Page 24 of 349

Throttle Control/Powertrain
malfunction (RTT):Illuminates
when a powertrain fault has been
detected. If the indicator stays on or
continues to come on, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
Door ajar (RTT):Displays when
the ignition is in the on position and
any door is not completely closed. A
message may also display in the
message center.
Turn signal:Illuminates when the
left or right turn signal or the
hazard lights are turned on. If the
indicators flash faster, check for a burned out bulb.
High beams:Illuminates when the
high beam headlamps are turned on.
Key-in-ignition warning chime:Sounds when the key is left in the
ignition in the off, lock or accessory position and the driver’s door is
opened.
Headlamps on warning chime:Sounds when the headlamps or parking
lamps are on, the ignition is off (the key is not in the ignition) and the
driver’s door is opened.
Parking brake on warning chime:Sounds when the parking brake is
left on and the vehicle is driven. If the warning stays on after the park
brake is off, contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
Turn signal on warning chime:Sounds when the turn signal has been
left on for an extended period of time.
HEV Engine off reminder chime:Sounds for 10 seconds when the
PRNDL is in the P (Park) position and the Driver’s door is ajar (open)
while ignition is on. Always turn your ignition key to off and remove key
before leaving your vehicle. (The engine may be off when the vehicle is
stopped, yet the key is on, and the engine can turn on at any time)
Message center activation chime:Sounds when some messages
appear in the message center display for the first time.
Memory seat feedback chime:Sounds during memory seat
programming to confirm that a memory position has been set.
Perimeter alarm warning chime:Sounds when using a key to unlock
the driver’s doors and the perimeter alarm is armed.
Instrument Cluster
24
2012 MKZ Hybrid(hkz)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 25 of 349
GAUGES
Your vehicle is equipped with an LCD (liquid crystal display),
reconfigurable instrument cluster. You can choose from four information
levels, and also customize certain options within each level. The
instrument cluster also comes with a demo mode and tutorial feature to
demonstrate the four instrument cluster levels. Refer toMessage center
in the this chapter to choose the display level you’d like and to use the
demo and tutorial modes.
Inform instrument cluster (standard cluster shown, metric similar)
The simplest of cluster displays.
F
EH
L
OFF
456miles tompg:avg
57 1.H
C
0000000.0mi
0000.0miTrip A
P
R
N
D
L
0
0 20 405060
100
120
140
160
180
10 2030405060
70
80
90
100
110
120km/h
MPH
Instrument Cluster
25
2012 MKZ Hybrid(hkz)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 26 of 349
Enlighten instrument cluster (standard cluster shown, metric
similar)
Displays unique hybrid vehicle gauges, along with many of the familiar
gauges from a conventional gasoline vehicle.
Engage instrument cluster (standard cluster shown, metric similar)
The next step in hybrid vehicle information, including innovative information
displays intended to educate the driver about the hybrid system.
456miles tompg:avg
57 1.H
C
0000000.0mi
0000.0miTrip A
P
R
N
D
L
0
0 20 405060
100
120
140
160
180
10 2030405060
70
80
90
100
110
120
km/h
MPH
F
EMPG60
40
20
0
RPMx10000246
OFF
456miles tompg:avg
57 1.H
C
0000000.0mi
0000.0miTrip A
P
R
N
D
L
0
0 20 405060
100
120
140
160
180
10 2030405060
70
80
90
100
110
120
km/h
MPH
F
EMPG60
0H
LPOWER
EV
4
0
2
0
OFF
Instrument Cluster
26
2012 MKZ Hybrid(hkz)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 27 of 349
Empower instrument cluster (standard cluster shown, metric
similar)
The most information-rich display, with gauges designed to allow drivers
to decide for themselves what driving behavior is most efficient at any
given moment.
Speedometer:Indicates the
current vehicle speed.
456miles tompg:avg
57 1.H
C
0000000.0mi
0000.0miTrip A
P
R
N
D
L
0
0 20 405060
100
120
140
160
180
10 2030405060
70
80
90
100
110
120
km/h
MPH
H
LACCPWR
EV
F
EMPG60
40
20
0
OFF
0
0 20 405060
100
120
140
160
180
10 2030405060
70
80
90
100
110
120
km/h
MPH
Instrument Cluster
27
2012 MKZ Hybrid(hkz)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 28 of 349

Engine coolant temperature
gauge:Indicates engine coolant
temperature. At normal operating
temperature, the level indicator will
be blue and will be in the normal
range (between “H” and “C”). If the
engine coolant temperature exceeds
the normal range, the level indicator
will change to red to indicate that
the engine is overheating. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible,
switch off the engine and let the engine cool.
Empower instrument cluster level only:The
indicator next to the
gauge will illuminate in green or white to indicate the following:
•
Indicator white: This indicates that the hybrid system is not
warm enough to allow operation in electric vehicle mode only. The
gasoline engine will run continuously when the indicator is white.
Note:During silent key start mode, the
indicator will be white,
but the gasoline engine will not run. This is a result of the vehicle
computer allowing the engine to be cooler during the silent key start
period. This is normal operation and does not indicate a problem with
your vehicle. After the first engine start, the
indicator will turn
green when the gasoline engine is warm enough to turn off.
•
Indicator green: This indicates that the hybrid system is warm
enough to allow operation in electric vehicle mode.
If the vehicle operates in electric mode long enough, it is possible that
the gasoline engine may need to run to keep the system warm. In this
case, the
indicator will revert back to white.
High-voltage battery information
gauge:The fill level indicates the
amount of energy stored in the
high-voltage battery as a percent of
total energy capacity. The level will
increase and decrease as the battery
charges and discharges during
normal operation, but the hybrid
system will attempt to control the
level to approximately the middle of
the gauge under most driving
conditions.
Instrument Cluster
28
2012 MKZ Hybrid(hkz)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 29 of 349

