
Once through water, always try the brakes.
Wet brakes do not stop the vehicle as
effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be
improved by moving your vehicle slowly
while applying light pressure on the brake
pedal.
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle
speed or direction when you are driving in
mud. Even 4WD vehicles can lose traction
in slick mud. As when you are driving over
sand, apply the accelerator slowly and
avoid spinning your wheels. If the vehicle
does slide, steer in the direction of the slide
until you regain control of the vehicle.
After driving through mud, clean off residue
stuck to rotating driveshafts and tires.
Excess mud stuck on tires and rotating
driveshafts causes an imbalance that
could damage drive components.
“Tread Lightly
” is an educational program
designed to increase public awareness of
land-use regulations and responsibilities
in our nations wilderness areas. Ford Motor
Company joins the U.S. Forest Service and
the Bureau of Land Management in
encouraging you to help preserve our
national forest and other public and private
lands by  “treading lightly. ”
Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Note: Avoid driving crosswise or turning on
steep slopes or hills. A danger lies in losing
traction, slipping sideways and possibly
rolling over. Whenever driving on a hill,
determine beforehand the route you will
use. Do not drive over the crest of a hill
without seeing what conditions are on the
other side. Do not drive in reverse over a hill
without the aid of an observer. Although natural obstacles may make it
necessary to travel diagonally up or down
a hill or steep incline, you should always
try to drive straight up or straight down.
When climbing a steep slope or hill, start
in a lower gear rather than downshifting to
a lower gear from a higher gear once the
ascent has started. This reduces strain on
the engine and the possibility of stalling.
If you do stall out, do not try to turn around
because you might roll over. It is better to
back down to a safe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels to
climb the hill. Too much power will cause
the tires to slip, spin or lose traction,
resulting in loss of vehicle control.
Descend a hill in the same gear you would
use to climb up the hill to avoid excessive
brake application and brake overheating.
Do not descend in neutral; instead,
disengage overdrive or manually shift to a
lower gear. When descending a steep hill,
avoid sudden hard braking as you could
lose control. The front wheels have to be
turning in order to steer the vehicle.
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, therefore
apply the brakes steadily. Do not 
“pump”
the brakes.
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PARKING BRAKE
WARNING
Always set the parking brake fully
and make sure the transmission is
locked in park (P). Failure to set the
parking brake and engage park could result
in vehicle roll-away, property damage or
bodily injury. To set the parking brake, press the parking
brake pedal down to its fullest extent. The
brake warning lamp in the instrument
cluster will illuminate and remains
illuminated until the parking brake is
released.
To release the parking brake, press the
parking brake pedal down again.
If you are parking your vehicle on a grade
or with a trailer, press and hold the brake
pedal down, then set the parking brake.
There may be a little vehicle movement as
the parking brake sets to hold the vehicle's
weight. This is normal and should be no
reason for concern. If needed, press and
hold the service brake pedal down, then
try reapplying the parking brake. Chock the
wheels if required. If the parking brake
cannot hold the weight of the vehicle, the
parking brake may need to be serviced or
the vehicle may be overloaded.
HILL START ASSIST
WARNINGS
The system does not replace the
parking brake. When you leave your
vehicle, always apply the parking
brake. Failure to leave your vehicle securely
parked may lead to a crash or injury.  See
Parking Brake (page 190). WARNINGS
You must remain in your vehicle
when the system turns on. At all
times, you are responsible for
controlling your vehicle, supervising the
system and intervening, if required. Failure
to take care may result in the loss of
control of your vehicle, serious personal
injury or death. The system will turn off if a
malfunction is apparent or if you rev
the engine excessively. Failure to
take care may result in the loss of control
of your vehicle, serious personal injury or
death. The system makes it easier to pull away
when your vehicle is on a slope without the
need to use the parking brake.
When the system is active, your vehicle
remains stationary on the slope for two to
three seconds after you release the brake
pedal. This allows time to move your foot
from the brake to the accelerator pedal.
The system releases the brakes
automatically once the engine has
developed sufficient drive to prevent your
vehicle from rolling down the slope. This
is an advantage when pulling away on a
slope, for example from a car park ramp,
traffic lights or when reversing uphill into
a parking space.
Note:
The system only functions when you
bring your vehicle to a complete standstill
in an uphill gear (for example, drive when
facing uphill or reverse when facing
downhill).
Note: There is no warning light to indicate
the system is either on or off.
Using Hill Start Assist
1. Press the brake pedal to bring your vehicle to a complete standstill. Keep
the brake pedal pressed.
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USING TERRAIN RESPONSE
The terrain management system optimizes
drivability and comfort as well as
maximizing traction while operating on
different types of terrain.
