steering wheel FORD EXPLORER 2015 5.G User Guide

Reminder Messages Action / Description
Steering Lock Turn
Wheel to UnlockDisplays when you need to turn the steering
wheel in order to disengage the steering lock.
Shift to Park Displays as a reminder to shift into park if gear
shift lever is not in park and a door is opened.
Engine On Displays when the driver’s door is opened, the
vehicle is in park and the engine is on.
Remote Start Action / Description
To Drive: Turn Key to
OnDisplays as a reminder to turn the key on to
drive the vehicle after a remote start.
To Drive: Press Brake
and START ButtonDisplays as a reminder to apply the brake and
the start button to drive the vehicle after a
remote start.
Terrain Management /
Off Road / Hill
Descent MessagesAction / Description
For Hill Descent Reduce
Speed XX MPH/km/h or
LessDisplayed when hill descent speed exceeds
20 MPH (32 KM/H).
For Hill Descent Select
GearDisplayed when hill descent control mode
requires driver shift transmission into gear.
Driver Resume Control Displayed when the hill control mode requires
the driver to resume control.
Hill Descent Control
ActiveDisplayed when hill descent control mode is
activated.
Hill Descent Control
FAULTDisplayed when a hill descent system fault is
present.
Hill Descent Control Off Displayed when hill descent control mode is
deactivated.
Hill Descent Control
OFF System CoolingDisplayed when hill descent control mode is
disabled to cool the brake system.
Hill Descent Control
ReadyDisplayed when hill descent control mode is
activated.
Terrain Management
Normal ModeDisplays driver selected terrain management
normal mode.
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REMOTE START (IF EQUIPPED)
The remote start feature allows you to pre-condition the interior of your
vehicle. The climate control system works to achieve comfort according
to your previous settings.
Note:You cannot adjust the system during remote start operation.
Turn the ignition on to return the system to its previous settings. You
can now make adjustments normally, but you need to turn certain
vehicle-dependent features back on, such as:
•Heated seats.
•Cooled seats.
•Heated steering wheel.
•Heated mirrors.
•Heated rear window.
You can adjust the default remote start settings using the information
display controls. See theInformation Displayschapter.
Automatic Settings
In hot weather, the system is set to 72°F (22°C). The cooled seats are
set to high (if available, and selected to AUTO in the information
display).
In moderate weather, the system either heats or cools (based on
previous settings). The rear defroster, heated mirrors and heated seats
do not automatically turn on.
In cold weather, the system is set to 72°F (22°C). The heated seats are
set to high (if available, and selected to AUTO in the information
display). The rear defroster and heated mirrors automatically turn on.
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SITTING IN THE CORRECT POSITION
WARNING:Sitting improperly out of position or with the seat
back reclined too far can take off weight from the seat cushion
and affect the decision of the passenger sensing system, resulting in
serious injury or death in a crash. Always sit upright against your seat
back, with your feet on the floor.
WARNING:Do not recline the seat back as this can cause the
occupant to slide under the seat’s safety belt, resulting in severe
personal injury in the event of a crash.
WARNING:Do not place objects higher than the seat backs to
reduce the risk of injury in a crash or during heavy braking or
when stopping suddenly.
When you use them properly, the
seat, head restraint, safety belt and
airbags will provide optimum
protection in the event of a crash.
We recommend that you follow these guidelines:
•Do not recline the seat back more than 30 degrees from vertical.
•Sit in an upright position with the base of your spine as far back as
possible.
•Adjust the head restraint so that the top of it is level with the top of
your head and as far forward as possible, remaining comfortable.
•Keep sufficient distance between yourself and the steering wheel. We
recommend a minimum of 10 inches (25 centimeters) between your
breastbone and the airbag cover.
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•Hold the steering wheel with your arms slightly bent.
•Bend your legs slightly so that you can press the pedals fully.
•Position the shoulder strap of the safety belt over the center of your
shoulder and position the lap strap tightly across your hips.
Make sure that your driving position is comfortable and that you can
maintain full control of your vehicle.
HEAD RESTRAINTS
WARNING:To minimize the risk of neck injury in the event of a
crash, the driver and passenger occupants should not sit in or
operate the vehicle until the head restraint is placed in its proper
position. The driver should never adjust the head restraint while the
vehicle is in motion.
WARNING:The adjustable head restraint is a safety device.
Whenever possible it should be installed and properly adjusted
when the seat is occupied. An improperly adjusted head restraint may
provide reduced protection to an occupant during certain rear impacts.
WARNING:Install the head restraint properly to minimize the
risk of neck injury in the event of a crash.
