All motor vehicles and their components were engineered and tested for
reliable, regular driving. Long-term storage under various conditions may
lead to component degradation or failure unless specific precautions are
taken to preserve the 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 vehicle thoroughly to remove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from
exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housing and underside of front fenders.
•Periodically wash vehicles stored in exposed locations.
•Touch up raw 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 the vehicle is
washed.
•Lubricate hood latch, all door latches and trunk lid hinges with a light
grade oil.
•Cover interior trim to prevent fading.
•Keep all rubber parts free from oil and solvents.
Engine
•The engine oil and filter should be changed prior to storage, as used
engine oil contains contaminates that may cause engine damage.
•Start the engine every 15 days. Run at fast idle until it reaches normal
operating temperature.
•With your foot on the brake, shift through all the gears while the
engine is running.
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 vehicle from storage, check coolant fluid level.
Confirm there are no cooling system leaks, and fluid is at the
recommended level.
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Battery
•Check and recharge as necessary. Keep connections clean.
•If storing your vehicle for more than 30 days without recharging the
battery, it may be advisable to disconnect the battery cables to ensure
battery charge is maintained for quick starting.
Note:If battery cables are disconnected, it will be necessary to reset
memory features.
Brakes
•Make sure brakes and parking brake are fully released.
Tires
•Maintain recommended air pressure.
Miscellaneous
•Make sure all linkages, cables, levers and pins under vehicle are
covered with grease to prevent rust.
•Move vehicles at least 25 feet (8 meters) every 15 days to lubricate
working parts and prevent corrosion.
Removing Vehicle from Storage
When your vehicle is ready to come out of storage, do the following:
•Wash your vehicle to remove any dirt or grease film build-up on
window surfaces.
•Check windshield wipers for any deterioration.
•Check under the hood for any foreign material that may have collected
during storage (mice/squirrel nests).
•Check the exhaust for any foreign material that may have collected
during storage.
•Check tire pressures and set tire inflation per the Tire Label.
•Check brake pedal operation. Drive the vehicle 15 feet (4.5 meters)
back and forth to remove rust build-up.
•Check fluid levels (including coolant, oil and gas) to make sure there
are no leaks and fluids are at recommended levels.
•If the battery was removed, clean the battery cable ends and inspect.
Contact your authorized dealer if you have any concerns or issues.
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Note:Your all-wheel drive vehicle is not intended for off-road use. This
feature gives your vehicle some limited off-road capabilities in which
driving surfaces are relatively level, obstruction-free and otherwise
similar to normal on-road driving conditions. Operating your vehicle
under other than those conditions could subject the vehicle to excessive
stress which might result in damage which is not covered under your
warranty.
With the all-wheel drive option, power will be delivered to the front
wheels and distributed to the rear wheels as needed. This increases
traction which may enable you to safely drive over terrain and road
conditions that a conventional two-wheel drive vehicle cannot. The
system is active all the time and requires no input from the operator.
For all-wheel drive vehicles, a spare tire of a different size other than the
tire provided should never be used. A dissimilar spare tire size (other
than the spare tire provided) or major dissimilar tire sized between the
front and rear axles could cause the system to stop functioning and
default to front-wheel drive.
How Your Vehicle Differs from Other Vehicles
Sport-utility vehicles, vans and
trucks can differ from some other
vehicles in a few noticeable ways.
Your vehicle may be:
•Higher – to allow higher load
carrying capacity and to allow it
to travel over rough terrain
without getting hung up or
damaging underbody
components.
•Shorter – to give it the capability
to approach inclines and drive
over the crest of a hill without
getting hung up or damaging
underbody components. All other
things held equal, a shorter
wheelbase may make your vehicle quicker to respond to steering
inputs than a vehicle with a longer wheelbase.
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6. Visually inspect the tires to make sure there are no nails or other
objects embedded that could poke a hole in the tire and cause an air
leak.
