2020 FORD ESCAPE Owners Manual

Note:
If you have waited for more than two
minutes before switching the ignition on,
unfastening your seatbelt causes this
feature to activate, even with the driver door
closed.
Note: This feature may not work properly
if the door ajar switch is malfunctioning. If
your door ajar indicator does not illuminate
when you open the driver door or the
indicator illuminates with the driver door
closed, see your authorized dealer.
Stay in Neutral Mode
Note: Stay in neutral is a temporary vehicle
state with the ignition off. Once in this
mode, sufficient battery voltage must be
maintained or your vehicle will return to
park. Failure to follow this instruction could
result in vehicle damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Note: When entering an automatic car
wash, always shift to neutral (N). If you are
exiting the vehicle before the car wash, stay
in neutral mode is available.
Stay in neutral mode allows your vehicle
to stay in neutral when you exit your
vehicle. Your vehicle must be stationary to
enter this mode.
Note: Failure to follow this instruction could
result in vehicle damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Do not tow your vehicle in this mode.
To enter stay in neutral mode
1. Switch your vehicle on but do not start
the engine. See Keyless Starting
(page 167).
2. Place your foot on the brake pedal and
rotate the transmission selector to
neutral (N).
Note: When in neutral (N), a message
appears in the display screen informing you
how to access stay in neutral mode. 3. Press the manual (M) or Low (L)
button in the middle of the
transmission selector to enter stay in
neutral mode.
A message appears in the display screen
confirming your vehicle is in stay in neutral
mode. The neutral (N) indicator light on
the transmission selector also flashes.
To exit stay in neutral mode, place your
foot on the brake pedal and rotate the
transmission selector to park (P).
Manual Park Release WARNING:
When doing this
procedure, you need to take the
transmission out of park (P) which
means your vehicle can roll freely. To
avoid unwanted vehicle movement,
always fully apply the parking brake prior
to doing this procedure. Use wheels
chocks if appropriate. WARNING:
If the parking brake is
fully released, but the brake warning
lamp remains illuminated, the brakes
may not be working properly. Have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible. WARNING:
Do not drive your
vehicle until you verify that the
stoplamps are working.
Use the manual park release to move your
transmission from the park (P) position in
the event of an electrical malfunction or
emergency.
Activating the Manual Park Release
Cable
1. Apply the parking brake. See Electric
Parking Brake
(page 218).
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Note:
If vehicle battery is dead, for example,
no electrical power is available, you could
use an external power to apply the parking
brake. 2. Locate the manual park release cable
access cover on the lower instrument
panel dash to the bottom left hand
side of the steering column.
3. Using a tool or the key blade, carefully open the access cover.
Note: Do not pull the tether until you are in
the driver seat.
4. Switch the ignition on, but do not start
your vehicle.
5. Once in the driver seat, fully press the brake pedal and hold. Do not release.
Pull the orange tether towards the
driver seat until the tether gets locked
in the override position. Then leave the
tether.
6. If done correctly a message should display on the instrument cluster
screen. See information messages later
in this chapter.
Note: Your vehicle is now out of the park
(P) position and is free to roll.
7. With your foot still fully applied on the
brake pedal, disengage the parking
brake. See Electric Parking Brake
(page 218). 8. Your vehicle remains in neutral (N) for
emergency towing purposes.
9. Switch off the ignition.
10. Once safe to do so, and there is no risk that your vehicle will roll,
disconnect the negative (black)
battery cable from the battery.
Returning Your Vehicle to Normal
Mode
1. Once it is safe to do so, reconnect the negative (black) battery cable to the
battery.
2. Apply the parking brake. See Electric
Parking Brake
(page 218).
Note: If vehicle battery is dead, for example,
no electrical power is available, you could
use an external power to apply the parking
brake.
3. Fully apply the brake pedal and hold. Do not release. Pull the orange tether
outward towards the driver seat to
release it from the override position.
4. The cable will release and retract back
to its original rest position.
