traction control FORD EXPEDITION EL 2017 User Guide

The Control Trac® system functions in fourmodes:
•2H delivers power to the rear wheelsonly. The information display willmomentarily display 2H when thismode is selected. This mode isappropriate for normal on-road drivingon dry pavement and provides the bestfuel economy.
•4A provides electronic controlfour-wheel drive with power deliveredto all four wheels, as required, forincreased traction. The informationdisplay will display 4A when this modeis selected. This mode is appropriatefor all on-road driving conditions, suchas dry road surfaces, wet pavement,snow, or gravel.
•4H provides electronically lockedfour-wheel drive power to front andrear wheels. The information displaywill display 4H when this mode isselected. This mode is notrecommended for use on drypavement. This mode is only intendedfor severe winter or off-road conditions,such as deep snow, ice or shallow sand.
•4L provides electronically lockedfour-wheel drive when extra power atreduced speeds is required. Theinformation display will display 4Lwhen this mode is selected. This modeis not recommended for use on drypavement. Use this mode for off-roadlow-speed operation or when extrapower is required, such as climbingsteep grades, going through deep sandor pulling a boat out of the water.
Shifting between system modes
Note:Momentarily releasing the acceleratorpedal while a shift in progress messagedisplays will improveengagement/disengagement performance.
Note:Do not perform this operation if therear wheels are slipping.
Note:Some noise may be heard as thesystem shifts or engages; this is normal.
You can move the control from 2H, 4A or4H at a stop or while driving. Theinformation display may display a messageindicating a 4X4 shift is in progress. Oncethe shift is complete the informationdisplay will then display the system modeselected.
Shifting to or from 4L
Note:4L mode is not intended for use ondry pavement.
1. Bring the vehicle to a rolling speed of3 mph (5 km/h) or less.
2. Place the gearshift in neutral (N).
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The transfer case supples power to all fourwheels. On four-wheel drive vehicles, thetransfer case allows you to select different4WD modes when necessary. You can findinformation on transfer case operation andshifting procedures in this chapter. You canfind information on transfer casemaintenance in the Maintenance chapter.You should become thoroughly familiarwith this information before you operateyour vehicle.
Four-wheel drive (when you select a 4WDmode) uses all four wheels to power yourvehicle. This increases traction, enablingyou to drive over terrain and roadconditions that a conventional two-wheeldrive vehicle cannot.
Basic Operating Principles
•Do not use 4H or 4L on dry, hardsurfaced roads. Doing so will produceexcessive noise, increase tire wear andmay damage drive components. 4H or4L modes are only intended forconsistently slippery or loose surfaces.
•Drive slower in strong crosswinds whichcan affect the normal steeringcharacteristics of your vehicle.
•When driving your vehicle on surfacesmade slippery by loose sand, water,gravel, snow or ice proceed with care.
If Your Vehicle leaves the Road
If your vehicle leaves the road, reduce yourvehicle speed and avoid severe braking.When your vehicle speed decreases, easeyour vehicle back onto the road. Do notturn the steering wheel sharply whilereturning your vehicle to the road.
It may be safer to stay on the shoulder ofthe road and slow down gradually beforereturning to the road. You may lose controlif you do not slow down or if you turn thesteering wheel too sharply or abruptly.
It may be less risky to strike small objects,such as freeway reflectors, with minordamage to your vehicle rather thanattempt a sudden return to the road whichcould cause your vehicle to slide sidewaysout of control or roll over. Remember, yoursafety and the safety of others should beyour primary concern.
If your vehicle gets stuck
WARNING
Do not spin the wheels at over 35mph (56 km/h). The tires may failand injure a passenger or bystander.
Note:Do not rock your vehicle if the engineis not at normal operating temperature,damage to the transmission may occur.
Note:Do not rock your vehicle for morethan a minute, damage to the transmissionand tires may occur or the engine mayoverheat.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow itmay be rocked out by shifting betweenforward and reverse gears, stoppingbetween shifts, in a steady pattern. Presslightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Emergency Maneuvers
In an unavoidable emergency situationwhere a sudden sharp turn must be made,remember to avoid over-driving yourvehicle (i.e. turn the steering wheel only asrapidly and as far as required to avoid theemergency). Excessive steering can resultin loss of vehicle control. Apply smoothpressure to the accelerator pedal or brakepedal when changes in vehicle speed arerequired. Avoid abrupt steering,acceleration and braking. This could resultin an increased risk of vehicle roll over, lossof vehicle control and personal injury. Useall available road surface to bring yourvehicle to a safe direction of travel.
