2015 LINCOLN MKZ HYBRID warning

GENERAL INFORMATION
Note:
Occasional brake noise is normal. If a
metal-to-metal, continuous grinding or
continuous squeal sound is present, the
brake linings may be worn-out. Have the
system checked by an authorized dealer. If
the vehicle has continuous vibration or
shudder in the steering wheel while braking,
have it checked by an authorized dealer.
Note: Brake dust may accumulate on the
wheels, even under normal driving
conditions. Some dust is inevitable as the
brakes wear and does not contribute to
brake noise. See Cleaning the Alloy Wheels
(page 308). See
Warning Lamps and
Indicators (page 103).
Wet brakes result in reduced braking
efficiency. Gently press the brake pedal a
few times when driving from a car wash or
standing water to dry the brakes. Brake Over Accelerator
In the event the accelerator pedal becomes
stuck or entrapped, apply steady and firm
pressure to the brake pedal to slow the
vehicle and reduce engine power. If you
experience this condition, apply the brakes
and bring your vehicle to a safe stop. Move
the transmission selector lever to position P,
switch the engine off and apply the parking
brake. Inspect the accelerator pedal for any
interference. If none are found and the
condition persists, have your vehicle towed
to the nearest authorized dealer.
Brake Assist
Brake assist detects when you brake heavily
by measuring the rate at which you press the
brake pedal. It provides maximum braking
efficiency as long as you press the pedal.
Brake assist can reduce stopping distances
in critical situations.
Anti-lock Brake System
This system helps you maintain steering
control during emergency stops by keeping
the brakes from locking. This lamp momentarily illuminates
when you turn the ignition on. If
the light does not illuminate during
start up, remains on or flashes, the anti-lock
braking system may be disabled. Have the
system checked by an authorized dealer. If the system is disabled, normal
braking is still effective. If the brake
warning lamp illuminates when you
release the parking brake, have your system
checked by an authorized dealer.
Regenerative Braking System
This feature is used to simulate the engine
braking of an internal combustion engine
and assist the standard brake system while
recovering some of the energy of motion and
storing it in the battery to improve fuel
economy. The standard brake system is
designed to fully stop the car if regenerative
braking is not available. During regenerative
192
MKZ Hybrid (), enUSA BrakesE144522 E144522

braking, the motor is spun as a generator to
create electrical current. This recharges the
battery and slows the vehicle. In effect, once
the accelerator pedal is released, the motor
changes from an energy user to an energy
producer.
When you release the accelerator pedal or
press the brake pedal, the brake controller
automatically detects the amount of
deceleration requested and optimizes how
much of the deceleration will be produced
by regenerative braking. The remaining
portion is generated by standard friction
braking. When the battery is almost fully
charged, the amount of regenerative braking
is limited to avoid overcharging, and the
requested deceleration is produced by
standard friction braking alone.
Regenerative braking does not take the
place of the standard friction brakes; it only
assists them. Regenerative braking has also
been designed to interact with the anti-lock
brake system. Regenerative braking is
disabled when the anti-lock brake system is
activated or the battery is fully charged.
HINTS ON DRIVING WITH ANTI-
LOCK BRAKES
Note:
When the system is operating, the
brake pedal will pulse and may travel further.
Maintain pressure on the brake pedal. You
may also hear a noise from the system. This
is normal.
The anti-lock braking system will not
eliminate the risks when:
• You drive too closely to the vehicle in
front of you.
• Your vehicle is hydroplaning.
• You take corners too fast.
• The road surface is poor.
ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE
The electric parking brake replaces the
conventional handbrake. The operating
switch is located on the instrument panel to
the left of the steering wheel. WARNING
Always set the parking brake and leave
your vehicle with the transmission in
park (P). Note:
When you apply the electric parking
brake in certain conditions, for example on
a steep hill, the electric parking brake may
reapply the brakes within three to ten
minutes. As a result, you may notice various
noises when you apply and release the
electric parking brake. This is normal and no
cause for concern.
Applying the electric parking brake WARNING
If the brake system warning lamp does
not illuminate or flashes, there could
be a problem with your electric parking
brake. Have the system checked by an
authorized dealer as soon as possible. 193
MKZ Hybrid (), enUSA Brakes

