2013 FORD ESCAPE Owners Manual

REAR UNDER FLOOR
STORAGE
Passenger Compartment Floor
The under floor storage compartment is
located behind the front passenger seat.
Cargo Management System (If
Equipped)
The system is located in the floor of the
cargo area. Lift the handle to open.Adjustable Load Floor (If Equipped)
Vehicles with the standard size spare tire
can adjust the load floor to two positions.
The front of the load floor can be placed
either on (for high position) or below (for
low position) the ledges behind the rear
seats. The rear of the load floor always sits
on the two small shelves located on the
liftgate trim.
LUGGAGE COVERS
WARNINGS
Make sure that the posts are properly
latched in mounting features. The
cover may cause injury in a sudden
stop or accident if it is not securely
installed.
Do not place any objects on the
cargo area shade. They may obstruct
your vision or strike occupants of
vehicle in the case of a sudden stop or
collision.
Use the shade to cover items in the cargo
area of your vehicle.
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Insert the ends of the cargo shade into the
mounting features located behind the rear
seat on the rear trim panels to install the
shade.
To operate the shade:
1. Pull the rear edge of the cargo shaderearward.
2. Secure both ends of the support rod into the retention slots located on the
rear quarter trim panels.
ROOF RACKS AND LOAD
CARRIERS
WARNING
When loading the roof rail crossbars,
it is recommended to evenly
distribute the load, as well as
maintain a low center of gravity. Loaded
vehicles, with higher centers of gravity, may
handle differently than unloaded vehicles.
Extra precautions, such as slower speeds
and increased stopping distance, should
be taken when driving a heavily loaded
vehicle.
The maximum recommended load, evenly
distributed on the crossbars, is:
• 100 pounds (45 kilograms) for vehicles
without a moonroof
• 45 pounds (20 kilograms) for vehicles
with a moonroof.
Note: Loads should never be placed directly
on the roof panel. The roof panel is not
designed to directly carry a load.
For proper function of the roof rack system,
loads must be placed directly on crossbars
affixed to the roof rack side rails. Your
vehicle may be equipped with
factory-installed crossbars. Ford Genuine
Accessory crossbars, designed specifically
for your vehicle, are also recommended for
use with your roof rack system.
Make sure that the load is securely
fastened. Check the tightness of the load
before driving and at each fuel stop.
Adjusting the Crossbar (If Equipped)
Note: Wind noise can be minimized by
either removing or repositioning the crossbar
when not is use. Position the front crossbar
in the rearward position to minimize wind
noise. The front crossbar can be adjusted
or removed using the steps below. The rear
crossbar fasteners can be removed by
unscrewing the assembly.
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1.Remove the crossbar thumbwheels at
both sides of the front crossbar by
turning them counterclockwise.
Note: A small screwdriver or similar tool
can be used to loosen the thumbwheel.
Apply to the fastener head on the top of the
thumbwheel or insert the shaft between the
two paddles of the thumbwheel and rotate
it loose.
2. Remove the crossbar by sliding the ends off of the shoulder bolts in the
side rails.
3. Move the crossbar to the new side rail position and slide the crossbar onto
the shoulder bolt at that position.
4. Replace and tighten the thumbwheels
at both sides of the crossbar by turning
them clockwise until tight. A small
screwdriver or similar tool can be used
to tighten if necessary.
Make sure to check that the thumbwheels
are tight each time load is added or
removed from the roof rack, and
periodically while traveling. Make sure that
the load is secure before traveling. LOAD LIMIT
Vehicle loading - with and without
a trailer
This section will guide you in the proper
loading of your vehicle, trailer or both, to
keep your loaded vehicle weight within its
design rating capability, with or without a
trailer. Properly loading your vehicle will
provide maximum return of vehicle design
performance. Before loading your vehicle,
familiarize yourself with the following
terms for determining your vehicle
’s weight
ratings, with or without a trailer, from the
vehicle ’s Tire Label or Safety Compliance
Certification Label:
Base Curb Weight - is the weight of the
vehicle including a full tank of fuel and all
standard equipment. It does not include
passengers, cargo, or optional equipment.
Vehicle Curb Weight - is the weight of
your new vehicle when you picked it up
from your authorized dealer plus any
aftermarket equipment.
