
ESSENTIAL TOWING CHECKS
Follow these guidelines for safe towing:
• Do not tow a trailer until you drive yourvehicle at least 1000 miles (1600
kilometers).
• Consult your local motor vehicle laws for towing a trailer.
• See the instructions included with towing accessories for the proper installation
and adjustment specifications.
• Service your vehicle more frequently if you tow a trailer. See your scheduled
maintenance information.
• If you use a rental trailer, follow the instructions the rental agency gives you.
You can find information on load
specification terms found on the tire label
and Safety Compliance label as well as
instructions on calculating your vehicle's load
in the Load Carrying chapter. See Load Limit
(page 231).
Remember to account for the trailer tongue
weight as part of your vehicle load when
calculating the total vehicle weight.
Hitches
Do not use a hitch that either clamps onto
the bumper or attaches to the axle.
Distribute the trailer load so 10-15% of the
total trailer weight is on the tongue.
Safety Chains
Note: Never attach safety chains to the
bumper.
Always connect the safety chains to the hook
retainers of your vehicle hitch.
To connect the safety chains, cross them
under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning tight corners. Do not allow
the chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
WARNING
Do not connect a trailer's hydraulic
brake system directly to your vehicle's
brake system. Your vehicle may not have
enough braking power and your chances of
having a collision greatly increase.
Electric brakes and manual, automatic or
surge-type trailer brakes are safe if you install
them properly and adjust them to the
manufacturer's specifications. The trailer
brakes must meet local and federal
regulations.
The rating for the tow vehicle's braking
system operation is at the gross vehicle
weight rating, not the gross combined
weight rating.
Trailer Lamps
WARNING
Never connect any trailer lamp wiring
to the vehicle's tail lamp wiring; this
may damage the electrical system resulting
in fire. Contact your authorized dealer as
soon as possible for assistance in proper
trailer tow wiring installation. Additional
electrical equipment may be required.
Trailer lamps are required on most towed
vehicles. Make sure all running lights, brake
lights, turn signals and hazard lights are
working.
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Towing

Front-wheel drive vehicles must have the
front wheels placed on a tow dolly when
towing your vehicle from the rear using
wheel lift equipment. This prevents damage
to the transmission.
Towing an all-wheel drive vehicle requires
that all wheels be off the ground, such as
using a wheel lift and dollies or flatbed
equipment. This prevents damage to the
transmission, all-wheel drive system and
vehicle.
TOWING THE VEHICLE ON FOUR
WHEELS
Emergency Towing
WARNING
If your vehicle has a steering wheel
lock make sure the ignition is in the
accessory or on position when being towed.
You can flat-tow (all wheels on the ground,
regardless of the powertrain/transmission
configuration) your disabled vehicle (without
access to wheel dollies, car-hauling trailer,
or flatbed transport vehicle) under the
following conditions:
• Your vehicle is facing forward so you tow it in a forward direction.
• You place the transmission in position N.
If you cannot place the transmission in
position N, you may need to override it.
See Transmission (page 175).
• Maximum speed is 35 mph (56 km/h).
• Maximum distance is 50 miles (80 kilometers).
Recreational Towing
Note: Put your climate control system in
recirculated air mode to prevent exhaust
fumes from entering the vehicle. See
Climate Control (page 135). 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. These
guidelines are to make sure you do not
damage the transmission during towing.
Vehicles Equipped with a 2.0L Engine
Front-wheel drive (FWD) 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.
All-wheel drive (AWD) 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 tow your vehicle.
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Towing

BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for
approximately 300 miles (480 kilometers).
During this time, your vehicle may exhibit
some unusual driving characteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first 1000
miles (1600 kilometers). Vary your speed
frequently and change up through the gears
early. Do not labor the engine.
Do not tow during the first 1000 miles (1600
kilometers).
ECONOMICAL DRIVING
Fuel economy is affected by several things
such as how you drive, the conditions you
drive under and how you maintain your
vehicle.
There are some things to keep in mind that
may improve your fuel economy:
• Accelerate and slow down in a smooth,moderate fashion.
• Drive at steady speeds. • Anticipate stops; slowing down may
eliminate the need to stop.
• Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
• When running errands, go to thefurthest destination first and then
work your way back home.
• Close the windows for high-speed driving.
• Drive at reasonable speeds. (Traveling at 65 mph/105 kph uses about 15% less
fuel than traveling at 75 mph/121 kph).
• Keep the tires properly inflated and use only the recommended size.
• Use the recommended engine oil.
• Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance.
There are also some things you may want to
avoid doing because they reduce your fuel
economy:
• Avoid sudden or hard accelerations.
• Avoid revving the engine before turning off the car.
• Avoid long idle periods. • Do not warm up your vehicle on cold
mornings.
• Reduce the use of air conditioning and heat.
• Avoid using speed control in hilly terrain.
• Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
• Avoid carrying unnecessary weight (approximately 1 mpg [0.4 kilometers/liter]
is lost for every 400 lbs [180 kilograms]
of weight carried).
• Avoid adding particular accessories to your vehicle (e.g. bug deflectors,
rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski
racks).
• Avoid driving with the wheels out of alignment.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
WARNING
Do not drive through flowing or deep
water as you may lose control of your
vehicle.
248
Driving Hints

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.
E176360
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.
WARNINGS
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.
Check attachment of floor mats on a
regular basis. Always properly reinstall
and secure floor mats that have been
removed for cleaning or replacement.
249
Driving Hints

WARNINGS
Always make sure that objects cannot
fall into the driver foot well while the
vehicle is moving. Objects that are loose can
become trapped under the pedals causing
a loss of vehicle control.
Failure to properly follow floor mat
installation or attachment instructions
can potentially cause interference with pedal
operation causing a loss of vehicle control.
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To install floor mats, position the floor mat
so that the eyelet is over the retention post
and press down to lock in. To remove the floor mat, reverse the
installation procedure.
250
Driving Hints

Vehicles Sold In Canada: Getting
Roadside Assistance
Canadian clients who require roadside
assistance, call 1-800-387-9333.
Sykes Assistance Services Corporation
administers the Roadside Assistance
program. You must receive covered services
in Canada or the continental United States.
Coverage extends to vehicles that use public,
non-seasonal, annually traveled roadways.
Roadside Assistance coverage does not
extend to vehicles involved in cross-country
driving, logging, autocross and any other
form of off-road use. Well maintained roads
and surfaces help ensure safe travel for the
Supplier, and allow their representatives to
perform service as per the standard
operating procedures.
In Remote Locations
If our supplier cannot take your vehicle by
road to the nearest authorized dealership,
transportation by rail or water may be
necessary. The program covers a tow to the
dock or rail terminal and also to the
dealership at the end of the trip.For rail or water transportation, however,
contact your authorized dealer to confirm if
you are eligible for additional coverage
before you authorize or pay for the service.
Call the Lincoln Roadside Assistance at
1-800-387-9333 for additional information.
Vehicles Sold In Canada: Using
Roadside Assistance
Canadian Roadside coverage and benefits
may differ from the United States coverage.
Please refer to your warranty information or
visit our website at www.lincolncanada.com
for information on Canadian services and
benefits.
Canadian clients who need to obtain
roadside information, call 1-800-387-9333 or
visit our website at www.lincolncanada.com.
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
Note:
If used when the vehicle is not running,
the battery will lose charge. There may be
insufficient power to restart your vehicle.
The hazard warning button is
located on the instrument panel.
Use it when your vehicle is
creating a safety hazard for other motorists.
• Press the button to turn on the hazard warning function, and the front and rear
direction indicators will flash.
• Press the button again to turn them off.
FUEL SHUTOFF
WARNING
Failure to inspect and, if necessary,
repair fuel leaks after a collision may
increase the risk of fire and serious injury.
Ford Motor Company recommends that the
fuel system be inspected by an authorized
dealer after any collision.
In the event of a moderate to severe
collision, this vehicle includes a fuel pump
shutoff feature that stops the flow of fuel to
the engine. Not every impact will cause a
shutoff.
252
Roadside Emergencies