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5. Stow the manual park release cable
tether back inside the instrument panel
dash hole, install the access cover by
pressing it back in position.
6. With your foot fully applied on the brake pedal, start your vehicle. Confirm
that your vehicle is in the park (P)
position and that the instrument
cluster indicates park (P).
7. If the instrument cluster is not displaying the park (P) position or a
message displays on the instrument
cluster screen, make sure you apply the
parking brake before exiting your
vehicle. Contact an authorized dealer
for service.
Information Messages Description
Message
The electric parkingbrake is not fully applied.
Park Brake Not
Applied
A reminder to shiftinto park. In addi-
tion, this message is typically afterreconnecting or recharging the
battery until you
cycle the ignition to the on mode.
Transmission Not in
Park
Displays when
there is a system
fault and the park
brake needs to be depressed before
exiting the vehicle.
See your authorized dealer.
SHIFT SYS FAULT
Apply Park Brake
Before Exiting the Vehicle Description
Message
The system has
detected a fault that requires
service. Have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible.
Transmission
Malfunction Service Now
Displays when youshift into neutral (N).
Select M To
Confirm Stay In Neutral Mode
Displays to confirmthat your vehicle
has entered Stay in Neutral Mode.
Stay in Neutral
Mode Engaged
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck in Mud
or Snow
Note: Do not rock the vehicle if the engine
is not at normal operating temperature or
damage to the transmission could occur.
Note: Do not rock the vehicle for more than
a minute or damage to the transmission and
tires could occur, or the engine may
overheat.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow,
rock it out by shifting between forward and
reverse gears, stopping between shifts in
a steady pattern. Press lightly on the
accelerator in each gear.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
- HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE
(HEV)/PLUG-IN HYBRID
ELECTRIC VEHICLE (PHEV) WARNING: Always fully apply the
parking brake and make sure you shift
into park (P). Failure to follow this
instruction could result in personal injury
or death.
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WARNING: Do not apply the brake
pedal and accelerator pedal
simultaneously. Applying both pedals
simultaneously for more than a few
seconds will limit engine performance,
which may result in difficulty maintaining
speed in traffic and could lead to serious
injury. WARNING:
When your vehicle is
stationary, keep the brake pedal fully
pressed when shifting gears. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in
personal injury, death or property
damage.
Note: The ready to drive indicator may be
off and you may not be able to shift out of
park (P) unless the remote control is inside
your vehicle.
Understanding the Shift Positions
of Your Automatic Transmission Putting your vehicle in or out of gear:
Your vehicle has an electronic transmission
shifter. The transmission selector is on the
center console, below the climate control
system.
To place your vehicle in gear from park (P):
1. Fully press and hold the brake pedal
when shifting out of park (P). 2. Rotate the outer ring of the
transmission selector clockwise from
park (P), until the desired gear
illuminates on the transmission
selector.
3. Release the brake pedal and the transmission remains in the selected
gear.
The instrument cluster also displays the
current gear.
Park (P)
With the transmission selector in park (P),
your vehicle locks the transmission and
prevents the wheels from turning. Always
come to a complete stop before putting
your vehicle into and out of park (P). An
audible tone sounds once you select park
(P).
Reverse (R)
With the transmission selector in reverse
(R), your vehicle moves backward. Always
come to a complete stop before shifting
into and out of reverse (R).
Neutral (N)
With the transmission selector in neutral
(N), your vehicle can be started and is free
to roll. Hold the brake pedal down when in
this position.
Drive (D)
Drive (D) is the normal driving position for
the best fuel economy.
Low (L)
• Provides maximum engine braking.
• The transmission may be shifted into
low (L) at any vehicle speed.
• Is not intended for use under extended
or normal driving conditions and results
in lower fuel economy.
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Automatic Return to Park
Note:
This feature does not operate when
your vehicle is in stay in neutral mode.
Your vehicle has a feature that shifts your
vehicle into park (P) when any of the
following conditions occur:
• You turn the vehicle off.
• You open the driver door with your
seatbelt unlatched.
