
HYBRID VEHICLE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Answer
Question
The high voltage battery is electrically isol-ated from the rest of the vehicle when the
key is off. When you switch the key on, high voltage contactors inside the battery are
closed to make the electricity available to the motor and generator and enable the
vehicle to drive. The clicks are the sound of these contactors as they close and open during start up and shut down.
What are the series of clicks from the cargo
area when I first turn the key in the ignition?
The vehicle's computer determines if an
engine start is required at key-on. Silent key starts the engine if it is necessary for cabin
heating, windshield defrost, or if the outside temperature is low.
Why does the engine sometimes start at
key-on?
There are several reasons the engine stayson for an extended amount of time when
you first start it. One common reason is to
make sure that the emissions components are warm enough to minimize tailpipe
emissions. As the climate gets cooler, this engine-on time is extended.
Why does it take a long time before the
engine shuts down?
In order to make sure that the climate
control system can begin heating the cabin
or defrosting the windshield as soon as you request it, the engine coolant temperature
has to be kept sufficiently hot. Keeping the
engine on is required to maintain the correct coolant temperature.
Why does my engine stay on when it is
extremely cold outside?
Your hybrid vehicle can use E15 fuel (15%ethanol, 85% gasoline), but you couldnotice slightly reduced fuel economy
because ethanol contains less energy per
gallon than gasoline. Your hybrid vehicle is not designed to use E85 (85% ethanol).
Can I put E15 or E85 in my vehicle, and how
will it affect my fuel economy?
The high voltage battery system is designedto last the life of the vehicle and requires no maintenance.
How long will my high voltage battery last?
Does it need maintenance?
184
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Unique Driving Characteristics

Protected Component
Fuse Rating
Fuse or Relay
Number
Windshield and rear window washer pump
relay power.
15A
16
Charge status indicator (hybrid electric
vehicle).
5A
17
Starter motor.
30A
18
Headlamp leveling motors.
10A
21
Adaptive headlamps.
Electric power assisted steering module.
10A
22
Anti-lock brake system module with
integrated park brake.
10A
23
Powertrain control module.
10A
24
Hybrid powertrain control module.
Air quality sensor.
10A
25
360 camera with park aid.
Rear view camera.
Blind spot information system.
Adaptive cruise control module.
Transmission control module.
15A
26
Anti-lock brake system valves with integ-
rated park brake.
40A
28
Anti-lock brake system pump with integ-
rated park brake.
60A
29
Driver seat module.
30A
30
Passenger seat motor.
30A
31
Front media bin power point.
20A
32
Rear cargo area power point.
20A
33
Console end cap power point.
20A
34
Power point 4.
20A
35
Power inverter.
40A
36
Climate controlled seat module.
30A
38
Power liftgate module.
30A
41
314
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Fuses

Protected Component
Fuse Rating
Fuse or Relay
Number
Rear climate control.
Not used.
—
10
Not used.
—
11
Climate control head.
7.5A
12
Gear shift module.
Steering column control module.
7.5A
13
Smart datalink connector.
Instrument cluster.
Not used (spare).
15A
14
SYNC.
15A
15
Integrated control panel.
Not used.
—
16
Headlamp control module.
7.5A
17
Not used (spare).
7.5A
18
Headlamp switch.
5A
19
Push button ignition switch.
Ignition switch.
5A
20
Telematics control unit module.
Key inhibit solenoid lock.
Not used.
5A
21
Not used (spare).
5A
22
Not used (spare).
30A
23
Moonroof.
30A
24
Not used (spare).
20A
25
Not used (spare).
30A
26
Not used (spare).
30A
27
Not used (spare).
30A
28
Not used (spare).
15A
29
Trailer brake connector.
5A
30
319
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Fuses

