ESP FORD EXPLORER 2023 Owner's Guide

EMISSION LAW
WARNING: Do not remove or alterthe original equipment floor covering orinsulation between it and the metal floorof the vehicle. The floor covering andinsulation protect occupants of thevehicle from the engine and exhaustsystem heat and noise. On vehicles withno original equipment floor coveringinsulation, do not carry passengers in amanner that permits prolonged skincontact with the metal floor. Failure tofollow these instructions may result infire or personal injury.
U.S. federal laws and certain state lawsprohibit removing or rendering inoperativeemission control system components.Similar federal or provincial laws mayapply in Canada. We do not approve of anyvehicle modification without firstdetermining applicable laws.
Tampering with emissionscontrol systems includingrelated sensors or the DieselExhaust Fluid system can result in reducedengine power and the illumination of theservice engine soon light.
Tampering With a Noise ControlSystem
Federal laws prohibit the following acts:
•Removal or rendering inoperative byany person other than for purposes ofmaintenance.
•Repair or replacement of any device orelement of the design incorporated intoa new vehicle for the purpose of noisecontrol prior to its sale or delivery tothe ultimate purchaser or while it is inuse.
•The use of the vehicle after any personremoves or renders inoperative anydevice or element of the design.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agencymay presume to constitute tampering asfollows:
•Removal of hood blanket, fender apronabsorbers, fender apron barriers,underbody noise shields or acousticallyabsorptive material.
•Tampering or rendering inoperative theengine speed governor, to allow enginespeed to exceed manufacturerspecifications.
If the engine does not start, runs rough,experiences a decrease in engineperformance, experiences excess fuelconsumption or produces excessiveexhaust smoke, check for the following:
•A plugged or disconnected air inletsystem hose.
•A plugged engine air filter element.
•Water in the fuel filter and waterseparator.
•A clogged fuel filter.
•Contaminated fuel.
•Air in the fuel system, due to looseconnections.
•An open or pinched sensor hose.
•Incorrect engine oil level.
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2.Bring your vehicle to a complete stop.
3.Press and hold the brake pedal.
4.Shift into neutral (N).
Note:A instructional message appears.
5.Press the manual (M), or low (L)button.
Note:A confirmation message appearswhen your vehicle enters the mode.
6.Release the brake pedal.
Note:Your vehicle is free to roll.
7.Switch your vehicle off.
Note:Do not tow your vehicle in this mode.
Note:The neutral (N) indicator on thetransmission selector may flash in thismode.
Exiting Temporary Neutral Mode
1.Press the brake pedal.
2.Shift into park (P), or switch yourvehicle on and shift into drive (D), orreverse (R).
Drive (D)
Drive (D) is the normal driving position forthe best fuel economy and smoothness.Shift the transmission selector to drive (D)to allow your vehicle to move forward andshift automatically through the forwardgears.
The transmission shifts to the appropriategear for optimum performance based onambient temperature, road slope, vehicleload and your input.
Manual Mode (M) - Vehicles withPaddle Shifters
With the transmission selector in manual(M), the driver can change gears up ordown. After selecting the Manual (M)button while the transmission rangeselector is in the Drive (D) position, younow have control of selecting the gear youdesire using shift buttons on the steeringwheel.
To exit manual mode, push the manual(M) button on your transmission selector.
Low (L) - Vehicles without PaddleShifters
With the transmission selector in low (L),your vehicle provides maximum enginebraking. You can shift the transmission intolow (L) at any vehicle speed. Do not useunder extended or normal drivingconditions as it results in lower fueleconomy.
Manually Shifting Gears
Shifting Using Paddle Shifters
The instrument cluster displays the currentgear. The current gear flashes when yourvehicle cannot shift into the requestedgear. Your vehicle will not shift if therequested gear raises or lowers the enginespeed beyond the limit.
Your vehicle may shift when you fully pressthe accelerator or brake pedal.
Note:Prolonged driving with high enginespeed could cause vehicle damage notcovered by vehicle warranty.
Note:When the vehicle shifts into therequested gear, it could affect drive modes.
