PREPARING YOUR VEHICLE
FOR STORAGE
If you plan on storing your vehicle for 30
days or more, the following maintenance
recommendations ensures your vehicle
stays in good operating condition.
Under various conditions, long-term
storage may lead to degraded engine
performance or failure unless you use
specific precautions to preserve your
vehicle.
General
• Store all vehicles in a dry, ventilatedplace.
• If vehicles are stored outside, they require regular maintenance to protect
against rust and weather damage.
• Make sure all linkages, cables, levers and pins under your vehicle are covered
with grease to prevent rust.
• Move vehicles at least 25 ft (7.5 m) every 15 days to lubricate working parts
and prevent corrosion.
• Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel until the first automatic shutoff of the
fuel pump nozzle.
Engine
• Change the engine oil and filter prior tostorage because used engine oil
contains contaminants 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.
Body
• Wash your vehicle thoroughly toremove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from
exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housings
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.
Hybrid Battery Systems
We recommend the following actions for
your vehicle:
• When storing your vehicle for greaterthan 30 days the state of charge
should be approximately 50%.
Additionally we recommend
disconnecting the 12V battery which
will reduce system loads on the HV
battery.
12 Volt Battery
• Check and recharge as necessary. Keepconnections clean.
Note: It is necessary to reset memory
features if you disconnect the battery
cables.
Brakes
Make sure the brakes and parking brake
release fully.
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Storing Your Vehicle
Operating in Dusty or Sandy Conditions (Such as Unpaved or Dusty Roads)
Change engine oil and filter.
Every 5,000 mi (8,000 km)
or six months
Perform multi-point inspection.
Change automatic transmission fluid.
Every 30,000 mi
(48,000 km)
Exclusive Use of E85 (Flex Fuel Vehicles Only)
If ran exclusively on E85, fill the fuel tank full with regular
unleaded fuel.
Every oil change
Exceptions
There are several exceptions to the Normal
Schedule:
California Fuel Filter Replacement
If you register your vehicle in California, the
California Air Resources Board has
determined that the failure to perform this
maintenance item does not nullify the
emission warranty or limit recall liability
before the completion of your vehicle's
useful life. Ford Motor Company, however,
urges you to have all recommended
maintenance services performed at the
specified intervals and to record all vehicle
service.
Hot Climate Oil Change Intervals
The normal oil change interval for vehicles
operating in the Middle East, North Africa,
Sub-Saharan Africa or locations with
similar climates using an American
Petroleum Institute (API) Certified for
Gasoline Engines (Certification mark) oil
of SM or SN quality is 3,000 mi
(5,000 km).
If the available API SM or SN oils are not
available, then the oil change interval is
2,000 mi (3,000 km). Engine Air Filter and Cabin Air Filter
Replacement
The life of the engine air filter and cabin air
filter is dependent on exposure to dusty
and dirty conditions. Vehicles operated in
these conditions require frequent
inspection and replacement of the engine
air filter and cabin air filter.
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Scheduled Maintenance
