
The system will activate automatically on
any slope that will cause significant vehicle
rollback. For vehicles with a manual
transmission, you can switch this feature
off using the information display. See
Information Displays (page 91). The
system will remain on or off depending on
how it was last set.
Note: There is no warning lamp 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 and select an
uphill gear (for example, first (1) when
facing uphill or reverse (R) when facing
downhill).
2. If the sensors detect that your vehicle is on a slope, the system will activate
automatically.
3. When you remove your foot from the brake pedal, your vehicle will remain
on the slope without rolling away for
about two or three seconds. This hold
time will automatically be extended if
you are in the process of driving off.
4. Drive off in the normal manner. The brakes will release automatically.
Switching the System On and Off
Vehicles with Manual Transmission
You can switch this feature on or off in the
information display. The system
remembers the last setting when you start
your vehicle.
Vehicles with Automatic Transmission
You cannot turn the system on or off.
When you switch the ignition on, the
system automatically turns on.
147
Focus (CDH) Canada/United States of America, HM5J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 201608, First Printing Brakes

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
The traction control system helps avoid
drive wheel spin and loss of traction.
If your vehicle begins to slide, the system
applies the brakes to individual wheels
and, when needed, reduces engine power
at the same time. If the wheels spin when
accelerating on slippery or loose surfaces,
the system reduces engine power in order
to increase traction.
USING TRACTION CONTROL
WARNING
The stability and traction control
light illuminates steadily if the
system detects a failure. Make sure
you did not manually disable the traction
control system using the information
display controls or the switch. If the
stability control and traction control light
is still illuminating steadily, have the
system serviced by an authorized dealer
immediately. Operating your vehicle with
the traction control disabled could lead to
an increased risk of loss of vehicle control,
vehicle rollover, personal injury and death. The system automatically turns on each
time you switch the ignition on.
If your vehicle is stuck in mud or snow,
switching traction control off may be
beneficial as this allows the wheels to spin.
Note:
When you switch traction control off,
stability control remains fully active.
Switching the System Off
When you switch the system off or on, a
message appears in the information
display showing system status.
You can switch the system off by either
using the information display controls or
the switch. Using the Information Display
Controls
You can switch this feature off or on in the
information display. See General
Information (page 91).
Using a Switch
(If Equipped)
Use the traction control switch on the
instrument panel to switch the system off
or on.
System Indicator Lights and
Messages The stability and traction control
light:
• Temporarily illuminates on engine
start-up.
• Flashes when a driving condition
activates either of the systems.
• Illuminates if a problem occurs in either
of the systems. The stability and traction control
off light temporarily illuminates
on engine start-up and stays on
when you switch the traction control
system off.
148
Focus (CDH) Canada/United States of America, HM5J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 201608, First Printing Traction ControlE138639 E130458

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNINGS
Vehicle modifications involving
braking system, aftermarket roof
racks, suspension, steering system,
tire construction and wheel and tire size
may change the handling characteristics
of your vehicle and may adversely affect
the performance of the electronic stability
control system. In addition, installing any
stereo loudspeakers may interfere with
and adversely affect the electronic stability
control system. Install any aftermarket
stereo loudspeaker as far as possible from
the front center console, the tunnel, and
the front seats in order to minimize the risk
of interfering with the electronic stability
control sensors. Reducing the
effectiveness of the electronic stability
control system could lead to an increased
risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle
rollover, personal injury and death. Remember that even advanced
technology cannot defy the laws of
physics. It’
s always possible to lose
control of a vehicle due to inappropriate
driver input for the conditions. Aggressive
driving on any road condition can cause
you to lose control of your vehicle
increasing the risk of personal injury or
property damage. Activation of the
electronic stability control system is an
indication that at least some of the tires
have exceeded their ability to grip the road;
this could reduce the operator ’s ability to
control the vehicle potentially resulting in
a loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,
personal injury and death. If your electronic
stability control system activates, SLOW
DOWN. The system automatically turns on each
time you switch the ignition on. If a fault occurs in either the stability
control or the traction control system, you
may experience the following conditions:
•
The stability and traction control light
illuminates steadily.
• The stability control and traction
control systems do not enhance your
vehicle's ability to maintain traction of
the wheels.
If a driving condition activates either the
stability control or the traction control
system you may experience the following
conditions:
• The stability and traction control light
flashes.
• Your vehicle slows down.
• Reduced engine power.
• A vibration in the brake pedal.
• The brake pedal is stiffer than usual.
• If the driving condition is severe and
your foot is not on the brake, the brake
pedal may move as the system applies
higher brake force.
The stability control system has several
features built into it to help you maintain
control of your vehicle:
Electronic Stability Control
The system enhances your vehicle ’s ability
to prevent skids or lateral slides by
applying brakes to one or more of the
wheels individually and, if necessary,
reducing engine power.
Traction Control
The system enhances your vehicle ’s ability
to maintain traction of the wheels by
detecting and controlling wheel spin. See
Using Traction Control (page 148).
149
Focus (CDH) Canada/United States of America, HM5J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 201608, First Printing Stability Control

