
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. 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 (internal or
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.
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MKZ (CC9) Load CarryingE143819GCW
GVW

TOWING THE VEHICLE ON FOUR
WHEELS
Emergency Towing
In the event your vehicle becomes
disabled (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/transmission configuration)
under the following conditions:
•
The vehicle is facing forward so that it
is towed in a forward direction.
• The transmission gear shift lever is
placed in position N. If the transmission
gear shift lever cannot be moved to
position N, it may need to be
overridden. See Automatic
Transmission (page 170).
• 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 124).
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. These
guidelines are designed to ensure that
your transmission is not damaged. Your vehicle can be towed with all four
wheels on the ground using the Neutral
Tow feature, or with all four wheels off the
ground using a vehicle transport trailer. If
you are using a vehicle transport trailer,
follow the instruction specified by the
equipment provider.
Neutral Tow
If you tow your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground:
•
Tow only in the forward direction.
• Release the parking brake.
• Place the vehicle in Neutral Tow mode
by doing the following:
•Put the ignition in accessory mode
(ignition on, engine off ).
See
Keyless Starting (page 147).
• Select
Neutral Tow in the
information display.
• When prompted by the information
display, press the brake pedal and
select Neutral on the transmission.
Make sure the parking brake is off.
If done successfully,
Neutral Tow
Engaged appears in the display.
• Shut the ignition off.
See Keyless
Starting (page 147). If the process
is completed successfully, the N
on the transmission slowly blinks
and "Neutral tow engaged"
appears in the information display.
• Do not exceed 70 mph (113 km/h).
• Start the engine and allow it to run for
one minute at the beginning of each
day. With the engine running and your
foot on the brake, shift into position D
and then into position R before shifting
back into position
N.
222
MKZ (CC9) Towing

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

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).
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 WARNINGS
Always use floor mats that are
designed to fit the foot well of your
vehicle, leaving the pedal area
unobstructed, and which can be 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. Incorrectly fitted floor mats can
cause the accelerator pedal to
become stuck in the open position. This
can cause loss of vehicle control. Always correctly install the floor mats
to the retention posts so that they
cannot slip out of position or obstruct
pedal operation. Do not place unsecured floor mats
or any other covering in the foot
well. Do not place additional floor mats or
any other covering on top of the
original floor mats. This will reduce the
pedal clearance and interfere with the
pedal operation. Do not allow objects to fall or
become trapped under the pedals
of your vehicle. This can cause loss of
vehicle control. Carry out regular inspections to
make sure the floor mats are secure.
To install the floor mats, position the floor
mat eyelet over the retention post and
press down to lock in position.
Remove in reverse order.
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MKZ (CC9) Driving HintsE142667 E142666

Vehicles Sold In Canada : Using
Roadside Assistance
Canadian Roadside coverage and benefits
may differ from the United States
coverage. Please refer to your warranty
information or visit our website at
www.ford.ca for information on Canadian
services and benefits.
Canadian customers who need to obtain
roadside information, call 1-800-665-2006
or visit our website at
www.ford.ca.
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. 226
MKZ (CC9) Roadside Emergencies

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.
Preparing Your Vehicle
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.
1. Park the booster vehicle close to the hood of the disabled vehicle making
sure the two vehicles do not touch. Set
the parking brake on both vehicles and
stay clear of the engine cooling fan
and other moving parts. 2.
Check all battery terminals and remove
any excessive corrosion before you
attach the battery cables. Ensure that
vent caps are tight and level.
3. Turn the heater fan on in both vehicles
to protect from any electrical surges.
Turn all other accessories off.
Connecting the Jumper Cables
Your vehicle has two battery prongs that
are accessible from under the hood, even
though the actual battery is located in the
trunk. Your vehicle can be jumped the
same way conventional vehicles can be
using these prongs. The illustration below
shows the two connector prongs used for
jump-starting your vehicle. 227
MKZ (CC9) Roadside EmergenciesE155827

A. Negative prong (–)
B. Positive prong (+)
Note:
In the illustration, the vehicle on the
bottom is used to designate the assisting
(boosting) battery.
Note: Remove the red cap from the
positive prong (B) on your vehicle before
connecting the cables. 1. Connect the positive (+) jumper cable
to the positive (+) prong (B) of the
discharged battery.
2. Connect the other end of the positive (+) cable to the positive (+) terminal of
the assisting battery.
3. Connect the negative (-) cable to the negative (-) terminal of the assisting
battery. 4. Make the final connection of the
negative (-) cable to the negative (-)
prong (A) of your vehicle.
Note: Do not attach the negative (-) cable
to fuel lines, engine rocker covers, the
intake manifold or electrical components
as grounding points. WARNING
Do not connect the end of the
second cable to the negative (-)
terminal of the battery to be jumped. A
spark may cause an explosion of the gases
that surround the battery. Ensure that the cables are clear of fan
blades, belts, moving parts of both
engines, or any fuel delivery system parts.
Jump Starting
1.
Start the booster vehicle and press the
accelerator pedal moderately.
2. Start the disabled vehicle. Check the instrument cluster for the Ready to
Drive light as the gasoline engine may
not start, but the electric motor may be
running.
3. Once you start the disabled vehicle, run both vehicles for an additional
three minutes before disconnecting
the jumper cables.
Removing the Jumper Cables
Remove the jumper cables in the reverse
order that they were connected.
Note: In the illustration, the vehicle on the
bottom is used to designate the assisting
(boosting) battery.
228
MKZ (CC9) Roadside EmergenciesE148861

1. Remove the jumper cable from the
ground metal surface.
2. Remove the jumper cable on the negative (-) terminal of the booster
vehicle's battery.
3. Remove the jumper cable from the positive (+) terminal of the booster
vehicle's battery.
4. Remove the jumper cable from the positive (+) terminal of the disabled
vehicle's battery. After disconnecting the jumper cables, let
the disabled vehicle sit in Ready to Drive
mode for several minutes to charge the
12V battery. The disabled vehicle can
charge the 12V battery even if the gasoline
engine may be off. The 12V battery will
receive power from the high-voltage
battery instead.
COLLISION, DAMAGE OR FIRE
EVENT
Guidance for Ford Motor Company
Electric and Hybrid-Electric Vehicles
Equipped With High Voltage
Batteries
(Vehicle Owner/Operator/General Public)
Electric and Hybrid-Electric Vehicle
Considerations
In the event of damage or fire involving
an electric vehicle (EV) or hybrid-electric
vehicle (HEV):
•
Always assume the high-voltage
battery and associated components
are energized and fully charged.
• Exposed electrical components, wires
and high-voltage batteries present
potential high-voltage shock hazards.
• Venting/off-gassing high-voltage
battery vapors are potentially toxic and
flammable.
• Physical damage to the vehicle or
high-voltage battery may result in
immediate or delayed release of toxic,
flammable gases and fire.
229
MKZ (CC9) Roadside EmergenciesE148862