WARNING: Battery posts,
terminals and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and
reproductive harm. Wash your hands
after handling
. WARNING:
This vehicle may have
more than one battery. Removing the
battery cables from only one battery
does not disconnect your vehicle
electrical system. Make sure you
disconnect the battery cables from all
batteries when disconnecting power.
Failure to do so may cause serious
personal injury or property damage. WARNING:
For vehicles with
Auto-Start-Stop the battery requirement
is different. You must replace the battery
with one of exactly the same
specification.
The battery is in the engine compartment.
See
Under Hood Overview (page 323).
Your vehicle has a maintenance-free
battery. It does not require additional
water during service.
If the vehicle battery has a cover and vent
hose, make sure you correctly install it after
cleaning or replacing the battery.
For longer, trouble-free operation, keep the
top of the battery clean and dry and the
battery cables tightly fastened to the
battery terminals. If any corrosion is
present on the battery or terminals, remove
the cables from the terminals and clean
with a wire brush. You can neutralize the
acid with a solution of baking soda and
water.
We recommend that you disconnect the
negative battery cable terminal from the
battery if you plan to store your vehicle for
an extended period. Note:
If you only disconnect the negative
battery cable terminal, make sure it is
isolated or placed away from the battery
terminal to avoid unintended connection or
arcing.
If you replace the battery make sure it
matches the electrical requirements of
your vehicle.
If you disconnect or replace the battery
and your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, it must relearn its adaptive
strategy. Because of this, the transmission
may shift firmly when first driven. This is
normal operation while the transmission
fully updates its operation to optimum
shift feel.
Battery Management System
(If
Equipped)
The battery management system monitors
battery conditions and takes actions to
extend battery life. If excessive battery
drain is detected, the system temporarily
disables some electrical systems to
protect the battery.
Systems included are:
• Heated rear window.
• Heated seats.
• Climate control.
• Heated steering wheel.
• Audio unit.
• Navigation system.
A message may appear in the information
displays to alert you that battery
protection actions are active. These
messages are only for notification that an
action is taking place, and not intended to
indicate an electrical problem or that the
battery requires replacement.
337
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Maintenance

Body
•
Wash your vehicle thoroughly to
remove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from
exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housing
and the underside of front fenders.
• Periodically wash your vehicle if it is
stored in exposed locations.
• Touch-up exposed or primed metal to
prevent rust.
• Cover chrome and stainless steel parts
with a thick coat of auto wax to prevent
discoloration. Re-wax as necessary
when you wash your vehicle.
• Lubricate all hood, door and luggage
compartment hinges and latches with
a light grade oil.
• Cover interior trim to prevent fading.
• Keep all rubber parts free from oil and
solvents.
Engine
• Change the engine oil and filter prior to
storage because used engine oil
contains contaminates which may
cause engine damage.
• Start the engine every 15 days for a
minimum of 15 minutes. Run at fast
idle with the climate controls set to
defrost until the engine reaches normal
operating temperature.
• With your foot on the brake, shift
through all the gears while the engine
is running.
• We recommend that you change the
engine oil before you use your vehicle
again.
Fuel system
• Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel
until the first automatic shutoff of the
fuel pump nozzle. Cooling system
•
Protect against freezing temperatures.
• When removing your vehicle from
storage, check coolant fluid level.
Confirm that there are no cooling
system leaks and that fluid is at the
recommended level.
Disconnecting Your 12 Volt Battery
• Check and recharge as necessary. Keep
connections clean.
• If storing your vehicle for more than 30
days without recharging the battery,
we recommend that you disconnect
the battery cables to maintain battery
charge for quick starting.
Note: It is necessary to reset memory
features if you disconnect the battery
cables.
Plugging in Your HYBRID
We recommend the following options for
your plug-in vehicle (PHEV) :
• Leave your vehicle plugged in. The 12
volt battery maintains power if left
plugged in. However, this periodically
uses electricity from the household
outlet.
• Connect a battery charger to your 12
volt battery and leave it on a
continuous, slow charge.
• Disconnect the 12 volt battery. If your
12 volt battery is located in the luggage
compartment, do not fully shut the
luggage compartment after
disconnecting the 12 volt battery. Only
leave the luggage compartment open
if your vehicle is stored in a locked
location.
Brakes
• Make sure the brakes and parking brake
release fully.
349
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Vehicle Care

