•
Keep the tires properly inflated and
only use the recommended size.
• Aggressive driving increases the
amount of energy required to move
your vehicle. In general, you can
achieve better fuel economy with mild
to moderate acceleration and
deceleration. Moderate braking is
particularly important since it allows
you to maximize the energy captured
by the regenerative braking system.
Additional Tips:
• Do not carry extra loads.
• Be mindful of adding external
accessories that may increase
aerodynamic drag.
• Observe posted speed limits.
• Perform all scheduled maintenance.
• There is no need to wait for your
engine to warm up. The vehicle is
ready to drive immediately after
starting. EV+ Mode
Your vehicle will recognize your frequent
destinations and allow for more EV driving
as you approach them. For example, when
nearing your home it should be easier to
stay in electric mode. The EV indicator will
display EV+ when this mode is active. You
should see this about 1/8 mile (200 meters)
from a frequent destination. See
Information Displays (page 97).
Note: Frequent destinations are learned
by your vehicle after two to four weeks of
use. You can clear these destinations with
a Driving History reset through the
Settings menu.
Note: The EV+ feature can be turned on
or off through the Driver Assist section of
the Settings menu.
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MKZ (CC9) Unique Driving Characteristics
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 179). Vehicle without AdvanceTrac
skidding off its intended route.
A
Vehicle with AdvanceTrac
maintaining control on a slippery
surface.
B
180
MKZ (CC9) Stability ControlE72903A
AA
B
BB
B
The system does not offer a particular space
Something may be contacting the front bumper or side sensors
There is not enough room on both sides of the vehicle in order to park
There is not enough space for the parking maneuver on the opposite side \
of the parking
space
The vehicle is farther than 6.5 ft (2.0 m) from the parking space
The vehicle is closer than 16 in. (40 cm) from neighboring parked vehicles
The transmission is in R (Reverse); the vehicle must be moving forward to detect a
parking space The system does not position the vehicle where I want in the space
The vehicle is rolling in the opposite direction of the transmission (i\
.e. rolling forward
when R [Reverse] is selected)
An irregular curb along the parking space prevents the system from align\
ing the vehicle
properly
Vehicles or objects bordering the space may not be positioned correctly
The vehicle was pulled too far past the parking space. The system performs best when
you drive the same distance past the parking space
The tires may not be installed or maintained correctly (i.e. not inflated correctly, improper
size, or of different sizes)
A repair or alteration has changed detection capabilities
A parked vehicle has a high attachment (i.e. salt sprayer, snowplow, moving truck bed,
etc.)
The parking space length or position of parked objects changed after your vehicle
passed
The temperature around your vehicle changes quickly (i.e. driving from a heated garage
into the cold, or after leaving a car wash)
187
MKZ (CC9) Parking Aids
Detection issues can occur:
When driving on a different line
than the vehicle in front.
A
With vehicles that edge into your
lane. The system can only detect
these vehicles once they move
fully into your lane.
B
There may be issues with the
detection of vehicles in front
when driving into and coming
out of a bend or curve in the
road.
C
In these cases, the system may brake late
or unexpectedly. The driver should stay
alert and intervene when necessary.
If something hits the front end of your
vehicle or damage occurs, the
radar-sensing zone may change. This
could cause missed or false vehicle
detections. See an authorized dealer to
have the radar checked for proper
coverage and operation.
System Not Available
Conditions that can cause the system to
deactivate or prevent the system from
activating when requested include:
• a blocked sensor
• high brake temperature
• a failure in the system or a related
system. Blocked Sensor WARNINGS
Do not use the system when towing
a trailer with brake controls.
Aftermarket trailer brakes will not function
properly when you switch the system on
because the brakes are electronically
controlled. Failing to do so may result in
loss of vehicle control, which could result
in serious injury. Do not use tire sizes other than
those recommended because this
can affect the normal operation of the
system. Failing to do so may result in a
loss of vehicle control, which could result
in serious injury. A message displays if something obstructs
the radar signals from the sensor. The
sensor is located behind a fascia cover
near the driver side of the lower grille. The
system cannot detect a vehicle ahead and
will not function when something obstructs
the radar signals. The following table lists
possible causes and actions for this
message displaying.