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Payload - is the combined weight of cargo
and passengers that the vehicle is carrying.
The maximum payload for your vehicle can
be found on the Tire Label on the B-Pillar
or the edge of the driver’s door (vehicles
exported outside the US and Canada may
not have a Tire Label). Look for “THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS
AND CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED
XXX kg OR XXX lb. ” for maximum
payload. The payload listed on the Tire
Label is the maximum payload for the
vehicle as built by the assembly plant. If
any aftermarket or authorized-dealer
installed equipment has been installed on
the vehicle, the weight of the equipment
must be subtracted from the payload
listed on the Tire Label in order to
determine the new payload.WARNING
The appropriate loading capacity of
your vehicle can be limited either by
volume capacity (how much space
is available) or by payload capacity (how
much weight the vehicle should carry).
Once you have reached the maximum
payload of your vehicle, do not add more
cargo, even if there is space available.
Overloading or improperly loading your
vehicle can contribute to loss of vehicle
control and vehicle rollover.
Example only:
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Cargo Weight – includes all weight added
to the Base Curb Weight, including cargo
and optional equipment. When towing,
trailer tongue load or king pin weight is also
part of cargo weight.
GAW (Gross Axle Weight) - is the total
weight placed on each axle (front and rear)
– including vehicle curb weight and all
payload.GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) - is
the maximum allowable weight that can
be carried by a single axle (front or rear).
These numbers are shown on the
Safety Compliance Certification Label.
The label shall be affixed to either the
door hinge pillar, door-latch post, or
the door edge that meets the
door-latch post, next to the driver's
seating position. The total load on each
axle must never exceed its GAWR.
Note:
For trailer towing information refer
to the RV and Trailer Towing Guide provided
by your authorized dealer.
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GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) - is the
Vehicle Curb Weight + cargo + passengers.GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
- is the maximum allowable weight of the
fully loaded vehicle (including all options,
equipment, passengers and cargo).
The
GVWR is shown on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label. The
label shall be affixed to either the door
hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the
door edge that meets the door-latch
post, next to the driver's seating
position.
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Example only:
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WARNING
Exceeding the Safety Compliance
Certification Label vehicle weight
rating limits could result in
substandard vehicle handling or
performance, engine, transmission and/or
structural damage, serious damage to the
vehicle, loss of control and personal injury.
GCW (Gross Combined Weight) - is the
weight of the loaded vehicle (GVW) plus
the weight of the fully loaded trailer
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight
Rating) -is the maximum allowable
weight of the vehicle and the loaded trailer
-including all cargo and passengers - that
the vehicle can handle without risking
damage. (Important: The towing vehicle ’s
braking system is rated for operation at
GVWR, not at GCWR.) Separate functional
brakes should be used for safe control of
towed vehicles and for trailers where the
GCW of the towing vehicle plus the trailer
exceed the GVWR of the towing vehicle.
The GCW must never exceed the GCWR.
Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight - is the
highest possible weight of a fully loaded
trailer the vehicle can tow. It assumes a
vehicle with only mandatory options, no
cargo (internal or external), a tongue load
of 10– 15% (conventional trailer) or king
pin weight of 15– 25% (fifth wheel trailer),
and driver only (150 lb. [68 kg]). Consult
your authorized dealer (or the RV and
Trailer Towing Guide provided by your
authorized dealer) for more detailed
information. Tongue Load or Fifth Wheel King Pin
Weight - refers to the amount of the
weight that a trailer pushes down on a
trailer hitch.
Examples: For a 5000 lb. (2268 kg)
conventional trailer, multiply 5000 by 0.10
and 0.15 to obtain a proper tongue load
range of 500 to 750 lb. (227 to 340 kg).
For an 11500 lb. (5216 kg) fifth wheel
trailer, multiply by 0.15 and 0.25 to obtain
a proper king pin load range of 1725 to 2875
lb. (782 to 1304 kg).
WARNINGS
Do not exceed the GVWR or the
GAWR specified on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label.
Do not use replacement tires with
lower load carrying capacities than
the original tires because they may
lower the vehicle ’s GVWR and GAWR
limitations. Replacement tires with a higher
limit than the original tires do not increase
the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
Exceeding any vehicle weight rating
limitation could result in serious
damage to the vehicle and/or
personal injury.
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