towing FORD EXPLORER 2021 User Guide

WARNING: If the parking brake is
fully released, but the brake warning
lamp remains illuminated, the brakes
may not be working properly. Have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible. WARNING:
Do not drive your
vehicle until you verify that the
stoplamps are working.
Use the manual park release to move your
transmission from the park (P) position in
the event of an electrical malfunction or
emergency.
Activating the Manual Park Release
Cable 1.
Apply the parking brake. See Electric
Parking Brake
(page 215).
Note: If the vehicle battery is dead, for
example, no electrical power is available,
you require an external power to apply the
parking brake.
2. Using the key or a flat head screwdriver,
maximum length
5 in (120 mm), as
shown in the picture, carefully open the
access cover under the arm rest
console.
See Keys and Remote
Controls (page 57). 3. Turn the vehicle ignition on without
starting the vehicle by pressing the
ignition push to start without pressing
the brake.
4. Once in the driver seat, fully apply the brake pedal and hold. Do not release. Note:
A:
2.0 in (50 mm) B: 0.1 in (3.3 mm)
5. Insert a screwdriver type tool, see description, or your car key into the
Manual Park Release (MPR) lever slot.
Pull the manual park release lever
toward the rear until the detent in the
slot pops up, against the tool or key.
Allow full upward travel of detent,
approximately
0.28 in (7 mm) in the
park override mode (Click). You can
remove the tool. If done correctly, a
message on the instrument cluster
displays Park Not Available,
Transmission Not in Park, or Shift
System Fault.
6. With your foot still fully applied on the
brake pedal, disengage the parking
brake.
See Electric Parking Brake
(page 215).
7. Your vehicle remains in neutral (N) for emergency towing purposes.
8. Switch off the ignition.
9. Once safe, and there is no risk of your vehicle rolling, disconnect the negative
(black) battery cable from the battery.
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If it continues to flash or does not
illuminate, the system has malfunctioned.
Have your vehicle checked as soon as
possible.
Note:
You can apply the electric parking
brake when the ignition is off.
Note: The electric parking brake could
automatically apply when you shift into park
(P). See Transmission (page 201).
Applying the Electric Parking Brake in
an Emergency
Note: Do not apply the electric parking
brake when your vehicle is moving, except
in an emergency. If you repeatedly use the
electric parking brake to slow or stop your
vehicle, you could cause damage to the
brake system.
You can use the electric parking brake to
slow or stop your vehicle in an emergency. Pull the switch upward and hold
it.
The red warning lamp
illuminates, a tone sounds and
the stoplamps turn on.
The electric parking brake continues to
slow your vehicle down unless you release
the switch.
Manually Releasing the Electric
Parking Brake
Switch the ignition on.
Press and hold the brake pedal.
Push the switch downward.
The red warning lamp turns off. If it remains illuminated or flashes, the
system has malfunctioned. Have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible.
Pulling Away on a Hill When Towing a
Trailer
Press and hold the brake pedal.
Pull the switch upward and hold
it.
Shift into gear.
Press the accelerator pedal until engine
has developed sufficient torque to prevent
your vehicle from rolling down the hill. Release the switch and pull
away in a normal manner.
Automatically Releasing the
Electric Parking Brake
Close the driver door.
Shift into gear.
Press the accelerator pedal and pull away
in a normal manner. The red warning lamp turns off.
If it remains illuminated or flashes, the
electric parking brake has not released.
Manually release the parking brake.
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Vehicles with Automatic Transmission
You cannot turn the system on or off.
When you switch the ignition on, the
system automatically turns on.
AUTO HOLD
WARNING: The system does not
replace the parking brake. When you
leave your vehicle, always apply the
parking brake. WARNING:
You must remain in
your vehicle when the system turns on.
At all times, you are responsible for
controlling your vehicle, supervising the
system and intervening, if required.
Failure to take care may result in the loss
of control of your vehicle, serious
personal injury or death. WARNING:
The system turns off if
there is a malfunction or if you
excessively rev the engine.
