
steering, acceleration or braking whichcould result in an increased risk of lossof vehicle control, vehicle rollover and/orpersonal injury. Use all available roadsurface to return the vehicle to a safedirection of travel.
•In the event of an emergency stop, avoidskidding the tires and do not attempt anysharp steering wheel movements.
•If the vehicle goes from one type ofsurface to another (i.e., from concrete togravel) there will be a change in the waythe vehicle responds to a maneuver(steering, acceleration or braking). Again,avoid these abrupt inputs.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all fourwheels on the most solid area of the trail.Avoid reducing the tire pressures but shiftto a lower gear and drive steadily throughthe terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly andavoid spinning the wheels.
Do not drive your AWD vehicle in deep sand.This will cause the AWD system to overheat.After the system has cooled down, normalAWD function will return.
Under severe operating conditions, the A/Cmay cycle on and off to protect overheatingof the engine.
Avoid excessive speed because vehiclemomentum can work against you and causethe vehicle to become stuck to the point thatassistance may be required from anothervehicle. Remember, you may be able to backout the way you came if you proceed withcaution.
Mud and Water
If you must drive through high water, driveslowly. Traction or brake capability may belimited.
When driving through water, determine thedepth; avoid water higher than the bottomof the wheel rims (for cars) or the bottom ofthe hubs (for trucks) (if possible) and proceedslowly. If the ignition system gets wet, thevehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes.Wet brakes do not stop the vehicle aseffectively as dry brakes. Drying can beimproved by moving your vehicle slowlywhile applying light pressure on the brakepedal.
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehiclespeed or direction when you are driving inmud. Even AWD vehicles can lose tractionin slick mud. As when you are driving oversand, apply the accelerator slowly and avoidspinning your wheels. If the vehicle doesslide, steer in the direction of the slide untilyou regain control of the vehicle.
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After driving through mud, clean off residuestuck to rotating driveshafts and tires. Excessmud stuck on tires and rotating driveshaftscauses an imbalance that could damagedrive components.
Note:Driving through deep water maydamage the transmission.
If the front or rear axle is submerged in water,have the power transfer unit (PTU) or rearaxle serviced by an authorized dealer.
“Tread Lightly” is an educational programdesigned to increase public awareness ofland-use regulations and responsibilities inour nations wilderness areas. Ford MotorCompany joins the U.S. Forest Service andthe Bureau of Land Management inencouraging you to help preserve ournational forest and other public and privatelands by “treading lightly.”
Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Note:Avoid driving crosswise or turning onsteep slopes or hills. A danger lies in losingtraction, slipping sideways and possiblyrolling over. Whenever driving on a hill,determine beforehand the route you will use.Do not drive over the crest of a hill withoutseeing what conditions are on the other side.Do not drive in reverse over a hill withoutthe aid of an observer.
Although natural obstacles may make itnecessary to travel diagonally up or down ahill or steep incline, you should always try todrive straight up or straight down.
When climbing a steep slope or hill, start ina lower gear rather than downshifting to alower gear from a higher gear once theascent has started. This reduces strain onthe engine and the possibility of stalling.
If you do stall out, do not try to turnaroundbecause you might roll over. It is better toback down to a safe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels toclimb the hill. Too much power will cause thetires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting inloss of vehicle control.
Descend a hill in the same gear you woulduse to climb up the hill to avoid excessivebrake application and brake overheating. Donot descend in neutral; instead, disengageoverdrive or manually shift to a lower gear.When descending a steep hill, avoid suddenhard braking as you could lose control. Thefront wheels have to be turning in order tosteer the vehicle.
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PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
The traction control system helps avoid drivewheel spin and loss of traction.
If your vehicle begins to slide, the systemapplies the brakes to individual wheels and,when needed, reduces engine power at thesame time. If the wheels spin whenaccelerating on slippery or loose surfaces,the system reduces engine power in orderto increase traction.
USING TRACTION CONTROL
WARNING
The stability and traction control lightilluminates steadily if the systemdetects a failure. Make sure you did notmanually disable the traction control systemusing the information display controls or theswitch. If the stability control and tractioncontrol light is still illuminating steadily, havethe system serviced by an authorized dealerimmediately. Operating your vehicle with thetraction control disabled could lead to anincreased risk of loss of vehicle control,vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
The system automatically turns on each timeyou switch the ignition on.
If your vehicle is stuck in mud or snow,switching traction control off may bebeneficial 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, amessage appears in the information displayshowing system status.
You can switch the system off by either usingthe information display controls or the switch.
Using the Information Display Controls
You can switch this feature off or on in theinformation display. See General Information(page 118).
Using a Switch (If Equipped)
Use the traction control switch on theinstrument panel to switch the system off oron.
System Indicator Lights and Messages
The stability and traction controllight:
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•Temporarily illuminates on enginestart-up.
•Flashes when a driving conditionactivates either of the systems.
•Illuminates if a problem occurs in eitherof the systems.
The stability and traction controloff light temporarily illuminates onengine start-up and stays on whenyou switch the traction control system off.
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PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNINGS
Vehicle modifications involving brakingsystem, aftermarket roof racks,suspension, steering system, tireconstruction and wheel and tire size maychange the handling characteristics of yourvehicle and may adversely affect theperformance of the electronic stability controlsystem. In addition, installing any stereoloudspeakers may interfere with andadversely affect the electronic stabilitycontrol system. Install any aftermarket stereoloudspeaker as far as possible from the frontcenter console, the tunnel, and the frontseats in order to minimize the risk ofinterfering with the electronic stability controlsensors. Reducing the effectiveness of theelectronic stability control system could leadto an increased risk of loss of vehicle control,vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
WARNINGS
Remember that even advancedtechnology cannot defy the laws ofphysics. It’s always possible to lose controlof a vehicle due to inappropriate driver inputfor the conditions. Aggressive driving on anyroad condition can cause you to lose controlof your vehicle increasing the risk of personalinjury or property damage. Activation of theelectronic stability control system is anindication that at least some of the tires haveexceeded their ability to grip the road; thiscould reduce the operator’s ability to controlthe vehicle potentially resulting in a loss ofvehicle control, vehicle rollover, personalinjury and death. If your electronic stabilitycontrol system activates, SLOW DOWN.
The system automatically turns on each timeyou switch the ignition on.
If a fault occurs in either the stability controlor the traction control system, you mayexperience the following conditions:
•The stability and traction control lightilluminates steadily.
•The stability control and traction controlsystems do not enhance your vehicle'sability to maintain traction of the wheels.
If a driving condition activates either thestability control or the traction control systemyou may experience the following conditions:
•The stability and traction control lightflashes.
•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 yourfoot is not on the brake, the brake pedalmay move as the system applies higherbrake force.
The stability control system has severalfeatures built into it to help you maintaincontrol of your vehicle:
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Stability Control

