
WARNING
If your vehicle has a steering wheel
lock make sure the ignition is in the
accessory or on position when being
towed. Recreational Towing
Note:
Put your climate control system in
recirculated air mode to prevent exhaust
fumes from entering the vehicle. See
Climate Control (page 101).
Follow these guidelines if you have a need
for recreational (RV) towing. An example
of recreational towing would be towing
your vehicle behind a motorhome. We
designed these guidelines to prevent
damage to your transmission.
Front-wheel drive vehicles
CANNOT be
flat-towed (all wheels on the ground) as
vehicle or transmission damage may occur.
You must place the front wheels on a
two-wheel tow dolly. If you are using a tow
dolly, follow the instructions specified by
the equipment provider.
Four-wheel drive vehicles
CANNOT be
flat-towed (all wheels on the ground), as
vehicle or transmission damage may occur.
It is recommended to tow your vehicle with
all four (4) wheels off the ground such as
when using a car-hauling trailer. Otherwise,
you cannot recreational tow your vehicle.
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Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Towing

•
Transmissions give their best fuel
economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure
on the gas pedal.
• Four-wheel-drive operation (if
equipped) is less fuel efficient than
two-wheel-drive operation.
• Close the windows for high-speed
driving.
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 WARNINGS
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. Pedals that cannot move freely can
cause loss of vehicle control and
increase the risk of serious personal
injury. Always make sure that the floor
mats are properly attached to the
retention posts in the carpet that are
supplied with your vehicle. Floor mats must
be properly secured to both retention posts
to make sure mats do not shift out of
position. Never place floor mats or any other
covering in the vehicle foot well that
cannot be properly secured to
prevent them from moving and interfering
with the pedals or the ability to control the
vehicle. Never place floor mats or any other
covering on top of already installed
floor mats. Floor mats should always
rest on top of vehicle carpeting surface and
not another floor mat or other covering.
Additional floor mats or any other covering
will reduce the pedal clearance and
potentially interfere with pedal operation.
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Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Driving HintsE176360

Protected components
Fuse amp rating
Fuse or relay number
Heated mirror (less door control unit).
15A*
F30
Heated wiper park.
Not used.
—
F31
Vehicle power.
15A*
F32
Vehicle power 2.
10A*
F33
Vehicle power 3.
10A*
F34
Vehicle power 4.
15A*
F35
Active grill shutters.
5A*
F36
Occupant classification sensor.
10A*
F37
Passenger airbag deactivation indicator.
Engine control module and transmission
control module ignition feed.
5A*
F38
Heated driver seat.
20A*
F39
Electronic power assist steering 15 feed.
5A*
F40
Body control module 15 feed.
20A*
F41
Rear wiper.
15A*
F42
Headlamp control module supply.
15A*
F43
Daytime running light.
Front fog daytime running lamps.
15A*
F44
Heated passenger seat.
20A*
F45
Smart wiper motor modules.
40A**
F46
Heated mirror (less door control unit).
5A*
F47
Heated wiper park relay feed.
Keypad.
5A*
F48
Not used.
—
R1
Horn.
Micro relay
R2
Heated mirror relay (less door control unit).
Micro relay
R3
Heated wiper park relay.
Front fog daytime running lamps.
Micro relay
R4
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Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Fuses

Protected components
Fuse amp rating
Fuse or relay number
Cigar lighter.
20A
F61
Power point.
Rain sensor module.
5A
F62
Auto-dimming mirror.
Not used (spare).
10A
F63
Not used.
—
F64
Liftgate release.
10A
F65
Driver door unlock.
20A
F66
SYNC.
7.5A
F67
Multifunction display.
Global positioning system module.
Not used.
—
F68
Instrument cluster.
5A
F69
Central lock and unlock supply.
20A
F70
Heating control head (manual air condi-
tioner).
7.5A
F71
Dual electronic automatic temperature
control.
Steering wheel module.
7.5A
F72
Data link connector.
7.5A
F73
High beam headlamp supply.
15A
F74
Fog lamp.
15A
F75
Reversing lamp.
10A
F76
Washer pump.
20A
F77
Ignition switch.
5A
F78
Start button.
Radio.
15A
F79
Navigation DVD player.
Touch screen.
Hazard light switch.
Door lock switch.
Moonroof supply.
20A
F80
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Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Fuses

Severe Climates
If you drive in extremely cold climates:
•
It may be necessary to have a Ford
authorized dealer increase the coolant
concentration above 50%.
• A coolant concentration of 60% will
provide improved freeze point
protection. Engine coolant
concentrations above 60% will
decrease the overheat protection
characteristics of the engine coolant
and may cause engine damage.
If you drive in extremely hot climates:
• It may be necessary to have a Ford
authorized dealer decrease the coolant
concentration to 40%.
• A coolant concentration of 40% will
provide improved overheat protection.
Engine coolant concentrations below
40% will decrease the freeze and
corrosion protection characteristics of
the engine coolant and may cause
engine damage.
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.
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Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Maintenance

