tires FORD FOCUS RS 2018 Owners Manual

Introduction
About This Supplement.................................3
SVT.........................................................................3
Team RS...............................................................3
Ford Performance............................................4
At a Glance
Unique Features................................................5
Instrument Cluster
Gauges..................................................................7
Warning Lamps and Indicators....................7
Information Displays
General Information........................................8
Information Messages....................................8
Seats
Manual Seats...................................................10
Fuel and Refueling
Fuel Quality........................................................11
Transmission
Manual Transmission.....................................12
All-Wheel Drive
Using All-Wheel Drive...................................13
Brakes
General Information.......................................18
Stability Control
Using Stability Control..................................19
Driving Aids
Drive Control....................................................20
Towing
Towing a Trailer...............................................22
Driving Hints
Driving Through Water..................................23
Engine Overspeed..........................................23
Engine Overboost...........................................23
Roadside Emergencies
Transporting the Vehicle.............................24
Fuses
Fuse Specification Chart.............................25
Maintenance
Under Hood Overview...................................27
Engine Oil Dipstick.........................................28
Changing the Engine Air Filter...................28
Drive Belt Routing..........................................29
Track Use
Track Use..........................................................30
Vehicle Care
Cleaning the Exterior......................................31
Wheels and Tires
Wheels................................................................32
Tires.....................................................................33
Using Summer Tires......................................34
Using Winter Tires..........................................34
Tire Pressures..................................................35
Capacities and Specific-ations
Engine Specifications...................................36
Transmission Specifications......................37
Brake System Specifications.....................38
Steering Specifications................................39
12018 Focus RS (CEW) RS, Canada/United States of America, JM5J 19A285 LAA enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First PrintingTable of Contents

Chassis
•Brembo front brake calipers.
•Launch control.
•Drive modes.
•Dual-mode dampers.
Exterior
•Radiator grille.
•Underbody shield.
•Diffuser.
•Spoiler.
•Light-weight aluminum or forgedaluminum wheels.
•Michelin Pilot Super Sport or MichelinPilot Sport Cup 2 tires.
Interior
•Performance shift indicator.
•Sony 10-speaker audio system.
62018 Focus RS (CEW) RS, Canada/United States of America, JM5J 19A285 LAA enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First PrintingAt a Glance

All-Wheel Drive
Action and DescriptionMessage
Displays when the system has been automatically disabledto protect itself. This is caused by operating the vehicle witha severely mismatched tire installed, if the system is over-heating or if there is an issue with another vehicle systempreventing AWD operation. Overheating is most likely to occurif the vehicle is operated in severe conditions, for exampletrack use, or if there is excessive wheel slip, for example yourvehicle become stuck in mud.
AWD OFF
The system resumes normal function and clears this messageafter:
•You switch the ignition off and on and drive a shortdistance with the correct wheels and tires installed.
•The system is allowed to cool.
•Other vehicle system issues are resolved.
Displays in conjunction with an amber Information icon if thesystem is not operating correctly and defaults to front-wheeldrive only. If the warning remains on or continues appear,have your vehicle checked as soon as possible.
AWD Malfunction ServiceRequired
Displays when the rear drive unit lubrication requires changing.This message may appear if the vehicle is used for extended
periods of extreme driving, for example track use.*
AWD System Oil ChangeDue
*The rear drive unit does not require any normal scheduled maintenance. The systemelectronically monitors the rear drive unit and notifies you of required service by displayingthe message in the information display. The lubricant is more likely to require changingif you use your vehicle for extended periods of extreme driving, for example track use. Donot check or change the lubricant unless the rear drive unit shows signs of leakage or themessage displays. If the rear drive unit is submerged in water or to reset the message,have your vehicle checked as soon as possible.
Electronic Stability Control
Action and DescriptionMessage
Displays when you switch the system off.Electronic StabilityControl Off
92018 Focus RS (CEW) RS, Canada/United States of America, JM5J 19A285 LAA enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First PrintingInformation Displays

