LINCOLN MKZ 2013 Owners Manual

Note:
Certain states require electric
trailer brakes for trailers over a
specified weight. Be sure to check state
regulations for this specified weight.
The maximum trailer weights listed
may be limited to this specified weight,
as the vehicle ’s electrical system may
not include the wiring connector
needed to activate electric trailer
brakes. Your vehicle may tow a Class I trailer
provided the maximum trailer weight
is less than or equal to the maximum
trailer weight listed for your vehicle
configuration on the following charts. Maximum Trailer Weight - lb (kg)
*
Powertrain
1000 (454)
2.0L GTDI
1000 (454)
3.7L TiVCT
* Calculated with SAE J2807 method.
228
Towing

ESSENTIAL TOWING
CHECKS
Follow these guidelines to ensure safe
towing:
•
Do not tow a trailer until you drive
your vehicle at least 1000 miles
(1600 kilometers).
• Consult your local motor vehicle
laws for towing a trailer.
• Refer to the instructions included
with towing accessories for the
proper installation and adjustment
specifications.
• Service your vehicle more
frequently if you tow a trailer. Refer
to your scheduled maintenance
information.
• If you use a rental trailer, follow the
instructions the rental agency gives
you.
You can find information on load
specification terms found on the tire
label and Safety Compliance label as
well as instructions on calculating
your vehicle's load in another chapter
of this manual. See Load Limit (page
219).
Remember to account for the trailer
tongue weight as part of the vehicle
load when calculating the total
vehicle weight. Hitches
•
Do not use a hitch that either
clamps onto the bumper or
attaches to the axle.
• Distribute the trailer load so
10-15% of the total trailer weight
is on the trailer tongue.
Safety Chains
Note: Never attach safety chains to
the bumper.
Always connect the trailer ’s safety
chains to the hook retainers of the
vehicle hitch.
To connect the trailer ’s safety chains,
cross the chains under the trailer
tongue and allow enough slack for
turning tight corners. Do not allow the
chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes WARNING
Do not connect a trailer's
hydraulic brake system directly
to your vehicle's brake system. Your
vehicle may not have enough braking
power and your chances of having a
collision greatly increase. Electric brakes and manual,
automatic or surge-type trailer brakes,
when installed properly and adjusted
to the manufacturer's specifications,
are safe to use. The trailer brakes
must meet local and federal
regulations.
229
Towing

The braking system of the tow
vehicle is rated for operation at the
GVWR not GCWR.
Separate functioning brake
systems are required for safe
control of towed vehicles and
trailers weighing more than 1500
pounds (680 kilograms) when
loaded.
Trailer Lamps
Trailer lamps are required on most
towed vehicles. Make sure all running
lights, brake lights, turn signals and
hazard lights are working. Contact
your authorized dealer or trailer rental
agency for proper instructions and
equipment for hooking up the lamps.
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and
backing-up to get the feel of the
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
miles (800 kilometers).
• Do not make full-throttle starts.
• Check your hitch, electrical
connections and trailer wheel lug
nuts thoroughly after you have
traveled 50 miles (80 kilometers). •
When stopped in congested or
heavy traffic during hot weather,
place the gearshift in position 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.
230
Towing

•
Avoid parking on a grade.
• However, if you must park on a
grade:
•Turn the steering wheel to point
the vehicle tires away from
traffic flow.
• Set the vehicle parking brake.
• Place automatic transmission
in position P.
• Place wheel chocks in front and
back of the trailer wheels.
(Chocks not equipped 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 you remove 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 inches (15 centimeters)
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 drivability, emissions, and
reliability. Any time the rear axle submerges in
water, replace the rear axle lubricant.
Water may contaminate the rear axle
lubricant, which is not a normal
maintenance inspection item unless
there is a possibility of a leak or other
axle repair is required.
TRANSPORTING THE
VEHICLE
If you need to have your vehicle
towed, contact a professional towing
service or, if you are a member of a
roadside assistance program, your
roadside assistance service provider.
231
TowingE143886