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Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

In the event of an emergency stop, avoidskidding the tires and do not attempt anysharp steering wheel movements.
If your vehicle goes from one type ofsurface to another (i.e. from concrete togravel) there will be a change in the wayyour vehicle responds to a maneuver (i.e.steering, acceleration or braking).
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all fourwheels on the most solid area of the trail.Avoid reducing the tire pressures but shiftto a lower gear and drive steadily throughthe terrain. Apply the accelerator slowlyand avoid excessive wheel slip.
Avoid driving at excessive speeds, thiscauses vehicle momentum to work againstyou and your vehicle could become stuckto the point that assistance may berequired from another vehicle. Remember,you may be able to back out the way youcame if you proceed with caution.
Mud and Water
Note:Driving through deep water maydamage the vehicle.
If you must drive through high water, driveslowly. Traction or brake capability maybe limited.
When driving through water, determine thedepth and avoid water higher than thebottom of the hubs. If the ignition systemgets wet, your vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes.Wet brakes do not stop your vehicle aseffectively as dry brakes. Drying can beimproved by applying light pressure to thebrake pedal while moving slowly.
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehiclespeed or direction when you are driving inmud. Even 4WD vehicles can lose tractionin slick mud. As when you are driving oversand, apply the accelerator slowly andavoid spinning your wheels. If the vehicledoes slide, steer in the direction of the slideuntil you regain control of the vehicle.
If the transmission, transfer case or frontaxle are submerged in water, their fluidsshould be checked and changed, ifnecessary.
If the front or rear axle is submerged inwater, the axle lubricant should bereplaced.
After driving through mud, clean off residuestuck to rotating driveshafts and tires.Excess mud stuck on tires and rotatingdriveshafts causes an imbalance thatcould damage drive components.
“Tread Lightly” is an educational programdesigned to increase public awareness ofland-use regulations and responsibilitiesin our nations wilderness areas. Ford MotorCompany joins the U.S. Forest Service andthe Bureau of Land Management inencouraging you to help preserve ournational forest and other public and privatelands by “treading lightly”.
Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Note:Avoid driving crosswise or turning onsteep slopes or hills.
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Note:Avoid turning on steep slopes or hills.A danger lies in losing traction, slippingsideways and possible vehicle roll over.Whenever driving on a hill, determinebeforehand the route you will use. Do notdrive over the crest of a hill without seeingwhat conditions are on the other side. Donot drive in reverse over a hill without theaid of an observer.
Although natural obstacles may make itnecessary to travel diagonally up or downa hill or steep incline, you should alwaystry to drive straight up or straight down.
When climbing a steep slope or hill, startin a lower gear rather than downshifting toa lower gear from a higher gear once theascent has started. This reduces strain onthe engine and the possibility of stalling.
If your vehicle stalls, do not try to turnaround because this could cause vehicleroll over. It is better to reverse back to asafe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels toclimb the hill. Too much power will causethe tires to slip, spin or lose traction,resulting in loss of vehicle control.
Descend a hill in the same gear you woulduse to climb up the hill to avoid excessivebrake application and brake overheating.Do not descend in neutral. Disengageoverdrive or move the transmissionselector lever to a lower gear. Whendescending a steep hill, avoid sudden hardbraking as you could lose control. The frontwheels have to be turning in order to steeryour vehicle.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, applythe brakes steadily. Do not pump thebrakes.
Driving on Snow and Ice
WARNING
If you are driving in slipperyconditions that require tire chains orcables, then it is critical that you drivecautiously. Keep speeds down, allow forlonger stopping distances and avoidaggressive steering to reduce the chancesof a loss of vehicle control which can leadto serious injury or death. If the rear end ofyour vehicle slides while cornering, steer inthe direction of the slide until you regaincontrol of your vehicle.
Four-wheel drive vehicles have advantagesover two-wheel drive vehicles in snow andice but can skid like any other vehicle.Should you start to slide while driving onsnowy or icy roads, turn the steering wheelin the direction of the slide until you regaincontrol.
Avoid sudden applications of power andquick changes of direction on snow andice. Apply the accelerator slowly andsteadily when starting from a full stop.
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PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
The traction control system helps avoiddrive wheel spin and loss of traction.
If your vehicle begins to slide, the systemapplies the brakes to individual wheelsand, when needed, reduces engine powerat the same time. If the wheels spin whenaccelerating on slippery or loose surfaces,the system reduces engine power in orderto increase traction.