Note:Before adjusting any head restraint, adjust the seat back to an
upright driving or riding position. Properly adjust the head restraint so
that the top of the head restraint is even with the top of your head and
positioned as close as possible to the back of your head. For occupants
of extremely tall stature, adjust the head restraint to its full up position.
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Easy Entry and Exit Feature
This feature can move the seat rearward and the optional power steering
column up and forward to allow extra room to exit the vehicle.
This occurs when:
•You place the transmission in neutral (N) or park (P).
•You turn the ignition off.
The seat and steering wheel will move to their original positions when:
•You turn the ignition on.
Turn the Easy Entry/Exit feature on or off through the information
display settings menu. See theInformation Displayschapter.
HEATED SEATS (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING:Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin
because of advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes, spinal cord
injury, medication, alcohol use, exhaustion, or other physical conditions,
must exercise care when using the seat heater. The seat heater may
cause burns even at low temperatures, especially if used for long
periods of time. Do not place anything on the seat that insulates against
heat, such as a blanket or cushion, because this may cause the seat
heater to overheat. Do not puncture the seat with pins, needles, or
other pointed objects because this may damage the heating element
which may cause the seat heater to overheat. An overheated seat may
cause serious personal injury.
The heated seats will only function when the ignition is in the on
position.
Note:Do not do the following:
•Place heavy objects on the seat
•Operate the seat heater if water or any other liquid is spilled on the
seat. Allow the seat to dry thoroughly.
To operate the heated seats:
Press the heated seat symbol to cycle through the various
heat settings and off. Warmer settings are indicated by
more indicator lights.
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SelectShift Automatic® Transmission
Your SelectShift automatic transmission gives you the ability to manually
change gears if you’d like. To use SelectShift, move the gearshift lever
intoM(Manual). Now you can use select shift to manually change gears.
If your vehicle is equipped with (+)/(–) buttons on the side of your
gearshift lever:
•Press (–) on the gearshift lever
button to manually downshift the
transmission.
•Press (+) on the gearshift lever
button to manually upshift the
transmission.
Paddle Shifters (If Equipped)
The paddle shifters allow you to shift gears quickly, without taking your
hands off the steering wheel. Temporary manual control is provided
when pulling the paddles with the gearshift in theD(Drive) position.
The system will determine when temporary manual control is no longer
desired and reverts back to automatic control. Extensive manual control
can be achieved by moving the shifter to theM(Manual) position. The
system will stay in manual control until the shifter is moved out of the
manual position.
If your vehicle is equipped with paddles on the steering wheel:
•Pull the left paddle (–) to
downshift the transmission.
•Pull the right paddle (+) to upshift
the transmission.
PRNDM
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How Utility Vehicles Differ from Other Vehicles
Truck and utility vehicles can differ from some other vehicles. Your
vehicle may be higher to allow it to travel over rough terrain without
getting hung up or damaging underbody components.
The differences that make your vehicle so versatile also make it handle
differently than an ordinary passenger car.
Maintain steering wheel control at all times, especially in rough terrain.
Since sudden changes in terrain can result in abrupt steering wheel
motion, make sure you grip the steering wheel from the outside. Do not
grip the spokes.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle damage from concealed objects such as
rocks and stumps.
You should either know the terrain or examine maps of the area before
driving. Map out your route before driving in the area. To maintain
steering and braking control of your vehicle, you must have all four
wheels on the ground and they must be rolling, not sliding or spinning.
Driving In Special Conditions With Four-Wheel Drive (4WD)
Note:4WD vehicles are specially equipped for driving on sand, snow,
mud and rough terrain and have operating characteristics that are
somewhat different from conventional vehicles, both on and off the road.
Truck and utility vehicles can differ from some other vehicles. Your
vehicle may be higher to allow it to travel over rough terrain without
getting hung up or damaging underbody components. The differences
that make your vehicle so versatile also make it handle differently than
an ordinary passenger car. Maintain steering wheel control at all times,
especially in rough terrain. Since sudden changes in terrain can result in
abrupt steering wheel motion, make sure you grip the steering wheel
from the outside. Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle damage from
concealed objects such as rocks and stumps. You should either know the
terrain or examine maps of the area before driving. Map out your route
before driving in the area. To maintain steering and braking control of
your vehicle, you must have all four wheels on the ground and they must
be rolling, not sliding or spinning.
Basic Operating Principles in Special Conditions
•Drive slower in strong crosswinds which can affect the normal steering
characteristics of your vehicle.
•Be extremely careful when driving on pavement made slippery by
loose sand, water, gravel, snow or ice.