TIRE CARE
Information About Uniform
Tire Quality Grading
Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires.
The Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example: Treadwear 200
Traction AA Temperature A.
These Tire Quality Grades are
determined by standards that the
United States Department of
Transportation has set.
Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires.
They do not apply to deep tread,
winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use
spare tires, light truck or LT type
tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches or
limited production tires as defined
in Title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 575.104 (c)(2). U.S. Department of
Transportation Tire quality
grades:
The U.S. Department of
Transportation requires us to give
you the following information
about tire grades exactly as the
government has written it.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150
would wear 1½ times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their
use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service
practices, and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C WARNING:
The traction
grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics.
353
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Wheels and TiresE142542

USB and Media Player
Description
Voice Command
Play your music by category. 1
Play Album ___
Play Artist ___
Play Genre ___
Play Playlist ___
Play Song ___
Play Audiobook ___
Play Podcast ___
Browse music on a USB device.
Browse All Albums
Browse All Artists
Browse All Audiobooks
Browse All Genres
Browse All Playlists
Browse All Podcasts
Browse All Songs
Browse your music by category on a USB device. 1
Browse Album ___
Browse Artist ___
Browse Audiobook ___
Browse Genre ___
Browse Playlist ___
Browse Podcast ___
1 Add an album name, artist name, audiobook name, genre name, playlist name, podcast
name or track name to the command. Say the name exactly as it appears on your device.
Climate (If Equipped)
You can control the temperature of the
vehicle using voice commands. ___ is a dynamic listing, meaning that for
climate voice commands it can be the
desired degrees for the temperature
setting.
437
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing SYNC™ 3

Supported USB file systems include: FAT,
exFAT, and NTFS.
SYNC 3 is also able to organize the media
from your USB device by metadata tags.
Metadata tags, which are descriptive
software identifiers embedded in the
media files, provide information about the
file.
If your indexed media files contain no
information embedded in these metadata
tags, SYNC 3 may classify the empty
metadata tags as unknown.
SYNC 3 is capable of indexing up to
50,000 songs per USB device, for up to 10
devices.
CLIMATE
Touch the climate button on the
touchscreen to access your climate control
features.
Note:
You can switch temperature units
between Fahrenheit and Celsius. See
Settings (page 464).
Accessing the Climate Control
Menu Touch the button to access
additional controls for the front
climate system.
Directing the Airflow Touch the button to direct
airflow to the windshield air
vents and de-mister.
Touch the button to direct
airflow to the instrument panel
air vents.
Touch the button to direct
airflow to the footwell air vents. You can direct air through any combination
of these air vents.
Setting the Blower Motor Speed Touch up or down to increase or
decrease the volume of air that
circulates in your vehicle.
Setting the Temperature
Touch up or down on the left-hand
temperature control to set the left-hand
temperature.
Note: This control also adjusts the
right-hand side temperature when you
switch off dual zone mode.
Touch up or down on the right-hand
temperature control to set the right-hand
temperature.
Switching Auto Mode On and Off Touch the button to switch on
automatic operation, then set
the temperature.
The system adjusts the blower motor
speed, air distribution, air conditioning
operation, and outside or recirculated air
to reach and maintain the temperature you
have set.
Switching the Air Conditioning On
and Off A pop-up appears on the screen
to display the air conditioning
options.
MAX A/C:
Touch the button to activate
and maximize cooling. The driver and
passenger temperatures are set to LO,
recirculated air flows through the
instrument panel vents, air conditioning
automatically turns on and the fan
automatically adjusts to the highest speed.
451
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing SYNC™ 3E265038 E244097