2015 FORD EXPLORER panel

Maintenance 310
General information...................................310
Opening and closing the hood............................311
Under hood overview..................................312
Engine oil dipstick....................................315
Engine oil check......................................316
Engine coolant check..................................316
Automatic transmission fluid check........................322
Brake fluid check.....................................326
Fuel filter...........................................327
Washer fluid check....................................327
Battery ............................................327
Checking the wiper blades..............................330
Air filter(s).........................................331
Adjusting the headlamps................................333
Changing a bulb......................................335
Bulb specification chart.................................339
Vehicle Care 341
Cleaning products.....................................341
Cleaning the exterior..................................341
Waxing.............................................343
Repairing minor paint damage............................343
Cleaning the engine...................................343
Cleaning the windows and wiper blades.....................344
Cleaning the interior...................................345
Cleaning the instrument panel and instrument cluster lens.......345
Cleaning leather seats..................................346
Cleaning the alloy wheels...............................347
Vehiclestorage.......................................348
Table of Contents7
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)

•Recline the seat slightly (one or two degrees) from the upright
position.
After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on safety belts, it is
very important that they continue to sit properly. Properly seated
occupants sit upright, lean against the seat back, and center themselves
on the seat cushion, with their feet comfortably extended on the floor.
Sitting improperly can increase the chance of injury in a crash event. For
example, if an occupant slouches, lies down, turns sideways, sits forward,
leans forward or sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the chance of
injury during a crash is greatly increased.
Children and Airbags
WARNING:Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
Never place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag. If
you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the
seat upon which the child seat is installed all the way back.
Children must always be properly
restrained. Accident statistics
suggest that children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front
seating position. Failure to follow
these instructions may increase the
risk of injury in a crash.
Knee Airbag System (Passenger Side Only)
The knee airbag is located under the instrument panel. During a crash,
the restraints control module may activate the passenger knee airbag
based on crash severity and occupant conditions. Under certain crash
and occupant conditions, the passenger knee airbag may deploy but the
passenger front airbag may not activate.
As with front and side airbags, it is important to be properly seated and
restrained to reduce the risk of death or serious injury.
Supplementary Restraints System53
2015 Explorer(exp)
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FRONT PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM
WARNING:Even with Advanced Restraints Systems, children 12
and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating position.
Failure to follow this could seriously increase the risk of injury or death.
WARNING:Sitting improperly out of position or with the seat
back reclined too far can take off weight from the seat cushion
and affect the decision of the front passenger sensing system, resulting
in serious injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright against your seat back, with your feet on the floor.
WARNING:Any alteration or modification to the front passenger
seat may affect the performance of the front passenger sensing
system which could seriously increase the risk of injury or death.
This system works with sensors that are part of the front passenger’s
seat and safety belt to detect the presence of a properly seated occupant
and determine if the front passenger’s frontal airbag should be enabled
(may inflate) or not.
The front passenger sensing system
uses a passenger airbag status
indicator which will illuminate
indicating that the front passenger
frontal airbag is either ON (enabled)
or OFF (disabled). The indicator
lamp is located in the center stack of
the instrument panel.
Note:When the ignition is first turned on, the passenger airbag status
indicator OFF and ON lamps will illuminate for a short period of time to
confirm they are functional.
54Supplementary Restraints System
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)

SIDE AIRBAGS
WARNING:Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near
the airbag cover, on the side of the seatbacks (of the front seats),
or in front seat areas that may come into contact with a deploying
airbag. Failure to follow these instructions may increase the risk of
personal injury in the event of a crash.
WARNING:Do not use accessory seat covers. The use of
accessory seat covers may prevent the deployment of the side
airbags and increase the risk of injury in an accident.
WARNING:Do not lean your head on the door. The side airbag
could injure you as it deploys from the side of the seatback.
WARNING:Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
airbag, its fuses or the seat cover on a seat containing an airbag,
as you could be seriously injured or killed. Contact your authorized
dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING:If the side airbag has deployed, the airbag will not
function again. The side airbag system (including the seat) must
be inspected and serviced by an authorized dealer. If the airbag is not
replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The side airbags are located on the outboard side of the seat backs of
the front seats. In certain sideways crashes, the airbag on the side
affected by the crash will be inflated. The airbag was designed to inflate
between the door panel and occupant to further enhance the protection
provided occupants in side impact crashes.
Supplementary Restraints System57
2015 Explorer(exp)
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USA(fus)

