2014 FORD ESCAPE trailer

Reasons for messages being displayed
Clean the fascia area in
front of the radar or remove
the obstruction. The radar
surface is
dirty or
obstructed
Drive normally in traffic for
a few minutes to allow the
radar to detect passing
vehicles so it can clear the
blocked state. The radar
surface is
not dirty or
obstructed
No action required. The
system automatically
resets to an unblocked
state once the rainfall or
snowfall rate decreases or
stops. Do not use BLIS or
Cross Traffic Alert in these
conditions. Heavy rain-
fall/snow-
fall inter-
feres with
the radar
signals
System Limitations
The BLIS and Cross Traffic Alert systems
do have their limitations; situations such
as severe weather conditions or debris
build-up on the sensor area may limit
vehicle detection.
The following are other situations that may
limit the BLIS:
• Certain maneuvering of vehicles
entering and exiting the blind zone.
• Vehicles passing through the blind zone
at very fast rates.
• When several vehicles forming a
convoy pass through the blind zone.
The following are other situations that may
limit the Cross Traffic Alert system:
• Adjacently parked vehicles or objects
obstructing the sensors.
• Approaching vehicles passing at
speeds greater than 15 mph (24 km/h).• Driving in reverse faster than 3 mph (5
km/h).
• Backing out of an angled parking spot.
False Alerts
Note:If the vehicle has a factory equipped
tow bar, and it is towing a trailer, the sensors
will detect the trailer and turn the BLIS and
Cross Traffic Alert off to avoid false alerts.
For non-factory equipped tow bars you may
want to turn the BLIS off manually.
There may be certain instances when
either the BLIS or Cross Traffic Alert
systems illuminate the alert indicator with
no vehicle in the coverage zone; this is
known as a false alert. Some amount of
false alerts are normal; they are temporary
and self-correct.
System Errors
If either system senses a problem with the
left or right sensor, the BLIS telltale
illuminates and remains on and the
following will appear in the information
display:
• BLIS: X sensor fault Service req’d or
• Cross Traffic malfunction Service req’d
Switching the Systems Off and On
One or both systems can be switched off
temporarily by using the information
display control. See General Information
(page 88). When the BLIS is switched off,
you will not receive alerts and a telltale
illuminates in the information display. The
system switches back on whenever the
ignition is switched on.
One or both systems can also be switched
off permanently at your authorized dealer.
Once switched off, switching it back on
must also be done at your authorized
dealer.
163
Driving Aids

Note:If you cannot loosen the thumbwheel
with your hand, loosen the fastener head.
You can also use a small screwdriver or
similar tool to loosen the thumbwheel by
inserting the shaft between the two paddles
of the thumbwheel and rotating 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. You can use
a small screwdriver or similar tool to
tighten if necessary.
Make sure to check that the thumbwheels
are tight each time you add or remove load
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 yourvehicle 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.
168
Load Carrying

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 ComplianceCertification 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
Gross Axle Weight Rating.
Note: For trailer towing
information refer to the RV and
Trailer Towing Guide available at
an authorized dealer.
E143818
GVW
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) -
is the Vehicle Curb Weight, plus
cargo, plus passengers.
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) - is the maximum
allowable weight of the fully
loaded vehicle (including all
options, equipment, passengers
and cargo). It is shown on theSafety 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 Gross Vehicle
Weight must never exceed the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
171
Load Carrying

E143819
GCW
GVW
GCW (Gross Combined Weight)
- is the Gross Vehicle Weight 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 Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating, not at Gross
Combined Weight Rating.)
Separate functional brakes should
be used for safe control of towed
vehicles and for trailers where the
Gross Combined Weight of the
towing vehicle plus the trailer
exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating of the towing vehicle.The
Gross Combined Weight must
never exceed the Gross
Combined Weight Rating.
Maximum Loaded Trailer
Weight - is the highest possible
weight of a fully loaded trailer the
vehicle can tow. It assumes a
vehicle with mandatory options,
driver and front passenger weight
(150 pounds [68 kilograms]
each), no cargo weight (internalor external) and a tongue load of
10–15% (conventional trailer) or
king pin weight of 15–25% (fifth
wheel trailer). Consult an
authorized dealer (or the RV and
Trailer Towing Guide available at
an 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 pound
(2268 kilogram) conventional
trailer, multiply 5000 by 0.10 and
0.15 to obtain a proper tongue
load range of 500 to 750 pounds
(227 to 340 kilograms). For an
11500 pound (5216 kilogram) fifth
wheel trailer, multiply by 0.15 and
0.25 to obtain a proper king pin
load range of 1725 to 2875 pounds
(782 to 1304 kilograms).
WARNINGS
Do not exceed the GVWR or
the GAWR specified on the
Safety Compliance Certification
Label.
173
Load Carrying

