tow FORD ESCORT 2003 6.G User Guide

Locking the doors
1. Pressand release to lock all the doors. On vehicles equipped with
the driver’s door only remote entry system, only the driver’s door will
lock.Note:the interior lamps will turn off.
2. On vehicles with the all-door remote entry, press
and release again
within three seconds to confirmthat all the doors are closed and locked.
Note:the doors will lock again, the horn will chirp once and the
headlamps will flash.
If any of the doors are not properly closed the horn will make two quick
chirps.
This process will also activate the vehicle’s anti-theft system(if
equipped). For more information on arming the anti-theft system, refer
toAnti-theft systemin this chapter.
Opening the trunk
Pressonce to open the trunk.
•Ensure that the trunk is closed and latched before driving your
vehicle. Failure to properly latch the trunk may cause objects to fall
out or block the driver’s rear view.
Sounding a panic alarm
Press
to activate the alarm. Press again or turn the ignition to ACC
or ON to deactivate.
Note:The panic alarmwill only operate when the ignition is in the OFF
position.
Replacing the battery
The remote entry transmitter uses one coin type three-volt lithium
battery CR2032 or equivalent. The typical operating range for your
remote entry transmitter is approximately 10 meters (33 feet). A
decrease in the operating range could be caused by:
•weather conditions,
•nearby radio towers,
•structures around the vehicle and
•other vehicles parked next to the vehicle.
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Never place your armover the air bag module as a deploying air
bag can result in serious armfractures or other injuries.
To properly position yourself away fromthe air bag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly one or two degrees fromthe upright position.
Do not put anything on or over the air bag module. Placing
objects on or over the air bag inflation area may cause those
objects to be propelled by the air bag into your face and torso causing
serious injury.
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the air bag
supplemental restraint systems or its fuses. See your Ford or
Lincoln Mercury dealer.
Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of the vehicle
(including frame, bumper, front end body structure and tow
hooks) may affect the performance of the air bag system, increasing
the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the vehicle.
Seating and Safety Restraints
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The shoulder belt should cross the chest, resting snugly on the center of
the shoulder. The lap belt should rest low and snug across the hips,
never up high across the stomach.
If the booster seat slides on the vehicle seat, placing a rubberized mesh
sold as shelf or carpet liner under the booster seat may improve this
condition.
The importance of shoulder belts
Using a booster without a shoulder belt increases the risk of a child’s
head hitting a hard surface in a collision. For this reason, you should
never use a booster seat with a lap belt only. It is best to use a booster
seat with lap/shoulder belts in the back seat- the safest place for children
to ride.
Follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer of the
booster seat.
Never put the shoulder belt under a child’s armor behind the
back because it eliminates the protection for the upper part of
the body and may increase the risk of injury or death in a collision.
Never use pillows, books, or towels to boost a child. They can
slide around and increase the likelihood of injury or death in a
collision.
SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN
Child and infant or child safety seats
Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of the
child. Carefully follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions with the
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7. Pull the lap belt portion across
the child seat toward the buckle and
pull up on the shoulder belt while
pushing down with your knee on the
child seat.
8. Allow the safety belt to retract to
remove any slack in the belt.
9. Before placing the child in the
seat, forcibly move the seat forward
and back to make sure the seat is
securely held in place. To check
this, grab the seat at the belt path
and attempt to move it side to side
and forward. There should be no
more than one inch of movement for
proper installation.
10. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is
in the automatic locking mode (you should not be able to pull more belt
out). If the retractor is not locked, unbuckle the belt and repeat steps
two through nine.
Check to make sure the child seat is properly secured before each use.
Attaching child safety seats with tether straps
Most new forward-facing child safety seats include a tether strap which
goes over the back of the seat and hooks to an anchoring point. Tether
straps are available as an accessory for many older safety seats. Contact
the manufacturer of your child seat for information about ordering a
tether strap.
The rear seats of your vehicle are equipped with built-in tether strap
anchors located behind the seats as described below.
The tether anchors in your vehicle are located below the rear window
marked with the tether anchor symbol (shown with title).
Seating and Safety Restraints
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VEHICLE LOADING
Before loading a vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms:
•Base Curb Weight:Weight of the vehicle including any standard
equipment, fluids, lubricants, etc. It does not include occupants or
aftermarket equipment.
