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All-Wheel Drive Messages
Action / Description
AWD Messages
Displayed when the system has been automatically disabled to protect
itself. This is caused by operating the vehicle with the compact spare
tire installed or if the system is overheating. The system will resume
normal function and clear this message after cycling the ignition on
and off and driving a short distance with the road tire re-installed or
after the system is allowed to cool.
AWD OFF
Displayed in conjunction with the powertrain malfunction/reduced
power light when the system is not operating properly. If the warning
stays on or continues to come on, contact your authorized dealer as
soon as possible.
Check AWD
Operating AWD Vehicles With Spare
Tires
A spare tire of a different size other than the
tire provided should never be used. The
AWD system may disable automatically and
enter front-wheel drive only mode to protect
driveline components if a non-full sized tire
is installed. This condition may display an
AWD OFF message in the information
display. If there is an AWD OFF message in the information display from using a non-full
sized spare tire, this indicator should turn off
after reinstalling the repaired or replaced
normal road tire and cycling the ignition off
and on. It is recommended to reinstall the
repaired or replaced road tire as soon as
possible. Major dissimilar tire sizes between
the front and rear axles (for example, 17 inch
low profile tires on the front axle and 22 inch
high profile tires on the rear axle) could
cause the AWD system to stop functioning
and default to front-wheel drive or damage
the AWD system.
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Operating AWD Vehicles With
Mismatched Tires
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WARNING
Only use replacement tires and wheels
that are the same size, load index,
speed rating and type (such as P-metric
versus LT-metric or all-season versus
all-terrain) as those originally provided by
Ford. The recommended tire and wheel size
may be found on either the Safety
Compliance Certification Label (affixed to
either the door hinge pillar, door-latch post,
or the door edge that meets the door-latch
post, next to the driver’ s seating position), or
the Tire Label which is located on the B-Pillar
or edge of the driver’ s door. If this
information is not found on these labels, then
you should contact your authorized dealer
as soon as possible. Use of any tire or wheel
not recommended by Ford can affect the
safety and performance of your vehicle,
which could result in an increased risk of loss
of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death. Additionally the use of non-recommended tires and wheels could
cause steering, suspension, axle, transfer
case or power transfer unit failure. If you
have questions regarding tire replacement,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible. Major dissimilar tire sizes between the front
and rear axles (for example, 17 inch low
profile tires on the front axle and 22 inch high
profile tires on the rear axle) could cause the
AWD system to stop functioning and default
to front-wheel drive or damage the AWD
system. However, the AWD system is
capable of tolerating any combination of new
and worn tires of the same original tire size.
For example, using 3 worn tread tires and 1
new tread tire all of the same original tire
size, can be tolerated by the AWD system.
Driving In Special Conditions With All-
Wheel Drive (AWD)
AWD vehicles are equipped for driving on
sand, snow, mud and rough roads and have
operating characteristics that are somewhat
different from conventional vehicles, both on
and off the highway.When driving at slow speeds in deep sand
under high outside temperatures, use a low
gear when possible. Lower gear operation
will maximize the engine and transmission
cooling capability.
Under severe operating conditions, the A/C
may cycle on and off to protect overheating
of the engine.
Basic operating principles in special
conditions
•
Drive slower in strong crosswinds which
can affect the normal steering
characteristics of your vehicle.
• Be extremely careful when driving on
pavement made slippery by loose sand,
water, gravel, snow or ice.
If Your Vehicle Goes Off the Edge of the
Pavement
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•
If your vehicle goes off the edge of the
pavement, slow down, but avoid severe
brake application, ease the vehicle back
onto the pavement only after reducing
your speed. Do not turn the steering
wheel too sharply while returning to the
road surface.
• It may be safer to stay on the apron or
shoulder of the road and slow down
gradually before returning to the
pavement. You may lose control if you
do not slow down or if you turn the
steering wheel too sharply or abruptly.
• It often may be less risky to strike small
objects, such as highway reflectors, with
minor damage to your vehicle rather than
attempt a sudden return to the pavement
which could cause the vehicle to slide
sideways out of control or rollover.
Remember, your safety and the safety of
others should be your primary concern. If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck WARNINGS
Always set the parking brake fully and
make sure the transmission is in P
(Park). Turn the ignition to the lock position
or turn the vehicle off using the start/stop
button and remove the key whenever you
leave your vehicle. If the parking brake is fully released,
but the brake warning lamp remains
illuminated, the brakes may not be working
properly. See your authorized dealer. Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph
(56 km/h). The tires may fail and injure
a passenger or bystander. Note:
Do not rock the vehicle if the engine
is not at normal operating temperature or
damage to the transmission may occur.
Note: Do not rock the vehicle for more than
a few minutes or damage to the transmission
and tires may occur or the engine may
overheat. If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow it
may be rocked out by shifting between
forward and reverse gears, stopping
between shifts, in a steady pattern. Press
lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
If your vehicle is equipped with
AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™, it
may be beneficial to disengage the
AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™
system while attempting to rock the vehicle.
