2018 FORD EXPLORER maintenance

Introduction
About This Manual
..........................................7
Symbols Glossary ............................................
7
Data Recording .................................................
9
Perchlorate ........................................................
11
Ford Credit .........................................................
11
Replacement Parts Recommendation ........................................................................\
....
12
Special Notices ...............................................
12
Mobile Communications Equipment ........................................................................\
....
13
Export Unique Options ................................
14
Environment
Protecting the Environment .......................
15
At a Glance
Instrument Panel Overview .......................
16
Child Safety
General Information ......................................
18
Child Seats ........................................................
19
Installing Child Restraints ..........................
20
Booster Seats .................................................
29
Child Restraint Positioning .........................
31
Child Safety Locks .........................................
33
Seatbelts
Principle of Operation .................................
35
Fastening the Seatbelts .............................
36
Seatbelt Height Adjustment .....................
39
Seatbelt Warning Lamp and Indicator Chime ............................................................
40
Seatbelt Reminder .......................................
40
Child Restraint and Seatbelt Maintenance ...............................................
42
Seatbelt Extension .......................................
42
Personal Safety System ™
Personal Safety System ™.........................
43 Supplementary Restraints
System
Principle of Operation .................................
44
Driver and Passenger Airbags ..................
45
Front Passenger Sensing System ...........
46
Side Airbags ....................................................
48
Passenger Knee Airbag ...............................
49
Safety Canopy ™...........................................
49
Crash Sensors and Airbag Indicator ......
50
Airbag Disposal ...............................................
51
Keys and Remote Controls
Principle of Operation ..................................
52
General Information on Radio Frequencies .................................................
52
Remote Control .............................................
53
Replacing a Lost Key or Remote Control ........................................................................\
..
58
MyKey ™
Principle of Operation .................................
59
Creating a MyKey ..........................................
60
Clearing All MyKeys .......................................
61
Checking MyKey System Status ...............
61
Using MyKey With Remote Start Systems ........................................................
62
MyKey Troubleshooting ..............................
62
Doors and Locks
Locking and Unlocking ...............................
64
Keyless Entry ...................................................
67
Liftgate
Manual Liftgate .............................................
69
Power Liftgate ................................................
70
Security
Passive Anti-Theft System ........................
74
Anti-Theft Alarm ...........................................
75
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Explorer (TUB) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201711, Fourth-Printing Table of Contents

Cargo Nets
......................................................241
Luggage Covers ...........................................
242
Roof Racks and Load Carriers ................
242
Load Limit ......................................................
243
Towing
Towing a Trailer ...........................................
249
Trailer Sway Control ..................................
250
Recommended Towing Weights ..........
250
Essential Towing Checks .........................
252
Towing the Vehicle on Four Wheels - 2.3L EcoBoost™ .....................................
254
Towing the Vehicle on Four Wheels - 3.5L Duratec/3.5L Ecoboost™ ..........
255
Driving Hints
Breaking-In ....................................................
257
Economical Driving .....................................
257
Driving Through Water ..............................
258
Floor Mats .....................................................
258
Roadside Emergencies
Roadside Assistance ................................
260
Hazard Flashers ...........................................
261
Fuel Shutoff ...................................................
261
Jump Starting the Vehicle .......................
262
Post-Crash Alert System .........................
264
Transporting the Vehicle .........................
264
Customer Assistance
Getting the Services You Need .............
266
In California (U.S. Only) ............................
267
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Auto Line Program (U.S. Only) ....................
268
Utilizing the Mediation/Arbitration Program (Canada Only) ......................
269
Getting Assistance Outside the U.S. and Canada .......................................................
269
Ordering Additional Owner's Literature ........................................................................\
..
271 Reporting Safety Defects (U.S. Only)
........................................................................\
..
271
Reporting Safety Defects (Canada Only) ........................................................................\
..
271
Fuses
Fuse Specification Chart ..........................
273
Changing a Fuse ..........................................
282
Maintenance
General Information ..................................
284
Opening and Closing the Hood .............
