
How Your Vehicle Differs From
Other Vehicles
WARNING
Vehicles with a higher center of
gravity such as utility and four-wheel
drive vehicles handle differently than
vehicles with a lower center of gravity.
Utility and four-wheel drive vehicles are
not designed for cornering at speeds as
high as passenger cars any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed to
perform satisfactorily under off-road
conditions. Avoid sharp turns, excessive
speed and abrupt maneuvers in these
vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously could
result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and
death. Truck and utility vehicles can differ from
some other vehicles. Your vehicle may be
higher to allow it to travel over rough
terrain without getting hung up or
damaging underbody components.
The differences that make your vehicle so
versatile also make it handle differently
than an ordinary passenger car.
Maintain steering wheel control at all
times, especially in rough terrain. Since
sudden changes in terrain can result in
abrupt steering wheel motion, make sure
you grip the steering wheel from the
outside. Do not grip the spokes.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle damage
from concealed objects such as rocks and
stumps.
You should either know the terrain or
examine maps of the area before driving.
Map out your route before driving in the
area. To maintain steering and braking
control of your vehicle, you must have all
four wheels on the ground and they must
be rolling, not sliding or spinning. Driving Off-Road With Truck and
Utility Vehicles
Note:
On some models, the initial shift from
two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive while
your vehicle is moving can cause some
momentary clunk and ratcheting sounds.
This is the front drivetrain coming up to
speed and the automatic locking hubs
engaging and is not cause for concern.
Note: Your vehicle may be equipped with
a front air dam that can become damaged
(due to reduced ground clearance) when
taking your vehicle off-road. You may
remove this air dam by removing eight bolts.
Note: Vehicles equipped with 2.7L
Ecoboost, 3.5L Ecoboost and 3.5L TiVCT
engines have an underbody transmission
shield and brackets that may become
damaged (due to reduced ground
clearance) when taking your vehicle
off-road. Remove the shield by disengaging
the fasteners at each corner of the shield.
Then, remove the shield rear brackets by
removing the bracket to frame bolts.
Four-wheel drive vehicles are specially
equipped for driving on sand, snow, mud
and rough terrain and have operating
characteristics that are somewhat
different from conventional vehicles, both
on and off the road.
The transfer case supples power to all four
wheels. On four-wheel drive vehicles, the
transfer case allows you to select different
4WD modes when necessary. You can find
information on transfer case operation and
shifting procedures in this chapter. You can
find information on transfer case
maintenance in the Maintenance chapter.
You should become thoroughly familiar
with this information before you operate
your vehicle.
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Four-wheel drive (when you select a 4WD
mode) uses all four wheels to power your
vehicle. This increases traction, enabling
you to drive over terrain and road
conditions that a conventional two-wheel
drive vehicle cannot.
Basic Operating Principles
•
Drive slower in strong crosswinds which
can affect the normal steering
characteristics of your vehicle.
• When driving your vehicle on surfaces
made slippery by loose sand, water,
gravel, snow or ice proceed with care.
• Do not use four-wheel drive on dry,
hard surfaced roads. Doing so will
produce excessive noise, increase tire
wear and may damage drive
components. Four-wheel drive modes
are only for consistently slippery or
loose surfaces.
If Your Vehicle leaves the Road
If your vehicle leaves the road, reduce your
vehicle speed and avoid severe braking.
When your vehicle speed decreases, ease
your vehicle back onto the road. Do not
turn the steering wheel sharply while
returning your vehicle to the road.
It may be safer to stay on the shoulder of
the road and slow down gradually before
returning to the road. You may lose control
if you do not slow down or if you turn the
steering wheel too sharply or abruptly.
It may be less risky to strike small objects,
such as freeway reflectors, with minor
damage to your vehicle rather than
attempt a sudden return to the road which
could cause your vehicle to slide sideways
out of control or roll over. Remember, your
safety and the safety of others should be
your primary concern. Emergency Maneuvers
In an unavoidable emergency situation
where a sudden sharp turn must be made,
remember to avoid over-driving your
vehicle (i.e. turn the steering wheel only as
rapidly and as far as required to avoid the
emergency). Excessive steering can result
in loss of vehicle control. Apply smooth
pressure to the accelerator pedal or brake
pedal when changes in vehicle speed are
required. Avoid abrupt steering,
acceleration and braking. This could result
in an increased risk of vehicle roll over, loss
of vehicle control and personal injury. Use
all available road surface to bring your
vehicle to a safe direction of travel.
In the event of an emergency stop, avoid
skidding the tires and do not attempt any
sharp steering wheel movements.
If your vehicle goes from one type of
surface to another (i.e. from concrete to
gravel) there will be a change in the way
your vehicle responds to a maneuver (i.e.
steering, acceleration or braking).
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all four
wheels on the most solid area of the trail.
Avoid reducing the tire pressures but shift
to a lower gear and drive steadily through
the terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly
and avoid excessive wheel slip.
When driving at slow speeds in deep sand
under high outside temperatures, use a low
gear when possible. Low gear operation
will maximize the engine and transmission
cooling capability.
Avoid driving at excessive speeds, this
causes vehicle momentum to work against
you and your vehicle could become stuck
to the point that assistance may be
required from another vehicle. Remember,
you may be able to back out the way you
came if you proceed with caution.
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Automatic Release - Drive Away
Release
Your vehicle will automatically release the
parking brake if:
•
The driver door is closed.