Electronic Stability Control
The system enhances your vehicle’s abilityto prevent skids or lateral slides by applyingbrakes to one or more of the wheelsindividually and, if necessary, reducingengine power.
Roll Stability Control
The system enhances your vehicle’s abilityto prevent rollovers by detecting yourvehicle’s roll motion and the rate at which itchanges by applying the brakes to one ormore wheels individually.
Traction Control
The system enhances your vehicle’s abilityto maintain traction of the wheels bydetecting and controlling wheel spin. SeeUsing Traction Control (page 206).Vehicle without stability controlskidding off its intended route.A
Vehicle with stability controlmaintaining control on a slipperysurface.
B
USING STABILITY CONTROL
The system automatically turns on each timeyou switch the ignition on.
You cannot switch the stability control androll stability control systems off, but whenyou shift into reverse (R), the systemsdeactivate.
You can switch the traction control systemoff or on. See Using Traction Control (page206).
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AA
B
BB
B

If the transmission is in neutral (N), the sidesensing system provides visual distanceindication only when your vehicle is movingbelow a speed of 5 mph (8 km/h) and thereis a front or rear parking aid obstacledetected, and the side obstacle is within24 in (60 cm) from the side of your vehicle.When you stop your vehicle the visualdistance indication stops after four seconds.
If the side sensing system is not available,the side distance indicator blocks do notappear.
The side sensing system is not availableunder the following condition:
•If you switch the traction control systemoff.
The side sensing system may not beavailable until you have driven approximatelythe length of your vehicle in order for thesystem to reinitialize if:
•You switch the ignition on, off and backon.
•Your vehicle remains stationary for overtwo minutes.
•The anti-lock brake system is activated.
•The traction control system is activated.
•When the steering wheel angleinformation is not available, the sidesensing system is not available. Thevehicle must be driven at least 492 ft(150 m) above 19 mph (30 km/h) torecover the steering wheel angleinformation.
ACTIVE PARK ASSIST (If Equipped)
Parallel Parking, PerpendicularParking, Parallel Park Out Assist
WARNINGS
You must remain in your vehicle whenthe system turns on. At all times, youare responsible for controlling your vehicle,supervising the system and intervening, ifrequired. Failure to take care may result inthe loss of control of your vehicle, seriouspersonal injury or death.
The sensors may not detect objects inheavy rain or other conditions thatcause interference.
WARNINGS
Active park assist does not apply thebrakes under any circumstances.
The system is designed to aid thedriver. It is not intended to replace yourattention and judgment. You are stillresponsible to drive with due care andattention.
Note:The Blind Spot Information Systemdoes not detect traffic alongside or behindyour vehicle during an Active Park Assistmaneuver.
The system detects an available parallel orperpendicular parking space andautomatically steers your vehicle into thespace (hands-free) while you control theaccelerator, gearshift and brakes. The systemvisually and audibly guides you to park yourvehicle.
If you are uncomfortable with the proximityto any vehicle or object, you may choose tooverride the system by grabbing the steeringwheel or by pressing the button.
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Parking Aids

The system determines the clearance to thefront and rear of your vehicle andautomatically steers your vehicle out of aparallel parking space (hands-free) while youcontrol the accelerator, gearshift and brakes.The system visually and audibly guides youto enter traffic.
After the system directs your vehicle pastthe adjacent vehicle or object, it guides youto take control of the steering to completethe exit out of the parking space.
Note:If the clearance in front of your vehicleallows easy departure, the Parallel Park OutAssist feature may not be available.
Note:You are responsible for controllingyour vehicle and making sure the path isclear prior to pulling into traffic.
Note:Do not use this system to assist inexiting perpendicular parking spaces.Damages to your vehicle may occur.
Note:If your vehicle speed exceedsapproximately 3 mph (5 km/h) or youinterrupt the maneuver, the system switchesoff and you need to take full control of yourvehicle.
Deactivating the Active Park AssistFeature
You can manually deactivate the system by:
•Pressing the Active Park Assist buttonduring an active maneuver.
•Grabbing the steering wheel during anactive maneuver.
•Driving above approximately 22 mph(35 km/h) for 30 seconds while searchingfor a parking space.
•Driving above approximately 6 mph(10 km/h) during an active maneuver.
•Switching the traction control system off.
Certain vehicle conditions may alsodeactivate the system, for example:
•The traction control system activates.
•There is an anti-lock brake systemactivation or failure.
If a problem occurs with the system, awarning message displays accompanied bya tone. Occasional system messages mayoccur in normal operation. For recurring orfrequent system faults, contact an authorizeddealer.
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Parking Aids