WARNINGS
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.
Steps for determining the
correct load limit:
1. Locate the statement "The
combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lb." on your
vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from XXX kg or XXX lb.4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For
example, if the “XXX” amount
equals 1,400 lb. and there will
be five 150 lb. passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lb.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) = 650 lb.)
5. Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and
luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces the
available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
The following gives you a few
examples on how to calculate the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity:
*Suppose your vehicle has a
1400-pound (635-kilogram) cargo
and luggage capacity. You decide
to go golfing. Is there enough load
capacity to carry you, four of your
friends and all the golf bags? You
and four friends average 220
pounds (99 kilograms) each and
the golf bags weigh approximately
30 pounds (13.5 kilograms) each.
The calculation would be: 1400 -
(5 x 220) - (5 x 30) = 1400 - 1100
174
Load Carrying

TOWING A TRAILER
WARNINGS
Do not exceed the GVWR or
the GAWR specified on the
certification label.
Towing trailers beyond the
maximum recommended
gross trailer weight exceeds the
limit of the vehicle and could
result in engine damage,
transmission damage, structural
damage, loss of vehicle control,
vehicle rollover and personal
injury.
Your vehicle may have electrical
items, such as fuses or relays,
related to towing. See the Fuses
chapter.
Your vehicle's load capacity
designation is by weight, not by
volume, so you cannot necessarily
use all available space when
loading a vehicle.
Towing a trailer places an extra
load on your vehicle's engine,
transmission, axle, brakes, tires
and suspension. Inspect these
components periodically during,
and after, any towing operation.Load Placement
To help minimize how trailer
movement affects your vehicle
when driving:
• Load the heaviest items closest
to the trailer floor.
• Load the heaviest items
centered between the left and
right side trailer tires.
• Load the heaviest items above
the trailer axles or just slightly
forward toward the trailer
tongue. Do not allow the final
trailer tongue weight to go
above or below 10-15% of the
loaded trailer weight.
• Select a tow bar with the
correct rise or drop. When both
the loaded vehicle and trailer
are connected, the trailer frame
should be level, or slightly
angled down toward your
vehicle, when viewed from the
side.
When driving with a trailer or
payload, a slight takeoff vibration
or shudder may be present due to
the increased payload weight.
Additional information regarding
proper trailer loading and setting
your vehicle up for towing is
located in another chapter of this
manual. See Load Limit (page
168). You can also find the
information in the RV & Trailer
Towing Guide, available at an
authorized dealer.
176
Towing

TRAILER SWAY CONTROL (IF
EQUIPPED)
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 (such as hill climbing),
the driver has significant trailer towing
experience, and can control trailer sway
and maintain safe operation.
Note:This feature does not prevent trailer
sway, but reduces it once it begins.
Note:This feature cannot stop all trailers
from swaying.
Note:In some cases, if vehicle speed is too
high, the system may activate multiple
times, gradually reducing vehicle speed.
This feature applies the vehicle brakes at
individual wheels and, if necessary, reduces
engine power. If the trailer begins to sway,
the stability control light flashes. The first
thing to do is slow the vehicle down, then
pull safely to the side of the road and
check for proper tongue load and trailer
load distribution. See Load Carrying
(page 166).
RECOMMENDED TOWING
WEIGHTS
Note:Do not exceed the trailer
weight for your vehicle
configuration listed in the chart
below.Note:Be sure to take into
consideration trailer frontal area.
Do not exceed 20 feet
2 (1.86
meters2) if your vehicle is not
equipped with a towing package or
30 feet
2 (2.79 meters2) if your
vehicle is equipped with a towing
package.
Note:For high altitude operation,
reduce the gross combined weight
by 2% per 1000 feet (300 meters)
starting at the 1000 foot (300
meter) elevation point.
Note:Certain states require
electric trailer brakes for trailers
over a specified weight. Be sure to
check state regulations for this
specified weight. The maximum
trailer weights listed may be limited
to this specified weight, as the
vehicle’s electrical system may not
include the wiring connector
needed to activate electric trailer
brakes.
Your vehicle may tow a Class I or
II trailer provided the maximum
trailer weight is less than or equal
to the maximum trailer weight
listed for your vehicle
configuration on the following
chart.
177
Towing

Maximum Trailer
Weight - lb (kg)1Maximum GCWR - lb
(kg) Powertrain
1500 (681) 5351 (2427) 2.5L 2WD
2000 (907) 5862 (2659) 1.6L GTDI 2WD
2000 (907) 5957 (2702)
2.0L GTDI 2WD
2
2000 (907) 6005 (2724) 1.6L GTDI 4WD
2000 (907) 6091 (2763)
2.0L GTDI 4WD
2
3500 (1588) 7457 (3382)
2.0L GTDI 2WD3
3500 (1588) 7591 (3443)
2.0L GTDI 4WD3
1
Calculated with SAE J2807 method.
2Without trailer towing package.
3 With trailer towing package.
178
Towing