Note:If you attempt to leave your vehiclewhile it is in gear, the vehicle willautomatically shift into park (P). Safety beltand door monitors determine your intent andmake the shift for you. During this time, amessage will appear in the informationdisplay screen prompting you to make theshift. See Information Messages (page 117).
Note:To put your vehicle in gear with thedoor open, perform steps 1-4. See theAutomatic Return to Park section in thischapter for more information on this feature.
Park (P)
With the transmission in park (P), your vehiclelocks the transmission and prevents the frontwheels from turning. Always come to acomplete stop before putting your vehicleinto and out of park (P). An audible chimesounds once you select park (P).
When the ignition is turned off, the vehiclewill automatically shift into park (P). If theignition is turned off while the vehicle ismoving, it will first shift into neutral (N) untila slow enough speed is reached. The vehiclewill then shift into park (P) automatically.
Automatic Return to Park
Note:This feature will not operate when yourvehicle is in Stay in Neutral mode or neutraltow.
Your vehicle has a safety feature that willautomatically 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 yoursafety belt unlatched
•Your safety belt is unlatched while thedriver's door is open
If you turn the ignition off while your vehicleis moving, your vehicle will first shift intoneutral (N) until it slows down enough to shiftinto park (P) automatically.
Note:If you have waited an extended periodof time, (2-15 minutes) before starting yourvehicle, unlatching your safety belt will causethis feature to activate, even with the driver'sdoor closed.
Note:This feature may not work properly ifthe door ajar switch is malfunctioning. If yourdoor ajar indicator does not illuminate whenyou open the driver’s door or the indicatorilluminates with the driver’s door closed. Seeyour authorized dealer.
Reverse (R)
With the transmission in reverse (R), yourvehicle will move backward. Always cometo a complete stop before shifting into andout of reverse (R).
Neutral (N)
With the transmission in neutral (N), you canstart your vehicle and it is free to roll. Holdthe brake pedal down while in this position.
Stay in Neutral mode
Stay in Neutral mode allows your vehicle tostay in neutral (N) when you exit the vehicle.Your vehicle must be stationary to enter thismode.
To enter Stay in Neutral mode:
1. Press the neutral (N) button on yourshifter assembly.
181
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First Printing
Transmission
2. A message will appear in yourinformation display screen prompting youto press the neutral (N) button.
3. Press the neutral (N) button again toenter Stay in Neutral mode.
A message will appear in your informationdisplay screen when your vehicle hasentered Stay in Neutral mode.
Note:During this mode the neutral (N) buttonwill flash continuously and your instrumentcluster will display N as the selected gear.
Exiting Stay in Neutral mode
To disable Stay in Neutral mode selectanother gear. See the Putting the Vehiclein Gear for instructions on how to do this.
Entering a Carwash
Note:Always put your vehicle in Stay inNeutral mode when entering an automaticcar wash. Failure to do this could result invehicle damage not covered by warranty.
Drive (D)
The normal driving position for the best fueleconomy.
Sport (S)
Putting the vehicle in sport (S):
•Provides additional engine braking andextends lower gear operation to enhanceperformance for uphill climbs, hilly terrainor mountainous areas. This will increaseengine RPM during engine braking
•Provides additional lower gear operationthrough the automatic transmission shiftstrategy
•Provides gear selection more quickly andat higher engine speeds
SelectShift Automatic™ Transmission
Your SelectShift Automatic transmissiongives you the ability to change gearsmanually.
Paddle Shifters
With your vehicle in drive (D), the paddleshifters provide temporary manual control.They allow you the ability to shift gearsquickly, without taking your hands off thesteering wheel.
You can achieve extensive manual controlby pressing the sport (S) button.
•Pull the right paddle (+) to upshift.
•Pull the left paddle (–) to downshift.
Upshift to the recommended shift speedsaccording to the following chart:
182
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First Printing
TransmissionE144821
Upshifts when accelerating (recommended for best fuel economy)
mph (km/h)Gear Upshift
ToFrom
15 mph (24 km/h)21
25 mph (40 km/h)32
40 mph (64 km/h)43
45 mph (72 km/h)54
50 mph (80 km/h)65
The instrument cluster will display yourcurrently selected gear.
The transmission will automatically upshift ifyour engine speed is too high or downshiftif your engine speed is too low.