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If your vehicle goes off the edge of the pavement
WARNING:Vehicles with a higher center of gravity such as
utility and four-wheel drive vehicles handle differently than
vehicles with a lower center of gravity. Utility and four-wheel drive
vehicles are not designed for cornering at speeds as high as passenger
cars any more than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform
satisfactorily under off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns, excessive
speed and abrupt maneuvers in these vehicles. Failure to drive
cautiously could result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control,
vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
•If your vehicle goes off the edge of the pavement, slow down, but
avoid severe brake application, ease the vehicle back onto the
pavement only after reducing your speed. Do not turn the steering
wheel too sharply while returning to the road surface.
•It may be safer to stay on the apron or shoulder of the road and slow
down gradually before returning to the pavement. You may lose
control if you do not slow down or if you turn the steering wheel too
sharply or abruptly.
•It often may be less risky to strike small objects, such as highway
reflectors, with minor damage to your vehicle rather than attempt a
sudden return to the pavement which could cause the vehicle to slide
sideways out of control or roll over. Remember, your safety and the
safety of others should be your primary concern.
If your vehicle gets stuck
WARNING:Always set the parking brake fully and make sure
the gearshift is latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition to the off
position and remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
WARNING:If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake
warning lamp remains illuminated, the brakes may not be
working properly. See your authorized dealer.
WARNING:Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h).
The tires may fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
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If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow it may be rocked out by
shifting between forward and reverse gears, stopping between shifts, in a
steady pattern. Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Note:Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature or damage to the transmission may occur.
Note:Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few minutes or damage to
the transmission and tires may occur or the engine may overheat.
Emergency maneuvers
WARNING:Vehicles with a higher center of gravity such as
utility and four-wheel drive vehicles handle differently than
vehicles with a lower center of gravity. Utility and four-wheel drive
vehicles are not designed for cornering at speeds as high as passenger
cars any more than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform
satisfactorily under off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns, excessive
speed and abrupt maneuvers in these vehicles. Failure to drive
cautiously could result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control,
vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
•In an unavoidable emergency situation where a sudden sharp turn
must be made, remember to avoid “over-driving” your vehicle, i.e.,
turn the steering wheel only as rapidly and as far as required to avoid
the emergency. Excessive steering will result in less vehicle control,
not more. Additionally, smooth variations of the accelerator and/or
brake pedal pressure should be utilized if changes in vehicle speed are
called for. Avoid abrupt steering, acceleration or braking which could
result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover
and/or personal injury. Use all available road surface to return the
vehicle to a safe direction of travel.
•In the event of an emergency stop, avoid skidding the tires and do not
attempt any sharp steering wheel movements.
•If the vehicle goes from one type of surface to another (i.e., from
concrete to gravel) there will be a change in the way the vehicle
responds to a maneuver (steering, acceleration or braking). Again,
avoid these abrupt inputs.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all four wheels on the most solid
area of the trail. Avoid reducing the tire pressures but shift to a lower
gear and drive steadily through the terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly
and avoid spinning the wheels.
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Although natural obstacles may make it necessary to travel diagonally up
or down a hill or steep incline, you should always try to drive straight up
or straight down. Whenever driving on a hill, determine beforehand the
route you will use. Do not drive over the crest of a hill without seeing
what conditions are on the other side. Do not drive in reverse over a hill
without the aid of an observer.
When climbing a steep slope or hill, start in a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from a higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the engine and the possibility of stalling.
If you do stall out, Do not try to turn around because you might roll
over. It is better to back down to a safe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels to climb the hill. Too much
power will cause the tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting in loss of
vehicle control.
Descend a hill in the same gear you
would use to climb up the hill to
avoid excessive brake application
and brake overheating. Do not
descend in neutral; instead,
disengage overdrive or manually
shift to a lower gear. When
descending a steep hill, avoid
sudden hard braking as you could
lose control. When you brake hard,
the front wheels cannot turn and if
they are not turning, you will not be able to steer. The front wheels have
to be turning in order to steer the vehicle.
Since your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, apply the brakes steadily. Do not
“pump” the brakes.
Driving on snow and ice
WARNING:If you are driving in slippery conditions that require
tire chains or cables, then it is critical that you drive cautiously.
Keep speeds down, allow for longer stopping distances and avoid
aggressive steering to reduce the chances of a loss of vehicle control
which can lead to serious injury or death. If the rear end of the vehicle
slides while cornering, steer in the direction of the slide until you
regain control of the vehicle.
4WD vehicles have advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but
can skid like any other vehicle.
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