
reinstall the repaired or replaced road tire
as soon as possible. Major dissimilar tire
sizes between the front and rear axles
could cause the AWD system to stop
functioning and default to rear-wheel drive
or damage the AWD system.
Operating AWD Vehicles With
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.
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 rear-wheel drive or damage
the AWD system. For optimum AWD
Performance, it is recommended to follow
the tire rotation maintenance schedule. To
avoid potential AWD malfunction or AWD
system damage, it is recommended to
replace all four tires rather than mixing significantly worn tires with new tires. For
example, using 3 worn tread tires and 1 new
tread tire all of the same original tire
size/brand and can be tolerated by the
AWD system as long as the worn tires still
have usable tread depth.
How Utility Vehicles Differ from
Other Vehicles
Truck and utility vehicles can differ from
some other vehicles. Your vehicle may be
higher to allow it to travel over rough
terrain without getting hung up or
damaging underbody components.
The differences that make your vehicle so
versatile also make it handle differently
than an ordinary passenger car.
Maintain steering wheel control at all
times, especially in rough terrain. Since
sudden changes in terrain can result in
abrupt steering wheel motion, make sure
you grip the steering wheel from the
outside. Do not grip the spokes.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle damage
from concealed objects such as rocks and
stumps.
You should either know the terrain or
examine maps of the area before driving.
Map out your route before driving in the
area. To maintain steering and braking
control of your vehicle, you must have all
four wheels on the ground and they must
be rolling, not sliding or spinning.
Driving In Special Conditions With
All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Note:
Use of AWD 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 these drive
modes are intended for slippery and loose
surfaces.
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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 surfaces 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.
When driving in deep snow or sand, shift
into Deep Snow/Sand Mode. See
Selecting a Drive Mode (page 178).
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 rear-wheel drive. If this occurs,
a 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 is
restarted and the AWD system has
adequately cooled, the message turns off
and normal AWD function returns. In the
event the engine is not stopped, the
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 maximizes the engine and
transmission cooling capability.
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.
Note:
Driving through deep water may
damage the transmission.
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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spun as a generator to create electrical
current. This recharges the battery and
slows the vehicle. In effect, once the
accelerator pedal is released, the motor
changes from an energy user to an energy
producer.
When you release the accelerator pedal or
press the brake pedal, the brake controller
automatically detects the amount of
deceleration requested and optimizes how
much of the deceleration will be produced
by regenerative braking. The remaining
portion is generated by standard friction
braking. When the battery is almost fully
charged, the amount of regenerative
braking is limited to avoid overcharging,
and the requested deceleration is
produced by standard friction braking
alone.
Regenerative braking does not take the
place of the standard friction brakes; it only
assists them. Regenerative braking has
also been designed to interact with the
anti-lock brake system. Regenerative
braking is disabled when the anti-lock
brake system is activated or the battery is
fully charged.
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.
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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 fault occurs in either the stability
control or the traction control system, you
may experience the following conditions:
•
The stability and traction control light
illuminates steadily.
• The stability control and traction
control systems do not enhance your
vehicle's ability to maintain traction of
the wheels.
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 system applies
higher brake force.
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.
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.
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Active Braking: Active braking may
activate if the system determines that a
collision is imminent. The system may help
the driver reduce impact damage or avoid
the crash completely.
Note: Brake Support and Active Braking are
active at speeds up to
75 mph (120 km/h).
Note: If you perceive Pre-Collision Assist
alerts as being too frequent or disturbing,
then you can reduce the alert sensitivity,
though the manufacturer recommends
using the highest sensitivity setting where
possible. Setting lower sensitivity would
lead to fewer and later system warnings.
Adjusting the Pre-Collision Assist
Settings
You can adjust the following settings by
using the information display controls.
See
General Information (page 84).
• You can change Alert sensitivity to one
of three possible settings.
• If required, you can switch Active
Braking on or off.
Note: Active Braking automatically turns
on every time you switch the ignition on. You can switch the entire system off at any
time by pressing the button below the
display screen.
Blocked Sensors
Camera.
1
Radar sensor (not included).
2
If a message regarding a blocked camera
appears in the information display, the
camera images are obstructed. With a
blocked camera, the Pre-Collision Assist
system may not function, or performance
may reduce. The following table lists
possible causes and actions for when this
message displays.
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Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing up
to get the feel of your vehicle-trailer
combination before starting on a trip.
When turning, make wider turns so the
trailer wheels clear curbs and other
obstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
•
Do not drive faster than 70 mph
(113 km/h) during the first 500 mi
(800 km).
• Do not make full-throttle starts.
• Check your hitch, electrical connections
and trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly
after you have traveled 50 mi (80 km).
• When stopped in congested or heavy
traffic during hot weather, place the
gearshift in park (P) to aid engine and
transmission cooling and to help A/C
performance.
• Turn off the speed control with heavy
loads or in hilly terrain. The speed
control may turn off automatically
when you are towing on long, steep
grades.
• Shift to a lower gear when driving down
a long or steep hill. Do not apply the
brakes continuously, as they may
overheat and become less effective.
• If your transmission is equipped with a
Grade Assist or Tow/Haul feature, use
this feature when towing. This provides
engine braking and helps eliminate
excessive transmission shifting for
optimum fuel economy and
transmission cooling.
• Allow more distance for stopping with
a trailer attached. Anticipate stops and
brake gradually.
• Avoid parking on a grade. However, if
you must park on a grade:
1. Turn the steering wheel to point your vehicle tires away from traffic flow. 2. Set your vehicle parking brake.
3. Place the automatic transmission in
park (P).
