AnswerQuestion
Your vehicle's engine and transmission are
designed to deliver the power you need at
the most efficient engine speed. This may
be higher than expected during heavy
accelerations, and may fluctuate during
steady state driving. These are character-
istics of the Atkinson engine cycle and the
transmission technology that help
maximize your hybrid's fuel economy.Why does my engine rev up so high some-
times when I accelerate?
The fan noise comes from a fan located
outside the high voltage battery. This fan
turns on when the battery requires cooling
air. The fan speed, and associated noise
level, will change according to the amount
of cooling required to maintain good
performance. Maintaining the battery
temperature at optimal conditions also
prolongs the useful life of the battery and
helps to achieve better fuel economy.What is the fan noise I hear from the rear
of my hybrid?
Change the engine oil every 10000 miles
(16000 km) or once per year under normal
operating conditions.What is the engine oil change service
interval?
Your hybrid vehicle can use E15 (15%
ethanol, 85% gasoline) fuel, but you may
notice slightly reduced fuel economy
because ethanol contains less energy per
gallon than gasoline. Your hybrid vehicle is
not designed to use E85 (85% ethanol).Can I put E15 or E85 in my vehicle, and how
will it affect my fuel economy?
The high voltage battery system is designed
to last the life of the vehicle and requires
no maintenance.How long will my high voltage battery last?
Does it need maintenance?
There are no provisions for charging the
high voltage battery from a power supply
external to the vehicle. (For Fusion Energi
vehicles, the vehicle can be plugged into a
110-volt outlet with charge cord provided.)Can you charge the battery with a plug into
an A/C outlet?
Yes. Your hybrid vehicle can be flat towed
without modification. See Towing (page
213).Can I tow the hybrid behind my motor home
with all four wheels down?
147Unique Driving Characteristics
E145429
Ford recommends upgrading to the
optional 240-volt charging station for
faster more efficient charging. Use of a
240-volt charging station will take
approximately 2½ hours to fully charge a
empty battery.
Note: Your electrical source must meet
certain requirements for the high-voltage
batteries to charge. The AC outlet must be
a three-prong 110-120 volt AC outlet that is
properly grounded, 15–20 amps (or greater),
and in good condition. The line also must
be dedicated, which means that no other
appliances should be connected to the
same circuit. If a dedicated circuit is not
used, the circuit breaker could trip or open.
If a dedicated circuit is not available, contact
a licensed professional electrician for proper
installation.
Make sure that the 120–volt convenience
cord is completely unwound before
charging. Always plug the cord into the AC
outlet before connecting the charging
coupler into the vehicle’s charge port
receptacle. The 120–volt convenience cord
inline control box has three indicator lights
that represent the charging status; power,
charge and fault.
Power (green light)— this indicator lights
up when the cord is plugged into the AC
wall outlet.
Charge (green light)— indicates status
of charging: • No light means the cord is not
connected to the vehicle.
• Blinking light means that the charging
is in process.
• Solid light means that the vehicle is
connected but not charging.
Fault (red triangle light)— Lights up in
case of a detected failure. No charging is
possible:
• Blinking red triangle light – means that
the 120–volt convenience cord is trying
to reset the failure and could restart
the charging cycle.
• Solid red triangle light – means that
the fault is permanent. The cord needs
to be unplugged and re-plugged to
reset the fault. If the fault persists,
contact your authorized dealer.
Charge Port
The charge port is located between the
front left side door and front left wheel
well. There is an indentation located on
the charge port door. Press with your
thumb to press to open and close the door.
E144779
Note: Do not force the charge port door
open or closed. Forcing the door open or
closed will damage the charge port.
162High Voltage Battery
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WARNINGS
Always set the parking brake fully
and make sure the gearshift is
latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition
to the off position and remove the key
whenever you leave your vehicle.
Do not apply the brake pedal and
accelerator pedal simultaneously.
Applying both pedals simultaneously
for more than three seconds will limit
engine rpm, which may result in difficulty
maintaining speed in traffic and could lead
to serious injury.
Automatic Transmission Putting your vehicle in gear:
1. Fully press down the brake pedal.
2. Press and hold the button on the front
of the gearshift lever.
3. Move the gearshift lever into the
desired gear.
4. Release the button and your
transmission will remain in the selected
gear.
E144820 P (Park)
This position locks the transmission and
prevents the front wheels from turning.
