
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. “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
Although natural obstacles could 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.
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. 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 turn around
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 can cause
the tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting
in loss of vehicle control.
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Reverse Braking Assist – Frequently
Asked Questions
Note:
If the frequently asked questions and
answers that are shown in the following
chart do not assist you in returning the
system to available, contact an authorized
dealer to have the system checked for
proper operation.
Why is the system off ?
Make sure you switch the system on.
See Switching Reverse Braking Assist
On and Off (page 242).
Why is the system unavailable? Make sure that the liftgate and all doors
are closed.
Why is the system unavailable? Make sure the cross traffic alert system
is on. See Cross Traffic Alert (page 293).
Why is the system unavailable? Make sure the rear parking aid system
is on. See Rear Parking Aid (page 250). Why is the system unavailable?
Make sure traction control is on.
See
Using Traction Control (page 245).
Why is the system unavailable? The vehicle has sustained a rear end
impact. Contact an authorized dealer to
have the sensors checked for proper
coverage and operation.
Why is the system unavailable? An ABS, traction control or stability
control event may have occurred. The
system resumes operation when the
event is complete.
Why is the system unavailable? Make sure the rear view camera and
360 degree camera are not dirty or
obstructed. If it is dirty, clean the
camera.
See Rear View Camera (page
261). See 360 Degree Camera (page
264). If the message still appears after
cleaning the camera, wait a short time
and the message should clear. If the
message does not clear, contact an
authorized dealer. Why is the system unavailable?
Make sure the sensors are not blocked
or faulted. See Cross Traffic Alert (page
293). See Rear Parking Aid (page 250).
Why is the system unavailable? You recently had your vehicle serviced,
or the battery disconnected. Drive your
vehicle a short distance to resume
system operation.
Why does the system turn off when I
connect a trailer? The system does not function when you
connect a trailer. Operation resumes
when you disconnect the trailer.
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(If Equipped)

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 turns on each time you switch
on the ignition.
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 accessing
the traction control settings through the
touchscreen.
See Settings (page 498). Note:
If your vehicle detects a loss of traction
due to excessive wheel spin or deceleration,
a display message appears on the
touchscreen prompting you to disable
traction control if needed.
Using the Information Display Controls
You can switch this feature off or on in the
information display.
See General
Information (page 130).
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: Vehicle modifications
involving braking system, aftermarket roof
racks, suspension, steering system, tire
construction and wheel and tire size may
change the handling characteristics of your
vehicle and may adversely affect the
performance of the electronic stability
control system. In addition, installing any
stereo loudspeakers may interfere with
and adversely affect the electronic stability
control system. Install any aftermarket
stereo loudspeaker as far as possible from
the front center console, the tunnel, and
the front seats in order to minimize the risk
of interfering with the electronic stability
control sensors. Reducing the
effectiveness of the electronic stability
control system could lead to an increased
risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle
rollover, personal injury and death. WARNING:
Remember that even
advanced technology cannot defy the laws
of physics. It’ s always possible to lose
control of a vehicle due to inappropriate
driver input for the conditions. Aggressive
driving on any road condition can cause
you to lose control of your vehicle
increasing the risk of personal injury or
property damage. Activation of the
electronic stability control system is an
indication that at least some of the tires
have exceeded their ability to grip the
road; this could reduce the operator’ s
ability to control the vehicle potentially
resulting in a loss of vehicle control, vehicle
rollover, personal injury and death. If your
electronic stability control system activates,
SLOW DOWN.
The system automatically turns on each time
you switch the ignition on.
If a driving condition activates either the
stability control or the traction control system
you may experience the following conditions: •
The stability and traction control light
flashes.
• 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 your
foot is not on the brake, the brake pedal
may move as the systems applies higher
brake forces.
The stability control system has several
features built into it to help you maintain
control of your vehicle:
Electronic Stability Control
The system enhances your vehicle ’s ability
to prevent skids or lateral slides by applying
brakes to one or more of the wheels
individually and, if necessary, reducing
engine power.
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Roll Stability Control
The system enhances your vehicle
’s ability
to prevent rollovers by detecting your
vehicle ’s roll motion and the rate at which it
changes by applying the brakes to one or
more wheels individually.
Curve Control
The system enhances your vehicle ’s ability
to follow the road when cornering severely
or avoiding objects in the roadway. Curve
Control operates by reducing engine power
and, if necessary, applying brakes to one or
more of the wheels individually.
Traction Control
The system enhances your vehicle ’s ability
to maintain traction of the wheels by
detecting and controlling wheel spin. See
Using Traction Control (page 245). Vehicle without stability control
skidding off its intended route.
A
Vehicle with stability control
maintaining control on a slippery
surface.
B USING STABILITY CONTROL
The system automatically turns on each time
you switch the ignition on.
You cannot switch the stability control and
roll stability control systems off, but when
you shift into reverse (R), the systems
deactivate.
You can switch the traction control system
off or on.
See Using Traction Control (page
245).
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AA
B
BB
B