Note:The system will stay in manual controluntil you make another shift button selection.For example, drive (D).
Brake-Shift Interlock Override
WARNINGS
Do not drive your vehicle until youverify that the stoplamps are working.
When doing this procedure, you needto take the transmission out of park (P)which means your vehicle can roll freely. Toavoid unwanted vehicle movement, alwaysfully apply the parking brake prior to doingthis procedure. Use wheels chocks ifappropriate.
WARNINGS
If the parking brake is fully released,but the brake warning lamp remainsilluminated, the brakes may not be workingproperly. Have your vehicle checked as soonas possible.
Note:See your authorized dealer as soonas possible if this procedure is used.
Note:For some markets this feature isdisabled.
183
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First Printing
Transmission
USING ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (If Equipped)
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) uses all four wheelsto power the vehicle. This increases traction,enabling you to drive over terrain and roadconditions that a conventional two-wheeldrive vehicle cannot. The AWD system isactive all the time and requires no input fromthe operator.
Note:Your vehicle may be equipped withDynamic Torque Vectoring. This feature usesall four wheels to power the vehicle andindependently controls the torque to eachrear wheel. In addition, the system has theability to over speed the outside rear wheelin a turn. This increases traction andhandling performance, allowing the vehicleto travel through road conditions and havepath following capability superior toconventional two-wheel drive and AWDvehicles. The Dynamic Torque Vectoringsystem is active all the time and requires noinput from the operator.
Note:Your AWD vehicle is not intended foroff-road use. The AWD feature gives yourvehicle some limited off-road capabilities inwhich driving surfaces are relatively level,obstruction-free and otherwise similar tonormal on-road driving conditions. Operatingyour vehicle under other than thoseconditions could subject the vehicle toexcessive stress which might result indamage which is not covered under yourwarranty.
Note:When an AWD system fault is present,the warning AWD Malfunction ServiceRequired displays in the information display.The AWD system is not functioning correctlyand defaulted to front-wheel drive. Whenthis warning displays, have your vehicleserviced at an authorized dealer.
Note: The AWD OFF message may alsoappear in the information display if the AWDsystem overheats and defaults to front-wheeldrive. This may occur if the vehicle isoperated in extreme conditions withexcessive wheel slip, such as deep sand. To resume normal AWD function as soon aspossible, stop the vehicle in a safe locationand stop the engine for at least 10 minutes. After the engine has been restarted and theAWD system has adequately cooled, theAWD OFF message will turn off and normalAWD function returns. If the engine is notstopped, the AWD OFF message turns offwhen the system cools and normal AWDfunction returns.
186
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First Printing
All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
All-Wheel Drive Messages
Action / DescriptionAWD Messages
Displays when the system automatically disables to protect itself. Thismay be caused by operating the vehicle with the compact tire installed,if the system is overheating or if there is an issue with another vehiclesystem preventing AWD operation. The system resumes normaloperation and clears this message after cycling the ignition on andoff and driving a short distance with the road tire re-installed, afterthe system is allowed to cool or after the other vehicle system issuesare resolved.
AWD OFF
Displays in conjunction with the powertrain malfunction or reducedpower light when the system is not operating properly. If the messagestays on or continues to come on, contact your authorized dealer assoon as possible.
AWD Malfunction Service Required
187
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First Printing
All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
Operating AWD Vehicles With Spareor Mismatched Tires
WARNING
Only use replacement tires and wheelsthat are the same size, load index,speed rating and type (such as P-metricversus LT-metric or all-season versusall-terrain) as those originally provided byFord. The recommended tire and wheel sizemay be found on either the SafetyCompliance Certification Label (affixed toeither the door hinge pillar, door-latch post,or the door edge that meets the door-latchpost, next to the driver’s seating position), orthe Tire Label which is located on the B-Pillaror edge of the driver’s door. If thisinformation is not found on these labels, thenyou should contact your authorized dealeras soon as possible. Use of any tire or wheelnot recommended by Ford can affect thesafety and performance of your vehicle,which could result in an increased risk of lossof vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personalinjury and death.