Come to a complete stop before putting
your vehicle into and out of P (Park)
R (Reverse)
With the gearshift lever in R (Reverse), the
vehicle will move backward. Always come
to a complete stop before shifting into and
out of R (Reverse).
N (Neutral)
With the gearshift lever in N (Neutral), the
vehicle is free to roll; hold the brake pedal
down while in this position.
D (Drive)
The normal driving position for the best
fuel economy.
D (Drive) with Grade Assist (If
Equipped)
Press the transmission control switch on
the side of the gearshift lever to activate
grade assist.
E146092
166Transmission
Grade assist:
• Provides additional grade braking with
a combination of engine motoring and
high-voltage battery charging to help
maintain vehicle speed when
descending a grade.
• As the vehicle determines the amount
of engine motoring and high-voltage
battery charging, you may notice the
engine speed increasing and
decreasing to help maintain your
vehicle speed when descending a
grade.
• The grade assist lamp in the instrument
cluster is illuminated. E144523
The grade assist lamp will
appear in the instrument cluster
when grade assist is turned on.
Press the transmission control switch
again to return to normal D (Drive).
L (Low)
• Provides maximum engine braking.
• The transmission may be shifted into
L (Low) at any vehicle speed.
Brake-Shift Interlock WARNINGS
Do not drive your vehicle until you
verify that the brake lamps are
working.
When doing this procedure, you will
be taking the vehicle out of park
which means the vehicle can roll
freely. To avoid unwanted vehicle
movement, always fully set the parking
brake prior to doing this procedure. Use
wheel chocks if appropriate.
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. Note: See your authorized dealer as soon
as possible if this procedure is used.
Note: For some markets this feature will be
disabled.
Use the brake shift interlock lever to move
the gearshift lever from the park position
in the event of an electrical malfunction or
if your vehicle has a dead battery.
Apply the parking brake and turn the
ignition off before performing this
procedure. E155984
1. Remove the side panel on the right side
of the gearshift lever.
E155985
2. Locate the access hole.
167Transmission
GENERAL INFORMATION Note: Occasional brake noise is normal. If
a metal-to-metal, continuous grinding or
continuous squeal sound is present, the
brake linings may be worn-out. Have the
system checked by an authorized dealer. If
the vehicle has continuous vibration or
shudder in the steering wheel while braking,
have it checked by an authorized dealer.
Note: Brake dust may accumulate on the
wheels, even under normal driving
conditions. Some dust is inevitable as the
brakes wear and does not contribute to
brake noise. See Cleaning the Alloy
Wheels (page 264).E144522
See Warning Lamps and
Indicators (page 81).
Wet brakes result in reduced braking
efficiency. Gently press the brake pedal a
few times when driving from a car wash or
standing water to dry the brakes.
Brake Over Accelerator In the event the accelerator pedal
becomes stuck or entrapped, apply steady
and firm pressure to the brake pedal to
slow the vehicle and reduce engine power.
If you experience this condition, apply the
brakes and bring your vehicle to a safe
stop. Move the transmission selector lever
to position P, switch the engine off and
apply the parking brake. Inspect the
accelerator pedal for any interference. If
none are found and the condition persists,
have your vehicle towed to the nearest
authorized dealer. Brake Assist Brake assist detects when you brake
heavily by measuring the rate at which you
press the brake pedal. It provides
maximum braking efficiency as long as you
press the pedal. Brake assist can reduce
stopping distances in critical situations.
Anti-lock Brake System This system helps you maintain steering
control during emergency stops by keeping
the brakes from locking.
This lamp momentarily
illuminates when you turn the
ignition on. If the light does not
illuminate during start up, remains on or
flashes, the anti-lock braking system may
be disabled. Have the system checked by
an authorized dealer. E144522
If the system is disabled, normal
braking is still effective. If the
brake warning lamp illuminates
when you release the parking brake, have
your system checked by an authorized
dealer.
Regenerative Braking System This feature is used to simulate the engine
braking of an internal combustion engine
and assist the standard brake system while
recovering some of the energy of motion
and storing it in the battery to improve fuel
economy. The standard brake system is
designed to fully stop the car if
regenerative braking is not available.
During regenerative braking, the motor is
spun as a generator to create electrical
current. This recharges the battery and
slows the vehicle. In effect, once the
accelerator pedal is released, the motor
changes from an energy user to an energy
producer.
