CONNECTING A TRAILER – TROUBLESHOOTING
CONNECTING A TRAILER – INFORMATION MESSAGES
DescriptionMessage
The system senses a trailer connection becomes disconnected, eitherintentionally or unintentionally, during a given ignition cycle.Trailer Disconnected
There are certain faults in your vehicle wiring and trailer wiring orbrake system.Trailer Wiring Fault
There is a fault with your trailer battery, or your trailer battery voltageis very low.Trailer Battery Not Charging See Manual
One or more tires on your trailer is below the specified tire pressure.Trailer Tire Low Specified:
Displays when one or more tires on the trailer is above the recom-mended temperature.Trailer Tire Over Temperature
A trailer tire pressure sensor is malfunctioning. If the warning stayson or continues to come on, have the system checked as soon aspossible.
Trailer Tire Pressure Sensor Fault
The trailer tire pressure monitoring system is malfunctioning. If thewarning stays on or continues to come on, have the system checked.Trailer Tire Pressure Monitor Fault
The system cannot detect the trailer tire pressure monitoring system.Trailer Tire Pressure Monitor Capability Not Detected
The trailer tire pressure monitoring system is not setup.Trailer Tire Pressure Indication Not Setup See Manual
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TOWING A TRAILER PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Do not exceed theGVWR or the GAWR specified on thecertification label.
WARNING: Towing trailersbeyond the maximum recommendedgross trailer weight exceeds the limitof your vehicle and could result inengine damage, transmission damage,structural damage, loss of vehiclecontrol, vehicle rollover and personalinjury.
WARNING: Do not exceed thelowest rating capacity for your vehicleor trailer hitch. Overloading yourvehicle or trailer hitch can impair yourvehicle stability and handling. Failureto follow this instruction could resultin the loss of control of your vehicle,personal injury or death.
WARNING: Make sure that thevertical load on the tow ball is betweenthe minimum and maximumrecommended weight at all times.Failure to follow this instruction couldresult in the loss of control of yourvehicle, personal injury or death.
WARNING: Do not cut, drill, weldor modify the trailer hitch. Modifyingthe trailer hitch could reduce the hitchrating.
WARNING: The anti-lock brakesystem does not control the trailerbrakes.
TRAILER BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Do not connect a trailer'shydraulic brake system directly to yourvehicle's brake system. Your vehicle maynot have enough braking power and yourchances of having a collision greatlyincrease.
WARNING: Do not tow a trailer fittedwith electric trailer brakes unless yourvehicle is fitted with a compatibleaftermarket electronic trailer brakecontroller. Failure to follow this instructioncould result in the loss of control of yourvehicle, personal injury or death. Foradditional information and assistance, werecommend that you contact an authorizeddealer.
Electric brakes and manual, automatic orsurge-type trailer brakes are safe if you installthem properly and adjust them to themanufacturer's specifications. The trailerbrakes must meet local and federalregulations.
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The rating for the tow vehicle's brakingsystem operation is at the gross vehicleweight rating, not the gross combined weightrating.
Certain states require functioning trailerbrakes for trailers over a specified weight.Be sure to check state regulations for thisspecified weight.
Ford Motor Company recommends separatefunctioning brake systems for trailersweighing more than 1,500 lb (680 kg) whenloaded.
TOWING A TRAILER LIMITATIONS
The vehicle's load capacity designationis by weight, not by volume, so youcannot necessarily use all availablespace when loading a vehicle or trailer.
Note:Your vehicle could have reducedperformance when operating at highaltitudes and when heavily loaded ortowing a trailer. When driving atelevation, to match driving performanceas perceived at sea level, reduce grossvehicle weight and gross combinationweight by 2% per 1,000 ft (300 m)elevation.
LOADING YOUR TRAILER
To help minimize how trailer movementaffects your vehicle when driving:
•Load the heaviest items closest tothe trailer floor.
•Load the heaviest items centeredbetween the left and right side trailertires.
•Load the heaviest items above thetrailer axles or just slightly forwardtoward the trailer tongue. Do notallow the final trailer tongue weightto go above or below 10-15% of theloaded trailer weight. The trailertongue weight should never exceed10% of the maximum towing capacity.
