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 your vehicle and could
result in engine damage,
transmission damage, structural
damage, loss of vehicle control,
vehicle rollover and personal
injury.
Note: There may be electrical
items such as fuses or relays that
can affect trailer towing operation.
See Fuses (page 255).
Weight, not volume designates
your vehicle's load capacity. You
cannot necessarily use all
available space when loading a
vehicle.
Towing a trailer places an
additional 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 the vehicle
when driving:
• Load the heaviest items closest
to the trailer floor.
• Load the heaviest items in the center of 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 the
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 the Load Carrying
chapter. See Load Limit (page
224). You can also find the
information in the RV & Trailer
Towing Guide, available at an
authorized dealer.
232
Towing
Trailer Lamps
WARNING
Never connect any trailer lamp
wiring to the vehicle's tail lamp
wiring; this may damage the electrical
system resulting in fire. Contact your
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.
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 pointyour 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.
235
Towing
Vehicles Equipped with a 2.0L
Engine
Front-wheel drive (FWD) 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.
All-wheel drive (AWD) 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 tow your
vehicle.
Vehicles Equipped with a 3.7L
Engine
You can tow your vehicle 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.
If you tow your vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground:
• Tow only in the forward direction.
• Release the parking brake.
Neutral Tow
Enter Neutral Tow mode by doing the
following:1. Put the ignition in accessory mode
by pressing the engine START
button without pressing the brake
pedal.
2. Select Neutral Tow under the Vehicle Settings menu in the
information display. See General
Information (page 101).
3. Press and hold the OK button to start the neutral tow process.
4. Press the brake pedal and select N on the push-button
transmission.
5. Turn the ignition off by pressing the engine START button without
pressing the brake pedal.
If the process is completes
successfully:
• the N on the push-button transmission blinks slowly
• Neutral Tow Engaged turn
ignition off for towing appears
in the information display.
Note: If the parking brake is applied,
Neutral Tow remove park brake for
towing appears in the information
display.
Note: Do not exceed 65 mph (105
km/h).
Note: Start the engine and allow it to
run for five minutes at the beginning of
each day and every six hours (or fewer).
Shut the engine off and verify that
Neutral tow engaged appears in the
display before continuing to tow.
238
Towing
Exit Neutral Tow mode, make sure the
ignition is on (engine can be on or off),
press the brake pedal and select P on
the push-button transmission.
If the process is completed
successfully, Neutral Tow
disengaged appears in the
information display and both the
instrument cluster and push-button
transmission display P.
239
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.
Avoid driving too fast during the first
1000 miles (1600 kilometers). Vary
your speed frequently and change up
through the gears early. Do not labor
the engine.
Do not tow during the first 1000 miles
(1600 kilometers).
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 asmooth, 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 tothe 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.
240
Driving Hints
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).
E142667
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
E142666
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.
241
Driving Hints
If you need to arrange roadside
assistance for yourself, Ford Motor
Company will reimburse a reasonable
amount for towing to the nearest
dealership within 35 miles (56 km).
To obtain reimbursement information,
U.S. Lincoln vehicle customers call
1-800-521-4140. Customers will be
asked to submit their original receipts.
Vehicles Sold In Canada :
Getting Roadside Assistance
Canadian customers who require
roadside assistance, call
1-800-665-2006.
Vehicles Sold In Canada : Using
Roadside Assistance
Complete the roadside assistance
identification card and place it in your
wallet for quick reference. In Canada,
the card is found in the Warranty
Guide in the glove box.
Canadian Roadside coverage and
benefits may differ from the U.S.
coverage. Please refer to your
Warranty Guide 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:
244
Roadside Emergencies
1. Turn the ignition off.
2. Turn the ignition to crank.
3. Turn the ignition off.
4. Turn the ignition on again tore-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.
Connecting the Jumper Cables
WARNING
Do not attach the cables to fuel
lines, engine rocker covers, the
intake manifold or electrical
components as grounding points. Stay
clear of moving parts. To avoid reverse
polarity connections, make sure that
you correctly identify the positive (+)
and negative (-) terminals on both the
disabled and booster vehicles before
connecting the cables.
Note: In the illustration, the bottom
vehicle represents the booster vehicle.
245
Roadside Emergencies