169Brakes
PRINCIPLE 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
off the traction control system through the
information display. See General
Information (page 86).
System Indicator Lights and
Messages WARNING
If a failure has been detected within
the AdvanceTrac system, the
stability control light will illuminate
steadily. Verify that the AdvanceTrac
system was not manually disabled through
the information display. If the stability
control light still illuminates steadily, have
the system serviced by an authorized
dealer immediately. Operating your vehicle
with AdvanceTrac disabled could lead to
an increased risk of loss of vehicle control,
vehicle rollover, personal injury and death. E138639
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 you turn the traction control system
off.
When you turn the traction control system
off or on, a message appears in the
information display showing system status.
174Traction Control
PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION WARNINGS
Vehicle modifications involving
braking system, aftermarket roof
racks, suspension, steering system,
tire construction and wheel and tire size
may change the handling characteristics
of the vehicle and may adversely affect
the performance of the AdvanceTrac
system. In addition, installing any stereo
loudspeakers may interfere with and
adversely affect the AdvanceTrac system.
Install any aftermarket stereo loudspeaker
as far as possible from the front center
console, the tunnel, and the front seats in
order to minimize the risk of interfering with
the AdvanceTrac sensors. Reducing the
effectiveness of the AdvanceTrac system
could lead to an increased risk of loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death.
Remember that even advanced
technology cannot defy the laws of
physics. It’s always possible to lose
control of a vehicle due to inappropriate
driver input for the conditions. Aggressive
driving on any road condition can cause
you to lose control of your vehicle
increasing the risk of personal injury or
property damage. Activation of the
AdvanceTrac system is an indication that
at least some of the tires have exceeded
their ability to grip the road; this could
reduce the operator’s ability to control the
vehicle potentially resulting in a loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death. If your AdvanceTrac
system activates, SLOW DOWN. The AdvanceTrac Control system helps
you keep control of your vehicle when on
a slippery surface. The electronic stability
control portion of the system helps avoid
skids and lateral slides. The traction
control system helps avoid drive wheel
spin and loss of traction. See Using
Traction Control (page 174).
E72903
A
A AB
B BB
Vehicle without AdvanceTrac
skidding off its intended route.A
Vehicle with AdvanceTrac
maintaining control on a slippery
surface.B
USING STABILITY CONTROL
AdvanceTrac®
The system automatically activates when
you start your vehicle. The AdvanceTrac
system cannot be completely turned off,
but the electronic stability control system
is disabled when the transmission selector
lever is in position R . You can turn off the
traction control portion of the system
independently. See Using Traction
Control (page 174).
175Stability Control
When a suitable space is found, the touch
screen displays a message and a chime
sounds. Slow down and stop when the
touch screen displays a message and a
chime sounds (at approximately position
A), then follow the instructions on the
touch screen.
Note: You must observe that the selected
space remains clear of obstructions at all
times in the maneuver.
Note: Vehicles with overhanging loads (e.g.
a bus or a truck), street furniture and other
items may not be detected by active park
assist. You must make sure the selected
space is suitable for parking.
Note: The vehicle should be driven as
parallel to other vehicles as possible while
passing a parking space.
Note: The system always offers the last
detected parking space (i.e. if the vehicle
detects multiple spaces while you are
driving, it offers the last one). Note: If driven above approximately 20
mph (35 km/h), the touch screen shows a
message to alert you to reduce vehicle
speed.
Automatic Steering into Parking
Space Note: If vehicle speed exceeds 6 mph (10
km/h), the system switches off and you
need to take full control of the vehicle.
Note: If a maneuver is interrupted before
completion, the system switches off. The
steering wheel position will not indicate the
actual position of the steering and you have
to full take control of the vehicle.
When you shift the transmission into R
(Reverse), with your hands off the wheel
(and nothing obstructing its movement),
the vehicle steers itself into the space.
Instructions to safely move the vehicle
back and forward in the space are
displayed in the touch screen and indicated
by chimes.
E130108
When you think the vehicle has enough
space in front and behind it, or you hear a
chime followed by a solid tone from the
parking aid, bring the vehicle to a complete
stop. When automatic steering is finished, the
touch screen displays a message and a
chime sounds, indicating that the active
park assist process is done. The driver is
responsible for checking the parking job
and making any necessary corrections
before putting the transmission in P (Park).
179Parking Aids