• You unlatch your seatbelt when the
driver door is open.
Note: This feature may not work properly
if the door ajar switch is malfunctioning. If
your door ajar indicator does not illuminate
when you open the driver door or the
indicator illuminates with the driver door
closed, see your authorized dealer.
Stay in Neutral Mode WARNING: When doing this
procedure, you need to take the
transmission out of park (P) which
means your vehicle can roll freely. To
avoid unwanted vehicle movement,
always fully apply the parking brake prior
to doing this procedure. Use wheels
chocks if appropriate.
Stay in neutral mode allows your vehicle
to stay in neutral when you exit your
vehicle. Your vehicle must be stationary to
enter this mode.
Do not tow your vehicle in this mode.
Note: Stay in neutral is a temporary vehicle
state with the ignition off. Once in this
mode, sufficient battery voltage must be
maintained or your vehicle will return to
park. Not maintaining sufficient voltage
could result in vehicle damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty. Note:
When entering an automatic car
wash, always shift to neutral (N). If you are
exiting the vehicle before the car wash, stay
in neutral mode is available.
To enter Stay in Neutral Mode
1. Switch on your vehicle. Make sure it is in ready to drive mode. See
Keyless
Starting (page 167).
2. Press and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shift into neutral (N).
Note: When in neutral (N), a message
appears in the display screen informing you
how to access stay in neutral mode.
4. Press the low (L) button in the middle of the transmission selector to enter
stay in neutral mode.
Note: A message appears in the display
screen confirming your vehicle is in stay in
neutral mode. The neutral (N) indicator light
on the transmission selector flashes slowly.
5. Release the brake pedal.
6. Switch the ignition off.
To exit stay in neutral mode, place your
foot on the brake pedal and rotate the
transmission selector to park (P), or start
the engine and shift into drive (D) or
reverse (R).
Grade Assist Press the grade assist button to
activate grade assist. The grade
assist lamp appears in the
instrument cluster. Press the button again
to switch it off.
• Provides additional grade braking with
a combination of engine motoring and
high-voltage battery charging to help
maintain vehicle speed when
descending a slope.
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•
As your vehicle determines the amount
of engine motoring and high-voltage
battery charging, you may notice the
engine speed increasing and
decreasing to help maintain your
vehicle speed when descending a
slope.
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck In Mud
or Snow
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow,
it may be rocked out by shifting between
forward and reverse gears, stopping
between shifts in a steady pattern. Press
lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Note: Do not rock the vehicle if the engine
is not at normal operating temperature or
damage to the transmission could occur.
Note: Do not rock the vehicle for more than
a minute or damage to the transmission and
tires could occur, or the engine could
overheat. Automatic Transmission
Information Messages Description
Message
The electric parkingbrake is not fully applied.
Park Brake Not
Applied
A reminder to shiftinto park. In addi-
tion, this message is typically afterreconnecting or recharging the
battery until you
cycle the ignition to the on mode.
Transmission Not in
Park
Displays when
there is a system
fault and the park
brake needs to be depressed before
exiting the vehicle.
See your authorized dealer.
SHIFT SYS FAULT
Apply Park Brake
Before Exiting the Vehicle
The system has
detected a fault that requires
service. Have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible.
Transmission
Malfunction Service Now
Displays when youshift into neutral (N).
Select L To Confirm
Stay In Neutral Mode
Displays to confirmthat your vehicle
has entered stay in neutral mode.
Stay in Neutral
Mode Engaged
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USING ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
Note:
When a system malfunction is
present, a warning message will be
displayed in the information display. See
Information Messages (page 117). This
means the system is not functioning
correctly and has defaulted to front-wheel
drive only. Have your vehicle checked by an
authorized dealer.
Note: A message will be displayed in the
information display when the system
overheats and switches to front-wheel drive.
This condition may occur if you operate your
vehicle in extreme high-load conditions or
with excessive wheel slip, (i.e. deep sand).