•Payload:Combined maximum allowable weight of cargo, occupants
and optional equipment. The payload equals the gross vehicle weight
rating minus base curb weight.
•GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight):Base curb weight plus payload
weight. The GVW is not a limit or a specification.
•GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating):Maximum permissible total
weight of the base vehicle, occupants, optional equipment and cargo.
The GVWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the Safety
Certification Label on the driver’s door pillar.
•GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating):Carrying capacity for each axle
system. The GAWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the
Safety Certification Label on the driver’s door pillar.
•GCW (Gross Combined Weight):The combined weight of the
towing vehicle (including occupants and cargo) and the loaded trailer.
•GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating):Maximum permissible
combined weight of towing vehicle (including occupants and cargo)
and the loaded trailer
•Maximum Trailer Weight Rating:Maximum weight of a trailer the
vehicle is permitted to tow. The maximum trailer weight rating is
determined by subtracting the vehicle curb weight for each
engine/transmission combination, any required option weight for trailer
towing and the weight of the driver fromthe GCWR for the towing
vehicle.
•Maximum Trailer Weight:Maximum weight of a trailer the loaded
vehicle (including occupants and cargo) is permitted to tow. It is
determined by subtracting the weight of the loaded trailer towing
vehicle fromthe GCWR for the towing vehicle.
•Trailer Weight Range:Specified weight range that the trailer must
fall within that ranges from zero to the maximum trailer weight rating.
Remember to figure in the tongue load of your loaded trailer when
figuring the total weight.
Driving
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Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
certification label.
Do not use replacement tires with lower load carrying capacities than the
originals because they may lower the vehicle’s GVWR and GAWR
limitations. Replacement tires with a higher limit than the originals do
not increase the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
The Safety Certification Label, found on the driver’s door pillar, lists
several important vehicle weight rating limitations. Before adding any
additional equipment, refer to these limitations. If you are adding weight
to the front of your vehicle, (potentially including weight added to the
cab), the weight added should not exceed the front axle reserve capacity
(FARC). Additional frontal weight may be added to the front axle reserve
capacity provided you limit your payload in other ways (i.e. restrict the
number of occupants or amount of cargo carried).
Always ensure that the weight of occupants, cargo and equipment being
carried is within the weight limitations that have been established for
your vehicle including both gross vehicle weight and front and rear gross
axle weight rating limits. Under no circumstance should these limitations
be exceeded.
Exceeding any vehicle weight rating limitation could result in
serious damage to the vehicle loss of vehicle control, vehicle
rollover, and/or personal injury.
TRAILER T OWING
Your vehicle is capable of towing a trailer up to 454 kg (1,000 lbs.) gross
trailer weight with a maximum tongue load of 45 kg (100 lbs.). Do not
tow a trailer until your vehicle has been driven at least 800 km(500
miles).
Towing a trailer places an additional load on your vehicle’s engine,
transaxle, brakes, tires and suspension. Inspect these components
carefully after towing.
Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
certification label.
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Towing trailers beyond the maximum recommended gross trailer
weight exceeds the limit of the vehicle and could result in
engine damage, transaxle damage, structural damage, increased risk of
loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover and/or serious personal injury.
Preparing to tow
Use the proper equipment for towing a trailer and make sure it is
properly attached to your vehicle. See your dealer or a reliable trailer
dealer if you require assistance.
Hitches
Do not use hitches that clamp onto the vehicle bumper. Use a load
carrying hitch. You must distribute the load in your trailer so that
10–15% of the total weight of the trailer is on the tongue.
Safety chains
Always connect the trailer’s safety chains to the frame or hook retainers
of the vehicle hitch. To connect the trailer’s safety chains, cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow slack for turning corners.
If you use a rental trailer, follow the instructions that the rental agency
gives to you.
Do not attach safety chains to the bumper.
Trailer brakes
Electric brakes and manual, automatic or surge-type trailer brakes are
safe if installed properly and adjusted to the manufacturer’s
specifications. The trailer brakes must meet local and Federal
regulations.
Do not connect a trailer’s hydraulic brake systemdirectly to your
vehicle’s brake system. Your vehicle may not have enough
braking power and your chances of having a collision greatly increase.
The braking systemof the tow vehicle is rated for operation at the
GVWR not GCWR.
