AWD
Action
Message
Displays if the AWD system disables to protect itself. Thismay occur if you operate the vehicle after installing the
compact spare tire, if the system is overheating or if there is
an issue with another vehicle system that prevents the AWD system from operating. The AWD system resumes normal
operation and clears this message after you install the road
tire and you switch the ignition on and off, or after you allow
the system to cool. If this message remains on, have a quali- fied technician service your vehicle to repair other vehicle systems.
AWD OFF
Displayed in conjunction with the powertrain malfunction/
reduced power light when the system is not operating properly.
If the warning stays on or continues to come on, contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
Check AWD
Displayed when the system needs its power transfer unit
lubrication changed. This message may be set if the vehicle has experienced extended periods of extreme/severe duty cycle driving.
Change AWD Power
Transfer Unit Lube
Battery and Charging System Action
Message
Displayed when the charging system needs servicing. If thewarning stays on or continues to come on, contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
Check Charging System
The battery management system detects an extended lowvoltage condition. Your vehicle will disable various features
to help preserve the battery. Turn off as many of the electrical loads as soon as possible to improve the system voltage.
Once the system voltage recovers, the disabled features will operate as normal.
Low Battery Features
Temporarily Turned Off
The battery management system determines that the batteryis at a low state of charge. Switch the ignition off as soon as
possible to protect the battery. This message clears once you
start the vehicle and the battery state of charge has recovered.
Turning off unnecessary electrical loads allows faster battery state-of-charge recovery.
Turn Power Off To Save
Battery
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MAX A/C: Press for maximum
cooling. Recirculated air flows
through the instrument panel
vents, air conditioning turns on
and the fan adjusts to the
highest speed.
G
Air distribution control: Press
to switch air flow from the
windshield, instrument panel, or
footwell vents on or off. You can
distribute air through any
combination of these vents.
H
Heated rear window:
Press to
switch the heated rear window
on and off. See
Heated
Windows and Mirrors (page
85).
I
HINTS ON CONTROLLING THE
INTERIOR CLIMATE
General Hints
Note: Prolonged use of recirculated air may
cause the windows to fog up.
Note: You may feel a small amount of air
from the footwell air vents regardless of the
air distribution setting.
Note: To reduce humidity build-up inside
your vehicle, do not drive with the system
switched off or with recirculated air always
switched on.
Note: Do not place objects under the front
seats as this may interfere with the airflow
to the rear seats.
Note: Remove any snow, ice or leaves from
the air intake area at the base of the
windshield.
Note: To improve the time to reach a
comfortable temperature in hot weather,
drive with the windows open until you feel
cold air through the air vents. Quickly Heating the Interior
1. Adjust the fan speed to the highest
speed setting.
2. Adjust the temperature control to the highest setting.
3. Direct air to the footwell air vents.
Recommended Settings for
Heating
1. Adjust the fan speed to the center setting.
2. Adjust the temperature control to the midway point of the hot settings.
3. Direct air to the footwell air vents.
Quickly Cooling the Interior
1. Select
MAX A/C.
2. Drive with the windows open for a short
period of time.
Recommended Settings for
Cooling
1. Adjust the fan speed to the center setting.
2. Adjust the temperature control to the midway point of the cold settings.
3. Direct air to the instrument panel air vents.
Vehicle Stationary for Extended
Periods During Extreme High
Ambient Temperatures
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Place your vehicle in park (P) or neutral.
3. Select
MAX A/C.
4. Adjust the fan speed to the lowest speed setting.
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All-Wheel Drive Messages
Action / Description
AWD Messages
Displays if the AWD system disables to
protect itself. This may occur if you operate
the vehicle after installing the compact
spare tire, if the system is overheating or if
there is an issue with another vehicle
system that prevents the AWD system from
AWD OFF
operating. The AWD system resumes
normal operation and clears this message
after you install the road tire and you switch
the ignition on and off, or after you allow
the system to cool. If this message remains
on, have a qualified technician service your
vehicle to repair other vehicle systems.
Displayed in conjunction with the power-
train malfunction/reduced power light
when the system is not operating properly.
If the warning stays on or continues to
come on, contact your authorized dealer
as soon as possible.
Check AWD
Displayed when the system needs its power
transfer unit lubrication changed. This
message may be set if the vehicle has
experienced extended periods of extreme/
severe duty cycle driving.
Change AWD Power Transfer Unit Lube
Operating AWD Vehicles With
Spare Tires
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.
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(If Equipped)
Operating AWD Vehicles With
Mismatched Tires
WARNINGS
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. The use of non-recommended tires
and wheels could cause steering,
suspension, axle, transfer case or
power transfer unit failure. If you have
questions regarding tire replacement,
contact your authorized dealer 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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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.