To resume all-wheel drive function as soon
as possible, stop your vehicle in a safe
location and switch the ignition off. After
the system cools and normal all-wheel drive
functionality resumes, a message displays
for approximately five seconds.
Note: If a warning message appears in the
information display when using the spare
tire, it should turn off after reinstalling the
repaired or replaced road tire and you switch
the ignition on.
Note: It is recommended that you reinstall
the repaired tire or replace the tire as soon
as possible. Major dissimilar tire sizes
between the front and rear axles could
cause system damage or default the system
to front-wheel drive.
Your all-wheel drive vehicle is not intended
for off-road use. The all-wheel drive
feature gives your vehicle some limited
off-road capabilities in which driving
surfaces are relatively level,
obstruction-free and otherwise similar to
normal on-road driving conditions.
Operating your vehicle in other than those
conditions could subject the vehicle to
excessive stress which might result in
damage which is not covered by your
warranty. A graphic will be displayed in the
information display to advise you of the
power distribution between the front and
rear wheels. The more the area is filled the
more power is being distributed to that
wheel.
Driving in Special Conditions With
All-Wheel Drive
All-wheel drive has operating
characteristics that are somewhat
different from two-wheel drive, both on
and off the freeway.
Note:
It may be useful to switch traction
control off. This allows for more wheel spin
and engine torque in certain conditions or if
your vehicle becomes stuck.
When driving at slow speeds under
high-load conditions, use a low gear when
possible. Low gear operation will maximize
the engine and transmission cooling
capability.
Under severe operating conditions, the air
conditioning may cycle on and off to
prevent the engine from overheating.
Basic Operating Principles
• Drive slower in strong crosswinds which
can affect the normal steering
characteristics of your vehicle.
• When driving your vehicle on surfaces
made slippery by loose sand, water,
gravel, snow or ice, proceed with care.
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If Your Vehicle leaves the Road
If your vehicle leaves the road, reduce your
vehicle speed and avoid severe braking.
When your vehicle speed has been
reduced, ease your vehicle back onto the
road. Do not turn the steering wheel
sharply while returning your vehicle to the
road.
It may be safer to stay on the shoulder of
the road and slow down gradually before
returning to the road. You may lose control
if you do not slow down or if you turn the
steering wheel too sharply or abruptly.
It may be less risky to strike small objects,
such as freeway reflectors, with minor
damage to your vehicle rather than
attempt a sudden return to the road which
could cause your vehicle to slide sideways
out of control or roll over. Remember, your
safety and the safety of others should be
your primary concern.
Emergency Maneuvers
In an unavoidable emergency situation
where a sudden sharp turn must be made,
remember to avoid over-driving your
vehicle (i.e. turn the steering wheel only as
rapidly and as far as required to avoid the
emergency). Excessive steering can result
in loss of vehicle control. Apply smooth
pressure to the accelerator pedal or brake
pedal when changes in vehicle speed are
required. Avoid abrupt steering,
acceleration and braking. This could result
in an increased risk of vehicle roll over, loss
of vehicle control and personal injury. Use
all available road surface to bring your
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 your vehicle goes from one type of
surface to another (i.e. from concrete to
gravel) there will be a change in the way
your vehicle responds to a maneuver (i.e.
steering, acceleration or braking).
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all four
wheels on the most solid area of the trail.
Avoid reducing the tire pressure. Shift to a
lower gear and drive steadily through the
terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly and
avoid excessive wheel slip.
Do not drive your vehicle in deep sand for
an extended period of time. This will cause
the system to overheat. A message
appears in the information display. See
Information Messages (page 117).
To resume operation, switch the ignition
off and allow the system to cool down for
a minimum of 15 minutes. After the system
has cooled down, a message appears
briefly in the information display. See
Information Messages
(page 117).
When driving at slow speeds in deep sand
under high outside temperatures, use a low
gear when possible. Low gear operation
will maximize the engine and transmission
cooling capability.
Avoid driving at excessive speeds, this
causes vehicle momentum to work against
you and your vehicle could 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.
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