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PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
This system is a proactive system. It hasthe ability to anticipate wheel slip andtransfer torque to the front wheels beforeslip occurs. Even when wheel slip is notpresent, the system is continuouslyadjusting to the torque distribution, in anattempt to improve straight line andcornering behavior, both on and off road.
The system automatically turns on everytime you switch the ignition on.
If any component requires maintenance,a message appears in the informationdisplay.
USING FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE
WARNING: Vehicles with a highercenter of gravity (utility and four-wheeldrive vehicles) handle differently thanvehicles with a lower center of gravity(passenger cars). Avoid sharp turns,excessive speed and abrupt steering inthese vehicles. Failure to drive cautiouslyincreases the risk of losing control of yourvehicle, vehicle rollover, personal injuryand death.
The intelligent 4WD system continuouslymonitors vehicle conditions and adjuststhe power distribution between the frontand rear wheels. It combines transparentall-surface operation with highly capablefour-wheel drive.
The 4WD system is always active andrequires no driver input. It is capable ofhandling all road conditions includingstreet and highway driving as well asoff-road and winter driving. You canoptimize more 4WD control by selectingdifferent drive modes. See Selecting aDrive Mode (page 273).
Note:A warning message displays in theinformation display when a 4WD systemfault is present. See InformationMessages (page 119). A 4WD system faultcauses the 4WD system to default torear-wheel drive only mode. When thiswarning message is displayed, have yourvehicle serviced at an authorized dealer.
Note:A warning message displays in theinformation display if the 4WD systemoverheats. See Information Messages(page 119). This condition could occur if thevehicle is operated in extreme conditionswith excessive wheel slip, such as deepsand. To resume normal 4WD function assoon as possible, stop the vehicle in a safelocation and stop the engine for at least 10minutes. After the engine is restarted andthe 4WD system is adequately cooled, thewarning message turns off and normal 4WDfunction returns.
Operating Four-Wheel Drive (4WD)Vehicles With Spare Tires
Do not use a different size spare tire otherthan the tire provided. If the mini-spare tireis installed, the 4WD system will disableand enter rear-wheel drive only mode toprotect driveline components. Somelimited 4WD traction could be provided ifthe mini-spare is installed on one of thefront wheels. If you are in driving conditionswhere limited 4WD traction is neededwhile the mini-spare is installed, it isrecommended the mini-spare be installedon the front axle. See InformationMessages (page 119).
If the mini-spare is installed, this conditionis indicated by a warning in the informationdisplay. If there is a warning message inthe information display from using thespare tire, this indicator should turn offafter reinstalling or replacing the normalroad tire and cycling the ignition off andon. We recommended reinstalling or
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replacing the normal road tire as soon aspossible. Major dissimilar tire sizesbetween the front and rear axles couldcause the 4WD system to stop functioningand default to rear-wheel drive or damagethe 4WD system.
The slip response system could activate ifthe mini spare is installed on the frontwheels. If the mini spare was installed onthe rear wheels the slip response systemwill fully disable. In situations where thereis a wintery mix or an off road situation,and you need to use a mini spare, you mustinstall the mini spare in the front tireposition and move a full size tire to the reartire position for the slip response systemto function.
Operating Four-Wheel drive (4WD)Vehicles with Mismatched Tires
WARNING: Only use replacementtires and wheels that are the same size,load index, speed rating and type (suchas P-metric versus LT-metric orall-season versus all-terrain) as thoseoriginally provided by Ford. Therecommended tire and wheel size maybe found on either the SafetyCompliance Certification Label (affixedto either the door hinge pillar, door-latchpost, or the door edge that meets thedoor-latch post, next to the driver'sseating position), or the Tire Label whichis located on the B-Pillar or edge of thedriver's door. If this information is notfound on these labels, then you shouldcontact your authorized dealer as soonas possible. Use of any tire or wheel notrecommended by Ford can affect thesafety and performance of your vehicle,which could result in an increased risk ofloss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,personal injury and death.
Major dissimilar tire sizes between the frontand rear axles (for example, 17 inch lowprofile tires on the front axle and 22 inchhigh profile tires on the rear axle) couldcause the 4WD system to stop functioningand default to rear-wheel drive or damagethe 4WD system.
