reset FORD EXPLORER 2021 Owner's Guide

From the main menu scroll to:
Action and description
Message
Press the right arrow button,
then from this menu scroll
to the following message.
Settings
Press the right arrow button,
then from this menu scroll
to the following message.
Vehicle
Press and hold the OK
button until the instrument
cluster displays the
following message.
Hold OK to
Reset
Reset Successful
When the oil change indic-
ator resets the instrument
cluster displays 100%.
Remaining Life
{00}%
If the instrument cluster
displays one of the following
messages, repeat the
process.
Not Reset
Reset Cancelled
CHANGING THE ENGINE AIR
FILTER - 2.3L ECOBOOST™ WARNING:
To reduce the risk of
vehicle damage and personal burn
injuries, do not start your engine with the
air cleaner removed and do not remove
it while the engine is running. When changing the engine air filter, do not
allow debris or foreign material to enter
the air induction system. Engine
components are susceptible to damage
not covered by the vehicle Warranty.
Change the air filter element at the correct
interval. See
Scheduled Maintenance
(page 482).
Incorrect component use can cause
damage not covered by the vehicle
Warranty. See
Motorcraft Parts (page
388).
To replace the air filter element do the
following: 1. Remove the clips that secure the air
filter housing cover.
2. Using a screwdriver, loosen the clamp on air filter housing cover.
3. Gently pull the boot back away from the air filter housing cover.
328
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing MaintenanceE294782

Follow your community's regulations and
standards for recycling and disposing of
automotive fluids.
Severe Climates
If you drive in extremely cold climates:
•
It may be necessary to increase the
coolant concentration above 50%.
• A coolant concentration of 60%
provides improved freeze point
protection.
• Coolant concentrations above 60%
decrease the overheat protection
characteristics of the coolant and may
cause engine damage.
If you drive in extremely hot climates:
• You can decrease the coolant
concentration to 40%.
• A coolant concentration of 40%
provides improved overheat protection.
• Coolant concentrations below 40%
decrease the overheat and corrosion
protection characteristics of the
coolant and may cause engine
damage.
Vehicles driven year-round in non-extreme
climates should use prediluted coolant for
optimum cooling system and engine
protection.
Coolant Change
At specific mileage intervals, as listed in
the scheduled maintenance information,
the coolant should be changed. Add
prediluted coolant approved to the correct
specification. See Capacities and
Specifications (page 391). Fail-Safe Cooling
Fail-safe cooling allows you to temporarily
drive your vehicle before any incremental
component damage occurs. The fail-safe
distance depends on ambient
temperature, vehicle load and terrain.
How Fail-Safe Cooling Works If the engine begins to overheat,
the coolant temperature gauge
moves toward the red zone:
A warning lamp illuminates and
a message may appear in the
information display.
If the engine reaches a preset
over-temperature condition, the engine
automatically switches to alternating
cylinder operation. Each disabled cylinder
acts as an air pump and cools the engine.
When this occurs, your vehicle still
operates, however:
• Engine power is limited.
• The air conditioning system turns off.
Continued operation increases the engine
temperature, causing the engine to
completely shut down. Your steering and
braking effort increases in this situation.
When the engine temperature cools, you
can re-start the engine. Have your vehicle
checked as soon as possible to minimize
engine damage.
When Fail-Safe Mode Is Activated WARNING: Fail-safe mode is for
use during emergencies only. Operate
your vehicle in fail-safe mode only as
long as necessary to bring your vehicle
to rest in a safe location and seek
immediate repairs. When in fail-safe
mode, your vehicle will have limited
power, will not be able to maintain
333
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Maintenance

