2023 FORD EXPLORER wheel

Steering wheel adjustment. See Adjusting the Steering Wheel (page 79).L
Lighting control. See Lighting Control (page 86). Power liftgate release. SeePower Liftgate (page 73).M
22
2023 Explorer (CTW) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202209, First-PrintingAt a Glance

SEATBELT REMINDER
WARNING: The system will onlyprovide protection when you use theseatbelt correctly.
This system monitors all seating positionsand provides audio and graphic feedback.
This lamp illuminates and awarning tone sounds if you donot fasten your seatbelt whenyou switch the ignition on. The lamp andtone switch off when you fasten yourseatbelt or about one minute has elapsed.
When the initial warning expires for thedriver, more warnings are provided for thedriver and front outermost passenger. Thislamp illuminates and a warning tonesounds if you or your front passenger donot fasten the seatbelt buckle and thevehicle speed exceeds 6 mph (9.7 km/h).To deactivate the warning, seeDeactivating and Activating theBelt-Minder Feature.
Note:To avoid inadvertent warnings, donot place large objects on the frontpassenger seat.
This lamp illuminates when youswitch the ignition on, identifyingthe number of seating positionswith fastened buckles. It illuminates againwhen a seating position changes fromunfastened to fastened.
This warning displays and a tone soundsif an occupant unfastens the rear seatbeltbuckle or it becomes unfastened.
Note:If a rear seat is unoccupied, or anoccupant never fastens the seatbelt buckleto begin with, the warning will not display.
Note:Front seating positions appear in thiswarning display. Warnings for unfastenedfront seatbelt buckles appear in the initialwarning lamp.
Seatbelt Status
To view the seatbelt status, use theinformation display controls on thesteering wheel. See General Information(page 115).
42
2023 Explorer (CTW) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202209, First-PrintingSeatbeltsE71880 E206718 E274569 E274570

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNING: Airbags do not inflateslowly or gently, and the risk of injuryfrom a deploying airbag is the greatestclose to the trim covering the airbagmodule.
WARNING: All occupants of yourvehicle, including the driver, shouldalways properly wear their seatbelts,even when an airbag supplementalrestraint system is provided. Failure toproperly wear your seatbelt couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
WARNING: Even with advancedrestraints systems, properly restrainchildren 12 and under in a rear seatingposition. Failure to follow this couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
WARNING: Do not place your armson the airbag cover or through thesteering wheel. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injury.
WARNING: Keep the areas in frontof the airbags free from obstruction. Donot affix anything to or over the airbagcovers. Objects could become projectilesduring airbag deployment or in a suddenstop. Failure to follow this instructioncould result in personal injury or death.
WARNING: Airbags can kill or injurea child in a child restraint. Never place arear-facing child restraint in front of anactive airbag. If you must use aforward-facing child restraint in the frontseat, move the seat upon which the childrestraint is installed all the way back.
WARNING: Do not attempt toservice, repair, or modify thesupplementary restraint system orassociated components. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury or death.
WARNING: Several airbag systemcomponents get hot after inflation. Toreduce the risk of injury, do not touchthem after inflation.
WARNING: If a supplementaryrestraint system component hasdeployed, it will not function again. Havethe system and associated componentsinspected as soon as possible. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury or death.
The airbags are a supplemental restraintsystem and are designed to work with theseatbelts to help protect the driver andright front passenger from certain upperbody injuries. Airbags do not inflate slowly;there is a risk of injury from a deployingairbag.
Note:You will hear a loud bang and see acloud of harmless powdery residue if anairbag deploys. This is normal.
The airbags inflate and deflate rapidlyupon activation. After airbag deployment,it is normal to notice a smoke-like, powderyresidue or smell the burnt propellant. Thismay consist of cornstarch, talcum powder(to lubricate the bag) or sodiumcompounds (for example, baking soda)that result from the combustion processthat inflates the airbag. Small amounts ofsodium hydroxide may be present whichmay irritate the skin and eyes, but none ofthe residue is toxic.
46
2023 Explorer (CTW) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202209, First-PrintingSupplementary Restraints System

While the system is designed to helpreduce serious injuries, contact with adeploying airbag may also cause abrasionsor swelling. Temporary hearing loss is alsoa possibility as a result of the noiseassociated with a deploying airbag.Because airbags must inflate rapidly andwith considerable force, there is the risk ofdeath or serious injuries such as fractures,facial and eye injuries or internal injuries,particularly to occupants who are notproperly restrained or are otherwise out ofposition at the time of airbag deployment.Thus, it is extremely important thatoccupants be properly restrained as faraway from the airbag module as possiblewhile maintaining vehicle control.
Routine maintenance of the airbags is notrequired.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER
AIRBAGS
WARNING: Do not place your armson the airbag cover or through thesteering wheel. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injury.
WARNING: Keep the areas in frontof the airbags free from obstruction. Donot affix anything to or over the airbagcovers. Objects could become projectilesduring airbag deployment or in a suddenstop. Failure to follow this instructioncould result in personal injury or death.
WARNING: Airbags can kill or injurea child in a child restraint. Never place arear-facing child restraint in front of anactive airbag. If you must use aforward-facing child restraint in the frontseat, move the seat upon which the childrestraint is installed all the way back.
The driver and front passenger airbags willdeploy during significant frontal and nearfrontal crashes.
The driver and passenger front airbagsystem consists of:
•Driver and passenger airbag modules.
•Front passenger sensing system.
· Crash sensors and monitoringsystem with readiness indicator.See Crash Sensors and AirbagIndicator (page 52).
Proper Driver and Front PassengerSeating Adjustment
WARNING: National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)recommends a minimum distance of atleast 10 in (25 cm) between anoccupant's chest and the driver airbagmodule.
To properly position yourself away fromthe airbag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as youcan while still reaching the pedalscomfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly (one or twodegrees) from the upright position.
47
2023 Explorer (CTW) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202209, First-PrintingSupplementary Restraints SystemE151127 E67017