Should your vehicle shut off after a collision,
you may restart your vehicle. For vehicles
equipped with a key system:
1. Switch off the ignition.
2. Switch on the ignition.
3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 to re-enable thefuel pump.
For vehicles equipped with a push button
start system:
1. Press the START/STOP button to switch off the ignition.
2. Press the brake pedal and press the START/STOP button to switch on the
ignition.
3. Remove your foot from the brake pedal and press the START/STOP button to
switch off the ignition.
4. You can either attempt to start the engine by pressing the brake pedal and the
START/STOP button, or switch on the
ignition only by pressing the
START/STOP button without pressing
the brake pedal. Both ways re-enable the
fuel system. Note:
When you try to restart your vehicle
after a fuel shutoff, the vehicle makes sure
that various systems are safe to restart.
Once your vehicle determines that the
systems are safe, then the vehicle will allow
you to restart.
Note: In the event that your vehicle does not
restart after your third attempt, contact an
authorized dealer.
JUMP STARTING THE VEHICLE
WARNINGS
Batteries normally produce explosive
gases which can cause personal injury.
Therefore, do not allow flames, sparks or
lighted substances to come near the battery.
When working near the battery, always shield
your face and protect your eyes. Always
provide correct ventilation.
WARNINGS
Keep batteries out of reach of children.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid. Avoid
contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Shield
your eyes when working near the battery to
protect against possible splashing of acid
solution. In case of acid contact with skin or
eyes, flush immediately with water for a
minimum of 15 minutes and get prompt
medical attention. If acid is swallowed, call a
physician immediately.
Use only adequately sized cables with
insulated clamps.
Preparing Your Vehicle
Do not attempt to push-start your automatic
transmission vehicle.
Note: Attempting to push-start a vehicle with
an automatic transmission may cause
transmission damage.
Note: Use only a 12-volt supply to start your
vehicle.
Note: Do not disconnect the battery of the
disabled vehicle as this could damage the
vehicle electrical system.
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Roadside Emergencies

Park the booster vehicle close to the hood
of the disabled vehicle, making sure the two
vehicles do not touch.
Connecting the Jumper Cables
WARNINGS
Do not attach the cables to fuel lines,
engine rocker covers, the intake
manifold or electrical components as
grounding points. Stay clear of moving parts.
To avoid reverse polarity connections, make
sure that you correctly identify the positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on both the
disabled and booster vehicles before
connecting the cables.
Do not attach the end of the positive
cable to the studs or L-shaped eyelet
located above the positive (+) terminal of
your vehicle’s battery. High current may flow
through and cause damage to the fuses.
Do not connect the end of the second
cable to the negative (-) terminal of the
battery to be jumped. A spark may cause an
explosion of the gases that surround the
battery.
Note: In the illustration, the bottom vehicle
represents the booster vehicle.
4
2
1
3
E142664
1. Connect the positive (+) jumper cable to the positive (+) terminal of the discharged
battery. 2. Connect the other end of the positive (+)
cable to the positive (+) terminal of the
booster vehicle battery.
3. Connect the negative (-) cable to the negative (-) terminal of the booster
vehicle battery.
4. Make the final connection of the negative (-) cable to an exposed metal part of the
stalled vehicle's engine, away from the
battery and the fuel injection system, or
connect the negative (-) cable to a ground
connection point if available.
Jump Starting
1. Start the engine of the booster vehicleand rev the engine moderately, or press
the accelerator gently to keep your
engine speed between 2000 and 3000
RPM, as shown in your tachometer.
2. Start the engine of the disabled vehicle.
3. Once the disabled vehicle has been started, run both vehicle engines for an
additional three minutes before
disconnecting the jumper cables.
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Roadside Emergencies