WHAT IS HILL DESCENT CONTROL
WARNING: Hill descent control
cannot control descent in all surface
conditions and circumstances, such as ice
or extremely steep grades. Hill descent
control is a driver assist system and cannot
substitute for good judgment by the driver.
Failure to do so may result in loss of
vehicle control, crash or serious injury. 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.
Note: The system does not function below
3 mph (5 km/h)
.
Hill descent control allows the driver to set
and maintain vehicle speed while
descending steep slopes in various surface
conditions. The system can maintain vehicle speeds on
downhill slopes between
3–20 mph
(5–32 km/h). Above 20 mph (32 km/h), the
system remains on but the descent speed
cannot be set or maintained.
The system requires a cool down interval
after a period of sustained use. The amount
of time that the system can remain active
before cooling varies with conditions. The
system provides a warning in the message
center and a tone sounds when the system
is about to disengage for cooling. At this
time, manually apply the brakes as needed
to maintain descent speed.
SWITCHING HILL DESCENT
CONTROL ON AND OFF
You can switch the hill descent control on
and off through the touchscreen. SETTING THE HILL DESCENT
SPEED 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:
The system does not
control speed in low traction conditions or
extremely steep slopes. The system is
designed to be an aid and does not relieve
you of your responsibility to drive with due
care and attention. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in personal injury.
To increase the descent speed, press the
accelerator pedal until you reach the speed
you prefer.
To decrease the descent speed, press the
brake pedal until you reach the speed you
prefer.
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(If Equipped)

Note:
Do not clean the sensors with sharp
objects.
Note: If your vehicle sustains damage
leaving the sensors misaligned, this may
cause inaccurate measurements or false
alerts.
Note: If you switch traction control off, the
side sensing system also turns off.
Note: Some accessories, for example large
trailer hitches or bike or surfboard racks can
cause reduced performance or false alerts.
Note: The system does not detect an object
that is moving toward the side of your
vehicle, for example another vehicle moving
at low speed, if it does not pass a front or
rear sensor.
The system uses the front and rear
outermost parking aid sensors to detect
objects that are near to the sides of your
vehicle. The system displays them on a
virtual map in the information display as your
vehicle moves past them.
The sensors are on the front and rear
bumpers. The system may not function if:
•
You switch the ignition on, off and back
on within a few seconds.
• Your vehicle remains stationary for over
two minutes.
• The anti-lock brake system activates.
• The traction control system activates.
To reinitialize the system, you may have to
drive your vehicle approximately 10 ft (3 m). The sensor coverage area is up to
24 in
(60 cm) from the side of your vehicle. When the system detects an object within
the coverage area and the driving path of
your vehicle, an audible warning sounds. As
the object moves closer to your vehicle, the
rate of the tone increases.
Object Distance Indicator
(If Equipped)
The system provides object distance
indication through the information display.
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Active Park Assist Troubleshooting
Possible Cause
Symptom
The system is unable to detect a vehicle, curb or object to park next to or in-between.
The system does not correctly operate.
You may have switched traction control off.
The system does not search for a parking space.
The transmission is in reverse (R). Your vehicle must be moving forward to be able to
detect a parking space.
The sensors may be blocked. For example, snow, ice or large accumulations of dirt.
Blocked sensors can affect how the system functions.
The system does not offer a parking space.
The sensors in the front or rear bumper could be damaged.
There is not enough room in the parking space for your vehicle to safely\
park.
There is not enough space for the parking maneuver on the opposite side \
of the parking
space.
The parking space is more than 5 ft (1.5 m) or less than 2 ft (0.5 m) away.
The vehicle speed is greater than 22 mph (35 km/h) for parallel parkin\
g or greater than
19 mph (30 km/h)
for perpendicular parking.
You recently disconnected or replaced the battery. After you reconnect the battery you
must drive your vehicle on a straight road for a short period of time.
An irregular curb along the parking space prevents the system from corre\
ctly aligning
your vehicle.
The system does not correctly position your vehicle
in a parking space.
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