The system is designed to apply the brakes
to hold your vehicle at a standstill after you
stop your vehicle and release the brake
pedal. This could be beneficial in certain
situations, for example when waiting on a
hill or in traffic.
Switching Auto Hold On and Off Press the button on the center
console. The button illuminates
when you switch the system on.
Note: You can only switch the system on
after you close the driver door, and start the
engine.
Note: The system remembers the last
setting when you start your vehicle. Make sure you switch the system off before
towing with your vehicle or before using an
automatic car wash.
Using Auto Hold
1. Use the brakes to bring your vehicle to
a complete stop. The auto hold active
indicator illuminates in the information
display.
2. Release the brake pedal. The system holds your vehicle at a standstill. The
auto hold active indicator remains
illuminated in the information display.
Note: The system only activates if you
apply enough brake pressure. If your vehicle
is on a steep slope, you might need to press
the brake pedal harder before the system
activates.
Note: Under certain conditions, the system
could apply the electric parking brake. The
brake system warning lamp illuminates. The
electric parking brake releases when you
press the accelerator pedal. See Electric
Parking Brake (page 215).
Note: If auto-start-stop turns off the
engine, auto hold remains active.
Note: The system deactivates if you shift
into reverse (R) and press the brake pedal.
3. Pull away in the normal manner. The system releases the brakes and the
auto hold active indicator turns off.
Auto Hold Indicator
The auto hold indicator illuminates in the
information display when the system is on
and is either active or unavailable. Illuminates when the system is
active. Your vehicle remains
stationary after you release the
brake pedal.
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WARNING: Use caution when the
rear cargo door is ajar. If the rear cargo
door is ajar, the camera will be out of
position and the video image may be
incorrect. All guidelines disappear when
the rear cargo door is ajar. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in
personal injury. WARNING:
Use caution when
turning camera features on or off when
the transmission is not in park (P). Make
sure your vehicle is not moving.
Note: Some vehicles may not come
equipped with guidelines.
The rear view camera system provides a
video image of the area behind your
vehicle.
During operation, lines appear in the
display which represent your vehicle ’s path
and proximity to objects behind your
vehicle. The camera is located on the luggage
compartment door.
Using the Rear View Camera
System
The rear view camera system displays
what is behind your vehicle when you place
the transmission in reverse (R). Note:
The reverse sensing system is not
effective at speeds above
3 mph (5 km/h)
and may not detect certain angular or
moving objects.
The system uses three types of guides to
help you see what is behind your vehicle:
• Active guidelines (if equipped): Show
the intended path of your vehicle when
reversing.
• Fixed guidelines: Show the actual path
your vehicle is moving in while reversing
in a straight line. This can be helpful
when backing into a parking space or
aligning your vehicle with another
object behind you.
• Centerline: Helps align the center of
your vehicle with an object (for
example, a trailer).
Note: If the transmission is in reverse (R)
and the luggage compartment door or
liftgate is open, no rear view camera
features will display.
Note: When towing, the camera only sees
what you are towing. This might not provide
adequate coverage as it usually provides in
normal operation and some objects might
not be seen. In some vehicles, the guidelines
may disappear when you connect the trailer
tow connector.
The camera may not operate correctly
under the following conditions:
• Nighttime or dark areas if one or both
reverse lamps are not operating.
• Mud, water or debris obstructs the
camera's view. Clean the lens with a
soft, lint-free cloth and non-abrasive
cleaner. You can also use the rear
washer to clean the camera. See Rear
Window Wiper and Washers
(page
86).
• The rear of your vehicle is hit or
damaged, causing the camera to
become misaligned.
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HOW DOES ADAPTIVE CRUISE
CONTROL WITH STOP AND GO
WORK
Adaptive cruise control with stop and go
uses radar and camera sensors to adjust
the speed of your vehicle to maintain a set
gap from the vehicle in front of you in the
same lane while following it to a complete
stop. You can also engage the system to
follow a vehicle in front of you and adjust
set speed while stopped.