284
Under Hood Overview - 2.3L EcoBoost™ ........................................................................\
285
Under Hood Overview - 3.5L Duratec ........................................................................\
286
Under Hood Overview - 3.5L Ecoboost™ ........................................................................\
287
Engine Oil Dipstick - 2.3L EcoBoost™ ........................................................................\
288
Engine Oil Dipstick - 3.5L Duratec/3.5L Ecoboost™ ...............................................
289
Engine Oil Check .........................................
289
Oil Change Indicator Reset .....................
290
Engine Coolant Check ...............................
291
Automatic Transmission Fluid Check - 2.3L EcoBoost™ .....................................
295
Automatic Transmission Fluid Check - 3.5L Duratec/3.5L Ecoboost™ .........
295
Brake Fluid Check .......................................
297
Power Steering Fluid Check ...................
298
Washer Fluid Check ...................................
298
Changing the 12V Battery ........................
298
Checking the Wiper Blades ....................
300
Changing the Wiper Blades ...................
300
Adjusting the Headlamps ........................
301
Removing a Headlamp ............................
303
Changing a Bulb .........................................
303
Bulb Specification Chart .........................
306
Changing the Engine Air Filter ...............
308
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Ford Protect
Ford Protect
..................................................497
Scheduled Maintenance
General Maintenance Information ......
499
Normal Scheduled Maintenance .........
502
Special Operating Conditions Scheduled Maintenance ............................................
505
Scheduled Maintenance Record ..........
507
Appendices
Electromagnetic Compatibility ..............
518
End User License Agreement ................
520
Type Approvals ...........................................
546
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Explorer (TUB) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201711, Fourth-Printing Table of Contents

REPLACEMENT PARTS
RECOMMENDATION
We have built your vehicle to the highest
standards using quality parts. We
recommend that you demand the use of
genuine Ford and Motorcraft parts
whenever your vehicle requires scheduled
maintenance or repair. You can clearly
identify genuine Ford and Motorcraft parts
by looking for the Ford, FoMoCo or
Motorcraft branding on the parts or their
packaging.
Scheduled Maintenance and
Mechanical Repairs
One of the best ways for you to make sure
that your vehicle provides years of service
is to have it maintained in line with our
recommendations using parts that
conform to the specifications detailed in
this Owner
’s Manual. Genuine Ford and
Motorcraft parts meet or exceed these
specifications.
Collision Repairs
We hope that you never experience a
collision, but accidents do happen.
Genuine Ford replacement collision parts
meet our stringent requirements for fit,
finish, structural integrity, corrosion
protection and dent resistance. During
vehicle development we validate that
these parts deliver the intended level of
protection as a whole system. A great way
to know for sure you are getting this level
of protection is to use genuine Ford
replacement collision parts. Warranty on Replacement Parts
Genuine Ford and Motorcraft replacement
parts are the only replacement parts that
benefit from a Ford Warranty. The Ford
Warranty may not cover damage caused
to your vehicle as a result of failed
non-Ford parts. For additional information,
refer to the terms and conditions of the
Ford Warranty.
SPECIAL NOTICES
New Vehicle Limited Warranty
For a detailed description of what is
covered and what is not covered by your
vehicle
’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty,
see the Warranty Manual that is provided
to you along with your Owner ’s Manual.
Special Instructions
For your added safety, your vehicle is fitted
with sophisticated electronic controls. WARNING: You risk death or serious
injury to yourself and others if you do not
follow the instruction highlighted by the
warning symbol. Failure to follow the
specific warnings and instructions could
result in personal injury. WARNING:
NEVER use a rearward
facing child restraint on a seat protected
by an ACTIVE AIRBAG in front of it, DEATH
or SERIOUS INJURY to the CHILD can
occur.
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Explorer (TUB) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201711, Fourth-Printing Introduction

4. While the seatbelt warning light is on,
buckle and then unbuckle the seatbelt.
After Step 4, the seatbelt warning light
flashes for confirmation.
• This will switch the feature off for that
seating position if it is currently on.
• This will switch the feature on for that
seating position if it is currently off.
CHILD RESTRAINT AND
SEATBELT MAINTENANCE
Inspect the vehicle seatbelts and child
restraint systems periodically to make sure
they work properly and are not damaged.