For optimum 4WD Performance, it isrecommended to follow the tire rotationmaintenance schedule. To avoid potential4WD malfunction or 4WD system damage,it is recommended to replace all four tiresrather than mixing significantly worn tireswith new tires. For example, using 3 worntread tires and 1 new tread tire all of thesame original tire size/brand, can betolerated by the 4WD system as long asthe worn tires still have usable tread depth.
How Your Vehicle Differs fromOther Vehicles
Truck and utility vehicles can differ fromsome other vehicles. Your vehicle could behigher to allow it to travel over roughterrain without getting hung up ordamaging underbody components.
The differences that make your vehicle soversatile also make it handle differentlythan an ordinary passenger car.
Maintain steering wheel control at alltimes, especially in rough terrain. Sincesudden changes in terrain can result inabrupt steering wheel motion, make sureyou grip the steering wheel from theoutside. Do not grip the spokes.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle damagefrom concealed objects such as rocks andstumps.
You should either know the terrain orexamine maps of the area before driving.Map out your route before driving in thearea. To maintain steering and brakingcontrol of your vehicle, you must have allfour wheels on the ground and they mustbe rolling, not sliding or spinning.
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If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snowyou can rock it out by shifting betweenforward and reverse gears, stoppingbetween shifts, in a steady pattern. Presslightly on the accelerator in each gear.
If your vehicle comes with AdvanceTrac®with Roll Stability Control™, it could bebeneficial to disengage the AdvanceTrac®with Roll Stability Control™ system whileattempting to rock the vehicle.
Note:Do not rock the vehicle if the engineis not at normal operating temperature ordamage to the transmission could occur.
Note:Do not rock the vehicle for more thana few minutes or damage to thetransmission and tires could occur or theengine could overheat.
Emergency Maneuvers
•In an unavoidable emergency situationwhere a sudden sharp turn must bemade, remember to avoid"over-driving" your vehicle (forexample, turn the steering wheel onlyas rapidly and as far as required toavoid the emergency). Excessivesteering can result in less vehiclecontrol, not more. Additionally, smoothvariations of the accelerator and/orbrake pedal pressure should be utilizedif changes in vehicle speed are called
for. Avoid abrupt steering, accelerationor braking which could result in anincreased risk of loss of vehicle control,vehicle rollover and/or personal injury.Use all available road surface to returnthe vehicle to a safe direction of travel.
•In the event of an emergency stop,avoid skidding the tires and do notattempt any sharp steering wheelmovements.
•If the vehicle goes from one type ofsurface to another (i.e., from concreteto gravel) there is a change in the waythe vehicle responds to a maneuver(steering, acceleration or braking).Again, avoid these abrupt inputs.
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 spinning the wheels.
Avoid excessive speed because vehiclemomentum can work against you andcause the vehicle to become stuck to thepoint that assistance could be requiredfrom another vehicle. Remember, youcould be able to back out the way youcame if you proceed with caution.
Mud and Water
If you must drive through high water, driveslowly. Traction or brake capability couldbe limited.
Note:Driving through deep water coulddamage your vehicle.
When driving through water, determine thedepth; avoid water higher than the bottomof the hubs (if possible) and proceedslowly. If the ignition system gets wet, thevehicle could stall.
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Once through water, always try the brakes.Wet brakes do not stop the vehicle aseffectively as dry brakes. Drying can beimproved by moving your vehicle slowlywhile applying light pressure on the brakepedal.
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.
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
Although natural obstacles could make itnecessary to travel diagonally up or downa hill or steep incline, you should alwaystry to drive straight up or straight down.
Note: Avoid driving crosswise or turning onsteep slopes or hills. A danger lies in losingtraction, slipping sideways and possiblyrolling over. Whenever driving on a hill,determine beforehand the route you willuse. Do not drive over the crest of a hillwithout seeing what conditions are on theother side. Do not drive in reverse over a hillwithout the aid of an observer.
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 you do stall out, do not try to turn aroundbecause you might roll over. It is better toback down to a safe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels toclimb the hill. Too much power can 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; instead,disengage overdrive or manually shift to alower gear. When descending a steep hill,avoid sudden hard braking as you couldlose control. The front wheels have to beturning in order to steer the vehicle.
