2013 LINCOLN MKZ steering

SITTING IN THE CORRECT
POSITION
WARNINGS
Sitting improperly, out of
position or with the seat back
reclined too far can take weight off
the seat cushion and affect the
decision of the passenger sensing
system, resulting in serious injury or
death in the event of a collision.
Always sit upright against your seat
back, with your feet on the floor. Do not recline the seat back as
this can cause the occupant to
slide under the safety belt, resulting
in serious injury in the event of a
collision. Do not place objects higher than
the seat back to reduce the risk
of serious injury in the event of a
collision or during heavy braking. When you use them properly, the seat,
head restraint, safety belt and air bags
will provide optimum protection in the
event of a collision. We recommend that you follow these
guidelines:
•
Sit in an upright position with the
base of your spine as far back as
possible.
• Do not recline the seat back more
than 30 degrees.
• Adjust the head restraint so that
the top of it is level with the top of
your head and as far forward as
possible. Make sure that you
remain comfortable.
• Keep sufficient distance between
yourself and the steering wheel.
We recommend a minimum of 10
inches (25 centimeters) between
your breastbone and the air bag
cover.
• Hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent.
• Bend your legs slightly so that you
can press the pedals fully.
• Position the shoulder strap of the
safety belt over the center of your
shoulder and position the lap strap
tightly across your hips.
Make sure that your driving position is
comfortable and that you can
maintain full control of your vehicle.
HEAD RESTRAINTS WARNINGS
Fully adjust the head restraint
before you sit in or operate your
vehicle. This will help minimize the risk
of neck injury in the event of a
collision. Do not adjust the head
restraint when your vehicle is moving.
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SeatsE68595

GENERAL INFORMATION
If you disconnect the battery, your
vehicle may exhibit some unusual
driving characteristics for
approximately 5 miles (8 kilometers)
after you reconnect it. This is because
the engine management system must
realign itself with the engine. You can
disregard any unusual driving
characteristics during this period.
WARNINGS
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. Do not park, idle or drive your
vehicle on dry grass or other dry
ground cover. The emission system
heats up the engine compartment and
exhaust system, creating the risk of
fire. Do not start the engine in a
closed garage or in other
enclosed areas. Exhaust fumes can
be toxic. Always open the garage door
before you start the engine. If you smell exhaust fumes inside
your vehicle, have your vehicle
checked by your authorized dealer
immediately. Do not drive your vehicle
if you smell exhaust fumes. The powertrain control system meets
all Canadian interference-causing
equipment standard requirements
regulating the impulse electrical field
or radio noise. When you start the engine, avoid
pressing the accelerator pedal before
and during operation. Only use the
accelerator pedal when you have
difficulty starting the engine.
KEYLESS STARTING
WARNING
The keyless starting system may
not function if the key is close to
metal objects or electronic devices
such as mobile phones. Note:
A valid key must be located
inside your vehicle to switch the ignition
on and start the engine.
Switching the Ignition On
(Accessory Mode) Press the START button once. It is
located on the instrument panel near
the steering wheel. All electrical
circuits and accessories are
operational and the warning lamps
and indicators illuminate.
Starting Your Vehicle
Carry out the following steps to start
your vehicle:
1. Fully press the brake pedal.
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Starting and Stopping the EngineE146431

2.
Put the transmission in position P.
3. Press the START button.
The system does not function if:
• The key frequencies are jammed.
• The key battery has no charge.
If you are unable to start your vehicle,
do the following: 1.
Remove the rubber covering (A) in
the cupholder. Place the remote in
the backup slot (B) at the bottom
of the cupholder.
2. With the key in this position, press
the brake pedal, then the START
button to switch the ignition on
and start your vehicle.
Stopping the Engine When
Your Vehicle is Stationary
1. Put the transmission in position P.
2. Press the START button once.
Note: This switches off all electrical
circuits warning lamps and indicators.
Note: If the engine is left running
unattended for 30 minutes, the ignition
and engine automatically shut down. Stopping the Engine When
Your Vehicle is Moving
1. Press and hold the START button
for one second, or press it three
times within two seconds.
2. Move the transmission selector lever to position N and use the
brakes to bring your vehicle to a
safe stop.
3. When your vehicle has stopped, put the transmission in position
P
and switch the ignition off. WARNING
Switching off the engine when
the vehicle is still moving will
result in a loss of brake and steering
assistance. The steering will not lock,
but higher effort will be required.
When you switch the ignition off,
some electrical circuits, warning
lamps and indicators may also be off. Fast Restart
The fast restart feature allows you to
restart your vehicle within 20 seconds
of switching it off, even if a valid key
is not present.
Within 20 seconds of switching your
vehicle off, press the brake pedal and
press the start button. After 20
seconds have expired, you can no
longer start your vehicle without the
key present inside the vehicle.
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Starting and Stopping the EngineE155835

