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ESSENTIAL TOWING CHECKS
Follow these guidelines for safe towing:
•
Do not tow a trailer until you drive your
vehicle 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 256).
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.
Separate functioning brake systems are
required for safe control of towed vehicles
and trailers weighing more than 1500
pounds (680 kilograms) when load.
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. 264
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Replace the rear axle lubricant anytime you
submerge the rear axle in water. Water may
contaminate the rear axle lubricant, which is
not a normal maintenance inspection item
unless there is a possibility of a leak or other
axle repair is required.
TOWING THE VEHICLE ON FOUR
WHEELS
Emergency Towing
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 183). •
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 141).
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.
You can tow your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground using the Neutral Tow feature,
or with all four wheels off the ground using
a vehicle transport trailer. If you are using a
vehicle transport trailer, follow the instruction
specified by the equipment provider. Neutral Tow
If you tow your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground:
•
Tow only in the forward direction.
• Release the parking brake.
Enter Neutral Tow mode by doing the
following:
1. Put the ignition in accessory mode by pressing the engine START button
without pressing the brake pedal.
2. Select
Neutral Tow under the Vehicle
Settings menu in the information display.
See
General Information (page 114).
3. Press and hold the OK button to start the
neutral tow process.
4. Press the brake pedal and select
N on
the push-button transmission.
5. Turn the ignition off by pressing the engine START button without pressing
the brake pedal.
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BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for
approximately 300 mi (480 km). During this
time, your vehicle may exhibit some unusual
driving characteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first 1,000 mi
(1,600 km)
. Vary your speed frequently and
change up through the gears early. Do not
labor the engine.
Do not tow during the first
1,000 mi
(1,600 km).
REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE WARNING
Continued operation will increase the
engine temperature and cause the
engine to shut down completely. If the engine coolant temperature gauge
needle moves to the upper limit position, the
engine is overheating.
See Gauges (page
107). You must only drive your vehicle for a short
distance if the engine overheats. The
distance you can travel depends on ambient
temperature, vehicle load and terrain. The
engine will continue to operate with limited
power for a short time.
If the engine temperature continues to rise,
the fuel supply to the engine will reduce. The
air conditioning will switch off and the engine
cooling fan will operate continually.
1. Reduce your speed gradually and stop
your vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so.
2. Switch the engine off immediately to prevent severe engine damage.
3. Wait for the engine to cool down.
4. Check the coolant level.
See Engine
Coolant Check (page 314).
5. Have your vehicle checked by an authorized dealer as soon as possible. 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 the furthest destination
first and then work your way back home).
• Close the windows for high-speed
driving.
• Drive at reasonable speeds.
• Keep the tires properly inflated and use
only the recommended size.
• Use the recommended engine oil.
• Perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance.
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FUSE SPECIFICATION CHART
Power Distribution Box
WARNINGS
Always disconnect the battery before
servicing high current fuses. WARNINGS
To reduce risk of electrical shock,
always replace the cover to the power
distribution box before reconnecting the
battery or refilling fluid reservoirs. The power distribution box is located in the
engine compartment. It has high-current
fuses that protect your vehicle's main
electrical systems from overloads.
If you disconnect or reconnect the battery,
some features need to be reset. See
Changing the 12V Battery (page 322).
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UNDER HOOD OVERVIEW - 2.7L ECOBOOST™
Engine coolant reservoir. See Engine Coolant Check (page 314).
A
Brake fluid reservoir.
See Brake Fluid Check (page 321).
B
Battery.
See Changing the 12V Battery (page 322).
C
Power distribution box.
See Fuses (page 286).
D
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Air filter assembly. See Changing the Engine Air Filter (page 330).
E
Automatic transmission fluid dipstick.
See Automatic Transmission Fluid Check (page 319).
F
Engine oil dipstick.
See Engine Oil Dipstick (page 312).
G
Engine oil filler cap.
See Engine Oil Check (page 312).
H
Windshield washer fluid reservoir.
See Washer Fluid Check (page 322).
I
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UNDER HOOD OVERVIEW - 3.7L
Engine coolant reservoir. See Engine Coolant Check (page 314).
A.
Engine oil filler cap.
See Engine Oil Check (page 312).
B.
Engine oil dipstick.
See Engine Oil Dipstick (page 312).
C.
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Brake fluid reservoir. See Brake Fluid Check (page 321).
D.
Battery.
See Changing the 12V Battery (page 322).
E.
Engine compartment fuse box.
See Fuses (page 286).
F.
Air filter assembly.
See Changing the Engine Air Filter (page 330).
G.
Automatic transmission dipstick.
See Automatic Transmission Fluid Check (page 319).
H.
Washer fluid reservoir.
See Washer Fluid Check (page 322).
I.
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