WHAT IS ADAPTIVE CRUISE
CONTROL WITH LANE
CENTERING
Adaptive cruise control with lane centering
uses radar and camera sensors to help
keep your vehicle in the lane by applying
continuous assistance steering torque
input toward the lane center on highways.
Note:
The adaptive cruise control gap
setting operates normally.
WHAT IS INTELLIGENT
ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Intelligent adaptive cruise control
combines speed sign recognition with
adaptive cruise control to adjust the cruise
set speed to the speed limit detected by
the speed sign recognition system. For
example, if the speed sign recognition
system detects a 50 mph (80 km/h)
speed limit, the cruise set speed is updated
to
50 mph (80 km/h).
Note: The adaptive cruise control gap
setting operates normally. ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
PRECAUTIONS - VEHICLES
WITH: ADAPTIVE CRUISE
CONTROL WITH LANE
CENTERING
Adaptive cruise control precautions apply
to lane centering unless stated otherwise
or contradicted by a lane centering
precaution. See Adaptive Cruise Control
Precautions
(page 246).
WARNING:
Do not use the system
when towing a trailer. Failure to follow
this instruction could result in the loss of
control of your vehicle, personal injury or
death. WARNING:
Do not use the system
if any changes or modifications to the
steering wheel have been made. Any
changes or modifications to the steering
wheel could affect the functionality or
performance of the system. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in the
loss of control of your vehicle, personal
injury or death.
ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
PRECAUTIONS - VEHICLES
WITH: ADAPTIVE CRUISE
CONTROL WITH STOP AND GO WARNING: You are responsible for
controlling your vehicle at all times. The
system is designed to be an aid and does
not relieve you of your responsibility to
drive with due care and attention. Failure
to follow this instruction could result in
the loss of control of your vehicle,
personal injury or death.
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(If Equipped)

WARNING: Pay close attention to
changing road conditions such as
entering or leaving a highway, on roads
with intersections or roundabouts, roads
without visible lanes of travel, roads that
are winding, slippery, unpaved, or steep
slopes. WARNING:
The system does not
control speed in low traction conditions
or extremely steep slopes. The system
is designed to be an aid and does not
relieve you of your responsibility to drive
with due care and attention. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in
personal injury. WARNING:
The system is not a
crash warning or avoidance system. WARNING:
Do not use the system
when towing a trailer that has
aftermarket electronic trailer brake
controls. Failure to follow this instruction
could result in the loss of control of your
vehicle, personal injury or death. WARNING:
Do not use tire sizes
other than those recommended because
this can affect the normal operation of
the system. Failure to do so may result
in a loss of vehicle control, which could
result in serious injury. WARNING:
Do not use the system
with a snow plow blade installed. WARNING:
Do not use the system
in poor visibility, for example fog, heavy
rain, spray or snow. When Following a Vehicle WARNING:
When following a
vehicle that is braking, your vehicle does
not always decelerate quickly enough to
avoid a crash without driver intervention.
Apply the brakes when necessary. Failure
to follow this instruction could result in
personal injury or death.
Hilly Condition Usage
You should select a lower gear when the
system is active in situations such as
prolonged downhill driving on steep
grades, for example in mountainous areas.
The system needs additional engine
braking in these situations to reduce the
load on the vehicle ’s regular brake system
to prevent it from overheating.
Note: An audible alarm sounds and the
system shuts down if it applies brakes for
an extended period of time. This allows the
brakes to cool. The system functions
normally again after the brakes cool.
ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
LIMITATIONS - VEHICLES
WITH: ADAPTIVE CRUISE
CONTROL WITH LANE
CENTERING
Adaptive cruise control limitations apply
to lane centering unless stated otherwise
or contradicted by a lane centering
limitation. See Adaptive Cruise Control
Limitations
(page 248).
The system may not correctly operate in
any of the following conditions:
• Your vehicle is not centered in the lane.
• The lane is too narrow or wide.
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(If Equipped)

•
Information display. See General
Information (page 114).
• Touchscreen. See Settings (page 464).
