During certain events (such as vehicle
servicing) your low voltage 12-volt battery
may become disconnected or disabled.
Once the battery is reconnected and after
driving the vehicle, the engine may
continue to operate for three to five
seconds after the key is turned to off. This
is a normal condition.
Braking: Your hybrid is equipped with
standard hydraulic braking and
regenerative braking. Regenerative braking
is performed by your transmission and it
captures brake energy and stores it in your
high voltage battery.
Driving to optimize fuel economy
Note: Having your engine running is not
always an indication of inefficiency. In some
cases, it is actually more efficient than
driving in electric mode.
Your fuel economy should improve
throughout your hybrid's break-in period.
As with any vehicle, your driving habits and
accessory usage can significantly impact
your fuel economy. For best results, keep
in mind these tips:
• 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 (C-MAX Energi Only)
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 approximately 1/8 mile
(200 meters) from a frequent destination.
See
Information Displays (page 88).
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: You can switch the EV+ feature on
or off through the Driver Assist section of
the Settings menu.
Low Engine Use (If Equipped)
The low engine use mode is equipped on
Energi models only. The low engine use
mode will activate automatically when you
drive your vehicle with limited engine use.
The mode will maintain proper engine
lubrication at sufficient temperature. If your
vehicle is in low engine use mode when you
start the vehicle, a message will appear in
the information display. When your vehicle
is in low engine use mode, your vehicle will
automatically run the engine as necessary.
If you select the EV Now mode while the
vehicle is in the low engine use mode, EV
Now mode will be suspended for as long
as you are in low engine use mode The low
engine use mode will resume the next time
you start your vehicle and will
automatically stop when no longer needed.
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Note:
Cold temperatures will affect the
engine warm up time and the low engine
use mode may operate more frequently. Note:
An oil change is not required but gives
you the option of not running a low engine
use cycle. Resetting the oil life monitoring
system will suspend the low engine use
mode.
Frequently asked questions Answer
Question
The high voltage battery is electrically isol-ated from the rest of the vehicle when the
key is off. When you switch the key on, high voltage contactors inside the battery are
closed to make the electricity available to the motor and generator and enable the
vehicle to drive. The clicks are the sound of these contactors as they close and open during start up and shut down.
What are the series of clicks from the cargo
area when I first turn the key in the ignition?
The vehicle's computer will determine if an
engine start is required at key-on. Silent keystart will start the engine if it is necessaryfor cabin heating, windshield defrost, or if
the outside temperature is low. (For C-MAX Energi vehicles, the engine may not berequired to operate these functions.)
Why does the engine sometimes start at
key-on?
There are several reasons the engine stayson for an extended amount of time when
you first start it. One common reason is to
make sure that the emissions components are warm enough to minimize tailpipe
emissions. As the climate gets cooler, this engine-on time is extended.
Why does it take a long time before the
engine shuts down?
The engine is required to turn on above thisspeed to protect the transmission hard- ware.
Why does my engine never shut down
above 85 mph (137 km/h)
In order to make sure that the climate
control system can begin heating the cabin or defrosting the windshield as soon as a driver requests it, the engine coolant
temperature has to be kept sufficiently hot. Keeping the engine on is required to main- tain the correct coolant temperature.
Why does my engine stay on when it is
extremely cold outside?
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Note:
EV Now can resume if less than 1 gal
(3.8 L) of fuel is left in the tank.
Note: In most cases, when the fuel level is
below one-quarter tank, refueling the
vehicle will end fuel freshness mode and
then EV Now will become available.
Refueling after consuming a full tank in fuel
freshness mode will end the mode.
Note: The recommendation is that you use
a fuel stabilizer if you consume less than a
full tank of fuel during an 18-month period.
RUNNING OUT OF FUEL
Avoid running out of fuel because this
situation may have an adverse effect on
powertrain components.