We recommend using a wheel lift and
dollies or flatbed equipment. Do not
tow with a slingbelt. Ford Motor
Company has not approved a
slingbelt towing procedure. If towed
incorrectly, or by any other means,
vehicle damage may occur.
Ford Motor Company produces a
towing manual for all authorized tow
truck operators. Have your tow truck
operator refer to this manual for
proper hook-up and towing
procedures for your vehicle.
It is acceptable to tow a front-wheel
drive (FWD) vehicle from the front if
using proper wheel lift equipment to
raise the front wheels off the ground.
The rear wheels can remain on the
ground when towed in this fashion.
FWD vehicles can also be towed from
the rear using wheel lift equipment;
however, the front wheels must be
placed on a dolly to prevent damage
to the transmission.
It is required to tow an all-wheel drive
(AWD) vehicle with a wheel lift and
dollies or flatbed equipment, with all
the wheels off the ground, to prevent
damage to the transmission, AWD
system or vehicle.
TOWING THE VEHICLE ON
FOUR WHEELS
Emergency Towing
You can flat-tow (all wheels on the
ground, regardless of the
powertrain/transmission
configuration) your disabled vehicle
(without access to wheel dollies,
car-hauling trailer, or flatbed transport
vehicle) under the following
conditions:
•
Your vehicle is facing forward so
you tow it in a forward direction.
• You place the transmission in
position N. If you cannot place the
transmission in position N, you
may need to override it. See
Transmission
(page 165).
• Maximum speed is 35 mph (56
km/h).
• Maximum distance is 50 miles (80
kilometers).
Recreational Towing
Note: Put your climate control system
in recirculated air mode to prevent
exhaust fumes from entering the
vehicle. See
Climate Control (page
126).
Follow these guidelines if you have a
need for recreational (RV) towing. An
example of recreational towing would
be towing your vehicle behind a
motorhome. These guidelines are to
make sure you do not damage the
transmission during towing.
232
Towing

Vehicles Equipped with a 2.0L
Engine
Front-wheel drive (FWD) vehicles
CANNOT be flat-towed (all wheels
on the ground) as vehicle or
transmission damage may occur. You
must place the front wheels on a
two-wheel tow dolly. If you are using
a tow dolly, follow the instructions
specified by the equipment provider.
All-wheel drive (AWD) vehicles
CANNOT
be flat-towed (all wheels
on the ground), as vehicle or
transmission damage may occur. It is
recommended to tow your vehicle
with all four (4) wheels off the ground
such as when using a car-hauling
trailer. Otherwise, you cannot tow your
vehicle.
Vehicles Equipped with a 3.7L
Engine
You can tow your vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground using the
Neutral Tow feature, or with all four
wheels off the ground using a vehicle
transport trailer. If you are using a
vehicle transport trailer, follow the
instruction specified by the equipment
provider.
If you tow your vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground:
• Tow only in the forward direction.
• Release the parking brake.
Neutral Tow
Enter Neutral Tow mode by doing the
following: 1.
Put the ignition in accessory mode
by pressing the engine START
button without pressing the brake
pedal.
2. Select
Neutral Tow under the
Vehicle Settings menu in the
information display. See General
Information (page 100).
3. Press and hold the OK button to start the neutral tow process.
4. Press the brake pedal and select N
on the push-button
transmission.
5. Turn the ignition off by pressing the
engine START button without
pressing the brake pedal.
If the process is completes
successfully:
• the
N on the push-button
transmission blinks slowly
• Neutral Tow Engaged turn
ignition off for towing
appears
in the information display.
Note: If the parking brake is applied,
Neutral Tow remove park brake for
towing
appears in the information
display.
Note: Do not exceed 65 mph (105
km/h).
Note: Start the engine and allow it to
run for five minutes at the beginning of
each day and every six hours (or fewer).
Shut the engine off and verify that
Neutral tow engaged
appears in the
display before continuing to tow.
233
Towing

Exit Neutral Tow mode, make sure the
ignition is on (engine can be on or off),
press the brake pedal and select P on
the push-button transmission.
If the process is completed
successfully,
Neutral Tow
disengaged appears in the
information display and both the
instrument cluster and push-button
transmission display
P.
234
Towing

BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for
approximately 300 miles (480
kilometers). During this time, your
vehicle may exhibit some unusual
driving characteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first
1000 miles (1600 kilometers). Vary
your speed frequently and change up
through the gears early. Do not labor
the engine.
Do not tow during the first 1000 miles
(1600 kilometers).
ECONOMICAL DRIVING
Fuel economy is affected by several
things such as how you drive, the
conditions you drive under and how
you maintain your vehicle.
There are some things to keep in mind
that may improve your fuel economy:
•
Accelerate and slow down in a
smooth, moderate fashion.
• Drive at steady speeds.
• Anticipate stops; slowing down
may eliminate the need to stop.
• Combine errands and minimize
stop-and-go driving.
•When running errands, go to
the furthest destination first
and then work your way back
home.
• Close the windows for high-speed
driving. •
Drive at reasonable speeds.
(Traveling at 65 mph/105 kph uses
about 15% less fuel than traveling
at 75 mph/121 kph).
• Keep the tires properly inflated and
use only the recommended size.
• Use the recommended engine oil.
• Perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance.
There are also some things you may
want to avoid doing because they
reduce your fuel economy:
• Avoid sudden or hard
accelerations.
• Avoid revving the engine before
turning off the car.
• Avoid long idle periods.
• Do not warm up your vehicle on
cold mornings.
• Reduce the use of air conditioning
and heat.
• Avoid using speed control in hilly
terrain.
• Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving.
• Avoid carrying unnecessary weight
(approximately 1 mpg [0.4
kilometers/liter] is lost for every
400 lbs [180 kilograms] of weight
carried).
• Avoid adding particular
accessories to your vehicle (e.g.
bug deflectors, rollbars/light bars,
running boards, ski racks).
• Avoid driving with the wheels out
of alignment.
235
Driving Hints

DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Note:
Driving through deep water
above the recommended levels can
cause vehicle damage.
Note: Once through the water, always
dry the brakes by moving your vehicle
slowly while applying light pressure on
the brake pedal. Wet brakes do not
stop the vehicle as quickly as dry
brakes. If driving through deep or standing
water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly. Never drive through water that
is higher than the bottom of the wheel
rims (for cars) or the bottom of the
hubs (for trucks).
When driving through water, traction
or brake capability may be limited.
Also, water may enter your engine
’s
air intake and severely damage your
engine or your vehicle may stall. FLOOR MATS
WARNINGS
Always use floor mats that are
designed to fit the foot well of
your vehicle. Only use floor mats that
leave the pedal area unobstructed.
Only use floor mats that are firmly
secured to retention posts so that
they cannot slip out of position and
interfere with the pedals or impair safe
operation of your vehicle in other
ways. Pedals that cannot move freely
can cause loss of vehicle control
and increase the risk of serious
personal injury. Always make sure that the floor
mats are properly attached to
the retention posts in the carpet that
are supplied with your vehicle. Floor
mats must be properly secured to
both retention posts to ensure mats
do not shift out of position.
236
Driving HintsE142667 E142666

WARNINGS
Never place floor mats or any
other covering in the vehicle foot
well that cannot be properly secured
to prevent them from moving and
interfering with the pedals or the
ability to control the vehicle. Never place floor mats or any
other covering on top of already
installed floor mats. Floor mats
should always rest on top of vehicle
carpeting surface and not another
floor mat or other covering. Additional
floor mats or any other covering will
reduce the pedal clearance and
potentially interfere with pedal
operation. Check attachment of floor mats
on a regular basis. Always
properly reinstall and secure floor
mats that have been removed for
cleaning or replacement. Always make sure that objects
cannot fall into the driver foot
well while the vehicle is moving.
Objects that are loose can become
trapped under the pedals causing a
loss of vehicle control. Failure to properly follow floor
mat installation or attachment
instructions can potentially cause
interference with pedal operation
causing loss of control of vehicle. To install floor mats, position the
floor mat so that the eyelet is
over the retention post and press
down to lock in. To remove the floor mat, reverse
the installation procedure.
237
Driving Hints