4. Place wheel chocks in front and back of the trailer wheels. (Chocks not
included with vehicle.)
Launching or Retrieving a Boat or
Personal Watercraft (PWC)
Note: Disconnect the wiring to the trailer
before backing the trailer into the water.
Note: Reconnect the wiring to the trailer
after
removing the trailer from the water.
When backing down a ramp during boat
launching or retrieval:
• Do not allow the static water level to
rise above the bottom edge of the rear
bumper.
• Do not allow waves to break higher
than
6 in (15 cm) above the bottom
edge of the rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allow water to
enter vehicle components:
• Causing internal damage to the
components.
• Affecting driveability, emissions, and
reliability.
Replace the rear axle lubricant anytime
the rear axle has been submerged in water.
Water may have contaminated the rear
axle lubricant, which is not normally
checked or changed unless a leak is
suspected or other axle repair is required.
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You are required to submit your warranty
dispute to BBB AUTO LINE before asserting
in court any rights or remedies conferred
by California Civil Code Section 1793.22(b).
You are also required to use BBB AUTO
LINE before exercising rights or seeking
remedies created by the Federal
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C.
sec. 2301 et seq. If you choose to seek
redress by pursuing rights and remedies
not created by California Civil Code Section
1793.22(b) or the Magnuson-Moss
Warranty Act, resort to BBB AUTO LINE is
not required by those statutes.
THE BETTER BUSINESS
BUREAU (BBB) AUTO LINE
PROGRAM (U.S. ONLY)
Your satisfaction is important to Ford
Motor Company and to your dealer. If a
warranty concern has not been resolved
using the three-step procedure outlined
earlier in this chapter in the Getting the
Services you need section, you may be
eligible to participate in the BBB AUTO
LINE program.
The BBB AUTO LINE program consists of
two parts – mediation and arbitration.
During mediation, a representative of the
BBB will contact both you and Ford Motor
Company to explore options for settlement
of the claim. If an agreement is not reached
during mediation or you do not want to
participate in mediation, and if your claim
is eligible, you may participate in the
arbitration process. An arbitration hearing
will be scheduled so that you can present
your case in an informal setting before an
impartial person. The arbitrator will
consider the testimony provided and make
a decision after the hearing.
Disputes submitted to the BBB AUTO LINE
program are usually decided within forty
days after you file your claim with the BBB.
You are not bound by the decision, and
may reject the decision and proceed to
court where all findings of the BBB Auto
Line dispute, and decision, are admissible
in the court action. Should you choose to
accept the BBB AUTO LINE decision, Ford
is then bound by the decision, and must
comply with the decision within 30 days
of receipt of your acceptance letter.
BBB AUTO LINE Application: Using the
information provided below, please call or
write to request a program application.
You will be asked for your name and
address, general information about your
new vehicle, information about your
warranty concerns, and any steps you have
already taken to try to resolve them. A
Customer Claim Form will be mailed that
will need to be completed, signed and
returned to the BBB along with proof of
ownership. Upon receipt, the BBB will
review the claim for eligibility under the
Program Summary Guidelines.
You can get more information by
calling BBB AUTO LINE at
1-800-955-5100, or writing to:
BBB AUTO LINE
3033 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 600
Arlington, Virginia 22201
BBB AUTO LINE applications can also be
requested by calling the Ford Motor
Company Customer Relationship Center
at 1-800-392-3673.
For additional information refer to the
Better Business Bureau website.
Note:
Ford Motor Company reserves the
right to change eligibility limitations, modify
procedures, or to discontinue this process
at any time without notice and without
obligation.
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1. Park your vehicle on a level surface.
2. Look at the brake fluid reservoir to see
where the brake fluid level is relative
to the MIN and the MAX marks on the
reservoir.
Note: If the brake fluid level is between the
MIN
and the MAX marks on the reservoir, it
is acceptable.
Note: If the brake fluid level is below the
MIN
mark or above the MAX mark, have
your vehicle checked as soon as possible.
Note: To avoid fluid contamination, the
reservoir cap must remain in place and fully
tight, unless you are adding fluid.
Only use fluid that meets our
specifications. See
Capacities and
Specifications (page 275).
Brake Fluid Service Interval
Brake fluid absorbs water over time which
degrades the effectiveness of the brake
fluid. Change the brake fluid at the
specified intervals to prevent degraded
braking performance. For detailed interval information, see
Scheduled Maintenance in your Owner's
Manual or your local maintenance guide.
POWER STEERING FLUID
CHECK
Your vehicle is equipped with an electric
power steering (EPS) system. There is no
fluid reservoir to check or fill.
CHANGING THE 12V BATTERY
WARNING:
Batteries normally
produce explosive gases which can
cause personal injury. Therefore, do not
allow flames, sparks or lighted
substances to come near the battery.
When working near the battery, always
shield your face and protect your eyes.
Always provide correct ventilation. WARNING:
When lifting a
plastic-cased battery, excessive pressure
on the end walls could cause acid to flow
through the vent caps, resulting in
personal injury and damage to the
vehicle or battery. Lift the battery with a
battery carrier or with your hands on
opposite corners. WARNING:
Keep batteries out of
reach of children. Batteries contain
sulfuric acid. Avoid contact with skin,
eyes or clothing. Shield your eyes when
working near the battery to protect
against possible splashing of acid
solution. In case of acid contact with skin
or eyes, flush immediately with water for
a minimum of 15 minutes and get prompt
medical attention. If acid is swallowed,
call a physician immediately.
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