USING ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
Your vehicle has All-Wheel Drive withDynamic Torque Vectoring. This featureuses all four wheels to power the vehicleand independently controls the torque toeach rear wheel. The system also has theability to over speed the outside rear wheelwhile cornering. This increases traction andhandling performance giving your vehicleroad holding capabilities that are superiorto conventional two-wheel drive andfour-wheel drive vehicles. The system isactive all the time and requires no inputfrom the driver. The system has differentDrive Mode calibration settings thatoptimize all-wheel drive performance forvarious conditions. See Drive Control(page 20).
Your vehicle is not intended for off-roaduse in the same way as an all-terrainvehicle. The all-wheel drive feature givesyour vehicle some limited off-roadcapabilities where driving surfaces arerelatively level, obstruction-free and similarto normal on-road driving conditions.Operating your vehicle under other thanthose conditions could subject the vehicleto excessive stress which can result indamage not covered by the vehicleWarranty.
The rear drive unit does not require anynormal scheduled maintenance. Thesystem is electronically monitored and anyrequired service messages appear in theinformation display. The rear drive unitlubricants may require changing if you useyour vehicle for extended periods of highspeed driving, for example track use. Youare not required to check or change therear drive unit lubricant unless there aresigns of leakage or a message appears inthe information display indicating that theunit requires service.
Using Mismatched Tires or Wheels
WARNINGS
Only use replacement tires andwheels that are of the same size,load index, speed rating and type asthose originally fitted to your vehicle.
Using a tire or wheel that is notrecommended can affect the safetyand performance of your vehicle andcould result in a loss of vehicle control,vehicle rollover, personal injury or death.
The recommended tire and wheel size canbe found on either the Safety ComplianceCertification Label or the tire informationlabel on the left-hand B-pillar or left-handfront door. If this information is not locatedas stated contact an authorized dealer assoon as possible.
Note:Using a tire or wheel that is notrecommended could cause steering,suspension, axle, power transfer unit or reardrive unit failure. Incorrect tire or wheel usecan cause damage not covered by thevehicle Warranty.
Your vehicle does not have a spare tire. Wedo not recommend using a mismatchedtire or spare wheel. However, in anemergency, the system can tolerate amismatched tire or spare wheel of adifferent size to the original for a shortjourney. The system may automaticallyenter front-wheel drive only mode toprotect driveline components. An all-wheeldrive off warning message may appear inthe information display if you install amismatched tire or spare wheel. SeeInformation Messages (page 8). Themessage turns off after you reinstall thecorrect wheel and tire and you switch theignition off and on. We recommend thatyou reinstall the repaired or replaced wheeland tire as soon as possible.
132018 Focus RS (CEW) RS, Canada/United States of America, JM5J 19A285 LAA enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First PrintingAll-Wheel Drive

Major mismatched tire or wheel sizesbetween the front and rear axles, forexample 18 inch low profile tires on thefront axle and 20 inch high profile tires onthe rear axle could cause the system todefault to front-wheel drive only mode.Damage to the system can occur that maynot covered by the vehicle Warranty.
The system can tolerate any combinationof new and worn tires of the same originaltire size. For example, using three worntires and one new tire.
Driving in Special Conditions
Your vehicle is capable of being driven onsand, snow, mud or a loose surface.However the operating characteristics aredifferent from conventional off-roadvehicles.
Note:Under severe operating conditions,the air conditioning may turn on and off toprotect the engine from overheating.
Basic Operating Principles
WARNING
Be extremely careful when driving onroad surfaces that are made slipperyby loose sand, water, gravel, snow orice. Failure to adhere to this warning couldresult in the loss of vehicle control, seriouspersonal injury or death.
Emergency Maneuvers
If your vehicle goes off the edge of theroad, slow down but avoid severe brakeapplication, only ease the vehicle backonto the road after reducing your speed.Do not turn the steering wheel too sharplywhile returning to the road surface. It maybe safer to stay on the apron or shoulderof the road and slow down graduallybefore returning to the road surface. Youmay lose control if you do not slow downor if you turn the steering wheel too
sharply. It may be better to strike smallobjects, for example highway reflectors,with minor damage to your vehicle ratherthan attempt a sudden return to the roadsurface, which could cause your vehicle toslide sideways out of control or rollover.Remember, your safety and the safety ofothers should be your primary concern.
In an unavoidable emergency situationwhere a sudden sharp turn must be made,remember to avoid over-driving yourvehicle. Only turn the steering wheel asrapidly and as far as required. Excessivesteering results in less vehicle control, notmore. Additionally, smooth variations ofthe accelerator or brake pedal pressureshould be utilized if changes in vehiclespeed are required. Avoid abrupt steering,acceleration or braking which could resultin an increased risk of loss of vehiclecontrol, rollover and personal injury. Useall available road surface to return thevehicle to a safe direction of travel.
If your vehicle goes from one surface typeto another, for example from concrete togravel, there will be a change in the wayyour vehicle responds to steering,acceleration or braking.
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck
WARNING
Do not spin the wheels at over35 mph (56 km/h). The tires may failand injure a passenger or bystander.
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.
If your vehicle is stuck in mud or snow,switching traction control off may bebeneficial while attempting to rock yourvehicle.
142018 Focus RS (CEW) RS, Canada/United States of America, JM5J 19A285 LAA enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First PrintingAll-Wheel Drive

