2014 FORD EXPLORER warning lights

HEATED AND VENTILATED SEATS (IF EQUIPPED)
Heated Seats
WARNING:Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin
because of advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes, spinal cord
injury, medication, alcohol use, exhaustion, or other physical conditions,
must exercise care when using the seat heater. The seat heater may
cause burns even at low temperatures, especially if used for long
periods of time. Do not place anything on the seat that insulates against
heat, such as a blanket or cushion, because this may cause the seat
heater to overheat. Do not puncture the seat with pins, needles, or
other pointed objects because this may damage the heating element
which may cause the seat heater to overheat. An overheated seat may
cause serious personal injury.
The heated seats will only function when the engine is running.
Note:Do not do the following:
•Place heavy objects on the seat
•Operate the seat heater if water or any other liquid is spilled on the
seat. Allow the seat to dry thoroughly.
To operate the heated seats:
Press the heated seat symbol to cycle through the various
heat settings and off. Warmer settings are indicated by
more indicator lights.
If the engine falls below 350 RPM while the heated seats are on, the
feature will turn itself off. You will need to reactivate it.
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Note:Do not do the following:
•Place heavy objects on the seat
•Operate the seat heater if water or any other liquid is spilled on the
seat. Allow the seat to dry thoroughly.
The heated seats only operate when the ignition is on.
To operate the heated seats:
Press the button located on the rear of the floor console to
cycle through the various heat settings and off. Warmer
settings are indicated by more indicator lights.
When activated, the heated seats will turn off automatically when the
engine is turned off.
Third Row Seats
Third-Row Seat Access (Manual Seats)
WARNING:Before returning the seatback to its original position,
make sure that cargo or any objects are not trapped behind the
seatback. After returning the seatback to its original position, pull on
the seatback to make sure that it has fully latched. An unlatched seat
may become dangerous in the event of a sudden stop or crash.
WARNING:Do not adjust or release the seat floor latch while
vehicle is in motion. Do not operate the vehicle with seats in
tumbled position. Always latch the vehicle seat to the floor, whether the
seat is occupied or empty. If not latched or if the seat is tumbled, the
seat may cause injury during a sudden stop.
Note:Remove items from the second-row seat and make sure that no
bulky objects such as purses or briefcases are on the floor in front of the
second-row seats before tumbling them.
Note:For second-row bench seats, make sure the center safety belt is
unbuckled before folding the seatback.
Note:You may have to move the front-row seat forward to allow the
second-row seat to be fully tumbled.
Note:You may have to lower the center head restraint. SeeHead
restraintsearlier.
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If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck in Mud or Snow
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 minute 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.
HILL START ASSIST
WARNING:The hill start assist feature does not replace the
parking brake. When you leave the vehicle, always apply the
parking brake and shift the transmission into P (Park).
WARNING:You must remain in the vehicle once you have
activated the hill start assist feature.
WARNING:During all times, you are responsible for controlling
the vehicle, supervising the hill start assist system and
intervening, if required.
WARNING:If the engine is revved excessively, or if a
malfunction is detected when the hill start assist feature is active,
the hill start assist feature will be deactivated.
Hill start assist keeps your vehicle stationary long enough to move your
foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal when your vehicle is
on a slope.
The brakes are released automatically once the engine has developed
sufficient drive to prevent the vehicle from rolling down the slope. This
is an advantage when pulling away on a slope, (for example from a car
park ramp, traffic lights or when reversing uphill into a parking space).
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PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
The traction control system helps avoid drive wheel spin and loss of
traction.
If your vehicle begins to slide, the system applies the brakes to individual
wheels and, when needed, reduces engine power at the same time. If the
wheels spin when accelerating on slippery or loose surfaces, the system
reduces engine power in order to increase traction.
USING TRACTION CONTROL
In certain situations (for example, stuck in snow or mud), turning the
traction control off may be beneficial as this allows the wheels to spin
with full engine power. Turn the traction control system off through the
information display. See theInformation Displayschapter.
System Indicator Lights and Messages
WARNING:If a failure has been detected within the Traction
Control System, the stability control light will illuminate steadily.
Verify that the Traction Control System was not manually disabled
using the information display control. If the stability control light still
illuminates steadily, have the system serviced by an authorized dealer
immediately. Operating your vehicle with Traction Control disabled
could lead to an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle
rollover, personal injury and death.
The stability control light temporarily illuminates on engine
start-up and flashes when a driving condition activates the
stability system.
The stability control off light temporarily illuminates on engine
start-up and stays on when the traction control system is
turned off or if a problem occurs in the stability system.
When the traction control system is turned off or on, a message appears
in the information display showing system status.
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Visual Park Aid Alert
Note:Visual park alert is only available when the transmission is in R
(Reverse).
Note:The reverse sensing system is not effective at speeds above 3 mph
(5 km/h) and may not detect certain angular or moving objects.
The visual park aid alert allows the driver to view the area that is being
detected by the reverse sensing system. The system uses red, yellow and
green highlights which appear on top of the video image when an object
is detected by the reverse sensing system. The alert highlights the
closest object detected. The reverse sensing alert can be disabled and if
visual park aid alert is enabled, highlighted areas are still displayed.
Selectable settings for this feature are ON and OFF.
Manual Zoom
WARNING:When manual zoom is on, the full area behind the
vehicle is not shown. Be aware of your surroundings when using
the manual zoom feature.