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
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(If Equipped)E143950
“Tread Lightly
” is an educational program
designed to increase public awareness of
land-use regulations and responsibilities
in our nations wilderness areas. Ford Motor
Company joins the U.S. Forest Service and
the Bureau of Land Management in
encouraging you to help preserve our
national forest and other public and private
lands by “treading lightly. ”
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.
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:
Excessive tire slippage can cause
driveline damage.
AWD vehicles have advantages over 2WD
vehicles in snow and ice but can skid like
any other vehicle.
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STEERING
Electric Power Steering
WARNINGS
The electric power steering system
has diagnostic checks that
continuously monitor the system. If
a fault is detected, a message displays in
the information display. Stop your vehicle
as soon as it is safe to do so. Switch the
ignition off. After at least 10 seconds,
switch the ignition on and watch the
information display for a steering system
warning message. If a steering system
warning message returns, have the system
checked by an authorized dealer. If the system detects an error, you
may not feel a difference in the
steering, however a serious condition
may exist. Obtain immediate service from
an authorized dealer, failure to do so may
result in loss of steering control. Your vehicle has an electric power steering
system. There is no fluid reservoir. No
maintenance is required.
If your vehicle loses electrical power while
you are driving, electric power steering
assistance is lost. The steering system still
operates and you can steer your vehicle
manually. Manually steering your vehicle
requires more effort.
Extreme continuous steering may increase
the effort required for you to steer your
vehicle. This increased effort prevents
overheating and permanent damage to
the steering system. You do not lose the
ability to steer your vehicle manually.
Typical steering and driving maneuvers
allow the system to cool and return to
normal operation. Steering Tips
If the steering wanders or pulls, check for:
•
Correct tire pressures.
• Uneven tire wear.
• Loose or worn suspension
components.
• Loose or worn steering components.
• Improper vehicle alignment.
Note: A high crown in the road or high
crosswinds may also make the steering
seem to wander or pull.
Adaptive Learning
The electronic power steering system
adaptive learning helps correct road
irregularities and improves overall handling
and steering feel. It communicates with
the brake system to help operate
advanced stability control and accident
avoidance systems. Additionally, whenever
the battery is disconnected or a new
battery installed, you must drive your
vehicle a short distance before the system
relearns the strategy and reactivates all
systems.
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Action and description
Message
Remaining Life
{00}%
If the instrument cluster
displays one of the following
messages, repeat the
process.
Not Reset
Reset Cancelled
ENGINE COOLANT CHECK WARNINGS
Never remove the coolant reservoir
cap when the engine is running or
hot.
Do not put coolant in the windshield
washer reservoir. If sprayed on the
windshield, coolant could make it
difficult to see through the windshield. To reduce the risk of personal injury,
make sure the engine is cool before
unscrewing the coolant pressure
relief cap. The cooling system is under
pressure. Steam and hot liquid can come
out forcefully when you loosen the cap
slightly. Do not add coolant further than the
MAX mark.
When the engine is cold, check the
concentration and level of the coolant at
the intervals listed in the scheduled
maintenance information. See Scheduled
Maintenance
(page 306).
Note: Make sure that the coolant level is
between the
MIN and MAX marks on the
coolant reservoir.
Note: Coolant expands when it is hot. The
level may extend beyond the
MAX mark. Maintain coolant concentration within
48% to 50%, which equates to a freeze
point between
-29°F (-34°C) and -35°F
(-37°C). Coolant concentration should be
checked using a refractometer. We do not
recommend the use of hydrometers or
coolant test strips for measuring coolant
concentration.
Adding Coolant WARNINGS
Do not add engine coolant when the
engine is hot. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in personal
injury. Never remove the coolant reservoir
cap when the engine is running or
hot.
Note:
Automotive fluids are not
interchangeable. Take care not to put
engine coolant in the windshield washer
fluid reservoir or windshield washer fluid in
the engine coolant reservoir.
Note: Do not use stop leak pellets, cooling
system sealants, or non-specified additives
as they can cause damage to the engine
cooling or heating systems. Resulting
component damage may not be covered by
the vehicle Warranty.
It is very important to use prediluted
coolant approved to the correct
specification in order to avoid plugging the
small passageways in the engine cooling
system. See
Capacities and
Specifications (page 229). Do not mix
different colors or types of coolant in your
vehicle. Mixing of engine coolants or using
an incorrect coolant may harm the engine
or cooling system components and may
not be covered by the vehicle Warranty.
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