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Driving in Special Conditions With All-
Wheel Drive (AWD)
Note:
Use of the AWD system in slippery,
deep snow and sand drive modes on dry
surfaces could produce some vibration and
driveline bind up and, or excessive tire wear,
as the intent of these drive modes are for
slippery and loose surfaces.
Note: You can use AWD vehicles 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.
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. If Your Vehicle Goes Off the Edge of the
Pavement
•
If your vehicle goes off the edge of the
pavement, slow down, but avoid severe
brake application, ease the vehicle back
onto the pavement only after reducing
your speed. Do not turn the steering
wheel too sharply while returning to the
road surface.
• It could be safer to stay on the apron or
shoulder of the road and slow down
gradually before returning to the
pavement. You could lose control if you
do not slow down or if you turn the
steering wheel too sharply or abruptly.
• It often could be less risky to strike small
objects, such as highway reflectors, with
minor damage to your vehicle rather than
attempt a sudden return to the pavement
which could cause the vehicle to slide
sideways out of control or rollover.
Remember, your safety and the safety of
others should be your primary concern. If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck WARNING: Apply the parking brake,
shift into park (P), switch the ignition off
and remove the key before you leave your
vehicle. Failure to follow this instruction
could result in personal injury or death. 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 spin the wheels
at over 34 mph (55 km/h). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow it
could 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.
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If your vehicle is equipped with
AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™, it
could be beneficial to disengage the
AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™
system while attempting to rock the vehicle.
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 few minutes or damage to the transmission
and tires could occur or the engine could
overheat.
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 less vehicle control, not
more. Additionally, smooth variations of
the accelerator and/or brake pedal
pressure should be utilized if changes in
vehicle speed are called for. Avoid abrupt steering, 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 (i.e., from concrete to
gravel) there is a change in the way the
vehicle responds to a maneuver
(steering, acceleration or braking). Again,
avoid these abrupt inputs.
Sand
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. Avoid excessive speed because vehicle
momentum can work against you and cause
the vehicle to become stuck to the point that
assistance could be required from another
vehicle. Remember, you could 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 could be
limited.
Note:
Driving through deep water could
damage your vehicle.
When driving through water, determine the
depth; avoid water higher than the bottom
of the hubs (if possible) and proceed slowly.
If the ignition system gets wet, the vehicle
could stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes.
Wet brakes do not stop the vehicle as
effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be
improved by moving your vehicle slowly
while applying light pressure on the brake
pedal.
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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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Descend a hill in the same gear you would
use to climb up the hill to avoid excessive
brake application and brake overheating. Do
not descend in neutral; instead, disengage
overdrive or manually shift to a lower gear.
When descending a steep hill, avoid sudden
hard braking as you could lose control. The
front wheels have to be turning in order to
steer the vehicle.
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, therefore
apply the brakes steadily. Do not “pump
” the
brakes.
Driving on Snow and Ice WARNING: If you are driving in
slippery conditions that require tire chains
or cables, then it is critical that you drive
cautiously. Keep speeds down, allow for
longer stopping distances and avoid
aggressive steering to reduce the chances
of a loss of vehicle control which can lead
to serious injury or death. If the rear end
of your vehicle slides while cornering, steer
in the direction of the slide until you regain
control of your vehicle. Note:
Excessive tire slippage can cause
driveline damage.
AWD vehicles have advantages over 2WD
vehicles in snow and ice but can skid like
any other vehicle.
Should you start to slide while driving on
snowy or icy roads, turn the steering wheel
in the direction of the slide until you regain
control.
Avoid sudden applications of power and
quick changes of direction on snow and ice.
Apply the accelerator slowly and steadily
when starting from a full stop.
Avoid sudden braking as well. Although an
AWD vehicle could accelerate better than a
two-wheel drive vehicle in snow and ice, it
will not stop any faster, because as in other
vehicles, braking occurs at all four wheels.
Do not become overconfident as to road
conditions. Make sure you allow sufficient distance
between you and other vehicles for stopping.
Drive slower than usual and consider using
one of the lower gears. In emergency
stopping situations, apply the brake steadily.
Since your vehicle is equipped with a four
wheel (ABS), do not “pump
” the brakes. See
Hints on Driving With Anti-Lock Brakes
(page
236).
Maintenance and Modifications
The suspension and steering systems on
your vehicle have been designed and tested
to provide predictable performance whether
loaded or empty and durable load carrying
capability. For this reason, we strongly
recommend that you do not make
modifications such as adding or removing
parts (such as lowering kits or stabilizer bars)
or by using replacement parts not equivalent
to the original factory equipment.
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Any modifications to a vehicle that raise the
center of gravity can make it more likely the
vehicle will rollover as a result of a loss of
control. We strongly recommend that caution
be used with any vehicle equipped with a
high load or device (such as ladder or
luggage racks).