197
MKZ (CC9) Cruise ControlE145632
BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for
approximately 300 miles (480 kilometers).
During this time, your vehicle may exhibit
some unusual driving characteristics. The
engine also needs to break in. Avoid hard
accelerations and driving too fast for the
first 1000 miles (1600 kilometers). If
possible, avoid carrying heavy loads up
steep grades during the break-in period.
ECONOMICAL DRIVING
Fuel economy is affected by several things
such as how you drive, the conditions you
drive under and how you maintain your
vehicle.
There are some things to keep in mind
that may improve your fuel economy:
•
Accelerate and slow down in a smooth,
moderate fashion.
• Drive at steady speeds.
• Anticipate stops; slowing down may
eliminate the need to stop.
• Combine errands and minimize
stop-and-go driving.
•When running errands, go to the
furthest destination first and then
work your way back home.
• Close the windows for high-speed
driving.
• Drive at reasonable speeds. (Traveling
at 65 mph/105 kph uses about 15% less
fuel than traveling at 75 mph/121 kph).
• Keep the tires properly inflated and
use only the recommended size. •
Use the recommended engine oil.
• Perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance.
There are also some things you may want
to avoid doing because they reduce your
fuel economy:
• Avoid sudden or hard accelerations.
• Avoid revving the engine before
turning off the car.
• Avoid long idle periods.
• Do not warm up your vehicle on cold
mornings.
• Reduce the use of air conditioning and
heat.
• Avoid using speed control in hilly
terrain.
• Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving.
• Avoid carrying unnecessary weight
(approximately 1 mpg [0.4
kilometers/liter] is lost for every 400
lbs [180 kilograms] of weight carried).
• Avoid adding particular accessories to
your vehicle (e.g. bug deflectors,
rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski
racks).
• Avoid driving with the wheels out of
alignment.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Note: Driving through deep water above
the recommended levels can cause
vehicle damage.
223
MKZ (CC9) Driving Hints
can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.
139. Grades B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
•
Tire label: A label showing the
original equipment tire sizes,
recommended inflation pressure
and the maximum weight the
vehicle can carry.
• Tire Identification Number:
A
number on the sidewall of each tire
providing information about the tire
brand and manufacturing plant, tire
size and date of manufacture. Also
referred to as DOT code.
• Inflation pressure:
A measure of
the amount of air in a tire.
• Standard load:
A class of P-metric
or Metric tires designed to carry a
maximum load at 35 psi [37 psi (2.5
bar) for Metric tires]. Increasing the
inflation pressure beyond this
pressure will not increase the tire ’s
load carrying capability.
• Extra load:
A class of P-metric or
Metric tires designed to carry a
heavier maximum load at 41 psi [43
psi (2.9 bar) for Metric tires].
Increasing the inflation pressure
beyond this pressure will not
increase the tire ’s load carrying
capability. •
kPa:
Kilopascal, a metric unit of air
pressure.
• PSI:
Pounds per square inch, a
standard unit of air pressure.
• Cold inflation pressure:
The tire
pressure when the vehicle has
been stationary and out of direct
sunlight for an hour or more and
prior to the vehicle being driven
for 1 mile (1.6 km).
• Recommended inflation pressure:
The cold inflation pressure found
on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label (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), or Tire
Label located on the B-Pillar or the
edge of the driver’ s door.
• B-pillar:
The structural member at
the side of the vehicle behind the
front door
• Bead area of the tire:
Area of the
tire next to the rim.
• Sidewall of the tire: Area between
the bead area and the tread.
• Tread area of the tire: Area of the
perimeter of the tire that contacts
the road when mounted on the
vehicle.