WHAT IS 911 ASSIST
911 Assist is a SYNC system feature thatcan call for help.
For more information, visitwww.owner.ford.com.
HOW DOES 911 ASSIST WORK
If a crash deploys an airbag, excluding kneeairbags and rear inflatable seatbelts, oractivates the fuel pump shut-off, yourvehicle may be able to contact emergencyservices by dialing 911 through a paired andconnected Bluetooth® enabled phone.
Not all crashes deploy an airbag or activatethe fuel pump shut-off. If a connected cellphone sustains damage or loses itsconnection to SYNC during a crash, SYNCsearches for and tries to connect to apreviously paired cell phone. SYNC thenattempts to call the emergency services.
Before making the call:
•SYNC provides about 10 seconds tocancel the call. If you fail to cancel thecall, SYNC attempts to dial 911.
•SYNC says the following, or a similarmessage: SYNC will attempt to call 911,to cancel the call, press Cancel on yourscreen or press and hold the phonebutton on your steering wheel.
If you do not cancel the call and SYNCmakes a successful call a pre-recordedmessage plays for the 911 operator. Theoccupants in your vehicle are able to talkwith the operator. Be prepared to provideyour name, phone number and locationimmediately because not all 911 systemsare capable of receiving this informationelectronically.
During an emergency call the systemtransmits vehicle data to the emergencyservice.
EMERGENCY CALL
REQUIREMENTS
WARNING: Do not wait for 911Assist to make an emergency call if youcan do it yourself. Dial emergencyservices immediately to avoid delayedresponse time which could increase therisk of serious injury or death after acrash. If you do not hear 911 Assist withinfive seconds of the crash, the system orphone may be damaged ornon-functional.
WARNING: Always place yourphone in a secure location in your vehicleso it does not become a projectile or getdamaged in a crash. Failure to do so maycause serious injury to someone ordamage the phone which could prevent911 Assist from working properly.
WARNING: Unless the 911 Assistsetting is set on before a crash, thesystem will not dial for help which coulddelay response time, potentiallyincreasing the risk of serious injury ordeath after a crash.
•SYNC must be powered and workingproperly at the time of the incident andthroughout feature activation and use.
•The 911 Assist feature must be set onbefore the incident.
•You must pair and connect aBluetooth® enabled and compatiblecell phone to SYNC.
•A connected Bluetooth® enabledphone must have the ability to makeand maintain an outgoing call at thetime of the incident.
55
2023 Explorer (CTW) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202209, First-Printing911 Assist

ADJUSTING THE STEERING
WHEEL - VEHICLES WITH:
MANUAL ADJUSTABLE
STEERING COLUMN
WARNING: Do not adjust thesteering wheel when your vehicle ismoving.
Note:Make sure that you are sitting in thecorrect position. See Sitting in the CorrectPosition (page 144).
1.Unlock the steering column.
2.Adjust the steering wheel to the desiredposition.
3.Lock the steering column.
ADJUSTING THE STEERING
WHEEL - VEHICLES WITH:
POWER ADJUSTABLE
STEERING COLUMN
WARNING: Do not adjust thesteering wheel when your vehicle ismoving.
Note: Make sure that you are sitting in thecorrect position. See Sitting in the CorrectPosition (page 144).
79
2023 Explorer (CTW) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202209, First-PrintingSteering WheelE279960 E279962

Use the control on the side of the steeringcolumn to adjust the position.
To adjust:
•Tilt: Press the top or bottom of thecontrol.
•Telescope: Press the front or rear ofthe control.
End of Travel Position
The steering column stops just short of theend of the column travel to preventdamage to the steering column. A newstopping position sets if it encounters anobject when tilting or telescoping.
To reset the steering column to its normalstopping position:
1.Confirm there is nothing obstructingthe motion of the steering column.
2.Press and hold the steering columncontrol until the steering column stopsmoving.
3.Press the steering column controlagain.
Note:The steering column may begin tomove again.
4.When the steering column stops,continue holding the control for a fewseconds.
5.Repeat for each direction as necessary.
A new stopping position sets. The nexttime you tilt or telescope the steeringcolumn, it stops just short of the end of thecolumn travel.
Memory Feature
You can save and recall the steeringcolumn position with the memoryfunction. See Memory Function (page150).
Pressing the adjustment control during amemory recall cancels the operation.
Easy Entry and Exit Feature
The column moves up when you switchthe ignition off. Switch the ignition on toreturn the system to its previous settings.You can switch this feature on or offthrough the touchscreen. See Settings(page 458).
Note: If you press any adjustment ormemory button when in easy exit mode, thesystem cancels the operation.
Note:Depending on your vehicle, thecolumn may move up and in.
80
2023 Explorer (CTW) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202209, First-PrintingSteering WheelE261582

AUDIO CONTROL
You can operate the followingfunctions with the control:
Press to decrease volume level.
Press to increase volume level.
Press to silence the currentmedia
Press to access phone mode orto answer a phone call.
Press to end a phone call.
Press to access the previousmedia selection.
Press to access the next mediaselection.
VOICE CONTROL
The controls are on the steering wheel.
Press and release to activatevoice recognition.
CRUISE CONTROL - VEHICLES
WITH: CRUISE CONTROL
See What Is Cruise Control (page 239).
81
2023 Explorer (CTW) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202209, First-PrintingSteering WheelE280796 E280795 E280802 E280803 E268549 E265040 E265045 E265044 E142599 E280796