Emergency Maneuvers
•
In an unavoidable emergency situation
where a sudden sharp turn must be
made, remember to avoid "over-driving"
your vehicle (that is, turn the steering
wheel only as rapidly and as far as
required to avoid the emergency).
Excessive steering will result in less
vehicle control, not more. Additionally,
smooth variations of the accelerator
and/or brake pedal pressure should be
utilized if changes in vehicle speed are
called for. Avoid abrupt steering,
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acceleration or braking which could result
in an increased risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover and/or personal
injury. Use all available road surface to
return the 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 the vehicle goes from one type of
surface to another (that is, from concrete
to gravel) there will be a change in the
way the vehicle responds to a maneuver
(steering, acceleration or braking). Again,
avoid these abrupt inputs.
Sand
Most of the time traction control improves
tire traction by managing wheel slip through
Brake, Engine, and AWD calibrations.
However, during low speed driving, disabling
traction control in deep sand can help keep
the wheels moving to maintain vehicle
momentum. 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 spinning the wheels.
Do not drive your vehicle in deep sand for
an extended period of time. This could cause
the AWD system to overheat and default to
front-wheel drive. If this occurs, an AWD OFF
message displays in the information display.
To resume normal AWD function as soon as
possible, stop the vehicle in a safe location
and stop the engine for at least 10 minutes.
After the engine has been restarted and the
AWD system has adequately cooled, the
AWD OFF message turns off and normal
AWD function returns. In the event the
engine is not stopped, the
AWD OFF
message turns off when the system cools
and normal AWD function returns.
When driving at slow speeds in deep sand
under high outside temperatures, use L (Low)
gear when possible. L (Low) gear operation
will maximize the engine and transmission
cooling capability. Under severe operating conditions, the A/C
may cycle on and off to protect overheating
of the engine.
Avoid excessive speed because vehicle
momentum can work against you and cause
the vehicle to 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.
Mud and Water
If you must drive through high water, drive
slowly. Traction or brake capability may be
limited.
When driving through water, determine the
depth; avoid water higher than the bottom
of the wheel rims (for cars) or the bottom of
the hubs (for trucks) (if possible) and proceed
slowly. If the ignition system gets wet, the
vehicle may stall.
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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 AWD 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.
Note:
Driving through deep water may
damage the transmission.
If the front or rear axle is submerged in water,
have the power transfer unit (PTU) or rear
axle serviced by an authorized dealer. “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 turnaround
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.
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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. Driving on Snow and Ice WARNING
If you are driving in slippery conditions
that require tire chains or cables, then
it is critical that you drive cautiously. Keep
speeds down, allow for longer stopping
distances and avoid aggressive steering to
reduce the chances of a loss of vehicle
control which can lead to serious injury or
death. If the rear end of the vehicle slides
while cornering, steer in the direction of the
slide until you regain control of the vehicle. Note:
Excessive tire slippage can cause
driveline damage.
AWD vehicles have advantages over 2WD
vehicles in snow and ice but can skid like
any other vehicle.
Should you start to slide while driving on
snowy or icy roads, turn the steering wheel
in the direction of the slide until you regain
control. Avoid sudden applications of power and
quick changes of direction on snow and ice.
Apply the accelerator slowly and steadily
when starting from a full stop.
Avoid sudden braking as well. Although an
AWD vehicle may accelerate better than a
two-wheel drive vehicle in snow and ice, it
won
’t stop any faster, because as in other
vehicles, braking occurs at all four wheels.
Do not become overconfident as to road
conditions.
Make sure you allow sufficient distance
between you and other vehicles for stopping.
Drive slower than usual and consider using
one of the lower gears. In emergency
stopping situations, apply the brake steadily.
Since your vehicle is equipped with a four
wheel (ABS), do not “pump ” the brakes. See
Hints on Driving With Anti-Lock Brakes
(page 190).
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Maintenance and Modifications
The suspension and steering systems on
your vehicle have been designed and tested
to provide predictable performance whether
loaded or empty and durable load carrying
capability. For this reason, Ford Motor
Company strongly recommends that you do
not make modifications such as adding or
removing parts (such as lowering kits or
stabilizer bars) or by using replacement parts
not equivalent to the original factory
equipment.
Any modifications to a vehicle that raise the
center of gravity can make it more likely the
vehicle will rollover as a result of a loss of
control. Ford Motor Company recommends
that caution be used with any vehicle
equipped with a high load or device (such
as ladder or luggage racks).
Failure to maintain your vehicle properly may
void the warranty, increase your repair cost,
reduce vehicle performance and operational
capabilities and adversely affect driver and
passenger safety. Frequent inspection of
vehicle chassis components is recommended
if the vehicle is subjected to off-highway
usage.
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