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.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FLUID CHECK
The automatic transmission does not have
a transmission fluid dipstick.
Have an authorized dealer check and
change the transmission fluid at the
correct service interval. See Scheduled
Maintenance (page 346). Your
transmission does not consume fluid.
However, if the transmission slips, shifts
slowly or if you notice a sign of leaking
fluid, contact an authorized dealer.
Do not use supplemental transmission
fluid additives, treatments or cleaning
agents. The use of these materials may
affect transmission operation and result
in damage to internal transmission
components. BRAKE FLUID CHECK
Fluid levels between the MIN and MAX
lines are within the normal operating range;
there is no need to add fluid. If the fluid
levels are outside of the normal operating
range, the performance of the system
could be compromised; seek service from
your authorized dealer immediately.
POWER STEERING FLUID
CHECK
Your vehicle is equipped with an electric
power steering (EPS) system. There is no
fluid reservoir to check or fill.
WASHER FLUID CHECK
WARNING
If you operate your vehicle in
temperatures below 40°F (5°C), use
washer fluid with antifreeze
protection. Failure to use washer fluid with
antifreeze protection in cold weather could
result in impaired windshield vision and
increase the risk of injury or accident. Note:
The front and rear washer systems
are supplied from the same reservoir.
Add fluid to fill the reservoir if the level is
low. Only use a washer fluid that meets
Ford specifications. See Capacities and
Specifications (page 268).
State or local regulations on volatile
organic compounds may restrict the use
of methanol, a common windshield washer
antifreeze additive. Washer fluids
containing non-methanol antifreeze
agents should be used only if they provide
cold weather protection without damaging
the vehicle ’s paint finish, wiper blades or
washer system.
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Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Maintenance

CLEANING THE INSTRUMENT
PANEL AND INSTRUMENT
CLUSTER LENS
WARNING
Do not use chemical solvents or
strong detergents when cleaning the
steering wheel or instrument panel
to avoid contamination of the airbag
system. Note:
Follow the same procedure as
cleaning leather seats for cleaning leather
instrument panels and leather interior trim
surfaces. See Cleaning Leather Seats
(page 237).
Clean the instrument panel and cluster
lens with a clean, damp and soft cloth,
then use a clean, dry and soft cloth to dry
these areas.
• Avoid cleaners or polishes that increase
the gloss of the upper portion of the
instrument panel. The dull finish in this
area helps protect you from
undesirable windshield reflection.
• Do not use any household cleaning
products or glass cleaners as these
may damage the finish of the
instrument panel, interior trim and
cluster lens.
• Wash or wipe your hands clean if you
have been in contact with certain
products such as insect repellent and
suntan lotion to avoid possible damage
to the interior painted surfaces.
• Do not allow air fresheners and hand
sanitizers to spill onto interior surfaces.
If a spill occurs, wipe off immediately.
Your warranty may not cover these
damages.
If a staining liquid like coffee or juice has
been spilled on the instrument panel or on
interior trim surfaces: 1. Wipe up spilled liquid using a clean,
soft cloth as quickly as possible.
2. Use Motorcraft Premium Leather and Vinyl Cleaner or a commercially
available leather cleaning product for
automotive interiors. Test any cleaner
or stain remover on an inconspicuous
area.
3. Alternatively, wipe the surface with a clean, soft cloth and a mild soap and
water solution. Dry the area with a
clean, soft cloth.
4. If necessary, apply more soap and water solution or cleaning product to
a clean, soft cloth and press it onto the
soiled area. Allow this to set at room
temperature for 30 minutes.
5. Remove the soaked cloth, then with a clean, damp cloth, use a rubbing
motion for 60 seconds on the soiled
area.
6. Dry the area with a clean, soft cloth.
CLEANING LEATHER SEATS
(If
Equipped)
Note: Follow the same procedure as
cleaning leather seats for cleaning leather
instrument panels and leather interior trim
surfaces.
For routine cleaning, wipe the surface with
a soft, damp cloth and a mild soap and
water solution. Dry the area with a clean,
soft cloth.
For cleaning and removing stains such as
dye transfer, use Motorcraft Premium
Leather and Vinyl Cleaner or a
commercially available leather cleaning
product for automotive interiors.
Note: Test any cleaner or stain remover on
an inconspicuous area.
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Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Vehicle Care

•
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.
• Narrower - to provide greater
maneuverability in tight spaces,
particularly in off-road use. As a result of the above dimensional
differences, Sport utility vehicles and
trucks often will have a higher center of
gravity and a greater difference in center
of gravity between the loaded and
unloaded condition. These differences that
make your vehicle so versatile also make
it handle differently than an ordinary
passenger car.
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Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Wheels and TiresE145299 E168583