• The transmission is in a forward or
reverse gear.
• The vehicle is accelerated.
• There are no faults detected in the
parking brake system.
The brake system warning lamp will go off
to confirm that you have released the
electric parking brake.
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: 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.
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. Failure to leave your vehicle securely
parked may lead to a crash or injury. See
Parking Brake (page 198). 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 torque 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 (D)
when facing uphill or reverse (R) 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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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 2 mph
(3 km/h) and 12 mph (20 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 will provide a
warning in the message center and a chime
will sound 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 on the
instrument panel. A light in the
cluster will illuminate and a chime will
sound when this feature is activated.
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.
When 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: Noise from the ABS pump motor may
be observed 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 between
2 mph (3 km/h)
and 20 mph (32 km/h): When the Hill
Descent Control switch is pressed and
Hill Descent Control is active, the Hill
Descent Control indicator light flashes.
Your vehicle maintains your desired
speed.
• At speeds between
20 mph (32 km/h)
and 40 mph (64 km/h): When the Hill
Descent Control switch is pressed, the
Hill Descent Control system is enabled,
the Hill Descent Control indicator light
is solid and a message displays in the
information display. Your vehicle does
not maintain your desired speed and
you cannot set your descent speed.
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•
At speeds above 40 mph (64 km/h):
When the Hill Descent Control switch
is pressed, the Hill Descent Control
system is disabled, the indicator light
in the cluster does not illuminate and
a message does not display in the
information display. The system is
turned off and you need to switch the
system back on to use.
Refer to the Information Displays for
additional Hill Descent Control messages.
See
Information Messages (page 124).
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continuously. If a stationary or receding
object is detected farther than 12 in
(30 cm) from the side your vehicle, the
tone sounds for only three seconds. Once
the system detects an object approaching,
the warning sounds again. The coverage area is up to 6 feet
(1.8 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 your 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 your vehicle
at a speed of less than 3 mph (5 km/h).
The system provides audio warnings only
when your vehicle is moving or when your
vehicle is stationary and the detected
obstacle is fewer than
12 in (30 cm) away
from the bumper. The system provides obstacle distance
indication through the center stack display
(if equipped). The distance indication will
be present when the transmission is in
reverse (R).
•
As the distance to the obstacle
decreases (obstacle becomes closer),
the indicator blocks will illuminate and
move towards the vehicle icon.
• If there is no obstacle detected, the
distance indicator blocks will be grayed
out.
ACTIVE PARK ASSIST (If Equipped) WARNINGS
Designed to be a supplementary park
aid, this system may not work in all
conditions. This system cannot
replace the driver ’s attention and
judgment. The driver is responsible for
avoiding hazards and maintaining a safe
distance and speed, even when the system
is in use. Active Park Assist does not apply the
brakes under any circumstances.
Note:
The driver is always responsible for
controlling the vehicle, supervising the
system and intervening if required.
Active Park Assist is an electronic parking
aid that uses ultrasonic sensors. The
system detects an available parallel
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 instructs you to park your vehicle.
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The system may not function correctly if
something passes between the front
bumper and the parking space (a
pedestrian or cyclist) or if the edge of the
neighboring parked vehicle is high off the
ground (for example, a bus, tow truck or
flatbed truck).
Note:
The sensors may not detect objects
in heavy rain, snow or other conditions that
cause disruptive reflections.
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.
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 sensors.
• The correct tire size is not in use on your
vehicle (for example, a mini-spare tire).
Using Active Park Assist Press the button located on the
center console near the gearshift
lever.
The touchscreen displays a message and
a corresponding graphic to indicate it is
searching for a parking space. Use the
direction indicator to indicate which side
of your vehicle you want the system to
search.
Note: The system automatically searches
on the passenger side. You can use the
direction indicator to toggle between the
driver and passenger side.
Note: You can also activate the Active Park
Assist system after you have already driven
partially or completely past a parking space.
To do so, press the Active Park button and
the system will inform you if you have
recently passed a suitable parking space. When the system finds a suitable space,
the touchscreen displays a message and
a tone sounds. Stop your vehicle and
follow the instructions on the touchscreen.
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 in the maneuver.
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Note:
Active park assist may not detect
vehicles with overhanging loads (a bus or a
truck), street furniture such as benches and
fire hydrants 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 to the other
vehicles as possible while passing a parking
space.
Note: The system always offers the last
detected parking space (for example, if the
vehicle detects multiple spaces while you
are driving, it offers the last one). Note:
If driven above approximately 22 mph
(35 km/h)
, the touchscreen 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), the system turns 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.
Indicated by tones, instructions to move
your vehicle back and forth in the space
appear on the display screen. When you think your vehicle is properly
parked, or you hear a solid tone from the
parking aid (accompanied by a
touchscreen display message and a
chime), bring your vehicle to a complete
stop.
When automatic steering is finished, the
touch screen displays a message and a
tone sounds, indicating that the active park
assist process is done. The driver is
responsible for checking the parking job
and making any necessary corrections
before putting the transmission in park (P).
Deactivating the Park Assist
Feature
Manually deactivate the system by:
•
Pressing the active park assist button.
• Grabbing the steering wheel during
automatic steering.
• Driving above approximately
22 mph
(35 km/h) for 30 seconds during an
active park search.
• Driving above
6 mph (9 km/h) during
automatic steering.
• Turning off the traction control system.
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