2021 FORD TRANSIT ac Control

Switching Tow/Haul On and Off
Select the tow/haul drive mode
to switch tow/haul on. See
Drive Control (page 226).
Select a different drive mode to switch
tow/haul off.
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USING ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
WARNING: Vehicles with a higher
center of gravity (utility and four-wheel
drive vehicles) handle differently than
vehicles with a lower center of gravity
(passenger cars). Avoid sharp turns,
excessive speed and abrupt steering in
these vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously
increases the risk of losing control of your
vehicle, vehicle rollover, personal injury
and death.
The intelligent AWD system continuously
monitors vehicle conditions and adjusts
the power distribution between the front
and rear wheels. It combines transparent
all-surface operation with highly capable
all-wheel drive.
The AWD system is always active and
requires no driver input. It is capable of
handling all road conditions. You can
optimize the AWD performance for
specialized driving conditions by selecting
different drive modes. See Drive Control
(page
226).
Operating All-Wheel Drive (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 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.
Driving In Special Conditions With
All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Note: AWD vehicles are equipped 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.
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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.
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
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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
Do not continuously drive your AWD
vehicle in deep sand for more than 2.5 mi
(4 km). This can cause the driveline
components to overheat.
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. If the front or rear axle has been
submerged in water, the axle lubricant and
AWD transfer case lubricant should be
checked and changed if necessary.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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 won ’t 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.
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, therefore
apply the brakes steadily. Do not “pump”
the brakes.
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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.
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.
All-Wheel Drive Gauge
This feature shows how the engine power
is split between the front and rear axles in
real time.
1. Using the information display controls
on the steering wheel, select Settings.
2. Select Information.
3. Select
Intelligent AWD.
All-Wheel Drive Information Messages Description
Message
The system is temporarily locked. This could be due to the
system increasing its capacity in order to improve perform-
ance.
AWD Temporarily Locked
The system temporarily turns off. This could be due to the
system overheating. Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so and allow the system to cool.
AWD Temporarily
Disabled
The system resumes normal function.
AWD Restored
The system has malfunctioned. Have your vehicle checked
as soon as possible.
AWD Malfunction Service
Required
The system temporarily turns off to protect itself from over-
heating or if you are using a mismatched tire.
AWD OFF
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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. Have the
system checked by an authorized dealer. If
your vehicle has continuous vibration or
shudder in the steering wheel while braking,
have it checked by an authorized dealer.
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 308). 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. Move the gearshift lever to park (P),
switch the engine off and apply the parking
brake. Inspect the accelerator pedal for
any interference. If none are found and the
condition persists, have your vehicle towed
to the nearest authorized dealer.
Brake Assist
Brake assist detects when you rapidly
brake by measuring the rate at which you
press the brake pedal. It provides
maximum braking efficiency as long as you
press the pedal, and can reduce stopping
distances in critical situations. 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 turn the
ignition on. If the light does not
illuminate during start up, remains on or
flashes, the system may be disabled. Have
the system checked by an authorized
dealer. If the system is disabled, normal
braking is still effective. This
lamp momentarily illuminates
when you turn the ignition on. If the lamp
remains on when you release the parking
brake, have the system checked by an
authorized dealer.
HINTS ON DRIVING WITH
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES
The anti-lock brake 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 could pulse and may travel further.
Maintain pressure on the brake pedal. You
may also hear a noise from the system. This
is normal.
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HILL START ASSIST
WARNING: The system does not
replace the parking brake. When you
leave your vehicle, always apply the
parking brake. WARNING:
You must remain in
your vehicle when the system turns on.
At all times, you are responsible for
controlling your vehicle, supervising the
system and intervening, if required.
Failure to take care may result in the loss
of control of your vehicle, serious
personal injury or death. WARNING:
The system turns off if
there is a malfunction or if you
excessively rev the engine.
The system makes it easier for you to pull
away when your vehicle is on a slope
without using the parking brake. When the system activates, your vehicle
remains stationary for a few seconds after
you release the brake pedal. This gives you
time to move your foot from the brake
pedal to the accelerator pedal. The brakes
release when the engine has developed
sufficient torque to prevent your vehicle
from rolling down the slope.
Using Hill Start Assist
1. Bring your vehicle to a complete
standstill. Keep the brake pedal
pressed.
2. Select a gear.
Note: The system activates if the sensors
detect that your vehicle is on a slope.
3. Pull away in the normal manner.
Note: When you remove your foot from the
brake pedal, your vehicle remains on the
slope without rolling away for a few
seconds. This hold time increases if you are
in the process of driving off.
Switching Hill Start Assist On or Off
Vehicles with Manual Transmission
To switch hill start assist on or off, use the information display controls on the
steering wheel to select the following: Action
Menu Item
Press the menu button.
Driver Assist.
Press the
OK button.
Hill Start Assist
The system remembers the last setting
when you start your vehicle.
Note: There is no indicator to indicate
whether the system is on or off. Vehicles with Automatic Transmission
The system turns on when you switch the
ignition on and you cannot switch the
system off.
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