .................................78
turning on and off ....................77
Heating
heating and air conditioning
system ...........................63, 66, 68
Hill descent mode .....................283
Hill start assist ..........................292
Hood ..........................................376
I
Ignition ...............................267, 414
Illuminated visor mirror .............94
Infant seats
(see Safety seats) .....................216
Index
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