WARNINGS
off the engine. After at least 10 seconds,
reset the system by restarting the engine,
and watch the information display for a
steering message. If a steering message
returns, or returns while driving, take the
vehicle to your dealer to have it checked. Obtain immediate service if a system
error is detected. You may not notice
any difference in the feel of your
steering, but a serious condition may exist.
Failure to do so may result in loss of
steering control. Your vehicle is equipped with an electric
power-assisted steering system. There is
no fluid reservoir to check or fill.
If your vehicle loses electrical power while
you are driving (or if the ignition is turned
off), you can steer the vehicle manually,
but it takes more effort. Extreme
continuous steering may increase the effort
it takes for you to steer. This occurs to
prevent internal overheating and
permanent damage to your steering
system. If this should occur, you will neither
lose the ability to steer the vehicle
manually nor will it cause permanent
damage. Typical steering and driving
maneuvers will allow the system to cool
and steering assist will return to normal.
Steering Tips
If the steering wanders or pulls, check for:
•
an improperly inflated tire
• uneven tire wear
• loose or worn suspension components
• loose or worn steering components
• improper vehicle alignment
A high crown in the road or high crosswinds
may also make the steering seem to
wander or pull.
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FUSE SPECIFICATION CHART
Pre-Fuse Box
The pre-fuse box is in the engine
compartment attached to the positive
battery post. This box contains several high
current fuses. If you need to replace one
of these high current fuses, see an
authorized dealer.
Power Distribution Box
WARNINGS
Always disconnect the battery before
servicing high current fuses. WARNINGS
To reduce risk of electrical shock,
always replace the cover to the
power distribution box before
reconnecting the battery or refilling fluid
reservoirs. The power distribution box is in the engine
compartment. It has high-current fuses
that protect your vehicle's main electrical
systems from overloads.
You will need to reset some features if you
disconnect and reconnect the battery. See
Changing the 12V Battery (page 220).
Lift the release lever at the rear of the cover
to remove it.
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Vehicles driven year-round in non-extreme
climates should use prediluted engine
coolant for optimum cooling system and
engine protection.
What You Should Know About Fail-
Safe Cooling
If the engine coolant supply is depleted,
this feature allows the vehicle to be driven
temporarily before incremental component
damage is incurred. The
“fail-safe”
distance depends on ambient
temperatures, vehicle load and terrain.
How Fail-Safe Cooling Works
If the engine begins to overheat, the engine
coolant temperature gauge will move to
the red (hot) area and: A high engine temperature
message will appear in the
information display.
The service engine soon
indicator will light.
If the engine reaches a preset
over-temperature condition, the engine
will automatically switch to alternating
cylinder operation. Each disabled cylinder
acts as an air pump and cools the engine.
When this occurs the vehicle will still
operate. However:
• The engine power will be limited.
• The air conditioning system will be
disabled.
Continued operation will increase the
engine temperature and the engine will
completely shut down, causing steering
and braking effort to increase.
Once the engine temperature cools, the
engine can be re-started. Take your vehicle
to an authorized dealer as soon as possible
to minimize engine damage. When Fail-Safe Mode Is Activated WARNINGS
Fail-safe mode is for use during
emergencies only. Operate your
vehicle in fail-safe mode only as long
as necessary to bring your vehicle to rest
in a safe location and seek immediate
repairs. When in fail-safe mode, the vehicle
will have limited power, will not be able to
maintain high-speed operation, and may
completely shut down without warning,
potentially losing engine power, power
steering assist, and power brake assist,
which may increase the possibility of a
crash resulting in serious injury. Never remove the coolant reservoir
cap while the engine is running or hot.
You have limited engine power when in the
fail-safe mode, so drive your vehicle with
caution. Your vehicle will not be able to
maintain high-speed operation and the
engine will run rough. Remember that the
engine is capable of completely shutting
down automatically to prevent engine
damage, therefore:
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely
possible and switch the engine off.
2. Arrange for your vehicle to be taken to an authorized dealer.
3. If this is not possible, wait a short period for the engine to cool.
4. Check the coolant level and replenish if low.
5. Re-start the engine and take your vehicle to an authorized dealer.
Note: Driving your vehicle without repairing
the engine problem increases the chance of
engine damage. Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
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Escape (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Maintenance
presets, are also maintained in memory by
power from the low voltage battery. When
a technician disconnects and connects the
low voltage battery, these settings are
erased. Complete the following procedure
in order to restore the settings:
1. With the vehicle at a complete stop,
set the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission into P.
3. Turn off all accessories.
4. Step on the brake pedal and start the vehicle.
5. Run the engine until it reaches normal operating temperature. While the
engine is warming up, complete the
following: Reset the clock. See Audio
System (page 272). Reset the power
windows bounce-back feature. See
Windows and Mirrors
(page 79).
Reset the radio station presets. See
Audio System
(page 272).
6. Allow the engine to idle for at least one
minute. If the engine turns off, step on
the accelerator to start the engine.
7. While the engine is running, step on the
brake pedal and shift the transmission
to N.
8. Allow the engine to run for at least one
minute by pressing on the accelerator
pedal.
9. Drive the vehicle at least 10 miles (16 kilometers) to completely relearn the
idle and fuel trim strategy.
Note: If you do not allow the engine to
relearn the idle and fuel trim strategy, the
idle quality of your vehicle may be adversely
affected until the engine computer
eventually relearns the idle trim and fuel
trim strategy. Note:
Always dispose of automotive
batteries in a responsible manner. Follow
your local authorized standards for disposal.
Call your local authorized recycling center
to find out more about recycling automotive
batteries.
Note: It is recommended that the negative
battery cable terminal be disconnected from
the battery if you plan to store your vehicle
for an extended period of time.