The message Stay in Neutral mode
engaged will appear in the
information display screen when the
vehicle has entered Stay in Neutral
mode.
Note: During this mode the
N button
will flash continuously and the
instrument cluster will display N as the
selected gear.
Exiting Stay in Neutral mode
To disable Stay in Neutral mode put
the vehicle in another gear. See the
Putting the Vehicle in Gear
for
instructions on how to do this.
Entering a Carwash
Note: Always put the vehicle in Stay
in Neutral mode when entering an
automatic car wash. Failure to do this
could result in vehicle damage that
may not be covered by warranty.
D (Drive)
The normal driving position for the
best fuel economy.
S (Sport)
Putting the vehicle in
S (Sport): •
Provides additional engine braking
and extends lower gear operation
to enhance performance for uphill
climbs, hilly terrain or mountainous
areas. This will increase engine
RPM during engine braking.
• Provides additional lower gear
operation through the automatic
transmission shift strategy.
• Gears are selected more quickly
and at higher engine speeds.
SelectShift Automatic®
Transmission
Your SelectShift automatic
transmission gives you the ability to
manually change gears if you'd like.
Paddle Shifters
The paddle shifters allow you to shift
gears quickly, without taking your
hands off the steering wheel.
Temporary manual control is provided
when pulling the paddles with the
vehicle in the
D (Drive). The system
will determine when temporary
manual control is no longer desired
and reverts back to automatic control.
Extensive manual control can be
achieved by pressing the
S (Sport)
button. The system will stay in manual
control until the vehicle is put in
another gear.
• Pull the right paddle (+) to upshift.
• Pull the left paddle (
–) to
downshift.
167
Transmission

Driving In Special Conditions
With All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
AWD vehicles are equipped for driving
on sand, snow, mud and rough roads
and have operating characteristics
that are somewhat different from
conventional vehicles, both on and off
the highway.
Under severe operating conditions,
the A/C may cycle on and off to
protect overheating of the engine.
Basic operating principles in
special conditions
•
Drive slower in strong crosswinds
which can affect the normal
steering characteristics of your
vehicle.
• Be extremely careful when driving
on pavement made slippery by
loose sand, water, gravel, snow or
ice. If Your Vehicle Goes Off the Edge of
the Pavement
•
If your vehicle goes off the edge of
the pavement, slow down, but
avoid severe brake application,
ease the vehicle back onto the
pavement only after reducing your
speed. Do not turn the steering
wheel too sharply while returning
to the road surface.
• It may be safer to stay on the
apron or shoulder of the road and
slow down gradually before
returning to the pavement. You
may lose control if you do not slow
down or if you turn the steering
wheel too sharply or abruptly.
• It often may be less risky to strike
small objects, such as highway
reflectors, with minor damage to
your vehicle rather than attempt a
sudden return to the pavement
which could cause the vehicle to
slide sideways out of control or
rollover. Remember, your safety
and the safety of others should be
your primary concern.
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck WARNINGS
Always set the parking brake
fully and make sure the gearshift
is latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition
to the lock position and remove the
key whenever you leave your vehicle. 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.
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All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