If you have run out of fuel:
• You may need to cycle the ignition from
off to on several times after refueling
to allow the fuel system to pump the
fuel from the tank to the engine. On
restarting, cranking time will take a few
seconds longer than normal. With
keyless ignition, just start the engine.
Crank time will be longer than usual.
• Normally, adding 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of
fuel is enough to restart the engine. If
the vehicle is out of fuel and on a steep
grade, more than 1 gallon (3.8 liters)
may be required.
• The service engine soon indicator may
come on. For more information on the
service engine soon indicator, See
Symbols Glossary
(page 7). Refilling With a Portable Fuel
Container WARNINGS
Do not insert the nozzle of portable
fuel containers or aftermarket
funnels into the capless fuel system.
This could damage the fuel system and its
seal, and may cause fuel to run onto the
ground instead of filling the tank, which
could result in serious personal injury. Do not try to pry open or push open
the capless fuel system with foreign
objects. This could damage the fuel
system and its seal and cause injury to you
or others. Note:
Do not use aftermarket funnels; they
will not work with the capless fuel system
and can damage it. The included funnel has
been specially designed to work safely with
your vehicle.
When filling the vehicle ’s fuel tank from a
portable fuel container, use the funnel
included with the vehicle. In C-MAX vehicles, the funnel is located in
the rear of the vehicle inside the load
compartment.
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3. Locate the manual override
mechanism. 4. Pull the manual override mechanism.
5. Key off and complete refueling within
20 minutes. If more than 20 minutes is
required, close fuel door and repeat the
procedure.
This will enable you to refuel without any
issue. Note:
A fuel spill concern may occur if the
fuel tank overfills. Do not overfill the tank
to the point that the fuel is able to bypass
the fuel filler nozzle. The overfilled fuel may
run down the drain located below and in
front of the fuel filler door.
If the fuel fill inlet was not properly closed,
a service engine warning lamp may appear
on the instrument cluster. At the next
opportunity, do the following:
1. Safely pull off the road.
2. Put the vehicle in park (P) and turn the
ignition off.
3. Open the fuel filler door and remove any visible debris from the fuel fill
opening.
4. Insert either the fuel fill nozzle or the fuel fill funnel provided with the vehicle
several times to allow the inlet to close
properly. This will dislodge any debris
preventing the inlet from sealing.
If this action corrects the problem, the
message may not reset immediately. It
may take several driving cycles for the
message to turn off. A driving cycle
consists of an engine start-up (after four
or more hours with the engine off) followed
by city and highway driving. Continuing to
drive with the message on may cause the
service engine soon lamp to turn on as
well.
FUEL CONSUMPTION
Note: The amount of usable fuel in the
empty reserve varies and should not be
relied upon to increase driving range. When
refueling your vehicle after the fuel gauge
indicates empty, you might not be able to
refuel the full amount of the advertised
capacity of the fuel tank due to the empty
reserve still present in the tank.
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If the service engine soon indicator remains
on, have your vehicle serviced at the first
available opportunity. Although some
malfunctions detected by the OBD-II may
not have symptoms that are apparent,
continued driving with the service engine
soon indicator on can result in increased
emissions, lower fuel economy, reduced
engine and transmission smoothness and
lead to more costly repairs.
Readiness for Inspection and
Maintenance (I/M) Testing
Some state and provincial and local
governments may have
Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) programs
to inspect the emission control equipment
on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting
a vehicle registration.
If the service engine soon
indicator is on or the bulb does
not work, your vehicle may need
service. See On-Board Diagnostics.
Your vehicle may not pass the I/M test if
the service engine soon indicator is on or
not working properly (bulb is burned out),
or if the OBD-II system has determined
that some of the emission control systems
have not been properly checked. In this
case, the vehicle is not ready for I/M
testing.