Note:Do not rock the vehicle if the engineis not at normal operating temperature ordamage to the transmission may occur.
Note:Do not rock the vehicle for more thana few minutes or damage to thetransmission and tires may occur or theengine may overheat.
Sand
Most of the time traction control improvestire traction by managing wheel slipthrough brake, engine, and all-wheel drivecalibrations. However, during low speeddriving, disabling traction control in deepsand can help keep the wheels moving tomaintain vehicle momentum.
When driving over sand, try to keep all fourwheels on the most solid area of the trail.Do not reduce tire pressures, shift to alower gear and drive steadily through theterrain. Apply the accelerator slowly andavoid spinning the wheels.
When driving at slow speeds in sand underhigh outside temperatures, use a low gearwhen possible. Using a low gear maximizesengine and transmission cooling capability.
Avoid excessive speed because vehiclemomentum can work against you andcause the vehicle to become stuck to thepoint that assistance may be required fromanother vehicle. Remember, you may beable to back out the way you came if youproceed with caution.
Note:You may be able to reverse out theway you came if you proceed with caution.
Do not drive your vehicle in deep sand foran extended period of time. This couldcause the system to overheat and defaultto front-wheel drive only mode. If thisoccurs a message appears in theinformation display. To resume normalall-wheel drive function as soon aspossible, stop the vehicle in a safe locationand switch the engine off for at least 10minutes. After the all-wheel drive system
has adequately cooled and the engine hasbeen restarted, the message turns off andnormal all-wheel drive function returns. Ifyou do not switch the engine off, themessage only turns off, when the systemadequately cools and the normal all-wheeldrive function returns.
Note:Under severe operating conditions,the air conditioning may turn on and off toprotect the engine from overheating.
Mud and Water
If you must drive through water, driveslowly. Traction or brake capability maybe limited. See Driving Through Water(page 23).
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 all-wheel drive vehicles can losetraction in slick mud. Apply the acceleratorslowly and avoid spinning the wheels.
After driving through mud, clean offexcessive mud that has become stuck torotating drive shafts, wheels and tires.Excessive mud stuck on these componentsmay result in an imbalance that couldcause damage not covered by the vehicleWarranty.
If the transmission, power transfer unit orrear drive unit is submerged in water haveyour vehicle checked as soon as possible.
152018 Focus RS (CEW) RS, Canada/United States of America, JM5J 19A285 LAA enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First PrintingAll-Wheel Drive

Hilly or Sloping Terrain
WARNING
Avoid driving across or turning onsteep hilly or sloping terrain. Yourvehicle may lose traction and slipsideways increasing the risk of rolling over.When driving on steep hilly or slopingterrain, determine your route beforehand.Do not drive over the crest of a hill withoutassessing what conditions are on the otherside. Do not 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.
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.
When climbing a steep hill or slope, 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.
Note:If your vehicle stalls, do not try to turnaround as your vehicle may lose tractionand slip sideways increasing the risk ofrolling over. It is better to reverse down to asafe location.
When descending a steep hill or slope,start in a lower gear rather thandownshifting to a lower gear from a highergear once the descent has started. Do notdescend a steep hill or slope in neutral.Avoid excessive brake application as thiscauses the brakes to overheat. Whendescending a steep hill or slope, avoidsudden hard braking as you could losecontrol. The front wheels must rotate inorder to steer your vehicle. Your vehicle hasanti-lock brakes, therefore apply thebrakes steadily. Do not pump the brakepedal.
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, personal injuryor death.
Note:The original equipment tires on yourvehicle are designed to optimize theperformance of your vehicle in dry or wetsummer road conditions. We recommendusing a dedicated set of winter tires in snowand ice conditions. Do not mix summerperformance tires with winter tires on yourvehicle. See Using Winter Tires (page 34).
All-wheel drive vehicles have advantagesover two-wheel drive vehicles in snow andice but can skid like any other vehicle.
162018 Focus RS (CEW) RS, Canada/United States of America, JM5J 19A285 LAA enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First PrintingAll-Wheel Drive