Failure to maintain your vehicle properly
could void the warranty, increase your repair
cost, reduce vehicle performance and
operational capabilities and adversely affect
driver and passenger safety. Frequent
inspection of vehicle chassis components is
recommended if the vehicle is subjected to
off-highway usage.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Note:
Occasional brake noise is normal. If
a metal-to-metal, continuous grinding or
continuous squeal sound is present, the
brake linings may be worn-out and an
authorized dealer should check them. If the
vehicle has continuous vibration or shudder
in the steering wheel while braking, an
authorized dealer should check your vehicle.
Note: Brake dust may accumulate on the
wheels, even under normal driving
conditions. Some dust is inevitable as the
brakes wear and does not contribute to
brake noise. See Cleaning the Wheels
(page 384).
Wet brakes result in reduced braking
efficiency. Gently press the brake pedal a
few times when driving from a car wash or
standing water to dry the brakes. Brake Over Accelerator
In the event the accelerator pedal becomes
stuck or entrapped, apply steady and firm
pressure to the brake pedal to slow the
vehicle and reduce engine power. If you
experience this condition, apply the brakes
and bring your vehicle to a safe stop. Switch
the engine off, move the transmission to park
(P) and apply the parking brake. Inspect the
accelerator pedal and the area around it for
any items or debris that may be obstructing
its movement. If none are found and the
condition persists, have your vehicle towed
to the nearest authorized dealer.
Emergency Brake Assist
Emergency brake assist detects when you
brake heavily by measuring the rate at which
you press the brake pedal. It provides
maximum braking efficiency as long as you
press the pedal. Emergency brake assist
can reduce stopping distances in critical
situations.Note:
Depending on applicable laws and
regulations in the country for which your
vehicle was originally built, your brake lamps
could flash during heavy braking. Following
this, your hazard lights may also flash when
your vehicle comes to a stop.
Anti-lock Brake System
This system helps you maintain steering
control during emergency stops by keeping
the brakes from locking. This lamp momentarily illuminates
when you switch the ignition on.
If the light does not illuminate
during start up, remains on or flashes, the
anti-lock braking system may be disabled.
Have the system checked by an authorized
dealer. If the anti-lock brake system is
disabled, normal braking is still effective.
See
Warning Lamps and Indicators (page
125).
Note: Indicators vary depending on region.
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This lamp also illuminates
momentarily when you switch the
ignition on to confirm the lamp is
functional. If it does not illuminate
when you switch the ignition on,
or begins to flash at any time, have
the system checked by an authorized dealer.
If the brake warning lamp illuminates with
the parking brake released, have the system
checked immediately.
HINTS ON DRIVING WITH ANTI-
LOCK BRAKES
The anti-lock braking system does not
eliminate the risks when:
• You drive too closely to the vehicle in
front of you.
• Your vehicle is hydroplaning.
• You take corners too fast.
• The road surface is poor. Note:
If the system activates, the brake
pedal may pulse and may travel further.
Maintain pressure on the brake pedal. You
may also hear a noise from the system. This
is normal.
ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE 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. WARNING:
If you drive extended
distances with the parking brake applied,
you could cause damage to the brake
system. WARNING:
The electric parking
brake does not operate if the vehicle
battery is running out of charge. Your vehicle has an electric parking brake.
You operate it with a switch instead of a
lever. The switch is on the center console or
to the left-hand side of the steering wheel,
on the lower part of the instrument panel.
Note:
The electric parking brake makes
noises during operation. This is normal.
Applying the Electric Parking Brake Pull the switch upward.
The red warning lamp flashes
during operation and illuminates
when the parking brake is applied.
Note:
It remains illuminated for a short
period of time after you switch the ignition
off.
If it continues to flash or does not illuminate,
the system has malfunctioned. Have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible.
Note: You can apply the electric parking
brake when the ignition is off.
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Note:
The electric parking brake could
automatically apply when you shift into park
(P). See Transmission (page 223).
Applying the Electric Parking Brake in an
Emergency
Note: Do not apply the electric parking brake
when your vehicle is moving, except in an
emergency. If you repeatedly use the electric
parking brake to slow or stop your vehicle,
you could cause damage to the brake
system.
You can use the electric parking brake to
slow or stop your vehicle in an emergency. Pull the switch upward and hold it.
The red warning lamp illuminates,
a tone sounds and the stoplamps
turn on.
The electric parking brake continues to slow
your vehicle down unless you release the
switch. Manually Releasing the Electric Parking
Brake
Switch the ignition on.
Press and hold the brake pedal.
Push the switch downward.
The red warning lamp turns off.
If it remains illuminated or flashes, the system
has malfunctioned. Have your vehicle
checked as soon as possible.
Pulling Away on a Hill When Towing a
Trailer
Press and hold the brake pedal.
Pull the switch upward and hold it.
Shift into gear. Press the accelerator pedal until engine has
developed sufficient torque to prevent your
vehicle from rolling down the hill. Release the switch and pull away
in a normal manner.
Automatically Releasing the Electric
Parking Brake
Close the driver door.
Shift into gear.
Press the accelerator pedal and pull away in
a normal manner. The red warning lamp turns off.
If it remains illuminated or flashes, the electric
parking brake has not released. Manually
release the parking brake.
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