Note:Manual zoom is only available when the transmission is in R
(Reverse).
Note:When manual zoom is enabled, only the centerline is shown.
Allows the driver to get a closer view of an object behind the vehicle.
The zoomed image keeps the bumper in the image to provide a
reference. The zoom is only active while the transmission is in R
(Reverse), When the transmission is shifted out of R (Reverse), the
feature automatically turns off and must be reset when it is used again.
Selectable settings for this feature are OFF, Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3.
Press the up and down arrows to change the view. The selection level
appears between the buttons (i.e. Level 1). The default setting for the
manual zoom is OFF.
Rear Camera Delay
When shifting the transmission out of R (Reverse) and into any gear
other than P (Park), the camera image remains in the display until the
vehicle speed reaches 6 mph (10 km/h). This occurs when the rear
camera delay feature is on, or until a radio button is selected.
Selectable settings for this feature are ON and OFF. The default setting
for the rear camera delay is OFF.
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Safety Chains
Note:Never attach safety chains to the bumper.
Always connect the safety chains to the hook retainers of your vehicle
hitch.
To connect the safety chains, cross them under the trailer tongue and
allow enough slack for turning tight corners. Do not allow the chains to
drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
WARNING:Do not connect a trailer’s hydraulic brake system
directly to your vehicle’s brake system. Your vehicle may not have
enough braking power and your chances of having a collision greatly
increase.
Electric brakes and manual, automatic or surge-type trailer brakes are
safe if you install them properly and adjust them to the manufacturer’s
specifications. The trailer brakes must meet local and federal regulations.
The rating for the tow vehicle’s braking system operation is at
the gross vehicle weight rating, not the gross combined weight
rating.
Separate functioning brake systems are required for safe control
of towed vehicles and trailers weighing more than 1500 pounds
(680 kilograms) when loaded.
Trailer Lamps
WARNING:Never connect any trailer lamp wiring to the
vehicle’s tail lamp wiring; this may damage the electrical system
resulting in a fire. Contact an authorized dealer as soon as possible for
assistance in proper trailer tow wiring installation. Additional electrical
equipment may be required.
Trailer lamps are required on most towed vehicles. Make sure all running
lights, brake lights, turn signals and hazard lights are working.
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.
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Low tire
pressure
warning lightPossible cause Customer action required
Flashing
warning lightSpare tire in use Repair the damaged road wheel
and tire assembly and reinstall it on
the vehicle to restore system
function. For a description on how
the system functions, seeWhen
Your Temporary Spare Tire is
Installedin this section.
TPMS
malfunctionIf the tires are properly inflated
and the spare tire is not in use but
the light remains on, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as
possible.
When Inflating Your Tires
When putting air into your tires (such as at a gas station or in your
garage), the tire pressure monitoring system may not respond
immediately to the air added to your tires.
It may take up to two minutes of driving over 20 mph (32 km/h) for the
light to turn off after you have filled your tires to the recommended
inflation pressure.
How Temperature Affects Your Tire Pressure
The tire pressure monitoring system monitors tire pressure in each
pneumatic tire. While driving in a normal manner, a typical passenger
tire inflation pressure may increase about 2 to 4 psi (14 to 28 kPa) from
a cold start situation. If the vehicle is stationary overnight with the
outside temperature significantly lower than the daytime temperature,
the tire pressure may decrease approximately 3 psi (21 kPa) for a drop
of 30°F (17°C) in ambient temperature. This lower pressure value may
be detected by the tire pressure monitoring system as being significantly
lower than the recommended inflation pressure and activate the system
warning light for low tire pressure. If the low tire pressure warning light
is on, visually check each tire to verify that no tire is flat. If one or more
tires are flat, repair as necessary. Check the air pressure in the road
tires. If any tire is under-inflated, carefully drive the vehicle to the
nearest location where air can be added to the tires. Inflate all the tires
to the recommended inflation pressure.
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Oils, Fluids and Flushing
In many cases, fluid discoloration is a normal operating characteristic
and, by itself, does not necessarily indicate a concern or that the fluid
needs to be changed. However, discolored fluids that also show signs of
overheating and foreign material contamination should be inspected
immediately by a qualified expert, such as the factory-trained technicians
at your dealership. Your vehicle’s oils and fluids should be changed at the
specified intervals or in conjunction with a repair. Flushing is a viable
way to change fluid for many vehicle sub-systems during scheduled
maintenance. It is critical that systems are flushed only with new fluid
that is the same as that required to fill and operate the system, or using
a Ford-approved flushing chemical.
Owner Checks and Services
Certain basic maintenance checks and inspections should be performed
every month or at six month intervals.
Check every month
Engine oil level.
Function of all interior and exterior lights.
Tires (including spare) for wear and proper pressure.
Windshield washer fluid level.
Check every six months
Battery connections. Clean if necessary.
Body and door drain holes for obstructions. Clean if necessary.
Cooling system fluid level and coolant strength.
Door weatherstrips for wear. Lubricate if necessary.
Hinges, latches and outside locks for proper operation. Lubricate if
necessary.
Parking brake for proper operation.
Safety belts and seat latches for wear and function.
Safety warning lamps (brake, ABS, airbag, safety belt) for operation.
Washer spray and wiper operation. Clean or replace blades as
necessary.
Scheduled Maintenance563
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