
Note:
If you attempt to leave your vehicle
while it is in gear, the vehicle will
automatically shift into park (P). Safety belt
and door monitors determine your intent and
make the shift for you. During this time, a
message will appear in the information
display screen prompting you to make the
shift. See Information Messages (page 114).
Note: To put your vehicle in gear with the
door open, perform steps 1-4. See the
Automatic Return to Park section in this
chapter for more information on this feature.
Park (P)
With the transmission in park (P), your vehicle
locks the transmission and prevents the front
wheels from turning. Always come to a
complete stop before putting your vehicle
into and out of park (P). An audible chime
sounds once you select park (P).
When the ignition is turned off, the vehicle
will automatically shift into park (P). If the
ignition is turned off while the vehicle is
moving, it will first shift into neutral (N) until
a slow enough speed is reached. The vehicle
will then shift into park (P) automatically. Automatic Return to Park
Note:
This feature will not operate when your
vehicle is in Stay in Neutral mode or neutral
tow.
Your vehicle has a safety feature that will
automatically shift your vehicle into park (P)
when any of the following conditions occur:
• You turn the ignition off
• You open the driver's door with your
safety belt unlatched
• Your safety belt is unlatched while the
driver's door is open
If you turn the ignition off while your vehicle
is moving, your vehicle will first shift into
neutral (N) until it slows down enough to shift
into park (P) automatically.
Note: If you have waited an extended period
of time, (2-15 minutes) before starting your
vehicle, unlatching your safety belt will cause
this feature to activate, even with the driver's
door closed. Note:
This feature may not work properly if
the door ajar switch is malfunctioning. If your
door ajar indicator does not illuminate when
you open the driver’ s door or the indicator
illuminates with the driver’ s door closed. See
your authorized dealer.
Reverse (R)
With the transmission in reverse (R), your
vehicle will move backward. Always come
to a complete stop before shifting into and
out of reverse (R).
Neutral (N)
With the transmission in neutral (N), you can
start your vehicle and it is free to roll. Hold
the brake pedal down while in this position.
Stay in Neutral mode
Stay in Neutral mode allows your vehicle to
stay in neutral (N) when you exit the vehicle.
Your vehicle must be stationary to enter this
mode.
To enter Stay in Neutral mode:
1. Press the neutral (N) button on your shifter assembly.
174
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Transmission

Note:
This feature will only function if your
12-volt battery has power. If vehicle battery
voltage is not sufficient, an external 12-volt
power source (for example, jumper cables,
battery charger or jump pack) may be
required to function the interlock override
switch.
Use the brake-shift interlock override to
move your transmission from the park
position in the event of an electrical
malfunction. If your vehicle has a dead
battery, an external power source will be
required.
1. Apply the parking brake and turn your ignition off before performing this
procedure. 2. Locate your brake-shift interlock access
slot. The slot is located in your center
console storage bin. The access slot
does not have a label.
Note: Make sure that you correctly identify
the access hole as not to damage the media
hub.
3. Using a tool, press and hold the brake shift interlock switch. The shift buttons
on the instrument panel will flash when
your vehicle is in override mode.
4. With the override switch still held, press the neutral button (N) to shift from park.
5. Release the override button. 6.
Your vehicle will remain in Stay in Neutral
mode for wrecker towing purposes or
can be shifted to the desired gear and
driven (if possible).
7. Release the parking brake.
Automatic Transmission Adaptive
Learning
This feature increases durability and provides
consistent shift feel over the life of your
vehicle. A new vehicle or transmission may
have firm or soft shifts. This operation will
not affect function or durability of your
transmission and is normal. Over time, the
adaptive learning process will fully update
transmission operation. Additionally, the
strategy must be relearned whenever the
battery is disconnected or a new battery is
installed.
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck In Mud or
Snow
Note: Do not rock your vehicle if your engine
is not at normal operating temperature or
damage to your transmission may occur.
177
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing TransmissionE180636

USING ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (If Equipped)
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) uses all four wheels
to power the vehicle. This increases traction,
enabling you to drive over terrain and road
conditions that a conventional two-wheel
drive vehicle cannot. The AWD system is
active all the time and requires no input from
the operator.
Note: Your vehicle may be equipped with
Dynamic Torque Vectoring. This feature uses
all four wheels to power the vehicle and
independently controls the torque to each
rear wheel. In addition, the system has the
ability to over speed the outside rear wheel
in a turn. This increases traction and
handling performance, allowing the vehicle
to travel through road conditions and have
path following capability superior to
conventional two-wheel drive and AWD
vehicles. The Dynamic Torque Vectoring
system is active all the time and requires no
input from the operator. Note:
Your AWD vehicle is not intended for
off-road use. The AWD feature gives your
vehicle some limited off-road capabilities in
which driving surfaces are relatively level,
obstruction-free and otherwise similar to
normal on-road driving conditions. Operating
your vehicle under other than those
conditions could subject the vehicle to
excessive stress which might result in
damage which is not covered under your
warranty.
Note: When an AWD system fault is present,
the warning
AWD Malfunction Service
Required displays in the information display.
The AWD system is not functioning correctly
and defaulted to front-wheel drive. When
this warning displays, have your vehicle
serviced at an authorized dealer. Note:
The
AWD OFF message may also
appear in the information display if the AWD
system overheats and defaults to front-wheel
drive. This may occur if the vehicle is
operated in extreme conditions with
excessive wheel slip, such as deep sand.
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 will turn off and normal
AWD function returns. If the engine is not
stopped, the
AWD OFF message turns off
when the system cools and normal AWD
function returns.
179
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing All-Wheel Drive
(If Equipped)