Inspect the vehicle seatbelts to make sure
there are no nicks, tears or cuts. Replace if
necessary. All vehicle seatbelt assemblies,
including retractors, buckles, front seatbelt
buckle assemblies, buckle support
assemblies (slide bar-if equipped),
shoulder belt height adjusters (if
equipped), shoulder belt guide on seatback
(if equipped), rear inflatable seatbelts (if
equipped), child restraint LATCH and
tether anchors, and attaching hardware,
should be inspected after a crash. Read
the child restraint manufacturer's
instructions for additional inspection and
maintenance information specific to the
child restraint.
We recommend that all seatbelt
assemblies in use in vehicles involved in a
crash be replaced. However, if the crash
was minor and an authorized dealer finds
that the belts do not show damage and
continue to operate properly, they do not
need to be replaced. Seatbelt assemblies
not in use during a crash should also be
inspected and replaced if either damage
or improper operation is noted.
Properly care for seatbelts. See Cleaning
the Interior (page 312). SEATBELT EXTENSION WARNING:
Persons who fit into the
vehicle's seatbelt should not use an
extension. Unnecessary use could result in
serious personal injury in the event of a
crash. WARNING:
Only use extensions
provided free of charge by Ford Motor
Company dealers. The dealer will provide
an extension designed specifically for this
vehicle, model year and seating position.
The use of an extension intended for
another vehicle, model year or seating
position may not offer you the full
protection of your vehicle ’s seatbelt
restraint system. WARNING:
Never use seatbelt
extensions to install child restraints. WARNING:
Do not use a seatbelt
extension with an inflatable seatbelt. WARNING:
Do not use extensions
to change the fit of the belt across the
torso, over the lap or to make the seatbelt
buckle easier to reach.
If, because of body size or driving position,
it is not possible to properly fasten the
seatbelt over your lap and shoulder, an
extension that is compatible with the
seatbelts is available free of charge from
Ford Motor Company dealers. Only Ford
seatbelt extensions made by the original
equipment seatbelts manufacturer should
be used with Ford seatbelts. Ask your
authorized dealer if your extension is
compatible with your Ford vehicle restraint
system.
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While the system is designed to help
reduce serious injuries, contact with a
deploying airbag may also cause abrasions
or swelling. Temporary hearing loss is also
a possibility as a result of the noise
associated with a deploying airbag.
Because airbags must inflate rapidly and
with considerable force, there is the risk of
death or serious injuries such as fractures,
facial and eye injuries or internal injuries,
particularly to occupants who are not
properly restrained or are otherwise out of
position at the time of airbag deployment.
Thus, it is extremely important that
occupants be properly restrained as far
away from the airbag module as possible
while maintaining vehicle control.
Routine maintenance of the airbags is not
required.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER
AIRBAGS
WARNING: Do not place your arms
on the airbag cover or through the steering
wheel. Failure to follow this instruction
could result in personal injury. WARNING:
Keep the areas in front
of the airbags free from obstruction. Do
not affix anything to or over the airbag
covers. Objects could become projectiles
during airbag deployment or in a sudden
stop. Failure to follow this instruction could
result in personal injury or death. WARNING:
Airbags can kill or injure
a child in a child restraint. Never place a
rear-facing child restraint in front of an
active airbag. If you must use a
forward-facing child restraint in the front
seat, move the seat upon which the child
restraint is installed all the way back. The driver and front passenger airbags will
deploy during significant frontal and near
frontal crashes.
The driver and passenger front airbag
system consists of:
•
Driver and passenger airbag modules.
• Front passenger sensing system. · Crash sensors and monitoring
system with readiness indicator.
See Crash Sensors and Airbag
Indicator
(page 50).
Proper Driver and Front Passenger
Seating Adjustment WARNING: National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA)
recommends a minimum distance of at
least
10 in (25 cm) between an occupant's
chest and the driver airbag module.
To properly position yourself away from
the airbag:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you
can while still reaching the pedals
comfortably.
• Recline the seat slightly (one or two
degrees) from the upright position.
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Your vehicle has a collection of crash and
occupant sensors which provide
information to the restraints control
module. The restraints control module
deploys (activates) the front seatbelt
pretensioners, rear inflatable seatbelts,
driver airbag, passenger airbag, seat
mounted side airbags, passenger knee
airbag and the Safety Canopy. Based on
the type of crash, the restraints control
module will deploy the appropriate safety
devices.