7. Check the sidewalls to make sure there are no gouges, cuts or bulges.
Inspecting Your Tires and Wheel Valve Stems
Periodically inspect the tire treads for uneven or excessive wear and
remove objects such as stones, nails or glass that may be wedged in the
tread grooves. Check the tire and valve stems for holes, cracks, or cuts
that may permit air leakage and repair or replace the tire and replace
the valve stem. Inspect the tire sidewalls for cracking, cuts, bruises and
other signs of damage or excessive wear. If internal damage to the tire is
suspected, have the tire demounted and inspected in case it needs to be
repaired or replaced. For your safety, tires that are damaged or show
signs of excessive wear should not be used because they are more likely
to blow out or fail.
Improper or inadequate vehicle maintenance can cause tires to wear
abnormally. Inspect all your tires, including the spare, frequently, and
replace them if one or more of the following conditions exist:
Tire Wear
When the tread is worn down to
1/16th of an inch (2 millimeters),
tires must be replaced to help
prevent your vehicle from skidding
and hydroplaning. Built-in
treadwear indicators, or wear bars,
which look like narrow strips of
smooth rubber across the tread will
appear on the tire when the tread is
worn down to 1/16th of an inch (2
millimeters).
When the tire tread wears down to the same height as these wear bars,
the tire is worn out and must be replaced.
Damage
Periodically inspect the tire treads and sidewalls for damage (such as
bulges in the tread or sidewalls, cracks in the tread groove and
separation in the tread or sidewall). If damage is observed or suspected,
have the tire inspected by a tire professional. Tires can be damaged
during off-road use, so inspection after off-road use is also
recommended.
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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.
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Tires - long term storage
Most high performance tires are made with a nylon overlay.
As such, the following steps should be taken to avoid flatspotting when
the vehicles are not used for a period of time.
•Fleets should store the vehicles with 44 psi (303 kPa) in the tires.
•If the vehicle is stored for periods longer than 30 days, it should be
moved several feet at least once during each 30-day period, so that a
different portion of the tread contacts the ground.
•Tire pressure should be reduced to the recommended pressure shown
on the vehicle certification label before the vehicle is placed back into
service.
USING SNOW CHAINS
WARNING:Snow tires must be the same size, load index, speed
rating as those originally provided by Ford. Use of any tire or
wheel not recommended by Ford can affect the safety and performance
of your vehicle, which could result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death. Additionally, the use
of non-recommended tires and wheels could cause steering, suspension,
axle, transfer case or power transfer unit failure.
Note:The suspension insulation and bumpers will help prevent vehicle
damage. Do not remove these components from your vehicle when using
snow tires and chains.
The tires on your vehicle have all-weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, you may need to use snow
tires and cables . If you need to use cables, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and specifications) be used, as cables may chip
aluminum wheels.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
•If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
•For police sedan, do not use snow chains or cables on this vehicle as
they may cause damage to your vehicle which may lead to loss of
vehicle control.
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•For police utility, use only SAE Class S snow chains, snow cables or
equivalent on the front axle for 245/55R18 equipped vehicles. The use
of snow chains, snow cables or other traction assist devices that are
larger than SAE Class S may cause damage to your vehicle’s wheel
house, suspension and/or body.
•Do not install tire chains, cables, or optional traction devices on the
rear tires. This could cause damage to the vehicle’s wheel house or
body.
•Install cable chains securely, verifying that the cables do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
•Do not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) with tire cables on your vehicle.
•Drive cautiously. If you hear the cables rub or bang against your
vehicle, stop and retighten the cables. If this does not work, remove
the cables to prevent damage to your vehicle.
•Remove the tire cables when they are no longer needed. Do not use
tire cables on dry roads.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM
WARNING:The tire pressure monitoring system is NOT a
substitute for manually checking tire pressure. The tire pressure
should be checked periodically (at least monthly) using a tire gauge.
SeeInflating Your Tiresin this chapter. Failure to properly maintain
your tire pressure could increase the risk of tire failure, loss of control,
vehicle rollover and personal injury.
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Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a
different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces
fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling
and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator
to indicate when the system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as
the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function properly.
The tire pressure monitoring system complies with part 15 of the FCC
rules and with RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
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