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HILL START ASSIST
WARNING: The system does notreplace the parking brake. When youleave your vehicle, always apply theparking brake.
WARNING: You must remain inyour vehicle when the system turns on.At all times, you are responsible forcontrolling your vehicle, supervising thesystem and intervening, if required.Failure to take care may result in the lossof control of your vehicle, seriouspersonal injury or death.
WARNING: The system will turnoff if a malfunction is apparent or if yourev the engine excessively. Failure to takecare may result in the loss of control ofyour vehicle, serious personal injury ordeath.
The system makes it easier to pull awaywhen your vehicle is on a slope without theneed to use the parking brake.
When the system is active, your vehicleremains stationary on the slope for two tothree seconds after you release the brakepedal. This allows time to move your footfrom the brake to the accelerator pedal.The system releases the brakesautomatically once the engine hasdeveloped sufficient torque to prevent yourvehicle from rolling down the slope. Thisis an advantage when pulling away on aslope, for example from a car park ramp,traffic lights or when reversing uphill intoa parking space.
The system activates on any slope thatcauses your vehicle to roll.
Note:There is no warning light to indicatethe system is either on or off.
Using Hill Start Assist
1.Press the brake pedal to bring yourvehicle to a complete standstill. Keepthe brake pedal pressed and shift intofirst gear when facing uphill or reverse(R) when facing downhill.
2.If the sensors detect that your vehicleis on a slope, the system activatesautomatically.
3.When you remove your foot from thebrake pedal, your vehicle remains onthe slope without rolling away forabout two to three seconds. This holdtime automatically extends if you arein the process of driving off.
4.Drive off in the normal manner. Thesystem releases the brakesautomatically.
Note:When you remove your foot from thebrake pedal and press the pedal again whenthe system is active, you will experiencesignificantly reduced brake pedal travel. Thisis normal.
Switching the System On and Off
Vehicles with Manual Transmission
You can switch this feature on or off in theinformation display. The systemremembers the last setting when you startyour vehicle.
Vehicles with Automatic Transmission
You cannot turn the system on or off.When you switch the ignition on, thesystem automatically turns on.
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AUTO HOLD
WARNING: The system does notreplace the parking brake. When youleave your vehicle, always apply theparking brake.
WARNING: You must remain inyour vehicle when the system turns on.At all times, you are responsible forcontrolling your vehicle, supervising thesystem and intervening, if required.Failure to take care may result in the lossof control of your vehicle, seriouspersonal injury or death.
WARNING: The system turns off ifthere is a malfunction.
The system is designed to apply the brakesto hold your vehicle at a standstill after youstop your vehicle and release the brakepedal. This could be beneficial in certainsituations, for example when waiting on ahill or in traffic.
Switching Auto Hold On and Off
Press the button on the centerconsole. The button illuminateswhen you switch the system on.
Note:You can only switch the system onafter you close the driver door, and start theengine.
Note:The system remembers the lastsetting when you start your vehicle.
Make sure you switch the system off beforetowing with your vehicle or before using anautomatic car wash.
Using Auto Hold
1.Use the brakes to bring your vehicle toa complete stop. The auto hold activeindicator illuminates in the informationdisplay.
2.Release the brake pedal. The systemholds your vehicle at a standstill. Theauto hold active indicator remainsilluminated in the information display.
Note:The system only activates if youapply enough brake pressure. If your vehicleis on a steep slope, you might need to pressthe brake pedal harder before the systemactivates.
Note:Under certain conditions, the systemcould apply the electric parking brake. Thebrake system warning lamp illuminates. Theelectric parking brake releases when youpress the accelerator pedal. See ElectricParking Brake (page 211).
Note:If auto-start-stop turns off theengine, auto hold remains active.
Note:The system deactivates if you shiftinto reverse (R) and press the brake pedal.
3.Pull away in the normal manner. Thesystem releases the brakes and theauto hold active indicator turns off.
Auto Hold Indicator
The auto hold indicator illuminates in theinformation display when the system is onand is either active or unavailable.
Illuminates when the system isactive. Your vehicle remainsstationary after you release thebrake pedal.
Illuminates when the system ison but unavailable to hold yourvehicle at a standstill.
