
Refueling..........................................................132
Fuel Consumption........................................134
Emission Control System
..........................135
Transmission
Automatic Transmission...........................138
Four-Wheel Drive
Principle of Operation..................................141
Using Four-Wheel Drive..............................141
Brakes
General Information
....................................146
Hints on Driving With Anti-Lock Brakes...........................................................146
Parking Brake
..................................................147
Hill Start Assist..............................................147
Traction Control
Principle of Operation................................149
Using Traction Control...............................149
Stability Control
Principle of Operation................................150
Using Stability Control.................................151
Parking Aids
Principle of Operation.................................152
Rear Parking Aid............................................152
Front Parking Aid..........................................153
Active Park Assist
.........................................154
Rear View Camera
.......................................158
Cruise Control
Principle of Operation..................................161
Using Cruise Control.....................................161
Driving Aids
Blind Spot Information System..............162
Cross Traffic Alert
.........................................164 Eco Mode
.........................................................167
Steering
............................................................168
Load Carrying
Rear Under Floor Storage..........................170
Luggage Covers.............................................170
Roof Racks and Load Carriers...................171
Load Limit
........................................................172
Towing
Towing a Trailer
..............................................179
Trailer Sway Control....................................180
Recommended Towing Weights............180
Essential Towing Checks...........................182
Towing Points
................................................185
Transporting the Vehicle...........................186
Towing the Vehicle on Four Wheels......186
Driving Hints
Breaking-In.....................................................188
Economical Driving......................................188
Driving Through Water...............................189
Floor Mats
.......................................................189
Roadside Emergencies
Roadside Assistance....................................191
Hazard Warning Flashers
..........................192
Fuel Shutoff....................................................192
Jump Starting the Vehicle
.........................193
Post-Crash Alert System
...........................195
Customer Assistance
Getting the Services You Need...............196
In California (U.S. Only)..............................197
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Auto Line Program (U.S. Only)......................198
Utilizing the Mediation/Arbitration Program (Canada Only)........................198
Getting Assistance Outside the U.S. and Canada........................................................199
3
Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Table of Contents

ABOUT THIS MANUAL
Thank you for choosing Ford. We
recommend that you take some time to
get to know your vehicle by reading this
manual. The more that you know about
your vehicle, the greater the safety and
pleasure you will get from driving it.
WARNING
Driving while distracted can result in
loss of vehicle control, crash and
injury. We strongly recommend that
you use extreme caution when using any
device that may take your focus off the
road. Your primary responsibility is the safe
operation of your vehicle. We recommend
against the use of any hand-held device
while driving and encourage the use of
voice-operated systems when possible.
Make sure you are aware of all applicable
local laws that may affect the use of
electronic devices while driving. Note:
This manual describes product
features and options available throughout
the range of available models, sometimes
even before they are generally available. It
may describe options not fitted to the
vehicle you have purchased.
Note: Some of the illustrations in this
manual may show features as used in
different models, so they may appear
different to you on your vehicle.
Note: Always use and operate your vehicle
in line with all applicable laws and
regulations.
Note: Pass on this manual when selling
your vehicle. It is an integral part of your
vehicle.
This manual may qualify the location of a
component as left-hand side or right-hand
side. The side is determined when facing
forward in the seat. Right-hand side.
A
Left-hand side.
B
SYMBOLS GLOSSARY
These are some of the symbols you may
see on your vehicle. Safety alert
See Owner's Manual
Air conditioning system
Anti-lock braking system
Avoid smoking, flames or sparks
Battery
Battery acid
Brake fluid - non petroleum
based
7
Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing IntroductionE154903 E162384