Note:
The brake system warning lamp will
illuminate for ten seconds if the ignition is
turned off after the electric parking brake
has been applied, or the electric parking
brake has been applied after the ignition
has been turned off.
Note: The electric parking brake will not
automatically apply. You must apply the
electric parking brake using the electric
parking brake switch. Pull the switch to apply the electric parking
brake. The brake system warning lamp will
illuminate to confirm that the electric parking
brake has been applied. See Information
Displays (page 109).
Applying the electric parking brake
when the vehicle is moving WARNINGS
Applying the electric parking brake
while moving will result in use of the
anti-lock braking system. Do not use the
electric parking brake system when the
vehicle is moving unless the normal brake
system is unable to stop the vehicle. With the exception of emergency
conditions (for example, the brake
pedal does not work or is blocked), do not
apply the electric parking brake while the
vehicle is moving. On bends, or poor road
surfaces or weather conditions, emergency
braking can cause the vehicle to skid out of
control or off the road. If you apply the electric parking brake when
your vehicle is moving, the brake system
warning lamp will illuminate and a warning
chime will sound. See Information Displays
(page 109).
If your vehicle speed is above
4 mph
(6 km/h), the braking force is applied as long
as the switch is applied. Release or press the
switch, or press the accelerator pedal to stop
the braking force.
Releasing the electric parking brake Release the electric parking brake either
manually by pressing the switch down or
automatically.
194
MKZ Hybrid (), enUSA BrakesE169085 E169086

Manual release
WARNING
If the brake system warning light
remains illuminated or flashes after you
have released the parking brake, there could
be a problem with you braking system. Have
the system checked by an authorized dealer
as soon as possible. You can manually release the electric parking
brake by:
1. Turning the ignition on.
2. Pressing the brake pedal.
3. Pressing the electric parking brake
switch.
When the electric parking brake is released,
the brake system warning lamp will turn off.
Automatic release - drive away release
Your vehicle will automatically release the
parking brake if:
• The driver door is closed.
• The driver safety belt is fastened. •
The vehicle is accelerated.
• There are no faults detected in the
parking brake system.
Note: If the electric parking brake warning
lamp stays illuminated, the electric parking
brake will not automatically release. You
must release the electric parking brake using
the electric parking brake switch.
Note: On hybrid vehicles, the vehicle must
be Ready-to-Drive as indicated by the green
ready indicator light.
The brake system warning lamp will go off
to confirm that the electric parking brake has
been released.
Note: The electric parking brake drive away
release makes starting on a hill easier. This
feature will release the parking brake
automatically when the vehicle has sufficient
drive force to move up the hill. To assure
drive away release when starting uphill,
press the accelerator pedal quickly. Battery With No Charge WARNING
You will not be able to apply or release
the electric parking brake if the battery
is low or has no charge. If the battery is low or has no charge, use
jumper cables and a booster battery.
HILL START ASSIST
WARNINGS
The system does not replace the
parking brake. When you leave your
vehicle, always apply the parking brake and
put the transmission in park (P). You must remain in your vehicle once
you have activated the system.
During all times, you are responsible
for controlling your vehicle, supervising
the system and intervening, if required. If the engine is revved excessively, or
if a malfunction is detected, the system
will be deactivated. 195
MKZ Hybrid (), enUSA Brakes

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
The traction control system helps avoid drive
wheel spin and loss of traction.
If your vehicle begins to slide, the system
applies the brakes to individual wheels and,
when needed, reduces engine power at the
same time. If the wheels spin when
accelerating on slippery or loose surfaces,
the system reduces engine power in order
to increase traction.
USING TRACTION CONTROL
In certain situations for example, stuck in
snow or mud, turning the traction control off
may be beneficial as this allows the wheels
to spin with full engine power. Depending
on the type of system you have on your
vehicle, you can either turn the system off
using the information display or by pressing
the button.
Switching the System Off Using the
Information Display Controls (If Equipped)
Your vehicle comes with this feature already
enabled. If required, you can switch this
feature off using the information display
controls.
See General Information (page
109).
Switching the System Off Using a
Switch
(If Equipped)
The button is located in the instrument panel.
Press the button. You will see a message in
conjunction with an illuminated icon in the
display. Press the button again to return the
system to normal mode.
When you switch the traction control system
off, stability control remains fully active. System Indicator Lights and Messages WARNING
If a failure has been detected within
the AdvanceTrac system, the stability
control light will illuminate steadily. Verify
that the AdvanceTrac system was not
manually disabled through the information
display. If the stability control light still
illuminates steadily, have the system serviced
by an authorized dealer immediately.
Operating your vehicle with AdvanceTrac
disabled could lead to an increased risk of
loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,
personal injury and death. The stability control light
temporarily illuminates on engine
start-up and flashes when a driving
condition activates the stability system. The stability control off light
temporarily illuminates on engine
start-up and stays on when you
turn the traction control system off.
197
MKZ Hybrid (), enUSA Traction ControlE138639