Enlighten, Engage and Empower instrument cluster levels only:The
up and down arrows provide information about the energy (both stored
and used) associated with the high voltage battery. The up arrow
indicates battery charging, such as when extra energy is stored in the
battery when coasting or braking. The down arrow indicates battery
discharging such as when the battery provides extra power to boost the
vehicle’s acceleration.
Engage and Empower instrument cluster levels only:A circular
symbol appears in the center of the gauge when energy is being
recaptured through the regenerative braking system. This indicates that
your hybrid vehicle is capturing and using energy that would have been
lost in a conventional vehicle. The regenerative braking system can be
activated by braking or coasting (i.e. even when you’re not pressing the
brake pedal).
Note:The up/down arrows include energy being used by accessories
(i.e. air conditioning, headlights, radio, etc.).
Fuel gauge:With the ignition on,
this gauge indicates approximately
how much fuel is left in the fuel
tank. The fuel gauge may vary
slightly when the vehicle is in
motion or on a grade. When fuel
level becomes low (50 miles [80 km]
to empty), the level indicator will
change to bright yellow. When fuel
level becomes critically low (0 miles
[0 km] to empty), the level indicator
will change to red.
The fuel icon with the arrow points to the side of the vehicle that the
fuel filler door is on.
Refer toFilling the tankin theMaintenance and Specifications
chapter for more information.
Instrument Cluster
29
2012 MKZ Hybrid(hkz)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 30 of 349

Instantaneous fuel economy
gauge:The instantaneous fuel
economy is displayed in miles per
gallon (or liters per 100 kilometers)
from 0 to 60 mpg (or 0 to
30L/100km). Your vehicle must be
moving to calculate instantaneous
fuel economy. If your instantaneous
fuel economy is greater than
60 mpg, a “+” sign will be displayed
next to the 60, indicating that the
current value is above the maximum that the graph can display.
Instantaneous fuel economy cannot be reset. You may turn this gauge on
or off at any information level. Refer toMessage centerin this chapter
for more information.
Efficiency information gauge:You have three choices for displaying
efficiency information: Efficiency Leaves, History Graph, or No Efficiency
Information. You may make this selection at any information level. Refer
toMessage centerin this chapter for more information on choosing the
efficiency displays.
Efficiency leaves:Indicates short
term driving efficiency, measured
over the last few minutes. The more
leaves and vines that are displayed,
the more efficiently you’re driving.
Leaves and vines will occasionally
appear and disappear to indicate a
change in driving efficiency.
Note:The efficiency display can be
impacted by your use of brakes,
accelerator and accessories as well
as environmental conditions such as terrain and weather.
Instrument Cluster
30
2012 MKZ Hybrid(hkz)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 31 of 349

Efficiency flowers:Indicates long
term driving efficiency. The more
flowers that are displayed, the more
efficiently you have driven. Once
earned, the flowers will remain
permanently unless long term fuel
efficiency is reset.
Note:Flowers only appear when
efficiency leaves are displayed. After
flowers begin to display, successive
flowers become harder to earn.
History graph:Indicates average
fuel economy in 10, 20, or
60 minute intervals. You can choose
the interval using the message
center. The graph is updated each
minute with the fuel economy that
was achieved during the prior 1, 2,
or 6 minutes of driving, respectively.
Each new average will be added to
the left side of the graph, shifting
the past data to the right. When the
graph area is full, the right most point will be deleted, keeping a running
scroll with the bar on the left being the most recent. Note that previous
values will remain when the vehicle is shut off and restarted, but values
from a previous drive cycle will be grayed out. The average fuel economy
since the last reset, or last 2,000 miles (3,200 km) of driving, is shown as
a horizontal line across the bar graph.
Refer toMessage centerin this chapter for more information on the
history graph display mode.
No efficiency information:If you choose, you may turn off both the
Efficiency leaves and History Graph using the message center. In this
case, the portion of your instrument cluster devoted to this information
will be blank.
Refer toMessage centerin this chapter for more information on
choosing no efficiency information.
Average fuel economy:Your average fuel economy in miles/gallon will
be displayed at the top right of your vehicle’s instrument cluster or in
liters/100 km at the lower right along with the efficiency leaves, history
graph or no display (shown previously with history graph). You may
reset this average at any time. Refer toMessage centerin this chapter
for more information on the average fuel economy display mode.
Instrument Cluster
31
2012 MKZ Hybrid(hkz)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)