•Select a ball mount with the correctrise or drop. When both the loadedvehicle and trailer are connected, thetrailer frame should be level, orslightly angled down toward yourvehicle, when viewed from the side.
TRAILER TOWING HINTS
Towing a trailer places an extra load on yourvehicle's engine, transmission, axle, brakes,tires and suspension. Periodically inspectthese components during and after anytowing operation.
When driving with a trailer or payload, a slighttakeoff vibration or shudder may be presentdue to the increased payload weight.
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Your vehicle may have a temporary orconventional spare tire. A temporary sparetire is different in diameter or width,tread-type, or is from a different manufacturerthan the road tires on your vehicle. Consultinformation on the tire label or SafetyCompliance label for limitations when using.
When towing a trailer:
•Obey country specific regulations fortowing 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 connectionsand trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly afteryou have traveled 50 mi (80 km).
•When stopped in congested or heavytraffic during hot weather, place thetransmission in park (P) to aid engine andtransmission cooling and to help A/Cperformance.
•Turn off the speed control with heavyloads or in hilly terrain. The speed controlmay turn off when you are towing onlong, steep slopes.
•Shift to a lower gear when driving downa long or steep hill. Do not continuouslyapply the brakes, as they may overheatand become less effective.
•If your transmission has Grade Assist orTow/Haul, use this feature when towing.This provides engine braking and helpseliminate excessive transmission shiftingfor optimum fuel economy andtransmission cooling.
•Your vehicle has AdvanceTrac with rollstability control. When towing a trailer,additional loads could cause theAdvanceTrac system to engage duringcornering maneuvers. Reduce corneringspeeds to make sure that you canmaintain control of the vehicle and trailerif the AdvanceTrac system engages.
•Allow more distance for stopping with atrailer attached. Anticipate stops andgradually brake.
•Avoid parking on a slope. However, ifyou must park on a slope, turn thesteering wheel to point your vehicle tiresaway from traffic flow, set the parkingbrake, place the transmission in park (P)and place wheel chocks in front and backof the trailer wheels.
Note:Chocks are not included with yourvehicle.
LAUNCHING OR RETRIEVING A
BOAT OR PERSONAL
WATERCRAFT
When backing down a ramp during boatlaunching or retrieval:
•Do not allow the static water level to riseabove the bottom edge of the rearbumper.
•Do not allow waves to break higher than6 in (15 cm) above the bottom edge ofthe rear bumper.
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TOWING A TRAILER – TROUBLESHOOTING
TOWING A TRAILER – INFORMATION MESSAGES
DetailsMessage
The left-hand trailer turn lamp requires service.Trailer Left Turn Lamps Fault Check Lamps
The right-hand trailer turn lamp requires service.Trailer Right Turn Lamps Fault Check Lamps
The trailer battery voltage is too low to charge. If there is no trailerattached, the vehicle battery voltage is low.Trailer Battery Not Charging See Manual
The system detects a short created by the trailer lamps. Inspect andrepair the trailer wiring, or have the system checked as soon aspossible.
Trailer Lighting Module Fault See Manual
The trailer stoplamps require service.Trailer Stop Lamps Fault Check Lamps
Verify the trailer brake connections are secure and that the aftermarkettrailer brake controller device is correctly installed. Perform a trailerbrake and trailer light check if possible. If the message persists, haveyour vehicle checked as soon as possible.
Trailer brake system fault See manual
Perform a trailer brake and trailer light check if possible. If the messagepersists, have your vehicle checked as soon as possible.Trailer brake module fault
The trailer sway control detects trailer sway. Reduce the vehicle'sspeed.Trailer Sway Reduce Speed
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WHAT IS THE INTEGRATED
TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER
The trailer brake controller assists in smoothand effective trailer braking based on thetowing vehicle’s brake pressure.
INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE
CONTROLLER PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Use the integrated trailerbrake controller to properly adjust thetrailer brakes and check all connectionsbefore towing a trailer. Failure to followthis instruction could result in the loss ofcontrol of your vehicle, personal injury ordeath.
•Only use the manual control lever forproper adjustment of the gain duringtrailer setup. Misuse, such as applicationduring trailer sway, could cause instabilityof trailer or tow vehicle.