Turn the control located on the center
console to choose between the following
modes:
Grass/Gravel/Snow mode
should be selected where a firm
surface is covered with loose or
slippery material such as packed
snow, ice, water, grass, or a thin
layer of gravel or sand. For deep
1
gravel or sand, select Sand
mode. If the vehicle cannot gain
traction in deep snow, switching
off the traction control system
may help (switch traction
control back on when you regain
traction).  See 
Using Traction
Control (page 192).
Sand
 mode should be selected
in soft dry sand or deep gravel. If
crossing wet sand that may be
sufficiently deep enough for the
wheels to sink into the surface,
select Mud/Ruts mode.
2 Mud/Ruts
 mode should be
selected for muddy, rutted, soft
or uneven terrain.
3
Normal
 mode is for on-road
conditions and should be
selected before driving on
surfaces which are similar to a
hard road surface or once the
need for a special mode has
passed. Select Normal mode
when towing a trailer.
4
Note: The Sand and Mud/Ruts modes are
for off-road use only.
Note: The curve control portion of the
AdvanceTrac® system is unavailable when
you select Sand or Mud/Ruts.
If the system becomes inoperable,
selecting some modes may not be possible
and a message displays. If it becomes
inoperable due to a system malfunction,
all of the mode indicators on the control
turn off and one of the following messages
appears in the information display:
TERRAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
FAULT:
 Cycling the key may clear the
fault. If key cycling does not work, have the
system serviced by an authorized dealer.
MODE CHANGE NOT ACCEPTED,
RETRY:
 A mode change cannot be made
at the time of driver request. Try the mode
change again.
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Explorer (TUB), enUSA, First Printing Terrain Response
 (If Equipped)E193313
3
2
1
4  

USING HILL DESCENT
CONTROL
Principle of operation
WARNINGS
Hill descent control cannot control
descent in all surface conditions and
circumstances, such as ice or
extremely steep grades. Hill descent
control is a driver assist system and cannot
substitute for good judgment by the driver.
Failure to do so may result in loss of vehicle
control, crash or serious injury. Hill descent control does not provide
hill hold at zero miles per hour (0
kilometers per hour). When stopped,
the parking brake must be applied or the
vehicle must be placed in P (Park) or it
may roll away. Hill descent control allows the driver to set
and maintain vehicle speed while
descending steep grades in various surface
conditions.
Hill descent control can maintain vehicle
speeds on downhill grades between 3 mph
(5 km/h)
 and 20 mph (32 km/h). Above
20 mph (32 km/h), the system remains
armed, but descent speed cannot be set
or maintained.
Hill descent control requires a cooling
down interval after a period of sustained
use. The amount of time that the feature
can remain active before cooling varies
with conditions. The system provides a
warning in the message center and a chime
sounds when the system is about to
disengage for cooling. At this time,
manually apply the brakes as needed to
maintain descent speed. Using hill descent control Press and release the hill
descent button located in the
center of the terrain
management control. A light in the control
illuminates and a chime sounds when this
feature activates.
To increase descent speed, press the
accelerator pedal until you reach the
desired speed. To decrease descent speed,
press the brake pedal until you reach the
desired speed.
Whether accelerating or decelerating, once
you reach the desired descent speed,
remove your feet from the pedals and hill
descent control maintains the chosen
vehicle speed.
Note: You may observe noise from the ABS
pump motor during hill descent control
operation. This is a normal characteristic of
the ABS and should be no reason for
concern.
Hill descent modes
• At speeds below 
20 mph (32 km/h):
When you press the Hill Descent
Control and Hill Descent Control
activates, HILL DESCENT CONTROL
ACTIVE
 appears in the message
center for several seconds.
• At speeds below 
20 mph (32 km/h):
When you press the Hill Descent
Control switch and conditions are not
correct for hill descent activation, the
Hill Descent Control system enables,
the light on the button is solid and HILL
DESCENT CONTROL READY
displays in the message center for
several seconds.
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 (If Equipped)  

•
At speeds above 20 mph (32 km/h):
When you press the Hill Descent
Control switch, the Hill Descent Control
system enables, the light on the button
illuminates and FOR HILL CNTRL, 20
MPH OR LESS
 displays in the
message center for several seconds.
• For Hill Descent Control to enable, the
vehicle must be in a drive gear or (R)
Reverse. If the vehicle is in P (Park) or
N (Neutral) and you press the button,
FOR HILL CNTRL, SELECT GEAR
displays in the message center for
several seconds.
Refer to the Information Displays for
additional Hill Descent Control messages.
See 
Information Messages (page 115).
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 (If Equipped) 

•
The anti-lock brake system is
activated.
• The traction control system is
activated.
ACTIVE PARK ASSIST
Parallel Parking, Perpendicular
Parking, Park Out Assist WARNINGS
You must remain in your vehicle
when the system turns on. You are
responsible at all times for
controlling your vehicle, supervising the
system and intervening if required. Failure
to take care may result in the loss of
control of your vehicle, serious personal
injury or death. The sensors may not detect objects
in heavy rain or other conditions that
cause disruptive reflections.