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNINGS
Always drive and ride with your
seatback upright and the lap belt
snug and low across the hips.
To reduce the risk of injury, make
sure children sit where they can be
properly restrained.
Never let a passenger hold a child on
his or her lap while your vehicle is
moving. The passenger cannot
protect the child from injury in a crash. All occupants of your vehicle,
including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even
when an airbag supplemental restraint
system is provided. It is extremely dangerous to ride in a
cargo area, inside or outside of a
vehicle. In a crash, people riding in
these areas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride
in any area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be
sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat
and using a safety belt properly. In a rollover crash, an unbelted
person is significantly more likely to
die than a person wearing a safety
belt. Each seating position in your vehicle
has a specific safety belt assembly
which is made up of one buckle and
one tongue that are designed to be used
as a pair. 1) Use the shoulder belt on the
outside shoulder only. Never wear the
shoulder belt under the arm. 2) Never
swing the safety belt around your neck over
the inside shoulder. 3) Never use a single
belt for more than one person. When possible, all children 12 years
old and under should be properly
restrained in a rear seating position. WARNINGS
Safety belts and seats can become
hot in a vehicle that has been closed
up in sunny weather; they could burn
a small child. Check seat covers and
buckles before you place a child anywhere
near them. Front and rear seat occupants,
including pregnant women, should
wear safety belts for optimum
protection in an accident. All seating positions in this vehicle have
lap and shoulder safety belts. All
occupants of the vehicle should always
properly wear their safety belts, even when
an airbag supplemental restraint system
is provided.
The safety belt system consists of:
•
lap and shoulder safety belts
• shoulder safety belt with automatic
locking mode, (except driver safety
belt)
• height adjuster at the front outboard
seating positions
• retractor and anchor pretensioner at
the front outboard seating positions
• belt tension sensor at the front
outboard passenger seating position •
safety belt warning light and chime •
crash sensors and monitoring system
with readiness indicator.
27
Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Safety Belts

Deactivating and Activating the
Belt-Minder Feature
WARNING
While the system allows you to
deactivate it, this system is designed
to improve your chances of being
safely belted and surviving an accident.
We recommend you leave the system
activated for yourself and others who may
use your vehicle. Note:
The driver and front passenger
warnings switch on and off independently.
When you perform this procedure for one
seating position, do not buckle the other
position as this will terminate the process.
Read Steps 1 - 4 thoroughly before
proceeding with the programming
procedure.
Before following the procedure, make sure
that:
• The parking brake is set.
• The transmission is in park (P).
• The ignition is off.
• The driver and front passenger safety
belts are unbuckled.
1. Switch the ignition on. Do not start the
engine.
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off (about one minute). After
Step 2, wait an additional five seconds
before proceeding with Step 3. Once
you start Step 3, you must complete
the procedure within 60 seconds.
3. For the seating position you are switching off, buckle then unbuckle the
safety belt three times at a moderate
speed, ending in the unbuckled state.
After Step 3, the safety belt warning
light turns on. 4. While the safety belt warning light is
on, buckle and then unbuckle the
safety belt. After Step 4, the safety belt
warning light flashes for confirmation.
• This will switch the feature off for that
seating position if it is currently on.
• This will switch the feature on for that
seating position if it is currently off.
CHILD RESTRAINT AND
SAFETY BELT MAINTENANCE
Inspect the vehicle safety belts and child
safety seat systems periodically to make
sure they work properly and are not
damaged. Inspect the vehicle and child
seat safety belts to make sure there are no
nicks, tears or cuts. Replace if necessary.
All vehicle safety belt assemblies, including
retractors, buckles, front safety belt buckle
assemblies, buckle support assemblies
(slide bar-if equipped), shoulder belt
height adjusters (if equipped), shoulder
belt guide on seat back (if equipped), child
safety seat LATCH and tether anchors, and
attaching hardware, should be inspected
after a crash. Read the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions for additional
inspection and maintenance information
specific to the child restraint.
Ford Motor Company recommends that
all safety belt assemblies in use in vehicles
involved in a crash be replaced. However,
if the crash was minor and an authorized
dealer finds that the belts do not show
damage and continue to operate properly,
they do not need to be replaced. Safety
belt assemblies not in use during a crash
should also be inspected and replaced if
either damage or improper operation is
noted.
Properly care for safety belts. See Vehicle
Care (page 234).
33
Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Safety Belts

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
MyKey allows you to program keys with
restricted driving modes to promote good
driving habits. All but one of the keys
programmed to the vehicle can be
activated with these restricted modes.
Any keys that have not been programmed
are referred to as administrator keys or
admin keys. These can be used to:
•
Create a MyKey.
• Program configurable MyKey settings.
• Clear all MyKey features.
When you have created a MyKey, you can
access the following information using the
information display:
• How many admin keys and MyKeys are
programmed to your vehicle.
• The total distance your vehicle has
traveled using any MyKey.
Note: All MyKeys are programmed to the
same settings. You cannot program them
individually.
Note: For vehicles with keyless start, when
both a MyKey transmitter and an admin
transmitter are present, the admin
transmitter will be recognized by the vehicle
to start the engine. Non-configurable Settings
The following settings cannot be changed
by an admin key user:
•
Belt-minder. You cannot disable this
feature. The audio system will mute
when the safety belts are not fastened.
• Early low fuel warning. The low-fuel
warning activates earlier, giving the
MyKey user more time to refuel.
• Driver assist features, if equipped on
your vehicle, are forced on: parking aid,
blind spot information system (BLIS)
with cross traffic alert, lane departure
warning and forward collision warning
system.
Configurable Settings
With an admin key, you can configure
certain MyKey settings when you first
create a MyKey and before you recycle the
key or restart the vehicle.
You can also change the settings
afterward with an admin key:
• A vehicle speed limit can be set.
Warnings will be shown in the display
followed by an audible tone when your
vehicle reaches the set speed. You
cannot override the set speed by fully
depressing the accelerator pedal or by
setting the cruise control. WARNING
Do not set MyKey maximum speed
limit to a limit that will prevent the
driver from maintaining a safe speed
considering posted speed limits and
prevailing road conditions. The driver is
always responsible to drive in accordance
with local laws and prevailing conditions.
Failure to do so could result in accident or
injury. 49
Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing MyKey
™

