
BLIND SPOT MONITOR
Blind Spot Information System
(BLIS®) with Cross Traffic Alert (If
Equipped)
WARNING
To help avoid injuries, NEVER use the
BLIS as a replacement for using the
interior and exterior mirrors and
looking over your shoulder before changing
lanes. BLIS is not a replacement for careful
driving and only an assist.
A
A
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BLIS aids you in detecting vehicles that
may have entered the blind spot zone (A).
The detection area is on both sides of the
vehicle, extending rearward from the
exterior mirrors to approximately 10 feet
(3 meters) beyond the bumper. The
system is designed to alert you if certain
vehicles enter the blind spot zone while
driving.
Cross Traffic Alert is designed to warn you
of vehicles approaching from the sides
when the transmission is in R (Reverse).Note:BLIS is not designed to prevent
contact with other vehicles or objects; or to
detect parked vehicles, people, animals or
infrastructure (fences, guardrails, trees,
etc.). It is designed to alert the driver to
vehicles in the blind zones.
Note:When a vehicle passes quickly
through the blind zone, typically fewer than
two seconds, the system does not trigger.
Using the Systems
BLIS turns on when the engine is started
and the vehicle is driven forward above 3
mph (5 km/h); it remains on while the
transmission is in D (Drive) and N
(Neutral). If shifted out of D (Drive) or N
(Neutral), the system enters cross traffic
alert mode. Once shifted back into D
(Drive), BLIS turns back on when the
vehicle is driven above 3 mph (5 km/h).
Note:BLIS does not function in R (Reverse)
or P (Park) or provide any additional
warning when a turn signal is on.
Cross Traffic Alert is designed to detect
approaching vehicles from up to 45 feet (14
meters) away though coverage decreases
when the sensors are blocked. Reversing
slowly helps increase the coverage area and
effectiveness.
WARNING
To help avoid personal injury, NEVER
use the cross traffic alert system as
a replacement for using the interior
and exterior mirrors and looking over your
shoulder before backing out of a parking
space. Cross traffic alert is not a
replacement for careful driving and only
an assist.
160
Driving Aids

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.
172
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

Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing up
to get the feel of your vehicle-trailer
combination before starting on a trip.
When turning, make wider turns so the
trailer wheels clear curbs and other
obstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
• Do not drive faster than 70 mph (113
km/h) during the first 500 miles (800
kilometers).
• Do not make full-throttle starts.
• Check your hitch, electrical connections
and trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly
after you have traveled 50 miles (80
kilometers).
• When stopped in congested or heavy
traffic during hot weather, place the
gearshift in position P to aid engine and
transmission cooling and to help A/C
performance.
• Turn off the speed control with heavy
loads or in hilly terrain. The speed
control may turn off automatically
when you are towing on long, steep
grades.
• Shift to a lower gear when driving down
a long or steep hill. Do not apply the
brakes continuously, as they may
overheat and become less effective.
• If your transmission is equipped with a
Grade Assist or Tow/Haul feature, use
this feature when towing. This provides
engine braking and helps eliminate
excessive transmission shifting for
optimum fuel economy and
transmission cooling.• Allow more distance for stopping with
a trailer attached. Anticipate stops and
brake gradually.
• Avoid parking on a grade. However, if
you must park on a grade:
• Turn the steering wheel to point
your vehicle tires away from traffic
flow.
• Set your vehicle parking brake.
• Place the automatic transmission
in position P.
• Place wheel chocks in front and
back of the trailer wheels. (Chocks
not included with vehicle.)
Launching or Retrieving a Boat or
Personal Watercraft (PWC)
Note:Disconnect the wiring to the trailer
before backing the trailer into the water.
Note:Reconnect the wiring to the trailer
after the trailer is removed from the water.
When backing down a ramp during boat
launching or retrieval:
• Do not allow the static water level to
rise above the bottom edge of the rear
bumper.
• Do not allow waves to break higher
than 6 inches (15 centimeters) above
the bottom edge of the rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allow water to
enter vehicle components:
• Causing internal damage to the
components.
• Affecting driveability, emissions, and
reliability.
Replace the rear axle lubricant anytime
the rear axle has been submerged in water.
Water may have contaminated the rear
axle lubricant, which is not normally
checked or changed unless a leak is
suspected or other axle repair is required.
180
Towing

Ford Motor Company produces a towing
manual for all authorized tow truck
operators. Have your tow truck operator
refer to this manual for proper hook-up
and towing procedures for your vehicle.
It is acceptable to have your front-wheel
drive vehicle towed from the front if using
proper wheel lift equipment to raise the
front wheels off the ground. When towing
in this manner, the rear wheels can remain
on the ground.
Front-wheel drive vehicles must have the
front wheels placed on a tow dolly when
towing your vehicle from the rear using
wheel lift equipment. This prevents
damage to the transmission.
Towing a four-wheel drive vehicle requires
that all wheels be off the ground, such as
using a wheel lift and dollies or flatbed
equipment. This prevents damage to the
transmission, four-wheel drive system and
vehicle.
TOWING THE VEHICLE ON
FOUR WHEELS
Emergency Towing
If your vehicle becomes inoperable
(without access to wheel dollies,
car-hauling trailer, or flatbed transport
vehicle), it can be flat-towed (all wheels
on the ground, regardless of the powertrain
and transmission configuration) under the
following conditions:
• Your vehicle is facing forward for
towing in a forward direction.
• Place the transmission in position N. If
you cannot move the transmission into
N, you may need to override it. See
Transmission (page 136).
• Maximum speed is 35 mph (56 km/h).
• Maximum distance is 50 miles (80
kilometers).
Recreational Towing
Note:Put your climate control system in
recirculated air mode to prevent exhaust
fumes from entering the vehicle. See
Climate Control (page 101).
Follow these guidelines if you have a need
for recreational (RV) towing. An example
of recreational towing would be towing
your vehicle behind a motorhome. We
designed these guidelines to prevent
damage to your transmission.
Front-wheel drive vehicles CANNOT be
flat-towed (all wheels on the ground) as
vehicle or transmission damage may occur.
You must place the front wheels on a
two-wheel tow dolly. If you are using a tow
dolly, follow the instructions specified by
the equipment provider.
Four-wheel drive vehicles CANNOT be
flat-towed (all wheels on the ground), as
vehicle or transmission damage may occur.
It is recommended to tow your vehicle with
all four (4) wheels off the ground such as
when using a car-hauling trailer. Otherwise,
you cannot recreational tow your vehicle.
182
Towing