The system could be unavailable when anyof the following occur:
•During an active park assist maneuver.
•Your vehicle is in stay in neutral mode.
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WHAT IS REVERSE BRAKING
ASSIST
Reverse braking assist is designed toreduce impact damage or assist in avoidinga collision while in reverse (R). Usingsensors on the rear of the vehicle, it candetect a possible collision and apply thebrakes. If full braking occurs, the systemattempts to stop the vehicle a safedistance from the obstacle.
REVERSE BRAKING ASSIST
PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: You are responsible forcontrolling your vehicle at all times. Thesystem is designed to be an aid and doesnot relieve you of your responsibility todrive with due care and attention. Failureto follow this instruction could result inthe loss of control of your vehicle,personal injury or death.
WARNING: To help avoid personalinjury, always use caution when inreverse (R) and when using the sensingsystem.
WARNING: The system may notoperate properly during severe weatherconditions, for example snow, ice, heavyrain and spray. Always drive with duecare and attention. Failure to take caremay result in a crash.
WARNING: Traffic control systems,fluorescent lamps, inclement weather,air brakes, external motors and fans mayaffect the correct operation of thesensing system. This may cause reducedperformance or false alerts.
WARNING: Some situations andobjects prevent hazard detection. Forexample low or direct sunlight, inclementweather, unconventional vehicle types,and pedestrians. Apply the brakes whennecessary. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in the loss ofcontrol of your vehicle, personal injury ordeath.
WARNING: Do not use the systemwith accessories that extend beyond thefront or rear of your vehicle, for examplea trailer hitch or bike rack. The system isnot able to make corrections for theadditional length of the accessories.
The system only applies the brakes for ashort period of time when an event occurs.Act as soon as you notice the brakes applyto remain in control of the vehicle. If youdo not intervene the vehicle may start tomove again.
Note:Certain add-on devices around thebumper or fascia may create false alerts.For example, large trailer hitches, bicycle orsurfboard racks, license plate brackets,bumper covers or any other device that mayblock the normal detection zone of thesystem. Remove the add-on device toprevent false alerts.
Note:The system does not react to smallor moving objects, particularly those closeto the ground.
Note:The system does not operate duringhard acceleration or steering.
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WHAT IS HILL DESCENT
CONTROL
WARNING: Hill descent controlcannot control descent in all surfaceconditions and circumstances, such asice or extremely steep grades. Hilldescent control is a driver assist systemand cannot substitute for good judgmentby the driver. Failure to do so may resultin loss of vehicle control, crash or seriousinjury.
WARNING: The system does notreplace the parking brake. When youleave your vehicle, always apply theparking brake.
Note:The system does not function below3 mph (5 km/h).
Hill descent control allows the driver to setand maintain vehicle speed whiledescending steep slopes in various surfaceconditions.
The system can maintain vehicle speedson downhill slopes between 3–20 mph(5–32 km/h). Above 20 mph (32 km/h),the system remains on but the descentspeed cannot be set or maintained.
The system requires a cool down intervalafter a period of sustained use. Theamount of time that the system canremain active before cooling varies withconditions. The system provides a warningin the message center and a tone soundswhen the system is about to disengage forcooling. At this time, manually apply thebrakes as needed to maintain descentspeed.
SWITCHING HILL DESCENT
CONTROL ON AND OFF
Press the button on the centerconsole. A light illuminates in thecontrol and a tone sounds whenthe system is active.
SETTING THE HILL DESCENT
SPEED
WARNING: The system does notreplace the parking brake. When youleave your vehicle, always apply theparking brake.
WARNING: The system does notcontrol speed in low traction conditionsor extremely steep slopes. The systemis designed to be an aid and does notrelieve you of your responsibility to drivewith due care and attention. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury.
To increase the descent speed, press theaccelerator pedal until you reach the speedyou prefer.
To decrease the descent speed, press thebrake pedal until you reach the speed youprefer.
When you reach the speed you prefer,either by accelerating or decelerating,remove your feet from the pedals. Thesystem maintains the chosen vehiclespeed.
HILL DESCENT CONTROL
INDICATOR
Illuminates when you switch hilldescent control on.
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