USING TRACTION CONTROL
WARNING
The stability and traction controllight illuminates steadily if thesystem detects a failure. Make sureyou did not manually disable the tractioncontrol system using the switch. If thestability control and traction control lightis still illuminating steadily, have thesystem serviced by an authorized dealerimmediately. Operating your vehicle withtraction control disabled could lead to anincreased risk of loss of vehicle control,vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
The system automatically turns on eachtime you switch the ignition on.
If your vehicle is stuck in mud or snow,switching traction control off may bebeneficial as this allows the wheels to spin.
Note:When you switch traction control off,stability control remains fully active.
Switching the System Off
The switch for the stability and tractioncontrol system is on the instrument panel.
When you switch the system off, amessage and an illuminated icon appearon the instrument cluster.
Use the switch again to return the tractioncontrol system to normal operation.
Your vehicle may have MyKey restrictionsregarding this feature. See Principle ofOperation (page 47).
System Indicator Lights andMessages
The stability and traction controllight temporarily illuminates onengine start-up and flashes:
•When a driving condition activateseither of the systems.
•If a problem occurs in either of thesystems.
The stability and traction controloff light temporarily illuminateson engine start-up and stays on:
•When you switch the traction controlsystem off.
•When you select an alternative stabilitycontrol mode.
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PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNINGS
Vehicle modifications involvingbraking system, aftermarket roofracks, suspension, steering system,tire construction and wheel and tire sizemay change the handling characteristicsof your vehicle and may adversely affectthe performance of the electronic stabilitycontrol system. In addition, installing anystereo loudspeakers may interfere withand adversely affect the electronic stabilitycontrol system. Install any aftermarketstereo loudspeaker as far as possible fromthe front center console, the tunnel, andthe front seats in order to minimize the riskof interfering with the electronic stabilitycontrol sensors. Reducing theeffectiveness of the electronic stabilitycontrol system could lead to an increasedrisk of loss of vehicle control, vehiclerollover, personal injury and death.
Remember that even advancedtechnology cannot defy the laws ofphysics. It’s always possible to losecontrol of a vehicle due to inappropriatedriver input for the conditions. Aggressivedriving on any road condition can causeyou to lose control of your vehicleincreasing the risk of personal injury orproperty damage. Activation of theelectronic stability control system is anindication that at least some of the tireshave exceeded their ability to grip the road;this could reduce the operator’s ability tocontrol the vehicle potentially resulting ina loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,personal injury and death. If your electronicstability control system activates, SLOWDOWN.
The system automatically turns on eachtime you switch the ignition on.
If a fault occurs in either the stabilitycontrol or the traction control system, youmay experience the following conditions:
•The stability and traction control lightilluminates steadily.
•The stability control and tractioncontrol systems do not enhance yourvehicle's ability to maintain traction ofthe wheels.
If a driving condition activates either thestability control or the traction controlsystem you may experience the followingconditions:
•The stability and traction control lightflashes.
•Your vehicle slows down.
•Reduced engine power.
•A vibration in the brake pedal.
•The brake pedal is stiffer than usual.
•If the driving condition is severe andyour foot is not on the brake, the brakepedal may move as the system applieshigher brake force.
The stability control system has severalfeatures built into it to help you maintaincontrol of your vehicle:
Electronic Stability Control
The system enhances your vehicle’s abilityto prevent skids or lateral slides byapplying brakes to one or more of thewheels individually and, if necessary,reducing engine power.
Roll Stability Control
The system enhances your vehicle’s abilityto prevent rollovers by detecting yourvehicle’s roll motion and the rate at whichit changes by applying the brakes to oneor more wheels individually.
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Stability Control

Traction Control
The system enhances your vehicle’s abilityto maintain traction of the wheels bydetecting and controlling wheel spin. SeeUsing Traction Control (page 176).
Vehicle without stability controlskidding off its intended route.A
Vehicle with stability controlmaintaining control on a slipperysurface.
B
USING STABILITY CONTROL
Stability Control and TractionControl with Roll StabilityControl™ (RSC™)
The system automatically activates whenyou start your engine. You can switch offthe electronic stability control and rollstability control portions of the systembelow 35 mph (56 km/h). When thetransmission is in reverse (R), they aredisabled. You can switch off the tractioncontrol portion of the systemindependently. See Using TractionControl (page 176).