• Transmissions give their best fuel
economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure
on the gas pedal.
• Four-wheel-drive operation (if
equipped) is less fuel efficient than
two-wheel-drive operation.
• Close windows for high-speed driving.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Note:Driving through deep water above
the recommended levels can cause vehicle
damage.
If driving through deep or standing water
is unavoidable, proceed very slowly. Never
drive through water that is higher than the
bottom of the wheel rims (for cars) or the
bottom of the hubs (for trucks).
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When driving through water, traction or
brake capability may be limited. Also,
water may enter your engine’s air intake
and severely damage your engine or your
vehicle may stall.
Once through the water, always dry the
brakes by moving your vehicle slowly while
applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
Wet brakes do not stop the vehicle as
quickly as dry brakes.
FLOOR MATS
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WARNINGS
Always use floor mats that are
designed to fit the foot well of your
vehicle. Only use floor mats that
leave the pedal area unobstructed. Only
use floor mats that are firmly secured to
retention posts so that they cannot slip out
of position and interfere with the pedals
or impair safe operation of your vehicle in
other ways.
Pedals that cannot move freely can
cause loss of vehicle control and
increase the risk of serious personal
injury.
Always make sure that the floor
mats are properly attached to the
retention posts in the carpet that are
supplied with your vehicle. Floor mats must
be properly secured to both retention posts
to ensure mats do not shift out of position.
Never place floor mats or any other
covering in the vehicle foot well that
cannot be properly secured to
prevent them from moving and interfering
with the pedals or the ability to control the
vehicle.
184
Driving Hints

HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
Note:If used when the vehicle is not
running, the battery will lose charge. There
may be insufficient power to restart your
vehicle.
The hazard warning button is
located on the instrument panel.
Use it when your vehicle is
creating a safety hazard for other
motorists.
• Press the button to turn on the hazard
warning function, and the front and
rear direction indicators will flash.
• Press the button again to turn them
off.
FUEL SHUTOFF
WARNING
Failure to inspect and, if necessary,
repair fuel leaks after a collision may
increase the risk of fire and serious
injury. Ford Motor Company recommends
that the fuel system be inspected by an
authorized dealer after any collision.
In the event of a moderate to severe
collision, this vehicle is equipped with a
fuel pump shut-off feature that stops the
flow of fuel to the engine. Not every impact
will cause a shut-off.
Should your vehicle shut off after a
collision, you may restart your vehicle by
doing the following:
1. Turn the ignition off.
2. Turn the ignition to crank.
3. Turn the ignition off.
4. Turn the ignition on again to re-enable
the fuel pump.
For vehicles equipped with a push button
start system:1. Press the START/STOP button to
turn the ignition off.
2. Press the brake pedal and press the
START/STOP button (crank
attempt).
3. Remove your foot from the brake pedal
and press the START/STOP button
(ignition off).
4. Press the START/STOP button again
to re-enable the fuel system.
JUMP-STARTING THE VEHICLE
WARNINGS
The gases around the battery can
explode if exposed to flames, sparks,
or lit cigarettes. An explosion could
result in injury or vehicle damage.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid which
can burn skin, eyes and clothing, if
contacted.
Use only an adequate-sized cable
with insulated clamps.
Preparing Your Vehicle
Note:Do not attempt to push-start your
automatic transmission vehicle. Automatic
transmissions do not have push-start
capability. Attempting to push-start a
vehicle with an automatic transmission may
cause transmission damage.
Note:Use only a 12-volt supply to start your
vehicle.
Note:Do not disconnect the battery of the
disabled vehicle as this could damage the
vehicle's electrical system.
Park the booster vehicle close to the hood
of the disabled vehicle, making sure the
two vehicles do not touch. Turn all
accessories off.
187
Roadside Emergencies

Protected components Fuse amp rating Fuse or relay number
Not used — F30
Not used — F31
Vehicle power 15A* F32
Vehicle power 2 10A* F33
Vehicle power 3 10A* F34
Vehicle power 4 15A* F35
Active grill shutters 5A* F36
Occupant classification sensor, Passenger
airbag deactivation indicator feed 10A* F37
Engine control module and transmission
control module ignition feed 5A* F38
Daytime running lamps and headlamp
control module ignition feed 5A* F39
Electronic power assist steering 15 feed 5A* F40
Body control module 15 feed 20A* F41
Rear wiper 15A* F42
Headlamp control module supply 15A* F43
Front fog daytime running lamps 15A* F44
Not used — F45
Smart wiper motor modules 40A** F46
Not used — F47
Keypad 5A* F48
Not used — R1
Horn Micro relay R2
Not used — R3
Front fog daytime running lamps Micro relay R4
Not used — R5
Not used — R6
199
Fuses