•Avoid towing in adverse weatherconditions. The trailer brake controllerdoes not provide anti-lock control of thetrailer wheels. Trailer wheels can lock upon slippery surfaces, resulting in reducedstability of trailer and tow vehicle.
•The trailer brake controller is only afactory-installed or dealer-installed item.Ford is not responsible for warranty orperformance of the controller due tomisuse or customer installation.
Note:Do not attempt removal of the trailerbrake controller without consulting theWorkshop Manual. Damage to the unit mayresult.
Note:Make sure to set the integrated trailerbrake controller gain to 0 if you are usingan aftermarket trailer brake controller.
USING THE INTEGRATED TRAILER
BRAKE CONTROLLER
1.Make sure the trailer brakes are in goodworking condition, functioning normallyand properly adjusted. See your trailerdealer if necessary.
Note:An authorized dealer can diagnosethe trailer brake controller to determineexactly which trailer fault has occurred. Yourvehicle warranty does not cover issues withyour trailer.
2.Hook up the trailer and make theelectrical connections according to thetrailer manufacturer's instructions.
Note:Select default mode if the trailer hassurge brakes, or no brakes at all. The systemhas no effect on the braking performance ofthe trailer in either of these cases.
Note:If a trailer is connected by a four-pinconnector, the trailer braking function willnot be supported.
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3.When you plug in a trailer with electric orelectric-over-hydraulic brakes, a messageconfirming connection appears in theinformation display.
4.Use the gain adjustment to find thedesired starting point. A gain setting of6.0 is a good starting point for heavierloads.
Note:Use the following steps to adjust thegain setting whenever road, weather andtrailer, or vehicle loading conditions, changefrom when you initially set the gain.
5.In a traffic-free environment, tow thetrailer on a dry, level surface and squeezethe manual control lever completely.
6.If the trailer wheels lock up, indicated bysquealing tires, reduce the gain setting.If the trailer wheels turn freely, increasethe gain setting. Repeat Steps 5 and 6until the gain setting is at a point justbelow trailer wheel lock-up. If towing aheavier trailer, trailer wheel lock-up maynot be attainable even with the maximumgain setting of 10.
Note:Only perform this procedure at speedsof approximately 20–25 mph (30–40 km/h).
Note:The trailer brake controller reducesoutput at vehicle speeds below 11 mph(18 km/h) so that trailer and vehicle brakingis not jerky or harsh. This feature is onlyavailable when applying the brakes usingyour vehicle's brake pedal, not the controller.
Note:Your vehicle's brake system and thetrailer brake system work independently ofeach other. Changing the gain setting on thecontroller does not affect the operation ofyour vehicle's brakes whether you attach atrailer or not.
Note:With the proper electrical connection,pressing your vehicle brake pedal or usingthe manual control lever illuminates bothtrailer and vehicle brake lamps.
Note:When you switch the engine off, thecontroller output is disabled and the displayand module shut down. The controllermodule and display turn on when you switchthe ignition on.
Adjusting the Trailer Brake Gain
Increase or decrease the amountof gain in set increments.A
Slide the control to engage thetrailer brakes.B
Note:Adjust gain setting before using thetrailer brake controller for the first time.
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Note:The gain should be set to provide themaximum trailer braking assistance whilemaking sure the trailer wheels do not lockwhen using the brakes. Locked trailer wheelsmay lead to trailer instability.
Note:Setting adjustments are saved whena trailer profile is selected.
ADJUSTING THE INTEGRATED
TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER
MODE
Select the correct integrated trailer brakecontroller mode option using thetouchscreen.
Note:Trailer brake gain settings are savedto the active trailer profile.
Selecting the Trailer Brake Type
1.Press Default for trailers withelectromagnetic drum brake systems orpress Electric over Hydraulic for trailerswith electrically actuated hydraulic brakesystems.
2.Press Save.
Selecting the Trailer Brake Effort
1.Select a setting for your trailer.
Note:The default value is Low and is therecommended setting for most trailers.Select a different setting if your trailer'sbrakes require more initial voltage, or youprefer more aggressive trailer braking.
2.Press Save.
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