When you switch the system off, a warning
lamp illuminates and the alert indicators
flash twice.
Note: The system remembers the last
setting when you start your vehicle.
Note: The system may not correctly operate
when towing a trailer. For vehicles with an
approved trailer tow module and tow bar,
the system turns off when you attach a
trailer. For vehicles with an aftermarket
trailer tow module or tow bar, we
recommend that you switch the system off
when you attach a trailer.
To permanently switch the system off,
contact an authorized dealer.
Blind Spot Information System
with Trailer Tow
(If Equipped) The design of the system is to aid you in
detecting vehicles that could have entered
the detection area zone (A). The detection
area is on both sides of your vehicle and
trailer, extending rearward from the
exterior mirrors to the end of your trailer.
When you attach and have setup a trailer,
the blind spot information system with
trailer tow becomes active when driving
forward above
6 mph (10 km/h). You can switch the system off in the
information display.
See General
Information (page 114). If you switch the
blind spot information system off, blind
spot information system with trailer tow
turns off.
Setting up a Trailer
You can setup a trailer through the
information display.
See General
Information (page 114). Trailer length.
A
Trailer width.
B
Trailer hitch ball.
C
Note: Measure the width of the trailer at
the front of the trailer, not the widest point.
The maximum width that the system can
support is
8.2 ft (2.5 m)(B).
Note: The trailer length is the distance
between the trailer hitch ball and the rear
of the trailer. The maximum length that the
system can support is
33 ft (10 m)(A).
When setting up a trailer, a sequence of
screens appear asking for trailer
information:
• Select trailer screen: None, Trailer A,
Trailer B or Trailer C.
Note: You can select only one trailer on
small information displays.
Select one of the trailers and press OK. The
menu goes to the next screen.
• Width less than
8.2 ft (2.5 m) and
length less than 33 ft (10 m)?
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Note:
You do not need to enter an exact
trailer width measurement. You only need
to confirm that the width of the trailer is
8.2 ft (2.5 m) or less.
If no, the system turns off.
If yes, the menu goes to the next screen.
• Enter length of trailer:
Toggling up or down using the menu
buttons increases or decreases the
measurement by
3 ft (1 m). Select a length
that is equal to or within 3 ft (1 m) of the
actual measured length. For example, if
the actual measured length is 25 ft (7.6 m),
toggle the length in the menu to 8 m or 27
ft. When you enter the length of the trailer,
this saves the system setup.
Note: When you connect a trailer, but do
not setup a trailer in the blind spot
information system, the system turns off
and a warning appears in the information
display.
Note: If the trailer is a bike rack or cargo
rack with electrical lighting, enter a length
of
3 ft (1 m). Cross Traffic Alert remains on
for trailers with a length of 3 ft (1 m) or less.
Note: The system requires proper
measurement and measurement entry to
function as designed.
System Operation
If you select a trailer in the information
display prior to connecting a trailer, the
system loads that configuration and the
information display shows a message
when you connect the trailer. A second
message appears stating cross traffic alert
is off, unless a trailer is set up with a length
of
3 ft (1 m). The blind spot information
system with trailer tow still functions
normally when driving forward. If you connect a trailer, a message appears
indicating that you attached a trailer. If you
have not selected a trailer previously,
another message appears requesting you
to select one of the trailers in the list or add
a new trailer. The blind spot information
system with trailer tow does not function
without a trailer selected. If you do not
select a trailer, a message appears in the
information display stating it has
deactivated the system. This message
might not appear until your vehicle speed
reaches
22 mph (35 km/h).
The blind spot information system with
trailer tow activates when driving forward
for that particular trailer set up. If you cycle
the ignition, the blind spot information
system with trailer tow continues to
function using the last trailer you selected.
Trailer Considerations
The system works with a trailer with a front
width of
8.2 ft (2.5 m) or less, and a total
length from the trailer hitch ball to the rear
of the trailer of
33 ft (10 m) or less.