After battery replacement, or in some
cases after charging the battery with an
external charger, the battery management
system requires eight hours of vehicle sleep
time to relearn the battery state of charge.
During this time your vehicle must remain
fully locked with the ignition switched off.
Note:
Prior to relearning the battery state
of charge, the battery management system
may temporarily disable some electrical
systems.
Electrical Accessory Installation
To make sure the battery management
system works correctly, do not connect an
electrical device ground connection
directly to the battery negative post. This
can cause inaccurate measurements of
the battery condition and potential
incorrect system operation.
Note: If you add electrical accessories or
components to the vehicle, it may adversely
affect battery performance and durability.
This may also affect the performance of
other electrical systems in the vehicle.
Remove and Reinstall the Battery
To disconnect or remove the battery, do
the following:
1. Apply the parking brake and switch the
ignition off.
2. Switch all electrical equipment off, for
example lights and radio.
3. Wait a minimum of two minutes before
disconnecting the battery.
Note: The engine management system has
a power hold function and remains powered
for a period of time after you switch the
ignition off. This is to allow diagnostic and
adaptive tables to be stored. Disconnecting
the battery without waiting can cause
damage not covered by the vehicle
Warranty. 4. Disconnect the negative battery cable
terminal.
5. Disconnect the positive battery cable terminal.
6. Remove the battery securing clamp.
7. Remove the battery.
8. To install, reverse the removal procedure.
Note: Before reconnecting the battery,
make sure the ignition remains switched off.
Note: Make sure the battery cable terminals
are fully tightened.
If you disconnect or replace the vehicle
battery, you must reset the following
features:
• Window bounce-back. See Power
Windows (page 96).
• Clock Settings.
• Pre-set radio stations.
Battery Disposal Make sure that you dispose of
old batteries in an
environmentally friendly way.
Seek advice from your local authority
about recycling old batteries.
ADJUSTING THE HEADLAMPS
Vertical Aim Adjustment
If your vehicle has been involved in a crash,
have the aim of the headlamp beam
checked by an authorized dealer.
338
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing MaintenanceE107998

Body
•
Wash your vehicle thoroughly to
remove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from
exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housing
and the underside of front fenders.
• Periodically wash your vehicle if it is
stored in exposed locations.
• Touch-up exposed or primed metal to
prevent rust.
• Cover chrome and stainless steel parts
with a thick coat of auto wax to prevent
discoloration. Re-wax as necessary
when you wash your vehicle.
• Lubricate all hood, door and luggage
compartment hinges and latches with
a light grade oil.
• Cover interior trim to prevent fading.
• Keep all rubber parts free from oil and
solvents.
Engine
• Change the engine oil and filter prior to
storage because used engine oil
contains contaminates which may
cause engine damage.
• Start the engine every 15 days for a
minimum of 15 minutes. Run at fast
idle with the climate controls set to
defrost until the engine reaches normal
operating temperature.
• With your foot on the brake, shift
through all the gears while the engine
is running.
• We recommend that you change the
engine oil before you use your vehicle
again.
Fuel system
• Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel
until the first automatic shutoff of the
fuel pump nozzle. Cooling system
•
Protect against freezing temperatures.
• When removing your vehicle from
storage, check coolant fluid level.
Confirm that there are no cooling
system leaks and that fluid is at the
recommended level.
Disconnecting Your 12 Volt Battery
• Check and recharge as necessary. Keep
connections clean.
• If storing your vehicle for more than 30
days without recharging the battery,
we recommend that you disconnect
the battery cables to maintain battery
charge for quick starting.
Note: It is necessary to reset memory
features if you disconnect the battery
cables.
Plugging in Your HYBRID
We recommend the following options for
your plug-in vehicle (PHEV) :
• Leave your vehicle plugged in. The 12
volt battery maintains power if left
plugged in. However, this periodically
uses electricity from the household
outlet.
• Connect a battery charger to your 12
volt battery and leave it on a
continuous, slow charge.
• Disconnect the 12 volt battery. If your
12 volt battery is located in the luggage
compartment, do not fully shut the
luggage compartment after
disconnecting the 12 volt battery. Only
leave the luggage compartment open
if your vehicle is stored in a locked
location.
Brakes
• Make sure the brakes and parking brake
release fully.
349
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Vehicle Care