WARNINGS
Do not spin the wheels at over
35 mph (56 km/h). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or
bystander. Note:
Do not rock the vehicle if the
engine is not at normal operating
temperature or damage to the
transmission may occur.
Note: Do not rock the vehicle for more
than a few minutes or damage to the
transmission and tires may occur or the
engine may overheat.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or
snow it may be rocked out by shifting
between forward and reverse gears,
stopping between shifts, in a steady
pattern. Press lightly on the
accelerator in each gear.
If your vehicle is equipped with
AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability
Control ™, it may be beneficial to
disengage the AdvanceTrac® with
Roll Stability Control ™ system while
attempting to rock the vehicle.
Emergency Maneuvers
• In an unavoidable emergency
situation where a sudden sharp
turn must be made, remember to
avoid "over-driving" your vehicle
(i.e., turn the steering wheel only
as rapidly and as far as required to
avoid the emergency). Excessive
steering will result in less vehicle
control, not more. Additionally,
smooth variations of the
accelerator and/or brake pedal
pressure should be utilized if changes in vehicle speed are called
for. Avoid abrupt steering,
acceleration or braking which
could result in an increased risk of
loss of vehicle control, vehicle
rollover and/or personal injury. Use
all available road surface to return
the vehicle to a safe direction of
travel.
• In the event of an emergency stop,
avoid skidding the tires and do not
attempt any sharp steering wheel
movements.
• If the vehicle goes from one type
of surface to another (i.e., from
concrete to gravel) there will be a
change in the way the vehicle
responds to a maneuver (steering,
acceleration or braking). Again,
avoid these abrupt inputs.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all
four wheels on the most solid area of
the trail. Avoid reducing the tire
pressures but shift to a lower gear and
drive steadily through the terrain.
Apply the accelerator slowly and
avoid spinning the wheels.
Do not drive your AWD vehicle in deep
sand. This will cause the AWD system
to overheat. After the system has
cooled down, normal AWD function
will return.
Under severe operating conditions,
the A/C may cycle on and off to
protect overheating of the engine.
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All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Note:
Avoid driving crosswise or
turning on steep slopes or hills. A
danger lies in losing traction, slipping
sideways and possibly rolling over.
Whenever driving on a hill, determine
beforehand the route you will use. Do
not drive over the crest of a hill without
seeing what conditions are on the other
side. Do not drive in reverse over a hill
without the aid of an observer.
Although natural obstacles may make
it necessary to travel diagonally up or
down a hill or steep incline, you should
always try to drive straight up or
straight down.
When climbing a steep slope or hill,
start in a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from a
higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the
engine and the possibility of stalling.
If you do stall out, do not try to
turnaround because you might roll
over. It is better to back down to a
safe location.
Apply just enough power to the
wheels to climb the hill. Too much
power will cause the tires to slip, spin
or lose traction, resulting in loss of
vehicle control. Descend a hill in the same gear you
would use to climb up the hill to avoid
excessive brake application and brake
overheating. Do not descend in
neutral; instead, disengage overdrive
or manually shift to a lower gear.
When descending a steep hill, avoid
sudden hard braking as you could lose
control. The front wheels have to be
turning in order to steer the vehicle.
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes,
therefore apply the brakes steadily.
Do not
“pump” the brakes.
Driving on Snow and Ice WARNING
If you are driving in slippery
conditions that require tire
chains or cables, then it is critical that
you drive cautiously. Keep speeds
down, allow for longer stopping
distances and avoid aggressive
steering to reduce the chances of a
loss of vehicle control which can lead
to serious injury or death. If the rear
end of the vehicle slides while
cornering, steer in the direction of the
slide until you regain control of the
vehicle. 175
All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)E143949

Note:
Excessive tire slippage can
cause driveline damage.
AWD vehicles have advantages over
2WD vehicles in snow and ice but can
skid like any other vehicle.
Should you start to slide while driving
on snowy or icy roads, turn the
steering wheel in the direction of the
slide until you regain control.
Avoid sudden applications of power
and quick changes of direction on
snow and ice. Apply the accelerator
slowly and steadily when starting
from a full stop.
Avoid sudden braking as well.
Although an AWD vehicle may
accelerate better than a two-wheel
drive vehicle in snow and ice, it won ’t
stop any faster, because as in other
vehicles, braking occurs at all four
wheels. Do not become overconfident
as to road conditions.
Make sure you allow sufficient
distance between you and other
vehicles for stopping. Drive slower
than usual and consider using one of
the lower gears. In emergency
stopping situations, apply the brake
steadily. Since your vehicle is
equipped with a four wheel (ABS), do
not “pump ” the brakes. See Hints on
Driving With Anti-Lock Brakes
(page
178). for more information on
the operation of the anti-lock brake
system (ABS). Maintenance and Modifications
The suspension and steering systems
on your vehicle have been designed
and tested to provide predictable
performance whether loaded or
empty and durable load carrying
capability. For this reason, Ford Motor
Company strongly recommends that
you do not make modifications such
as adding or removing parts (such as
lowering kits or stabilizer bars) or by
using replacement parts not
equivalent to the original factory
equipment.
Any modifications to a vehicle that
raise the center of gravity can make it
more likely the vehicle will rollover as
a result of a loss of control. Ford Motor
Company recommends that caution
be used with any vehicle equipped
with a high load or device (such as
ladder or luggage racks).
Failure to maintain your vehicle
properly may void the warranty,
increase your repair cost, reduce
vehicle performance and operational
capabilities and adversely affect driver
and passenger safety. Frequent
inspection of vehicle chassis
components is recommended if the
vehicle is subjected to off-highway
usage.
176
All-Wheel Drive
(If Equipped)