Some trailers could cause a slight change
in system performance:
• Wide box trailers, especially those
wider than the towing vehicle, could
cause false alerts to occur when driving
next to infrastructure or near parked
cars. A false alert could also occur
while making a 90-degree turn or
driving through a roundabout.
• Wide trailers that have a total length
greater than
20 ft (6 m) could cause
delayed alerts when a vehicle is
passing at high speeds.
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Zone coverage also decreases when
parking at narrow angles. The sensor on
the left-hand side is mostly obstructed and
zone coverage on that side is severely
reduced.
Cross Traffic Alert System Sensors
The sensors are behind the rear bumper
on both sides of your vehicle.
Note:
Keep the sensors free from snow, ice
and large accumulations of dirt.
Note: Do not cover the sensors with bumper
stickers, repair compound or other objects.
Note: Blocked sensors could affect system
performance.
If the sensors are blocked, a message may
appear in the information display when
you shift into reverse (R).
Cross Traffic Alert System
Limitations
The system may not correctly operate
when any of the following occur:
• The sensors are blocked.
• Adjacently parked vehicles or objects
are obstructing the sensors.
• Vehicles approach at speeds less than
4 mph (6 km/h) or greater than 37 mph
(60 km/h).
• The vehicle speed is greater than 7 mph
(12 km/h)
.
• You reverse out of an angled parking
space. Cross Traffic Alert Behavior When
Trailer is Attached
Note:
The system may not correctly operate
when towing a trailer. For vehicles with an
approved trailer tow module and tow bar,
the system turns off when you attach a
trailer. For vehicles with an aftermarket
trailer tow module or tow bar, we
recommend that you switch the system off
when you attach a trailer.
Cross traffic alert remains on when you
attach a trailer in vehicles that come with
blind spot information system with trailer
tow under the following conditions:
• You connect a trailer.
• The trailer is a bike rack or cargo rack
with a maximum length of
3 ft (1 m).
• You set the trailer length to
3 ft (1 m)
in the information display.
See
Blind Spot Information System
(page 264).
Switching the System On and Off
To switch the system on or off, adjust the
setting. Depending on your vehicle options,
the setting could be in the following:
• Information display.
See General
Information (page 117).
• Touchscreen. See Settings (page 464).
Note: The system turns on every time you
switch the ignition on. To permanently
switch the system off, contact an authorized
dealer.
Cross Traffic Alert Indicator When the system detects an
approaching vehicle, a tone
sounds, a warning lamp
illuminates in the relevant exterior mirror
and arrows appear in the information
display to show which side the
approaching vehicle is coming from.
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Note:
Using deep snow/sand mode on dry,
hard surfaces could produce some vibration,
driveline bind up, and potential excessive
tire wear. This mode is for slippery and loose
surfaces.
Eco For efficient driving. This mode
helps deliver maximum fuel
efficiency and helps to increase
driving range.
Normal For everyday driving. This mode
is a perfect balance of
excitement, comfort and
convenience. This is the default mode after
each ignition cycle.
Slippery For less than ideal road
conditions, such as snow or ice
covered roads. Use this mode for
crossing terrain with a firm surface covered
with loose, wet or slippery material.
Slippery mode lowers throttle response
and, if provided with an automatic
transmission, optimizes shifting for slippery
surfaces.
Note: Using slippery mode on dry, hard
surfaces could produce some vibration,
driveline bind up, and potential excessive
tire wear. This mode is for slippery surfaces. Sport For sporty driving with improved
performance handling, and
response. This mode increases
throttle response and provides a sportier
steering feel. If equipped with automatic
transmission, the powertrain system
provides improved gear holding, helping
your vehicle accelerate faster.
Tow/Haul For improved transmission
operation when towing a trailer
or a heavy load. This mode
moves upshifts to higher engine speeds to
reduce the frequency of transmission
shifting. This mode also provide engine
braking in all forward gears, which slows
your vehicle and assists you in controlling
your vehicle when descending a grade. The
amount of downshift braking provided
varies based on the amount you press the
brake pedal.
Trail For muddy, rutted, soft or uneven
terrain.
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