WARNING:All occupants of your vehicle including the driver
should always wear their safety belts even when an airbag
supplemental restraint system and curtain airbag is provided. Failure to
properly wear your safety belt could seriously increase the risk of injury
or death.
WARNING:To reduce risk of injury, do not obstruct or place
objects in the deployment path of the curtain airbag.
WARNING:If the curtain airbags have deployed, the curtain
airbags will not function again. The curtain airbags (including the
A, B, C or D pillar trim and headliner) must be inspected and serviced
by an authorized dealer. If the curtain airbag is not replaced, the
unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The Safety Canopy will deploy during significant side crashes or when a
certain likelihood of a rollover event is detected by the rollover sensor.
The Safety Canopy is mounted to the roof side-rail sheet metal, behind
the headliner, above each row of seats. In certain sideways crashes or
rollover events, the Safety Canopy will be activated, regardless of which
seats are occupied. The Safety Canopy is designed to inflate between the
side window area and occupants to further enhance protection provided
in side impact crashes and rollover events.
The system consists of:
•Safety canopy curtain airbags
fitted above the trim panels over
the front and rear side windows
identified by a label or wording
on the headliner or roof-pillar
trim.
•A flexible headliner which opens above the side doors to allow air
curtain deployment.
•Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness
indicator. SeeCrash Sensors and Airbag Indicatorin this
chapter.
Supplementary Restraints System59
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USA(fus)

The remote start system will not work if:
•the ignition is on
•the alarm system is triggered
•you disable the feature
•the hood is open
•the transmission is not inP
•the vehicle battery voltage is too low
•the fuel is too low
•the service engine soon light is on.
Remote Starting the Vehicle
Note:You must press each button within three seconds of each other.
Your vehicle will not remote start and the horn will not sound if you do
not follow this sequence.
The label on your transmitter
details the starting procedure.
To remote start your vehicle:
1. Press the lock button to lock all the doors.
2. Press the remote start button twice. The exterior lamps will flash twice.
The horn will sound if the system fails to start.
Note:If you remote start your vehicle with an integrated keyhead
transmitter, you must switch the ignition on before driving your vehicle.
If you remote start your vehicle with an intelligent access transmitter,
you must have a programmed intelligent access key inside your vehicle
and press theSTART/STOPbutton on the instrument panel once while
applying the brake pedal before driving your vehicle.
The power windows will not work during the remote start and the radio
will not turn on automatically.
The parking lamps will remain on and your vehicle will run for 5, 10, or
15 minutes, depending on the setting. See theInformation Displays
chapter to select the duration of the remote start system.
Keys and Remote Control67
2015 Explorer(exp)
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USA(fus)

LOCKING AND UNLOCKING
You can use the power door lock control or the remote control to lock
and unlock your vehicle.
Power Door Locks
The power door lock control is located on the driver and front passenger
door panels.
A. Unlock
B. Lock
Remote Control
You can use the remote control anytime your vehicle is not running.
Unlocking the Doors (Two-Stage Unlock)
Press the button to unlock the driver door.
Press the button again within three seconds to unlock all doors.
The turn signals will flash.
Press and hold both the lock and unlock buttons on the remote control
for four seconds to disable or enable two-stage unlocking. Disabling
two-stage unlocking allows all vehicle doors to unlock with one press of
the button. The turn signals will flash twice to indicate a change to the
unlocking mode. The unlocking mode applies to the remote control,
keyless entry keypad and intelligent access.
Intelligent access at the driver door unlocks all doors when you have
disabled two-stage unlocking.
Locking the Doors
Press the button to lock all the doors. The turn signals will
illuminate.
Press the button again within three seconds to confirm that all the doors
are closed. The doors will lock again, the horn will sound and the turn
signals will illuminate if all the doors and the luggage compartment are
closed.
Locks73
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LIFTGATE
WARNING:Do not allow people to travel in any area of your
vehicle that does not have seats and safety belts. Riding in a
cargo area, inside or outside of the vehicle, is extremely dangerous. In a
crash, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed. Make sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a safety belt correctly. Failure to follow this warning could result
in serious personal injury or death.
Manual Liftgate
WARNING:Make sure to close and latch the liftgate to prevent
drawing exhaust fumes into your vehicle. This will also prevent
passengers and cargo from falling out. If you must drive with the
liftgate open, keep the vents or windows open so outside air comes into
your vehicle. Failure to follow this warning could result in serious
personal injury.
Note:Be careful when opening or closing the liftgate in a garage or
other enclosed area to avoid damaging the liftgate.
Note:Do not hang anything, for example a bike rack, from the spoiler,
glass or liftgate. This could damage the liftgate and its components.
Note:Do not leave the liftgate open while driving. This could damage
the liftgate and its components.
The liftgate area is only intended for cargo, not passengers.
To open the liftgate:Press the
button located in the top of the
liftgate pull-cup handle to unlatch the
liftgate, and then pull on the outside
handle.
If your vehicle has lost power, you can release the latch from inside your
vehicle. Use the access panel on the liftgate trim.
78Locks
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)