The restraints control module also
monitors the readiness of the above safety
devices plus the crash and occupant
sensors. The readiness of the safety
system is indicated by a warning indicator
light in the instrument cluster or by a
backup tone if the warning light is not
working. Routine maintenance of the
airbag is not required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by
one or more of the following:
The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after you
switch the ignition on.
• The readiness light either flashes or
stays lit.
• A series of five beeps will be heard. The
tone pattern will repeat periodically
until the problem, the light or both are
repaired.
If any of these things happen, even
intermittently, have the supplemental
restraint system serviced at an authorized
dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the
system may not function properly in the
event of a crash.
The seatbelt pretensioners and the front
airbag supplemental restraint system are
designed to activate when the vehicle
sustains frontal deceleration sufficient to
cause the restraints control module to
deploy a safety device. The fact that the seatbelt pretensioners
or front airbags did not activate for both
front seat occupants in a crash does not
mean that something is wrong with the
system. Rather, it means the restraints
control module determined the accident
conditions (crash severity, belt usage)
were not appropriate to activate these
safety devices.
•
The design of the front airbags is to
activate only in frontal and near-frontal
crashes (not rollovers, side impacts or
rear impacts) unless the crash causes
sufficient frontal deceleration.
• The design of the seatbelt
pretensioners is to activate in frontal,
near-frontal and side crashes and in
rollovers.
• The design of the side airbags is to
inflate in certain side impact crashes.
Side airbags may activate in other
types of crashes if the vehicle
experiences sufficient sideways motion
or deformation.
• The knee airbag(s) may deploy based
on crash severity and occupant
conditions.
• The design of the Safety Canopy is to
inflate in certain side impact crashes
or rollover events. The Safety Canopy
may activate in other types of crashes
if the vehicle experiences sufficient
sideways motion or deformation, or a
certain likelihood of rollover.
AIRBAG DISPOSAL
Contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible. Airbags must be disposed of by
qualified personnel.
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Service Engine Soon
If it illuminates when the engine
is running this indicates a
malfunction. The On Board
Diagnostics system has detected a
malfunction of the vehicle emission control
system.
If it flashes, engine misfire may be
occurring. Increased exhaust gas
temperatures could damage the catalytic
converter or other vehicle components.
Drive in a moderate fashion (avoid heavy
acceleration and deceleration) and have
your vehicle immediately serviced.
It illuminates when you switch the ignition
on prior to engine start to check the bulb
and to indicate whether your vehicle is
ready for Inspection and Maintenance
(I/M) testing.
Normally, it illuminates until the engine is
cranked and automatically turns off if no
malfunctions are present. However, if after
15 seconds it flashes eight times, this
indicates that your vehicle is not ready for
Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) testing.
See Catalytic Converter (page 184).
Stability Control It flashes when the system is
active. If it remains illuminated
or does not illuminate when you
switch the ignition on, this indicates a
malfunction. During a malfunction the
system switches off. Have the system
checked by an authorized dealer
immediately. See
Using Stability
Control (page 201).
Stability Control Off It illuminates when you switch
the system off. It goes out when
you switch the system back on
or when you switch the ignition off. See
Using Stability Control
(page 201). Transmission Tow/Haul
(If Equipped) Illuminates when you activate
the tow/haul feature. If the light
flashes steadily, have the system
serviced immediately. Damage to the
transmission could occur. See
Automatic
Transmission (page 187).
AUDIBLE WARNINGS AND
INDICATORS
Key in Ignition Warning Chime
(If
Equipped)
Sounds when you open the driver's door
and you have left the key in the ignition.
Engine On Warning Chime
A warning chime will sound when any door
is opened if the vehicle exceeds a relatively
low speed.
Keyless Warning Alert
(If Equipped)
Sounds the horn twice when you exit the
vehicle and the keyless vehicle is in RUN,
indicating the vehicle is still on.
Headlamps On Warning Chime
Sounds when you remove the key from the
ignition and open the driver's door and you
have left the headlamps or parking lamps
on.
Parking Brake On Warning Chime
Sounds when you have left the parking
brake on and drive your vehicle. If the
warning chime remains on after you have
released the parking brake, have the
system checked by your authorized dealer
immediately.
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