Note:
The driver is always responsible for
controlling the vehicle, supervising the
system and intervening if required by
grabbing the steering wheel or pushing the
active park assist button.
The system detects an available parallel
or perpendicular parking space and
automatically steers your vehicle into the
space (hands-free) while you control the
accelerator, gearshift and brakes. The
system visually and audibly guides you to
park your vehicle.
If you are uncomfortable with the proximity
to any vehicle or object, you may choose
to override the system.
Park Out Assist automatically steers your
vehicle out of a parallel parking space
(hands-free) while you control the
accelerator, gearshift and brakes. The
system visually and audibly guides you to
enter traffic. Note:
The Blind Spot Information System
does not detect traffic alongside or behind
your vehicle during a park assist maneuver.
The system may not correctly operate in
any of the following conditions:
• You use a spare tire or a tire
significantly worn more than the other
tires.
• You use a unauthorized tire size.
• You try to park on a tight curve.
• Something passes between the front
bumper and the parking space (a
pedestrian or cyclist).
• The edge of the neighboring parked
vehicle is high off the ground (for
example, a bus, tow truck or flatbed
truck).
• The weather conditions are poor
(heavy rain, snow, fog, etc).
Note: Keep the sensors, located on the
bumper or fascia, free from snow, ice and
large accumulations of dirt. Covered sensors
can affect the system's accuracy. Do not
clean the sensors with sharp objects.
Note: The sensors may not detect objects
with surfaces that absorb ultrasonic waves
or cause ultrasonic interference (motorcycle
exhaust, truck air brakes or horns).
Do not use the system if:
• You have attached a foreign object
(bike rack or trailer) to the front or rear
of your vehicle or close to the sensors.
• You have attached an overhanging
object (surfboard) to the roof.
• A foreign object damages or obstructs
the front or rear bumper or side
sensors.
• The correct tire size is not in use on your
vehicle (for example, a mini-spare tire).
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Using Active Park Assist - Parallel
Parking
Press the button located on the
center console near the gearshift
lever or the right side of the
center stack once. When driving at a speed less than 22 mph
(35 km/h) the system automatically scans
both sides of your vehicle for an available
parking space. The system displays a
message and a corresponding graphic to
indicate it is searching for a parking space.
Use the direction indicator to select
searching either to the left-hand side or
right-hand side of your vehicle.Note:
 If the direction indicators are not
used, the system defaults to the passenger
side of your vehicle.
Note: The system passively searches for
parking spaces prior to pressing the button,
so activating the system is still possible
while passing a parking space.
When the system finds a suitable space,
it displays a message and a tone sounds.
Stop your vehicle and follow the
instructions on the screen. If your vehicle
is moving very slowly, you may need to pull
forward a short distance before the system
is ready to park.
Note: You must observe that the selected
space remains clear of obstructions at all
times during the maneuver.
Note: Active park assist may not detect
street furniture and other items. You must
make sure the selected space is suitable for
parking. Note:
You should drive your vehicle within
5 ft (1.5 m) and as parallel as possible to
the other vehicles while passing a parking
space.
Note: The system always offers the last
detected parking space (for example, if your
vehicle detects multiple spaces while you
are driving, it offers the last one).
Note: If driven above approximately 22 mph
(35 km/h)
, the system shows a message to
alert you to reduce your vehicle speed.
Automatic Steering into Parking Space
Note: If your vehicle speed exceeds 
6 mph
(9 km/h) or the maneuver is interrupted
(driver input), the system switches off and
you need to take full control of your vehicle.
When you shift the transmission into
reverse ( R), with your hands off the wheel
(and nothing obstructing its movement),
your vehicle steers itself into the space.
The system displays instructions to move
your vehicle back and forth in the space.
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E130107  

When you think your vehicle is properly
parked, or you hear a solid tone from the
parking aid (accompanied by a display
message and a chime), bring your vehicle
to a complete stop.
When automatic steering is complete, the
system displays a message and a tone
sounds, indicating that the active park
assist process is finished. You are
responsible for checking the parking job
and making any necessary corrections
before leaving your vehicle.
Using Active Park Assist -
Perpendicular Parking Press the button located on the
center console near the gearshift
lever or the right side of the
center stack twice.
The system displays a message and a
corresponding graphic to indicate it is
searching for a parking space. Use the
direction indicator to select searching
either to the left-hand side or right-hand
side of your vehicle.
Note: If you do not make a selection the
system will default to the passenger's side. When the system finds a suitable space,
it displays a message and a tone sounds.
Stop your vehicle and follow the
instructions on the screen. If your vehicle
is moving very slowly, you may need to pull
forward a short distance before the system
is ready to park.
Note:
You must observe that the selected
space remains clear of obstructions at all
times during the maneuver.
Note: You should drive your vehicle within
4.9 ft (1.5 m) and as perpendicular as
possible to the other vehicles while passing
a parking space.
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