Vehicle without stability control
skidding off its intended route.
A
Vehicle with stability control
maintaining control on a slippery
surface.
B
USING STABILITY CONTROL
The system automatically turns on each
time you switch the ignition on.
You cannot switch the stability control
system off, but when you shift into reverse
(R), the system deactivates.
You can switch the traction control system
off or on. See Using Traction Control
(page 148).
150
Focus (CDH) Canada/United States of America, HM5J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 201608, First Printing Stability ControlE72903A
AA
B
BB
B

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNINGS
To help avoid personal injury, please
read and understand the limitations
of the system as contained in this
section. Sensing is only an aid for some
(generally large and fixed) objects when
moving on a flat surface at parking speeds.
Certain objects with surfaces that absorb
ultrasonic waves, surrounding vehicle's
parking aid systems, traffic control
systems, fluorescent lamps, inclement
weather, air brakes, and external motors
and fans may also affect the function of
the sensing system; this may include
reduced performance or a false activation. To help avoid personal injury, always
use caution when in reverse (R) and
when using the sensing system.
This system is not designed to
prevent contact with small or moving
objects. The system is designed to
provide a warning to assist the driver in
detecting large stationary objects to avoid
damaging your vehicle. The system may
not detect smaller objects, particularly
those close to the ground. Certain add-on devices such as large
trailer hitches, bike or surfboard racks
and any device that may block the
normal detection zone of the system, may
create false beeps. Note:
Keep the sensors, located on the
bumper or fascia, free from snow, ice and
large accumulations of dirt. If the sensors
are covered, the system ’s accuracy can be
affected. Do not clean the sensors with
sharp objects.
Note: If your vehicle sustains damage to
the bumper or fascia, leaving it misaligned
or bent, the sensing zone may be altered
causing inaccurate measurement of
obstacles or false alarms. Note:
The sensing system cannot be turned
off when a MyKey is present. See Principle
of Operation (page 54).
Note: If you attach certain add-on devices
such as a trailer or bike rack, the rear sensing
system may detect that add-on device and
therefore provide warnings. It is suggested
that you disable the rear sensing system
when you attach an add-on device to your
vehicle to prevent these warnings.
The sensing system warns the driver of
obstacles within a certain range of your
vehicle. The system turns on automatically
whenever you switch the ignition on. You can turn the system on or
off by pressing the parking aid
button. If your vehicle does not
have a parking aid button, the system can
be switched off through the information
display menu or from the pop-up message
that appears once you shift the
transmission into reverse (R). See General
Information
(page 91).
If a fault is present in the system, a warning
message appears in the information
display. See
Information Messages
(page 95).
REAR PARKING AID
The rear parking aid sensors automatically
turn on when you shift into reverse (R).
As your vehicle moves closer to the
obstacle, the rate of the audible warning
increases. When the obstacle is less than
12 in (30 cm)
away, the warning sounds
continuously. If the system detects an
object farther than
12 in (30 cm) from the
corners of the bumper, the tone sounds for
only three seconds. If the system detects
an approaching object the warning sounds
again.
151
Focus (CDH) Canada/United States of America, HM5J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 201608, First Printing Parking AidsE139213

Press and release OFF when the system is
in stand by mode or switch the ignition off.
163
Focus (CDH) Canada/United States of America, HM5J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 201608, First Printing Cruise Control