A spare tire of a different size other than thetire provided should never be used. TheAWD system may disable automatically andenter front-wheel drive only mode to protectdriveline components if a non-full sized tireis installed. This condition may display anAWD OFF message in the informationdisplay. If there is an AWD OFF message inthe information display from using a non-fullsized spare tire, this indicator should turn offafter reinstalling the repaired or replacednormal road tire and cycling the ignition offand on. It is recommended to reinstall therepaired or replaced road tire as soon aspossible.
Major dissimilar tire sizes between the frontand rear axles (for example, 17 inch lowprofile tires on the front axle and 22 inch highprofile tires on the rear axle) could cause theAWD system to stop functioning and defaultto front-wheel drive or damage the AWDsystem. However, the AWD system iscapable of tolerating any combination of newand worn tires of the same original tire size.For example, using 3 worn tread tires and 1new tread tire all of the same original tiresize, can be tolerated by the AWD system.
Driving In Special Conditions With All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
AWD vehicles are equipped for driving onsand, snow, mud and rough roads and haveoperating characteristics that are somewhatdifferent from conventional vehicles, both onand off the highway.
When driving at slow speeds in deep sandunder high outside temperatures, use a lowgear when possible. Lower gear operationwill maximize the engine and transmissioncooling capability.
Under severe operating conditions, the A/Cmay cycle on and off to protect overheatingof the engine.
Basic operating principles in specialconditions
•Drive slower in strong crosswinds whichcan affect the normal steeringcharacteristics of your vehicle.
•Be extremely careful when driving onpavement made slippery by loose sand,water, gravel, snow or ice.
188
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First Printing
All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
acceleration or braking which could resultin an increased risk of loss of vehiclecontrol, vehicle rollover and/or personalinjury. Use all available road surface toreturn the vehicle to a safe direction oftravel.
•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 (that is, from concreteto gravel) there will be a change in theway the vehicle responds to a maneuver(steering, acceleration or braking). Again,avoid these abrupt inputs.
Sand
Most of the time traction control improvestire traction by managing wheel slip throughBrake, Engine, and AWD calibrations.However, during low speed driving, disablingtraction control in deep sand can help keepthe wheels moving to maintain vehiclemomentum.
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 vehicle in deep sand foran extended period of time. This could causethe AWD system to overheat and default tofront-wheel drive. If this occurs, an AWD OFFmessage displays in the information display.To resume normal AWD function as soon aspossible, stop the vehicle in a safe locationand stop the engine for at least 10 minutes.After the engine has been restarted and theAWD system has adequately cooled, theAWD OFF message turns off and normalAWD function returns. In the event theengine is not stopped, the AWD OFFmessage turns off when the system coolsand normal AWD function returns.
When driving at slow speeds in deep sandunder high outside temperatures, use L (Low)gear when possible. L (Low) gear operationwill maximize the engine and transmissioncooling capability.
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.
190
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First Printing
All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
The brake system warning lamp flashes forabout two seconds and then illuminates toconfirm that you have applied the electricparking brake. See Information Displays(page 111).
Applying the electric parking brake
when the vehicle is moving
WARNINGS
Applying the electric parking brakewhile moving will result in theengagement of the anti-lock braking system.Do not use the electric parking brake systemwhen the vehicle is moving unless the normalbrake system is unable to stop the vehicle.
With the exception of emergencyconditions (for example, the brakepedal is broken or is blocked), do not applythe electric parking brake while the vehicleis moving. On bends, or poor road surfacesor weather conditions, emergency brakingcan cause the vehicle to skid out of controlor off the road.
WARNINGS
The brake system warning lamp willflash when applying the electricparking brake. If the brake system warninglamp continues to flash there could be aproblem with your electric parking brake.Have your vehicle checked as soon aspossible.
If you apply the electric parking brake whenyour vehicle is moving, the brake systemwarning lamp illuminates and a warning tonesounds. See Information Displays (page111).
If your vehicle speed is above 4 mph(6 km/h), the braking force is applied as longas you apply the switch. Release or pressthe switch, or press the accelerator pedal tostop the braking force.
Releasing the electric parking brake
Release the electric parking brake eithermanually by pressing the bottom of theswitch or automatically.
Manual release
WARNING
The brake system warning lamp willflash when applying the electricparking brake. If the brake system warninglamp continues to flash there could be aproblem with your electric parking brake.Have your vehicle checked as soon aspossible.
197
MKZ (CC9) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First Printing
BrakesE228842