CHECKING THE WIPER
BLADES Run the tip of your fingers over the edge of
the blade to check for roughness.
Clean the wiper blades with washer fluid
or water applied with a soft sponge or
cloth.
CHANGING THE WIPER
BLADES
Poor wiper quality can be improved by
cleaning the wiper blades and the
windshield.
Replace wiper blades annually for
optimum performance.
Front Wiper Blades
Lift the wiper arms away from the
windshield.
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We engineer and test all motor vehicles
and their components for reliable, regular
driving. Under various conditions,
long-term storage may lead to degraded
engine performance or failure unless you
use specific precautions to preserve engine
components.
General
•
Store all vehicles in a dry, ventilated
place.
• Protect from sunlight, if possible.
• If vehicles are stored outside, they
require regular maintenance to protect
against rust and damage.
Body
• Wash your vehicle thoroughly to
remove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from
exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housing
and the underside of front fenders.
• Periodically wash your vehicle if it is
stored in exposed locations.
• Touch-up exposed or primed metal to
prevent rust.
• Cover chrome and stainless steel parts
with a thick coat of auto wax to prevent
discoloration. Re-wax as necessary
when you wash your vehicle.
• Lubricate all hood, door and luggage
compartment hinges and latches with
a light grade oil.
• Cover interior trim to prevent fading.
• Keep all rubber parts free from oil and
solvents. Engine
•
Change the engine oil and filter prior to
storage because used engine oil
contains contaminates which may
cause engine damage.
• Start the engine every 15 days for a
minimum of 15 minutes. Run at fast idle
with the climate controls set to defrost
until the engine reaches normal
operating temperature.
• With your foot on the brake, shift
through all the gears while the engine
is running.
• We recommend that you change the
engine oil before you use your vehicle
again.
Fuel system
• Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel
until the first automatic shutoff of the
fuel pump nozzle.
Cooling system
• Protect against freezing temperatures.
• When removing your vehicle from
storage, check coolant fluid level.
Confirm that there are no cooling
system leaks and that fluid is at the
recommended level.
Battery
• Check and recharge as necessary. Keep
connections clean.
• If storing your vehicle for more than 30
days without recharging the battery,
we recommend that you disconnect
the battery cables to maintain battery
charge for quick starting.
Note: It is necessary to reset memory
features if battery cables are disconnected.
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Escape (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Vehicle Care
Eject: Press to eject a CD.
A
Cursor arrows:
Press to scroll through on-screen audio system choices, menus
or other on-screen functions.
B
CD slot:
Insert a CD.
C
OK:
Press to confirm menu selections.
D
Clock: Press to set the time. Use the cursor arrows to set the hours and minutes.
Press
OK to confirm the time. You can also set the clock by pressing MENU
and scrolling to Clock Settings.
E
TUNE:
Press to manually search the frequency band. Use the cursor arrows to
change the frequency.
F
Number block:
In radio mode, store your favorite radio stations. To store a
radio station, tune to the station, then press and hold a preset button until sound
returns. In CD mode, press one of these buttons to select a track.
G
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Escape (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Audio SystemE172881
Seek forward: Press and release the right side of the control to go to the next
preset radio station or disc track. Press and hold this side of the control to fast
forward or reverse to the next strong radio station, memory preset or through
the current disc track.
H
ON/OFF:
Press to switch the system on and off. Turn to adjust the volume.
I
Seek reverse:
Press and release the left side of the control to go to the previous
preset radio station or disc track. Press and hold this side of the control to
reverse to the previous strong radio station, memory preset or disc track.
J
MENU:
Press to access different audio system features. See Menu Structure
later in this section.
K
INFO
Press to access any available radio information.
L
SOUND:
Press to access settings for Treble, Middle, Bass, Fade and Balance.
Use the up and down arrow buttons to select the various settings. When you
make your selection, press the left and right arrow buttons to change the
settings. Press OK to set or press
MENU to exit. Sound settings can be set for
each audio source independently.
M
MEDIA:
Press to access LINE IN (auxiliary input jack) mode or CD or switch
between both media sources
N
RADIO:
Press to listen to the radio or change radio frequencies.
O
AUDIO UNIT - VEHICLES WITH:
AM/FM/CD/SYNC WARNING
Driving while distracted can result in
loss of vehicle control, crash and
injury. We strongly recommend that
you use extreme caution when using any
device that may take your focus off the
road. Your primary responsibility is the safe
operation of your vehicle. We recommend
against the use of any hand-held device
while driving and encourage the use of
voice-operated systems when possible.
Make sure you are aware of all applicable
local laws that may affect the use of
electronic devices while driving. Note:
You can operate your audio system
for up to one hour after you switch off the
ignition. Press the
ON/OFF control to
operate the system with the ignition turned
off. The system automatically turns off after
one hour.
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Escape (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Audio System
Eject: Press this button to eject a CD.
A
Cursor arrows:
Press these buttons to scroll through on-screen audio system
choices.
B
OK:
Press this button to confirm menu selections.
C
INFO:
Press this button to access any available radio or CD information.
D
TUNE - and TUNE +:
Press these buttons to manually search the frequency
band.
E
Number block:
In radio mode, store your favorite radio stations. To store a
radio station, tune to the station, then press and hold a preset button until sound
returns. In CD mode, select a track. In phone mode, enter a phone number.
F
Clock:
Push to access clock settings. You can also set the clock by pressing
the MENU button and scrolling to Clock Settings.
G
Function buttons:
Select different functions of the audio system depending
on which mode you are in (such as Radio mode or CD mode).
H
Seek:
Press and release these buttons to go to the previous or next preset radio
station or disc track. Press and hold these buttons to fast forward to the previous
or next strong radio station, memory preset or through the current disc track.
I
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G
H
IJ
H
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