
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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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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HILL START ASSIST
WARNING: The system does not
replace the parking brake. When you leave
your vehicle, always apply the parking
brake and shift the transmission into park
(P) for automatic transmission or first gear
for manual transmission. WARNING: You must remain in your
vehicle when the system turns on. At all
times, you are responsible for controlling
your vehicle, supervising the system and
intervening, if required. Failure to take care
may result in the loss of control of your
vehicle, serious personal injury or death. WARNING:
The system turns off if
there is a malfunction or if you excessively
rev the engine.
The system makes it easier to pull away
when your vehicle is on a slope without the
need to use the parking brake. When the system activates, your vehicle
remains stationary on a slope for a few
seconds after you release the brake pedal.
This allows you time to move your foot from
the brake to the accelerator pedal. The
brakes release when the engine has
developed sufficient torque to prevent your
vehicle from rolling down the slope. This is
an advantage when pulling away on a slope,
for example from a car park ramp, traffic
lights or when reversing uphill into a parking
space.
The system activates on any slope that
causes your vehicle to roll.
Note:
There is no warning lamp to indicate
the system is either on or off.
Using Hill Start Assist
1. Press the brake pedal to bring your vehicle to a complete standstill. Keep the
brake pedal pressed and shift into first
gear when facing uphill or reverse (R)
when facing downhill.
2. The system activates if the sensors detect that your vehicle is on a slope. 3. When you remove your foot from the
brake pedal, your vehicle remains on the
slope without rolling away for a few
seconds. This hold time increases if you
are in the process of driving off.
4. Pull away in the normal manner.
Switching the System On and Off
Vehicles with Manual Transmission
You can switch this feature on or off in the
information display. The system remembers
the last setting when you start your vehicle.
Vehicles with Automatic Transmission
The system turns on when you switch the
ignition on and you cannot switch the system
off.
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AUTO HOLD
WARNING: The system does not
replace the parking brake. When you leave
your vehicle, always apply the parking
brake. WARNING: You must remain in your
vehicle when the system turns on. At all
times, you are responsible for controlling
your vehicle, supervising the system and
intervening, if required. Failure to take care
may result in the loss of control of your
vehicle, serious personal injury or death. WARNING:
The system will turn off
if a malfunction is apparent or if you rev
the engine excessively. Failure to take care
may result in the loss of control of your
vehicle, serious personal injury or death. Auto Hold uses your vehicle's brake to hold
your vehicle at a stop once your vehicle has
reached a standstill condition. For example,
Auto Hold can assist you while stopping at
traffic lights or while in traffic jams by holding
the brake pressure for you once you bring
your vehicle to a stop.
Switch Auto Hold off during vehicle or trailer
towing.
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 asking
you to press the brake pedal. 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 slope, make sure
you press the brake pedal sufficiently to
activate the Auto Hold system. Note:
In some cases, Auto Hold might hand
over to the parking brake. When the parking
brake applies, the red brake lamp appears.
This is normal. When you press the
accelerator pedal, the drive away release
feature releases the parking brake.
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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 seatbelt.
Note: The system remembers the last setting
when you start your vehicle.
Note: When in reverse (R), Auto Hold does
not function.
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, Stay in Neutral Mode, or when you
do not fasten your seatbelt or close the
door).
Note: Make sure you switch off Auto Hold
or use the Stay in Neutral mode before you
enter a car wash. See Automatic
Transmission (page 191).
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 releases the brakes and allows
you to drive off. Once you drive off, the
green Auto Hold (ACTIVE) indicator no
longer illuminates in the information
display.
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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
112).
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:
• Temporarily illuminates on engine
start-up.
• Flashes when a driving condition
activates either of the systems.
• Illuminates if a problem occurs in either
of the systems. The stability and traction control
off light temporarily illuminates on
engine start-up and stays on when
you switch the traction control system off.
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PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNING: To help avoid personal
injury, always use caution when in reverse
(R) and when using the sensing system. WARNING:
The system may not
detect objects with surfaces that absorb
reflection. Always drive with due care and
attention. Failure to take care may result
in a crash. WARNING:
Traffic control systems,
inclement weather, air brakes, external
motors and fans may affect the correct
operation of the sensing system.This may
cause reduced performance or false alerts. WARNING:
The system may not
detect small or moving objects, particularly
those close to the ground.
Note: If your vehicle has MyKey™, the sensing
system cannot be switched off when a
MyKey™ is present.
See Principle of
Operation (page 58). Note:
Keep the sensors on the bumper or
fascia free from snow, ice and large
accumulations of dirt. If the sensors are
covered, the system’ s accuracy can be
affected. Do not clean the sensors with sharp
objects.
Note: If your vehicle sustains damage to the
bumper or fascia, leaving it misaligned or
bent, the sensing zone may be altered
causing inaccurate measurement of
obstacles or false alerts.
Note: Certain add-on devices installed
around the bumper or fascia may create
false alerts. For example, large trailer
hitches, bike or surfboard racks, license plate
brackets, bumper covers or any other device
that may block the normal detection zone
of the system. Remove the add-on device to
prevent false alerts.
Note: When you connect a trailer to your
vehicle, the rear parking aid may detect the
trailer and therefore provide an alert. Disable
the rear parking aid when you connect a
trailer to prevent the alert. The sensing system warns the driver of
obstacles within a certain range of your
vehicle. The system turns on automatically
whenever you switch the ignition on.
You can switch the system off through the
information display menu or from the pop-up
message that appears once you shift the
transmission into reverse (R).
See General
Information (page 112). If your vehicle has a
parking aid button, you can switch the
system off by pressing the button.
If a fault is present in the system, a warning
message appears in the information display.
See
Information Messages (page 120).
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REAR PARKING AID
The rear sensors are only active when the
transmission is in reverse (R). As your vehicle
moves closer to the obstacle, the rate of the
audible warning increases. When the
obstacle is less than 12 in (30 cm) away, the
warning sounds continuously. If the system
detects a stationary or receding object
farther than
12 in (30 cm) from the corners of
the bumper, the tone sounds for only three
seconds. Once the system detects an object
approaching, the warning sounds again. Coverage area of up to
6 ft (1.8 m) from the
rear bumper. There may be decreased
coverage area at the outer corners of the
bumper.
The system detects certain objects while the
transmission is in reverse (R):
• Your vehicle is moving toward a
stationary object at a speed of
3 mph
(5 km/h) or less.
• Your vehicle is not moving, but a moving
object is approaching the rear of your
vehicle at a speed of
3 mph (5 km/h) or
less.
• Your vehicle is moving at a speed of less
than 3 mph (5 km/h) and a moving object
is approaching the rear of your vehicle
at a speed of less than
3 mph (5 km/h).
The system provides audio warnings only
when your vehicle is moving or when your
vehicle is stationary and the detected
obstacle is less than 12 in (30 cm) away from
the bumper. Obstacle Distance Indicator
(If Equipped)
The system provides obstacle distance
indication through the information display.
The distance indicator displays when the
transmission is in reverse (R).
The indicator displays:
• As the distance to the obstacle
decreases the indicator blocks illuminate
and move towards the vehicle icon.
• If there is no obstacle detected, the
distance indicator blocks are greyed out.
FRONT PARKING AID
The front sensors are active when the
transmission is in any position other than
park (P) and your vehicle is traveling at low
speed.
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