•Add particular accessories to your vehicle (e.g.; bug deflectors,
rollbars or light bars, running boards, ski racks).
•Drive with the wheels out of alignment.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
WARNING:Do not drive through flowing or deep water as you
may lose control of your vehicle.
Note:Driving through standing water can cause vehicle damage.
Note:Engine damage can occur if water enters the air filter.
Before driving through standing water, check the depth. Never drive
through water that is higher than the bottom of the front rocker area of
your vehicle.
When driving through standing
water, drive very slowly and do not
stop your vehicle. Your brake
performance and traction may be
limited. After driving through water
and as soon as it is safe to do so:
•Lightly press the brake pedal to
dry the brakes and to check that
they work.
•Check that the horn works.
•Check that the exterior lights work.
•Turn the steering wheel to check that the steering power assist works.
FLOOR MATS
WARNING: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.
WARNING:Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss of
vehicle control and increase the risk of serious personal injury.
284Driving Hints
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)
Safety Practices
WARNING:If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, or sand, do not
rapidly spin the tires. Spinning the tires can tear the tire and cause
an explosion. A tire can explode in as little as three to five seconds.
WARNING:Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h).
The tires may fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Driving habits have a great deal to do with your tire mileage and safety.
•Observe posted speed limits.
•Avoid fast starts, stops and turns.
•Avoid potholes and objects on the road.
•Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking.
Highway Hazards
No matter how carefully you drive, there is always the possibility that
you may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving, or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tires for damage. If a tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove the wheel and replace it with your spare tire and
wheel. If you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest repair facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
Tire and Wheel Alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or cause damage to your tires. If your
vehicle seems to pull to one side when you are driving, the wheels may
be out of alignment. Have an authorized dealer check the wheel
alignment periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by an authorized dealer.
Front-wheel drive vehicles and those with an independent rear
suspension may require alignment of all four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular tire wear.
368Wheels and Tires
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)
Tire Rotation
Note:If your tires show uneven wear ask an authorized dealer to check
for and correct any wheel misalignment, tire imbalance or mechanical
problem involved before tire rotation.
Note:Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire and
wheel assembly. A dissimilar spare tire and wheel assembly is defined as
a spare tire or wheel that is different in brand, size or appearance from
the road tires and wheels. If you have a dissimilar spare tire and wheel
assembly, it is intended for temporary use only and should not be used
in a tire rotation.
Note:After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
Rotating your tires at the recommended interval (as indicated in the
scheduled maintenance information) will help your tires wear more
evenly, providing better tire performance and longer tire life.
•Front-wheel drive/All-wheel drive
vehicles (front tires at left of
diagram)
Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.
SUMMER TIRES (IF EQUIPPED)
Summer tires provide superior performance on wet and dry roads.
Summer tires do not have the Mud and Snow (M+S or M/S) tire traction
rating on the tire side wall. Since summer tires do not have the same
traction performance as All-season or Snow tires, Ford does not
recommend using summer tires when temperatures drop to
approximately 40°F (5°C) or below (depending on tire wear and
environmental conditions) or in snow and ice conditions. Like any tire,
summer tire performance is affected by tire wear and environmental
conditions. If you must drive in those conditions, Ford recommends
using Mud and Snow (M+S, M/S), All-season or Snow tires.
Wheels and Tires369
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)
SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ..........................................85
Selecting your media source
(USB, Line in, BT audio) .........448
Sending new text messages .....503
Setting a destination ................533
Setting a destination by
voice ...........................................534
Settings ......................................518
Setting the clock ...............401, 518
Side air curtain ...........................58
Side-curtain airbags system .......58
SIRIUS® satellite radio ....401, 486
SIRIUS satellite radio voice
commands .................................488
SIRIUS Travel Link ...................510
SIRIUS Travel Link voice
commands .................................511
Snowplowing ...............................16
SOS Post Crash Alert .................51
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................384, 391
Special notice
ambulance conversions ............16
utility-type vehicles ..................16
Specification chart,
lubricants ...................................386
Stability system .........................224
Starting your vehicle ................189
jump starting ..........................289
push button start system .......188
Steering wheel ............................90
controls ......................................92
tilting ...................................90–91
Sun visor ....................................112Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) (see airbags) ....................52
Supported media file types ......496
Supported player, media
formats and metadata
information ................................496
SYNC® AppLink™ ...................444
SYNC® customer
support ..............................418, 470
SYNC® Services ................441, 506
System settings .........................521
T
Temperature control
(see Climate control) ......144, 146,
148, 530
Text messaging .................429, 502
Text messaging (sending,
downloading, deleting) .....429, 431
Third-row power fold seat .......175
Tilt steering wheel ................90–91
Tires ...........................354–355, 375
alignment ................................368
care ..........................................353
changing ..........................375, 377
checking the pressure ............364
inflating ...................................362
label .........................................361
replacing ..................................366
rotating ....................................369
safety practices .......................368
sidewall information ...............357
snow tires and chains ............370
spare tire .................................375
terminology .............................356
tire grades ...............................355
treadwear ........................355, 364
594Index
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)