2017 LINCOLN MKZ traction control

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. 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.
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.
184
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)E143949

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 your vehicle slides
while cornering, steer in the direction of the
slide until you regain control of your vehicle. Note:
Your vehicle may have original
equipment tires designed to optimize the
performance of your vehicle in dry or wet
summer road conditions. If your vehicle is
equipped with such tires, we recommend
using a dedicated set (all 4 tires) of winter
tires in snow and ice conditions. Do not mix
winter tires and performance tires between
axles or degraded traction and handling
characteristics could result. Note:
Excessive tire slippage can cause
driveline damage.
AWD vehicles have advantages over
two-wheel drive (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.
185
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

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 108).
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:
194
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Traction ControlE138639

•
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.
195
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Traction ControlE130458

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. WARNINGS
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:
196
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Stability Control

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 194). 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.
The electronic stability control portion of the
system disables when the transmission is in
reverse (R) or, on some models, if you press
and hold the stability control button for more
than five seconds when you apply the brakes
and the vehicle is at a stop.
You can switch the traction control system
off or on independently.
197
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Stability ControlE72903A
AA
B
BB
B

Stability Control and Traction Control Features
Collision Warning
with Brake Support
Traction Control
System
Electronic Stability
Control
Stability Control Off
Light
Mode
Button Functions
Enabled
Enabled
Enabled
On during bulb check
Stability and traction
control fully enabled
Default at start-up
Enabled
Disabled
Enabled
On
Traction control off
Button pressed
momentarily
Disabled
Enabled with higher
threshold target
Enabled with higher
threshold target
On
Sport mode (if
equipped)
Button pressed twice
rapidly
Disabled
Disabled
Disabled
On
Stability and traction
control fully disabled
Button pressed and
held more than five seconds
Enabled
Enabled
Enabled
Off
Stability and traction
control fully enabled
Button pressed again
after deactivation
Note: Stability control fully off can only occur
when you put the Active Suspension System
(CCD) in sport mode. If you are not in sport
mode or change from sport mode to another
mode, the stability control enables.
Note: Do not use Sport mode on public
roadways. Your vehicle, if equipped with sport mode
allows you to reduce normal stability and
traction control system intervention and
provide a more spirited driving experience.
To enter sport mode, press the stability
control button twice rapidly. A message
appears in the information display that the
system is now in sport mode.
198
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Stability Control

(30 cm), or when obstacles are detected
within 12–24 in (30–60 cm) and are inside
the driving path of your vehicle. When you
stop your vehicle the audible warning stops
after 2 seconds and the visual distance
indication stops after 4 seconds.
Note: If the obstacle remains within
12 in
(30 cm) visual distance indication remains
on.
If the transmission is in neutral (N), the side
sensing system only provides visual distance
indication when your vehicle is moving at
7 mph (12 km/h) or below, for example when
moving on a slope, and obstacles are
detected within
12 in (30 cm). When you stop
your vehicle the visual distance indication
stops after 4 seconds.
If the side sensing system is not available,
the side distance indicator blocks will not be
present.
The side sensing system is not available
under the following condition:
• If you switch the traction control system
off. The side sensing system may not be
available until you have driven approximately
the length of your vehicle in order for the
system to reinitialize if:
•
You switch the ignition on, off and back
on.
• Your vehicle remains stationary for over
two minutes.
• The anti-lock brake system is activated.
• The traction control system is activated.
ACTIVE PARK ASSIST
(If Equipped)
Parallel Parking, Perpendicular
Parking, Parallel Park Out Assist 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. WARNINGS
The sensors may not detect objects in
heavy rain or other conditions that
cause interference. Active park assist does not apply the
brakes under any circumstances.
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 detects an available parallel or
perpendicular 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 guides you to park your
vehicle.
If you are uncomfortable with the proximity
to any vehicle or object, you may choose to
override the system.
203
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Parking Aids