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 on the driver
and front passenger door panels.
Unlock
A
Lock
B
Door Lock Indicator
An LED on the instrument panel will light
when you lock the doors. It is not a
functional control.
Remote Control
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 will
unlock all doors when you disable
two-stage unlocking.
Locking the Doors
Press the button to lock all the
doors. The turn signals will flash.
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
flash if all the doors and the luggage
compartment are closed.
Note: If locking was not successful or any
door or the liftgate is open, or if the hood is
open on vehicles with a perimeter alarm or
remote start, the horn will sound twice and
the lamps will not flash.
Liftgate WARNINGS
Make sure all persons are clear of the
liftgate area before using the liftgate
control.
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. 55
Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing LocksE138628 E138629 E138623

Autounlock (If Equipped)
The autounlock feature will unlock all the
doors when:
•
the ignition is on, all the doors are
closed, and your vehicle has been in
motion at a speed greater than 4 mph
(7 km/h);
• your vehicle comes to a stop and you
switch the ignition off or to accessory;
and
• you open the driver door within 10
minutes of the switching the ignition
off or to accessory.
Note: The doors will not autounlock if you
electronically lock your vehicle after you
switch the ignition off and before you open
the driver door.
Enabling or Disabling Autolock and
Autounlock
Note: Your authorized dealer can perform
this procedure, or you can do the procedure
yourself.
To enable or disable these features, do the
following:
Note: You will have 30 seconds to
complete the procedure.
1. Switch the ignition on.
2. Press the power door unlock button three times.
3. Switch the ignition off.
4. Press the power door unlock button three times.
5. Switch the ignition on. The horn will sound indicating your vehicle is in
programming mode.
Autolock: Press the power door unlock
button then the lock button. The horn will
sound once if disabled or twice (one short
and one long) if enabled. Autounlock:
Press the power door lock
button then the unlock button. The horn
will sound once if disabled or twice (one
short and one long) if enabled.
After programming the feature, switch the
ignition off. The horn will sound once
indicating programming is complete.
Note: You can enable or disable the
autounlock feature independently of the
autolock feature.
Illuminated Entry
The interior lamps and select exterior
lamps will illuminate when you unlock the
doors with the remote entry system.
The illuminated entry system will turn off
the lights if:
• you start your vehicle,
• you press the remote control lock
button, or
• after 25 seconds of illumination.
The lights will not turn off if:
• you turn them on with the lamp control,
or
• any door is open.
Illuminated Exit
The interior lamps and select exterior
lamps will illuminate when all doors are
closed and you switch the ignition off.
The lamps will turn off if all the doors
remain closed and:
• 25 seconds elapse, or
• you lock your vehicle from the outside.
Battery Saver
If you leave the courtesy lamps or dome
lamps on and switch the ignition off, the
battery saver shuts them off after some
time.
58
Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing Locks

Accessory Mode Battery Saver for
Intelligent Access Keys (If Equipped)
If you leave the ignition on after leaving
your vehicle, it will shut off 15 minutes after
you close all of the doors.
MANUAL LIFTGATE
WARNINGS
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a
cargo area, inside or outside of a
vehicle. In a crash, people riding in
these areas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride
in any area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be
sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat
and using a safety belt properly. Failure to
follow this warning could result in serious
personal injury or death. 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 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. Opening the Liftgate
Manually
Press the button located in the top of the
liftgate pull cup handle to unlatch the
liftgate, and then pull on the outside
handle.
With the Remote Control
Press the button twice within
three seconds.
Closing the Liftgate A handle is located inside the liftgate to
help with closing.
59
Escape/Kuga (TM2), enUSA, First Printing LocksE138632 E138630 E155976