System Display
When active the system runs automatically
in the background and only issue warnings
if required. You can view the status at any
time using the information display. See
General Information (page 91).
The alertness level is shown by six steps
as a colored bar. Alertness level is fine, no rest required.
Alertness level is critical, indicating that
you should take a rest as soon as it is safe
to do so.
The status bar travels from left to right as
the calculated alertness level decreases.
As the rest icon is approached, the color
turns from green to yellow and then finally
red when a rest break must be taken.
•
Green: No rest required.
• Yellow: First (temporary) warning.
• Red: Second warning.
Your alertness level will be shown in gray
if:
• The sensor cannot track the road lane
markings.
• The vehicle speed falls below
approximately
40 mph (65 km/h). Resetting the System
You can reset the system by:
•
Switching the ignition off and on.
• Stopping your vehicle and then opening
and closing the driver door.
LANE KEEPING SYSTEM
(If
Equipped) WARNINGS
The system is designed to aid the
driver. It is not intended to replace
your attention and judgment. You are
still responsible to drive with due care and
attention. Always drive with due care and
attention when using and operating
the controls and features on your
vehicle. 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. In cold and severe weather
conditions the system may not
function. Rain, snow and spray can
all limit sensor performance. The system will not operate if the
sensor cannot track the road lane
markings.
The sensor may incorrectly track lane
markings as other structures or
objects. This can result in a false or
missed warning. Large contrasts in outside lighting
can limit sensor performance.
The system may not operate
properly if the sensor is blocked.
Keep the windshield free from
obstruction.
165
Focus (CDH) Canada/United States of America, HM5J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 201608, First Printing Driving AidsE131358 E131359

Note:
Do not apply bumper stickers and/or
repair compound to these areas, this can
cause degraded system performance.
If the system detects a degraded
performance condition, a message warning
of a blocked sensor will appear in the
information display. Also the BLIS alert
indicators will remain ON and BLIS will no
longer provide any vehicle warnings. You
can clear the information display warning
but the alert indicators will remain
illuminated.
A "blocked" condition can be cleared in
two ways:
• After the blockage in front of the
sensors is removed or the
rainfall/snowfall rate decreases or
stops, drive for a few minutes in traffic
to allow the sensors to detect passing
vehicles.
• By cycling the ignition from ON to OFF
and then back ON.
Note: If your vehicle has a tow bar with a
factory equipped trailer tow module and it
is towing a trailer, the sensors will
automatically turn the Blind Spot
Information System off. If your vehicle has
a tow bar but no factory equipped trailer
tow module, it is recommended to turn the
Blind Spot Information System off
manually. Operating the Blind Spot
Information System with a trailer attached
will cause poor system performance.
System Errors
If the system senses a problem with the
left or right sensor, the telltale will
illuminate and a message will appear in
the information display. See Information
Messages (page 95). Switching the System Off and On
You can temporarily switch the Blind Spot
Information System off in the information
display. See
General Information (page
91). When the Blind Spot Information
System switches off, you will not receive
alerts and the information display shows
a system off message. The telltale in the
cluster also illuminates. When you switch
the Blind Spot Information System on or
off, the alert indicators flash twice.
Note: The Blind Spot Information System
remembers the last selected on or off
setting.
You can also have the Blind Spot
Information System switched off
permanently at an authorized dealer. Once
switched off permanently, the system can
only be switched back on at an authorized
dealer.
CROSS TRAFFIC ALERT WARNING
To help avoid personal injury, NEVER
use the Cross Traffic Alert system as
a replacement for using the interior
and exterior mirrors and looking over your
shoulder before backing out of a parking
space. Cross Traffic Alert is not a
replacement for careful driving. Cross Traffic Alert is designed to warn you
of vehicles approaching from the sides
when the transmission is in reverse (R).
Using the System
Cross Traffic Alert turns on when you start
the engine and you shift into reverse (R).
Once shifted out of reverse (R), Cross
Traffic Alert turns off.
Note:
Cross Traffic Alert only functions
while your transmission is in reverse (R).
171
Focus (CDH) Canada/United States of America, HM5J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 201608, First Printing Driving Aids