Stability Control and Traction Control with RSC Features
Tractioncontrol systemElectronicstabilitycontrol
Roll stabilitycontrolStabilitycontrol OFFlight
Button func-tions
EnabledEnabledEnabledIlluminatedduring bulbcheck
Default at start-up
Disabled 1Enabled1EnabledIlluminatedButton pressedmomentarily
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AA
B
BB
B

Stability Control and Traction Control with RSC Features
Disabled 4DisabledDisabledFlashes thenilluminated
solid 2
Button pressedand held formore than 5seconds atvehicle speedunder 35 mph(56 km/h)
Disabled1Enabled1EnabledIlluminatedVehicle speedexceeds 35 mph(56 km/h) afterbutton ispressed andheld for morethan 5 seconds
EnabledEnabledEnabledNot illuminatedButton pressedagain afterdeactivation
Disabled 4DisabledDisabledIlluminatedButton notpressed and thetransfer case isswitched to
4WD Low3
1The traction control system may still be enabled but with higher entry thresholdscompared to the full system. The electronic stability control entry thresholds are highercompared to the full system.2When you press and hold the button for more than 5 seconds the indicator lamp blinksfor three seconds.3Your vehicle may or may not have this feature available. When you select 4WD low thestability control light illuminates and all stability control with RSC features are disabled.4Engine traction control and two-wheel spin brake traction control functions are disabled.Single wheel spin traction control is always enabled.
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Stability Control

•Avoid using speed control in hillyterrain.
•Do not rest your foot on the brakepedal while driving.
•Avoid carrying unnecessary weight.
•Avoid adding particular accessories toyour vehicle (e.g. bug deflectors,rollbars/light bars, running boards, skiracks).
•Avoid driving with the wheels out ofalignment.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
WARNING
Do not drive through flowing or deepwater as you may lose control of yourvehicle.
Note:Driving through standing water cancause vehicle damage.
Note:Engine damage can occur if waterenters the air filter.
Before driving through standing water,check the depth. Never drive through waterthat is higher than the bottom of the wheelhubs.
When driving through standing water, drivevery slowly and do not stop your vehicle.Your brake performance and traction maybe limited. After driving through water andas soon as it is safe to do so:
•Lightly press the brake pedal to dry thebrakes and to check that they work.
•Check that the horn works.
•Check that the exterior lights work.
•Turn the steering wheel to check thatthe steering power assist works.
FLOOR MATS (If Equipped)
WARNINGS
Always use floor mats that aredesigned to fit the foot well of yourvehicle. Only use floor mats thatleave the pedal area unobstructed. Onlyuse floor mats that are firmly secured toretention posts so that they cannot slip outof position and interfere with the pedalsor impair safe operation of your vehicle inother ways.
Pedals that cannot move freely cancause loss of vehicle control andincrease the risk of serious personalinjury.
Always make sure that the floormats are properly attached to theretention posts in the carpet that aresupplied with your vehicle. Floor mats mustbe properly secured to both retention poststo make sure mats do not shift out ofposition.
Never place floor mats or any othercovering in the vehicle foot well thatcannot be properly secured toprevent them from moving and interferingwith the pedals or the ability to control thevehicle.
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TIRE CARE
Information About UniformTire Quality Grading
Tire Quality Grades apply to newpneumatic passenger car tires.The Quality grades can be foundwhere applicable on the tiresidewall between tread shoulderand maximum section width. Forexample: Treadwear 200Traction AA Temperature A.
These Tire Quality Grades aredetermined by standards that theUnited States Department ofTransportation has set.
Tire Quality Grades apply to newpneumatic passenger car tires.They do not apply to deep tread,winter-type snow tires,space-saver or temporary usespare tires, light truck or LT typetires, tires with nominal rimdiameters of 10 to 12 inches orlimited production tires as definedin Title 49 Code of FederalRegulations Part 575.104 (c)(2).
U.S. Department ofTransportation Tire qualitygrades: The U.S. Department ofTransportation requires FordMotor Company to give you thefollowing information about tiregrades exactly as the governmenthas written it.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is acomparative rating based on thewear rate of the tire when testedunder controlled conditions on aspecified government test course.For example, a tire graded 150would wear one and one-half (1½) times as well on thegovernment course as a tiregraded 100. The relativeperformance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of theiruse, however, and may departsignificantly from the norm due tovariations in driving habits, servicepractices, and differences in roadcharacteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
WARNING
The traction grade assignedto this tire is based onstraight-ahead braking tractiontests, and does not includeacceleration, cornering,hydroplaning or peak tractioncharacteristics.
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