If you feel a sudden vibration or
ride disturbance while driving, or
you suspect your tire or vehicle
has been damaged, immediately
reduce your speed. Drive with
caution until you can safely pull
off the road. Stop and inspect the
tires for damage. If a tire is
under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and
replace it with your spare tire and
wheel. If you cannot detect a
cause, have the vehicle towed to
the nearest repair facility or tire
dealer to have the vehicle
inspected.
Tire and Wheel Alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or
pothole can cause the front end
of your vehicle to become
misaligned or cause damage to
your tires. If your vehicle seems to
pull to one side when you are
driving, the wheels may be out of
alignment. Have an authorized
dealer check the wheel alignment
periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front
or the rear can cause uneven and
rapid treadwear of your tires and
should be corrected by an
authorized dealer. Front-wheel
drive vehicles and those with an
independent rear suspension (if
equipped) may require alignment
of all four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced
periodically. An unbalanced tire
and wheel assembly may result in
irregular tire wear.
Tire Rotation WARNING: If the tire label
shows different tire pressures for
the front and rear tires and the
vehicle has a tire pressure
monitoring system, then you
need to update the settings for
the system sensors. Always
perform the system reset
procedure after tire rotation. If
you do not reset the system, it
may not provide a low tire
pressure warning when
necessary.
Note: If your tires show uneven
wear, ask an authorized dealer to
check for and correct any wheel
misalignment, tire imbalance or
mechanical problem involved
before tire rotation.
Note: Your vehicle may be
equipped with a dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly. A
dissimilar spare wheel and tire
assembly is defined as a spare
wheel and tire assembly that is
different in brand, size or
appearance from the road tires and
wheels. If you have a dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly, it is
intended for temporary use only
and should not be used in a tire
rotation.
Note: After having your tires
rotated, inflation pressure must be
checked and adjusted to the
vehicle requirements.
365
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires

Customer action required
Possible cause
Low tire pressure
warning light
Make sure tires are at the proper pres-
sure. See Inflating your tires in this
chapter. After inflating your tires to the
manufacturer’s recommended pressure
as shown on the Tire Label (located on
the edge of driver ’s door or the B-Pillar),
the vehicle must be driven for at least
two minutes over 20 mph (32 km/h)
before the light turns off.
Tire(s) under-inflated
Solid warning light Repair the damaged road wheel and tire
assembly and reinstall it on the vehicle
to restore system function. For a
description on how the system functions,
see When Your Temporary Spare Tire
is Installed
in this section.
Spare tire in use
If the tires are properly inflated and the
spare tire is not in use but the light
remains on, contact your authorized
dealer as soon as possible.
TPMS malfunction
On vehicles with different front and rear
tire pressures, the system must be
retrained following every tire rotation.
See Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Reset
procedure later in this section.
Tire rotation without
sensor training
Repair the damaged road wheel and tire
assembly and reinstall it on the vehicle
to restore system function. For a
description on how the system functions,
see When Your Temporary Spare Tire
is Installed
in this section.
Spare tire in use
Flashing warning light
If the tires are properly inflated and the
spare tire is not in use but the light
remains on, contact your authorized
dealer as soon as possible.
TPMS malfunction
371
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires

When Inflating Your Tires
WARNING: Do not use the tire
pressure displayed in the information
display as a tire pressure gauge. Failure
to follow this instruction could result in
personal injury or death.
When putting air into your tires (such as at
a gas station or in your garage), the tire
pressure monitoring system may not
respond immediately to the air added to
your tires.
It may take up to two minutes of driving
over 20 mph (32 km/h) for the light to turn
off after you have filled your tires to the
recommended inflation pressure.
How Temperature Affects Your Tire
Pressure
The tire pressure monitoring system
monitors tire pressure in each pneumatic
tire. While driving in a normal manner, a
typical passenger tire inflation pressure
may increase about
2 –4 psi (14– 28 kPa)
from a cold start situation. If the vehicle is
stationary overnight with the outside
temperature significantly lower than the
daytime temperature, the tire pressure may
decrease about 3 psi (21 kPa) for a drop of
30°F (17°C) in ambient temperature. This
lower pressure value may be detected by
the tire pressure monitoring system as
being significantly lower than the
recommended inflation pressure and
activate the system warning light for low
tire pressure. If the low tire pressure
warning light is on, visually check each tire
to verify that no tire is flat. If one or more
tires are flat, repair as necessary. Check
the air pressure in the road tires. If any tire
is under-inflated, carefully drive the vehicle
to the nearest location where air can be
added to the tires. Inflate all the tires to
the recommended inflation pressure. Tire Pressure Monitoring System Reset
Procedure WARNING:
To determine the
required pressure(s) for your vehicle, see
the Safety Compliance Certification
Label (on the door hinge pillar,
door-latch post or the door edge that
meets the door-latch post, next to the
driver seat) or the Tire Label on the
B-Pillar or the edge of the driver door.
Note: You need to perform the tire pressure
monitoring system reset procedure after
each tire rotation.
To provide the vehicle's load carrying
capability, some vehicles require different
recommended tire pressures in the front
tires as compared to the rear tires. The tire
pressure monitoring system equipped on
these vehicles is designed to illuminate the
low tire pressure warning light at two
different pressures; one for the front tires
and one for the rear tires.
Since tires need to be rotated to provide
consistent performance and maximum tire
life, the tire pressure monitoring system
needs to know when the tires are rotated
to determine which set of tires are on the
front and which are on the rear. With this
information, the system can detect and
properly warn of low tire pressures.
System reset tips:
372
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires

•
To reduce the chances of interference
from another vehicle, perform the
system reset procedure at least 3 ft
(1 m) away from another Ford Motor
Company vehicle undergoing the
system reset procedure at the same
time.
• Do not wait more than two minutes
between resetting each tire sensor or
the system can time-out and you have
to repeat the entire procedure on all
four wheels.
• A double horn sounds indicating the
need to repeat the procedure.
Performing the System Reset Procedure
Read the entire procedure before
attempting.
1. Drive the vehicle above
20 mph
(32 km/h) for at least two minutes,
then park in a safe location where you
can easily get to all four tires and have
access to an air pump.
2. Place the ignition in the off position and
keep the key in the ignition.
3. Cycle the ignition to the on position with the engine off.
4. Turn the hazard flashers on then off three times. You must accomplish this
within 10 seconds. If you successfully
enter the reset mode, the horn sounds
once, the system indicator flashes and
a message shows in the information
display. If this does not occur, please
try again starting at step 2. If after
repeated attempts to enter the reset
mode, the horn does not sound, the
system indicator does not flash and no
message shows in the information
display, seek service from your
authorized dealer. 5. Train the tire pressure monitoring
system sensors in the tires using the
following system reset sequence
starting with the left front tire in the
following clockwise order: Left front -
driver side front tire, Right front -
passenger side front tire, Right rear -
passenger side rear tire, Left rear -
driver side rear tire.
6. Remove the valve cap from the valve stem on the left front tire. Decrease the
air pressure until the horn sounds.
Note: The single horn tone confirms that
the sensor identification code has been
learned by the module for this position. If a
double horn is heard, the reset procedure
was unsuccessful, and you must repeat it.
7. Remove the valve cap from the valve stem on the right front tire. Decrease
the air pressure until the horn sounds.
8. Remove the valve cap from the valve stem on the right rear tire. Decrease the
air pressure until the horn sounds.
9. Remove the valve cap from the valve stem on the left rear tire. Decrease the
air pressure until the horn sounds.
Training is complete after the horn
sounds for the last tire trained, driver
side rear tire, the system indicator
stops flashing, and a message shows
in the information display.
10. Turn the ignition off. If two short horn
beeps are heard, the reset procedure
was unsuccessful and you must
repeat it. If after repeating the
procedure and two short beeps are
heard when the ignition is turned to
off, seek assistance from your
authorized dealer.
373
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires

CREATING A VEHICLE WI-FI
HOTSPOT
You can create a Wi-Fi hotspot in your
vehicle and allow devices to connect to it
for access to the Internet.
Select the settings option on the
feature bar.
1. Press FordPass Connect.
2. Press
Vehicle Hotspot.
Note: The vehicle hotspot default setting
is on.
3. Press
Settings.
4. Press
Wi-Fi visibility.
Note: The Wi-Fi Visibility default setting is
on.
Finding the Wi-Fi Hotspot Name
and Password Select the settings option on the
feature bar.
1. Press
FordPass Connect.
2. Press
Vehicle Hotspot.
3. Press
Settings.
Note: The SSID is the hotspot name.
4. Press
View Password.
Connecting a Device to the Wi-Fi
Hotspot
1. On your device, switch Wi-Fi on and select the hotspot from the list of
available Wi-Fi networks.
2. When prompted, enter the password.
Purchasing a Data Plan
1. Connect a device to the hotspot.
Note: The vehicle network carrier ’s portal
opens on your device. 2. If the portal does not open on your
device, open a website and it redirects
to the vehicle network carrier ’s portal.
Note: Secure websites do not redirect.
3. Follow the instructions on the carrier portal to purchase a plan.
Note: If you have an active plan, the system
does not redirect to the vehicle network
carrier ’s portal when you connect a device.
Visit the vehicle network carrier ’s website
to purchase more data.
Note: If data usage information is available
in the vehicle hotspot menu, it is
approximate.
Note: If you carry out a master reset, the
system does not remove your vehicle from
your vehicle network carrier ’s account. To
remove your vehicle from the account,
contact your vehicle network carrier.
Note: The vehicle network carrier provides
Vehicle Hotspot services, subject to your
vehicle network carrier agreement, coverage
and availability.
CHANGING THE VEHICLE WI-
FI HOTSPOT NAME OR
PASSWORD Select the settings option on the
feature bar.
1. Press
FordPass Connect.
2. Press
Vehicle Hotspot.
3. Press
Settings.
4. Press
Edit.
5. Press
Change SSID Name.
6. Enter your required SSID.
7. Press
Done.
8. Press
Change Password.
9. Enter your required password.
10. Press
Done.
425
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Vehicle Wi-Fi HotspotE280315 E280315 E280315

When HD Radio broadcasts are active, you
can access the following functions:
•
Memory presets allow you to save an
active channel as a memory preset.
Touch and hold a memory preset slot
until the sound returns. There is a brief
mute while the radio saves the station.
Sound returns when finished. When switching to an HD2 or HD3 memory
preset, the sound mutes before the
digital audio plays, because the system
has to reacquire the digital signal.
Note: As with any saved radio station, you
cannot access the saved station if your
vehicle is outside the station ’s reception
area.
HD Radio Reception and Station Troubleshooting Potential reception issues
If you are listening to a multicast station and you are on
the fringe of the reception area, the station may mute due
to weak signal strength.
Reception area
If you are listening to HD1, the system switches back to
the analog broadcast until the digital broadcast is available
again. However, if you are listening to any of the possible
HD2-HD7 multicast channels, the station mutes and stays
muted unless it is able to connect to the digital signal
again.
When the system first receives a station, aside from HD2-
HD7 multicast stations, it first plays the station in the
analog version. Once the receiver verifies the station is an
HD Radio station, it shifts to the digital version. Depending
on the station quality, you may hear a slight sound change
when the station changes from analog to digital. Blending
is the shift from analog to digital sound or digital back to
analog sound.
Station blending
In order to provide the best possible
experience, use the contact form to report
any station issues found while listening to
a station broadcasting with HD Radio
technology. Independent entities own and
operate each station. These stations are
responsible for the accuracy of all audio
streams and data fields. 428
Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Audio System