If the vehicle ’s engine or transmission has
just been serviced, or the battery has
recently run down or been replaced, the
OBD-II system may indicate that the
vehicle is not ready for I/M testing. To
determine if the vehicle is ready for I/M
testing, turn the ignition key to the on
position for 15 seconds without cranking
the engine. If the service engine soon
indicator blinks eight times, it means that
the vehicle is not ready for I/M testing; if
the service engine soon indicator stays on
solid, it means that your vehicle is ready
for I/M testing. The OBD-II system checks the emission
control system during normal driving. A
complete check may take several days. If
the vehicle is not ready for I/M testing, you
can perform the following driving cycle
consisting of mixed city and highway
driving:
15 minutes of steady driving on an
expressway or highway followed by 20
minutes of stop-and-go driving with at
least four 30-second idle periods.
Allow your vehicle to sit for at least eight
hours with the ignition off. Then, start the
vehicle and complete the above driving
cycle. The vehicle must warm up to its
normal operating temperature. Once
started, do not turn off the vehicle until the
above driving cycle is complete. If the
vehicle is still not ready for I/M testing, you
need to repeat the above driving cycle.
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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 charge port on your
vehicle. 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 when you plug the
cord into the AC wall outlet.
Charge (green light):
• This indicates the status of charging.
• No light means you have not connected
the cord to the vehicle.
• A flashing light means that the
charging is in process.
• A solid light means you have connected
the cord, but your vehicle is not
charging.
Fault (red triangle light):
• This indicates a detected failure and
that charging is not possible.
• A flashing red triangle light means that
the 120 volt convenience cord is trying
to reset the failure and could restart
the charging cycle.
• A solid red triangle light means that the
fault is permanent. You need to unplug
the cord and then plug it back in to
reset the fault. Contact an authorized
dealer.
Charge Port
The charge port is located between the
front left-hand side door and the front
left-hand side wheel well. Press the
indentation on the charge port door to
open and close it. Note:
Do not force the charge port door
open or closed. Forcing the door open or
closed damages the charge port.
You can modify the light ring illumination
settings. The light ring located around the
charge port indicates the charge status of
the high voltage battery in your vehicle.
Divided into four quadrants, the charge
port light ring displays the state of charge
in 25 percent increments.
You can press the unlock button on your
key fob to view the charge status of your
vehicle. Based on which quadrants light,
you can determine the current state of
charge. If the charge is below 25 percent,
the light ring does not light. Do not forget
to press the lock button on your key fob to
re-lock your vehicle.
The light ring also displays the current
state of charge when opening the doors.
The cord acknowledgment feature
activates when you initiate a charge cycle.
The four light quadrants each individually
flash in a clockwise motion, starting with
the top right-hand side light and ending
with the top left-hand side, two times
confirming that the system detects the
charging coupler.
Charging
Note: Your vehicle must be in park (P) to
charge.
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3.
If your vehicle is not powered after this
sequence, repeat steps 1 and 2 up to
two more times.
Note: During this process, your vehicle will
detect if the electrical system is safe and
reactivate. Once your vehicle determines
the electrical system safe, you can start your
vehicle as you would normally by either
turning the ignition key or by pressing the
brake in combination with the
START/STOP button.
Note: In the event your vehicle does not
reactivate after the third key cycle, contact
an authorized dealer.
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNINGS
Always set the parking brake fully
and make sure the gearshift is
latched in park (P). 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.
Move the gearshift lever to the desired
gear.
3. Come to a complete stop.
4. Move the gearshift lever and securely latch it in park (P). Park (P)
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 park (P). Reverse (R)
With the gearshift lever in reverse (R), your
vehicle will move backward. Always come
to a complete stop before shifting into and
out of reverse (R).
N (Neutral)
With the gearshift lever in neutral (N), your
vehicle can be started and is free to roll.
Hold the brake pedal down while in this
position.
Drive (D)
Drive (D) is the normal driving position for
the best fuel economy.
Low (L)
•
Provides maximum engine braking.
• The transmission may be shifted into
low (L) at any vehicle speed.
• Is not intended for use under extended
or normal driving conditions and results
in lower fuel economy.
Grade assist:
Press the transmission control switch on
the side of the gearshift lever to activate
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