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.
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(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.
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(If Equipped)
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).
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Applying the electric parking brake
when the vehicle is moving
WARNINGS
Applying the electric parking brake
while moving will result in the
engagement of the anti-lock braking system.
Do not use the electric parking brake system
when the vehicle is moving unless the normal
brake system is unable to stop the vehicle. With the exception of emergency
conditions (for example, the brake
pedal is broken or is blocked), do not apply
the electric parking brake while the vehicle
is moving. On bends, or poor road surfaces
or weather conditions, emergency braking
can cause the vehicle to skid out of control
or off the road. 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. If you apply the electric parking brake when
your vehicle is moving, the brake system
warning lamp illuminates and a warning tone
sounds. See Information Displays (page
108).
If your vehicle speed is above
4 mph
(6 km/h), the braking force is applied as long
as you apply the switch. Release or press
the switch, or press the accelerator pedal to
stop the braking force.
Releasing the electric parking brake Release the electric parking brake either
manually by pressing the bottom of the
switch or automatically.Manual release 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. You can manually release the electric parking
brake by:
1. Switching the ignition on.
2. Pressing the brake pedal.
3. Pressing the electric parking brake
switch.
When you release the electric parking brake,
the brake system warning lamp turns off.
Driving with a Trailer
Depending on the grade and the weight of
the trailer, your vehicle and trailer may roll
backwards slightly when you start on a slope.
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Note:
In case of a malfunction in the system
while Auto Hold actively holds the vehicle
(for example, low power supply), a message
appears in the information display. If you see
this message, press the brake pedal
immediately.
Note: Auto Hold only activates if the system
recognizes it is applying enough brake
pressure. On a steep hill or incline, you may
need to press the brake pedal to activate
the Auto Hold system.
Note: When the parking brake automatically
applies, the red brake lamp appears. This is
normal. When you press the accelerator
pedal, the drive away release feature
automatically releases the parking brake.
Note: Auto Hold works on all road gradients
and in reverse (R). Press the Auto Hold button to switch the
system on and off. The Auto Hold indicator
light illuminates in the Auto Hold button
when the system is on.Note:
You can only switch Auto Hold on if
you close the door and fasten your safety
belt.
Note: Auto Hold turns off every time you
power down your vehicle.
When Auto Hold is off, your vehicle behaves
the same as a vehicle without Auto Hold.
There is an Auto Hold indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster that has two modes, active
and unavailable: The Auto Hold (ACTIVE) indicator
light illuminates in the information
display when the system holds
your vehicle stationary. When in active mode,
press the brake pedal and the Auto Hold
button to switch Auto Hold off. The Auto Hold (UNAVAILABLE)
indicator light illuminates in the
information display when the
system is on but unavailable to hold your
vehicle (for example, during Active Park
Assist, Car Wash Mode, or when you do not
fasten your safety belt).
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Using Auto Hold
1. Bring your vehicle to a stop by pressing
the brake pedal. After coming to a stop,
the green Auto Hold (ACTIVE) indicator
lamp illuminates in the information
display.
2. Release the brake pedal. The Auto Hold
(ACTIVE) indicator light remains
illuminated in the information display and
Auto Hold will hold your vehicle at a stop.
3. When you press the accelerator pedal, Auto Hold will release the brakes and
you will be able to drive off. Once you
drive off, the green Auto Hold (ACTIVE)
indicator no longer illuminates in the
information display.
Note: The Stop/Start system (if equipped)
may stop the engine when you press the
brake pedal. If this occurs, it will restart once
you press the accelerator pedal. Auto Hold
still holds your vehicle at a standstill with the
engine off.
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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:
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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.
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