• Rim:
The metal support (wheel) for
a tire or a tire and tube assembly
upon which the tire beads are
seated.
284
MKZ (CC9) Wheels and Tires
Information Contained on the Tire
Sidewall
Both U.S. and Canada Federal
regulations require tire manufacturers
to place standardized information on
the sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and describes
the fundamental characteristics of the
tire and also provides a U.S. DOT Tire
Identification Number for safety
standard certification and in case of a
recall.
Information on P Type Tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example of a
tire size, load index and speed rating.
The definitions of these items are
listed below. (Note that the tire size,
load index and speed rating for your
vehicle may be different from this
example.) A. P: Indicates a tire, designated by
the Tire and Rim Association, that may
be used for service on cars, sport
utility vehicles, minivans and light
trucks. Note: If your tire size does not
begin with a letter this may mean it is
designated by either the European
Tire and Rim Technical Organization
or the Japan Tire Manufacturing
Association.
B.
215: Indicates the nominal width of
the tire in millimeters from sidewall
edge to sidewall edge. In general, the
larger the number, the wider the tire.
C. 65: Indicates the aspect ratio which
gives the tire's ratio of height to width.
D.
R: Indicates a radial type tire.
E.
15: Indicates the wheel or rim
diameter in inches. If you change your
wheel size, you will have to purchase
new tires to match the new wheel
diameter.
F.
95: Indicates the tire's load index.
It is an index that relates to how much
weight a tire can carry. You may find
this information in your owner’ s
manual. If not, contact a local tire
dealer.
Note: You may not find this
information on all tires because it is
not required by federal law.
G.
H: Indicates the tire's speed rating.
The speed rating denotes the speed
at which a tire is designed to be driven
for extended periods of time under a
standard condition of load and
inflation pressure. The tires on your
vehicle may operate at different
285
MKZ (CC9) Wheels and TiresH
I
J
KL
M
A
B
CDEFG
E142543
conditions for load and inflation
pressure. These speed ratings may
need to be adjusted for the difference
in conditions. The ratings range from
81 mph (130 km/h) to 186 mph (299
km/h). These ratings are listed in the
following chart.
Note:
You may not find this
information on all tires because it is
not required by federal law. mph ( km/h)
Letter
rating
81 mph (130 km/h)
M
87 mph (140 km/h)
N
99 mph (159 km/h)
Q
106 mph (171 km/h)
R
112 mph (180 km/h)
S
118 mph (190 km/h)
T
124 mph (200 km/h)
U
130 mph (210 km/h)
H
149 mph (240 km/h)
V
168 mph (270 km/h)
W
186 mph (299 km/h)
Y
Note: For tires with a maximum speed
capability over 149 mph (240 km/h),
tire manufacturers sometimes use the
letters ZR. For those with a maximum
speed capability over 186 mph (299
km/h), tire manufacturers always use
the letters ZR. H. U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number: This begins with the letters
DOT and indicates that the tire meets
all federal standards. The next two
numbers or letters are the plant code
designating where it was
manufactured, the next two are the
tire size code and the last four
numbers represent the week and year
the tire was built. For example, the
numbers 317 mean the 31st week of
1997. After 2000 the numbers go to
four digits. For example, 2501 means
the 25th week of 2001. The numbers
in between are identification codes
used for traceability. This information
is used to contact customers if a tire
defect requires a recall.
I.
M+S or M/S: Mud and Snow, or
AT:
All Terrain, or
AS:
All Season.
J.
Tire Ply Composition and Material
Used: Indicates the number of plies
or the number of layers of
rubber-coated fabric in the tire tread
and sidewall. Tire manufacturers also
must indicate the ply materials in the
tire and the sidewall, which include
steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
K.
Maximum Load: Indicates the
maximum load in kilograms and
pounds that can be carried by the tire.
Refer to the Safety Compliance
Certification Label (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), for the correct tire
pressure for your vehicle.
286
MKZ (CC9) Wheels and Tires