We recommend that you only operate yourvehicle at high speeds at locationsdesigned to do so safely. Your vehicle haselectronic controls that may reduce poweror limit engine speed to help reducepowertrain temperatures if required.
Note:When using your vehicle on a track,have the vehicle serviced more frequently.This recommendation may not necessarilyprotect your vehicle or engine from damagein competition conditions. Increased wearand noise to certain parts of your vehiclemay also occur, for example brakes andtires. The vehicle Warranty may not covermechanical failure or damage caused toyour vehicle as a result of track use.
Steering Assistance
Steering assistance reduces andrequires more steering effortwhen you select sport or trackfrom the drive modes menu. See DriveControl (page 20).
Prolonged track driving can result in highsteering gear temperatures. If the steeringgear overheats, you will notice a furtherincrease in steering effort being required.
High steering gear temperatures can bereduced by doing any of the following:
•Reducing vehicle speed.
•Reducing steering input.
Normal track mode steering assistancereturns when the system cools down.
Note:Steering gear cooling time can bereduced if you leave the ignition switchedon while taking a pit stop.
Before Track Use
Before operating your vehicle on a track,check the following:
•Tire pressures. See Tire Pressures(page 35). Do not exceed a cold tirepressure of 50 psi (3.4 bar) for trackuse.
•Wheels and tires for wear and damage.
•Engine coolant, engine oil and brakefluid levels.
Do not operate your vehicle on a trackwhile:
•Carrying more than two peopleincluding the driver.
•Carrying cargo in the luggagecompartment.
•Carrying cargo or loose objects insideyour vehicle.
After Track Use
After track use, leave the engine runningfor a short time to allow it to reach thenormal operating temperature. Ifconditions allow, complete a cool downlap prior to taking a pit stop. Failure toallow the engine to sufficiently cool mayresult in a high coolant temperaturewarning message appearing in theinformation display.
You must replace the rear drive unit fluidafter 500 mi (800 km) of track use, or ifthe following message appears in theinformation display, whichever occurs first.
AWD System Oil Change Due
See All-Wheel Drive (page 13).
302018 Focus RS (CEW) RS, Canada/United States of America, JM5J 19A285 LAA enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First PrintingTrack Use

WHEELS
Your vehicle has unique wheels. They canbe more susceptible to damage from poorroad conditions due to their diameter,width and the use of low profile tires.
If the wheels encounter a harsh impact,inspect the inside and outside diametersfor damage.
Inspect the wheels for damage on a regularbasis. If you damage a wheel, have itchecked as soon as possible.
To avoid damaging the wheels:
•Maintain correct tire pressures. SeeTire Pressures (page 35).
•When installing wheels, always use atorque wrench and tighten the lug nutsto the correct specification.
•Exercise caution when usingautomated car washes. Hand washingor using touchless car washes withoutmechanical tracks is the best way toavoid potential damage.
•Do not use snow chains on the originalequipment wheels and tires of yourvehicle.
•Only use snow chains with thealternative winter wheels and tires, ordamage may be caused which will notbe covered by the vehicle Warranty.
Wheel Specification
19 in. x 8.0 in. 50 mm offset aluminum wheels.Original equipment.*
18 in. x 7.5 in. 50 mm offset aluminum wheels.Alternative winter use wheel.**
* See Tires (page 33).** See Using Winter Tires (page 34).
Note:Alternative winter use wheels are not supplied with your vehicle.
322018 Focus RS (CEW) RS, Canada/United States of America, JM5J 19A285 LAA enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First PrintingWheels and Tires

TIRES
The tires on your vehicle are designed tooptimize its performance. They are notoptimized for off-road or winterperformance. The ride, noise and wearcharacteristics are different tonon-performance tires. Your vehicle haslow profile tires. They can be moresusceptible to damage from poor roadconditions due to their diameter and width.
To make sure the tires perform asintended, it is important to correctlymaintain them.
To correctly maintain the tires, do thefollowing:
•Maintain correct tire pressures. SeeTire Pressures (page 35).
•Do not overload your vehicle.Maximum vehicle and axle weights arelisted on the tire information label.
•Take extra caution when operatingyour vehicle near its maximum load,including using the correct tirepressures and reducing speeds.
•Take extra caution when operating onrough roads to avoid impacts thatcould cause tire damage.
•Inspect the tires for damage on aregular basis. If a tire is damaged,replace it as soon as possible.
•Correct suspension alignment is criticalfor maximum performance andoptimal tire wear. If you notice uneventire wear, have the suspensionalignment checked as soon as possible.
•When replacing tires they must be ofthe same size, speed and load ratingas the original tires. We recommendthat you replace tires as a set of fourand do not mix tire brands or models.
Note:Do not use snow chains on theoriginal equipment wheels and tires of yourvehicle.
Note:Only use snow chains with thealternative winter wheels and tires, ordamage may be caused which will not becovered by the vehicle Warranty. See UsingWinter Tires (page 34).
Tire Specification
235/35R19Size.
YSpeed rating.
91Load rating.
332018 Focus RS (CEW) RS, Canada/United States of America, JM5J 19A285 LAA enUSA, Edition date: 201706, First PrintingWheels and Tires