Trailer lamps
Trailer lamps are required on most towed vehicles. Make sure your trailer
lamps conform to local and Federal regulations. See your dealer or trailer
rental agency for proper instructions and equipment for hooking up trailer
lamps.
Driving
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Driving while you tow
When towing a trailer:
•Turn off the speed control. The speed control may shut off
automatically when you are towing on long, steep grades.
•Consult your local motor vehicle speed regulations for towing a trailer.
•To eliminate excessive shifting, use a lower gear. This will also assist
in transaxle cooling.
•Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
•Do not exceed the GCWR rating or transaxle damage may occur.
Servicing after towing
If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more
frequent service intervals. Refer to your scheduled maintenance guide for
more information.
Trailer towing tips
•Practice turning, stopping and backing up before starting on a trip to
get the feel of the vehicle trailer combination. When turning, make
wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles.
•Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached.
•If you are driving down a long or steep hill, shift to a lower gear. Do
not apply the brakes continuously, as they may overheat and become
less effective.
•The trailer tongue weight should be 10–15% of the loaded trailer
weight.
•After you have traveled 80 km(50 miles), thoroughly check your
hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts.
•To aid in engine/transmission cooling and A/C efficiency during hot
weather while stopped in traffic, place the gearshift lever in P (Park).
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. If you must
park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer’s wheels.
TOWING BEHIND ANOT HER VEHICLE
If your vehicle has an automatic transaxle, it cannot be flat-towed with
all wheels on the ground; front wheel dollies must be used.
If your vehicle has an manual transaxle, your vehicle can be flat-towed
with all wheels on the ground.
Driving
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GETTING ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
To fully assist you should you have a vehicle concern, Ford Motor
Company offers a complimentary roadside assistance program. This
programis separate fromthe New Vehicle Limited Warranty. The service
is available:
•24–hours, seven days a week
•for the New Vehicle Limited Warranty period of three years or 60,000
km(36,000 miles), whichever occurs first on Ford and Mercury
vehicles, and four years or 80,000 km(50,000 miles) on Lincoln
vehicles.
Roadside assistance will cover:
•changing a flat tire
•jump-starts
•lock-out assistance
•limited fuel delivery
•towing of your disabled vehicle to the nearest Ford Motor Company
dealership, or your selling dealer if within 56.3 km(35 miles) of the
nearest Ford Motor Company dealership (one tow per disablement).
Even non-warranty related tows, like accidents or getting stuck in the
mud or snow, are covered (some exclusions apply, such as impound
towing or repossession).
Canadian customers refer to your Owner Information Guide for
information on:
•coverage period
•exact fuel amounts
•towing of your disabled vehicle
•emergency travel expense reimbursement
•travel planning benefits
USING ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
Complete the roadside assistance identification card and place it in your
wallet for quick reference. In the United States, this card is found in the
Owner Guide portfolio in the glove compartment in Ford vehicles and is
mailed to you if you own a Mercury or Lincoln. In Canada, the card is
found in the Owner Information Guide in the glove compartment.
U.S. Ford or Mercury vehicle customers who require roadside assistance,
call 1–800–241–3673; Lincoln vehicle customers call 1–800–521–4140.
Roadside Emergencies
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Relays
Relays are located in the power distribution box and should be replaced
by qualified technicians.
CHANGING THE TIRES
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not apply the brake heavily.
Instead, gradually decrease your speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly
and slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road.
The use of tire sealants is not recommended and may
compromise the integrity of your tires.
Temporary spare tire information
The temporary spare tire for your vehicle is labeled as such. It is smaller
than a regular tire and is designed for emergency use only. Replace the
temporary spare tire with a full-size tire as soon as possible.
If you use the temporary spare tire continuously or do not follow
these precautions, the tire could fail, causing you to lose control
of the vehicle, possibly injuring yourself or others.
When driving with the temporary spare tiredo not:
•use more than one temporary spare tire at a time
•exceed 80 km/h (50 mph)
•load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load rating listed on the
Safety Compliance Label
•tow a trailer
•use tire chains
•drive through an automatic car wash, because of the vehicle’s reduced
ground clearance
•try to repair the temporary spare tire or remove it from its wheel
•use the wheel for any other type of vehicle
Use of a temporary spare tire at any one wheel location can lead to
impairment of the following:
•handling, stability and braking performance
•comfort and noise
•ground clearance and parking at curbs
•Winter driving capability
Roadside Emergencies
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