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNINGS
Vehicle modifications involving braking
system, aftermarket roof racks,
suspension, steering system, tire
construction and wheel and tire size may
change the handling characteristics of the
vehicle and may adversely affect the
performance of the AdvanceTrac system. In
addition, installing any stereo loudspeakers
may interfere with and adversely affect the
AdvanceTrac system. Install any aftermarket
stereo loudspeaker as far as possible from
the front center console, the tunnel, and the
front seats in order to minimize the risk of
interfering with the AdvanceTrac sensors.
Reducing the effectiveness of the
AdvanceTrac system could lead to an
increased risk of loss of vehicle control,
vehicle rollover, personal injury and death. Remember that even advanced
technology cannot defy the laws of
physics. It’ s always possible to lose control
of a vehicle due to inappropriate driver input
for the conditions. Aggressive driving on any
road condition can cause you to lose control WARNINGS
of your vehicle increasing the risk of personal
injury or property damage. Activation of the
AdvanceTrac system is an indication that at
least some of the tires have exceeded their
ability to grip the road; this could reduce the
operator’ s ability to control the vehicle
potentially resulting in a loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and
death. If your AdvanceTrac system activates,
SLOW DOWN. The AdvanceTrac Control system helps you
keep control of your vehicle when on a
slippery surface. The electronic stability
control portion of the system helps avoid
skids and lateral slides. The traction control
system helps avoid drive wheel spin and loss
of traction. See Using Traction Control
(page 197). Vehicle without AdvanceTrac
skidding off its intended route.
A
Vehicle with AdvanceTrac
maintaining control on a slippery
surface.
B
199
MKZ Hybrid (), enUSA Stability ControlE72903A
AA
B
BB
B

PARKING AID (If Equipped)
WARNINGS
To help avoid personal injury, please
read and understand the limitations of
the system as contained in this section.
Sensing is only an aid for some (generally
large and fixed) objects when moving in
reverse on a flat surface at parking speeds.
Traffic control systems, inclement weather,
air brakes, and external motors and fans may
also affect the function of the sensing
system; this may include reduced
performance or a false activation. To help avoid personal injury, always
use caution when in reverse (R) and
when using the sensing system. This system is not designed to prevent
contact with small or moving objects.
The system is designed to provide a warning
to assist the driver in detecting large
stationary objects to avoid damaging the
vehicle. The system may not detect smaller
objects, particularly those close to the
ground. WARNINGS
Certain add-on devices such as large
trailer hitches, bike or surfboard racks
and any device that may block the normal
detection zone of the system, may create
false beeps. Note:
Keep the sensors, located on the
bumper or fascia, free from snow, ice and
large accumulations of dirt. If the sensors
are covered, the system’ s accuracy can be
affected. Do not clean the sensors with sharp
objects.
Note: If your vehicle sustains damage to the
bumper or fascia, leaving it misaligned or
bent, the sensing zone may be altered
causing inaccurate measurement of
obstacles or false alarms.
Note: If your vehicle is equipped with
MyKey®, it is possible to prevent turning the
sensing system off. See MyKey™ (page 59).
The sensing system warns the driver of
obstacles within a certain range of the
bumper area. The system turns on
automatically whenever the ignition is
switched on. When receiving a detection warning, the
radio volume is reduced to a predetermined
level. After the warning goes away, the radio
volume returns to the previous level.
The system can be switched off through the
information display menu or from the pop-up
message that appears once the transmission
is shifted into reverse (R) or a front obstacle
is detected. See General Information (page
109
).
If a fault is present in the system, a warning
message appears in the information display
and does not allow the driver to switch the
faulted system on.
See Information
Messages (page 120).
201
MKZ Hybrid (), enUSA Parking Aids

Rear Sensing System
The rear sensors are only active when the
transmission is in reverse (R). As the vehicle
moves closer to the obstacle, the rate of the
audible warning increases. When the
obstacle is fewer than 9.84 in (25 cm) away,
the warning sounds continuously. If a
stationary or receding object is detected
farther than 9.84 in (25 cm) from the side of
the vehicle, the tone sounds for only three
seconds. Once the system detects an object
approaching, the warning sounds again. Coverage area of up to 6 feet (2
meters) from the rear bumper.
There is decreased coverage area
at the outer corners of the bumper.
A The system detects certain objects while the
transmission is in reverse (R):
•
and moving toward a stationary object at
a speed of
3 mph (5 km/h)or less.
• but not moving, and a moving object is
approaching the rear of the vehicle at a
speed of 3 mph (5 km/h) or less.
• and moving at a speed of less than 3 mph
(5 km/h)
and a moving object is
approaching the rear of the vehicle at a
speed of less than
3 mph (5 km/h).
Front Sensing System
The front sensors are active when the
gearshift is in any position other than park
(P) or neutral (N) and the vehicle speed is
below
7 mph (12 km/h).
202
MKZ Hybrid (), enUSA Parking AidsE130178