All-Wheel Drive Messages
Action / Description
AWD Messages
Displays when the system automatically disables to protect itself. This
may be caused by operating the vehicle with the compact tire installed,
if the system is overheating or if there is an issue with another vehicl\
e
system preventing AWD operation. The system resumes normal
operation and clears this message after cycling the ignition on and
off and driving a short distance with the road tire re-installed, after
the system is allowed to cool or after the other vehicle system issues
are resolved.
AWD OFF
Displays in conjunction with the powertrain malfunction or reduced
power light when the system is not operating properly. If the message
stays on or continues to come on, contact your authorized dealer as
soon as possible.
AWD Malfunction Service Required
180
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

Operating AWD Vehicles With Spare
or Mismatched Tires
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. 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. 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.
181
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing All-Wheel Drive
(If Equipped)

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.
183
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing All-Wheel Drive
(If Equipped)

GENERAL INFORMATION
Note:
Occasional brake noise is normal. If a
metal-to-metal, continuous grinding or
continuous squeal sound is present, the
brake linings may be worn-out. Have the
system checked by an authorized dealer. If
your vehicle has continuous vibration or
shudder in the steering wheel while braking,
have it checked by an authorized dealer.
Note: Brake dust may accumulate on the
wheels, even under normal driving
conditions. Some dust is inevitable as the
brakes wear and does not contribute to
brake noise. See Cleaning the Alloy Wheels
(page 327).
Note: Depending on applicable laws and
regulations in the country for which your
vehicle was originally built, your brake lamps
may flash during heavy braking. Following
this, your hazard lights may also flash when
your vehicle comes to a stop. See
Warning Lamps and
Indicators (page 103). Wet brakes result in reduced braking
efficiency. Gently press the brake pedal a
few times when driving from a car wash or
standing water to dry the brakes.
Brake Over Accelerator
In the event the accelerator pedal becomes
stuck or entrapped, apply steady and firm
pressure to the brake pedal to slow the
vehicle and reduce engine power. If you
experience this condition, apply the brakes
and bring your vehicle to a safe stop. Move
the transmission to park (P), switch the
engine off and apply the parking brake.
Inspect the accelerator pedal for any
interference. If none are found and the
condition persists, have your vehicle towed
to the nearest authorized dealer.
Brake Assist
Brake assist detects when you brake rapidly
by measuring the rate at which you press the
brake pedal. It provides maximum braking
efficiency as long as you press the pedal,
and can reduce stopping distances in critical
situations. Anti-lock Brake System
This system helps you maintain steering
control during emergency stops by keeping
the brakes from locking. This lamp momentarily illuminates
when you turn the ignition on. If
the light does not illuminate during
start up, remains on or flashes, the system
may be disabled. Have the system checked
by an authorized dealer. If the anti-lock brake
system is disabled, normal braking is still
effective. If the brake warning lamp
illuminates when you release the
parking brake, have the system
checked by an authorized dealer.
HINTS ON DRIVING WITH ANTI-
LOCK BRAKES
Note: When the system is operating, the
brake pedal may pulse and may travel
further. Maintain pressure on the brake
pedal. You may also hear a noise from the
system. This is normal.
188
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing BrakesE144522 E144522

The anti-lock braking system will not
eliminate the risks when:
•
You drive too closely to the vehicle in
front of you.
• Your vehicle is hydroplaning.
• You take corners too fast.
• The road surface is poor.
ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE WARNING
Always set the parking brake and leave
your vehicle with the transmission in
park (P). Note:
When you apply the electric parking
brake in certain conditions, for example on
a steep hill, the electric parking brake may
reapply the brakes within three to ten
minutes. As a result, you may notice various
noises when you apply and release the
electric parking brake. This is normal and no
cause for concern. The electric parking brake replaces the
conventional handbrake. The operating
switch is on the instrument panel to the left
of the steering wheel.
Applying the electric parking brake WARNING
The brake system warning lamp will
flash when applying the electric
parking brake. If the brake system warning
lamp continues to flash there could be a
problem with your electric parking brake.
Have your vehicle checked as soon as
possible. Note:
The brake system warning lamp
illuminates for 10 seconds if you switch the
ignition off after you apply the electric
parking brake, or you apply the electric
parking brake after you switch the ignition
off.
Note: The electric parking brake will not
automatically apply. You must apply the
electric parking brake using the electric
parking brake switch. Pull the switch to apply the electric parking
brake.
The brake system warning lamp flashes for
about two seconds and then illuminates to
confirm that you have applied the electric
parking brake. See Information Displays
(page 108).
189
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing BrakesE228837