Get Four-Wheel Drive Guide for Ford Ecosport SUV 2020

Four-Wheel Drive(If Equipped)

Do not use a spare tire of a different size

USING FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE

other than the tire provided. If the

mini-spare tire is installed, the 4WD system

may disable automatically and enter

front-wheel drive only mode to protect

driveline components. This condition will

be indicated by a warning in the

Four-wheel drive uses all four wheels to

power the vehicle. This increases traction,

enabling you to drive over terrain and road

conditions that a conventional two-wheel

drive vehicle cannot. The 4WD system is

active all the time and requires no input

from the operator.

Note: Your 4WD vehicle is not intended for

off-road use. The 4WD feature gives your

vehicle some limited off-road capabilities

in which driving surfaces are relatively level,

obstruction-free and otherwise similar to

normal on-road driving conditions.

Operating your vehicle under other than

those conditions could subject the vehicle

to excessive stress which might result in

damage which is not covered under your

warranty.

Note: A warning message will be displayed

in the information display when an 4WD

system fault is present See Information

Messages (page 96). An 4WD system fault

will cause the 4WD system to default to

front-wheel drive only mode. When this

warning message is displayed, have your

vehicle serviced at an authorized dealer

Note: A warning message will be displayed

in the information display if the 4WD system

has overheated See Information

information display See Information

Messages (page 96). If there is a warning

message in the information display from

using the spare tire, this indicator should

turn off after reinstalling the repaired or

replaced normal road tire and cycling the

ignition off and on. It is recommended to

reinstall the repaired or replaced road tire

as soon as possible. Major dissimilar tire

sizes between the front and rear axles

could cause the 4WD system to stop

functioning and default to front-wheel

drive or damage the 4WD system.

Driving In Special Conditions With

Four-Wheel Drive (4WD)

WARNING: If you are driving in

slippery conditions that require tire

chains or cables, then it is critical that

you drive cautiously. Keep speeds down,

allow for longer stopping distances and

avoid aggressive steering to reduce the

chances of a loss of vehicle control

which can lead to serious injury or death.

If the rear end of your vehicle slides while

cornering, steer in the direction of the

slide until you regain control of your

vehicle.

Messages (page 96). This condition may

occur if the vehicle was operated in extreme

conditions with excessive wheel slip, such

as deep sand. To resume normal 4WD

function as soon as possible, stop the

vehicle in a safe location and stop the

engine for at least 10 minutes. After the

engine has been restarted and the 4WD

system has adequately cooled, the warning

message will turn off and normal 4WD

function will return.

4WD vehicles are equipped for driving on

sand, snow, mud and rough roads and have

operating characteristics that are

somewhat different from conventional

vehicles, both on and off the highway.

Under severe operating conditions, the A/C

may cycle on and off to protect

overheating of the engine.

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EcoSport (CBW) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 17-06-2019, LN1J-19A321-ZFA enUSA, Edition date: 201904, First-Printing

Four-Wheel Drive(If Equipped)

Basic operating principles in special

conditions

Note: Do not rock the vehicle for more than

a few minutes or damage to the

transmission and tires may occur or the

engine may overheat.

If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow it

may be rocked out by shifting between

forward and reverse gears, stopping

between shifts, in a steady pattern. Press

lightly on the accelerator in each gear.

•

Drive slower in strong crosswinds which

can affect the normal steering

characteristics of your vehicle.

•

Be extremely careful when driving on

pavement made slippery by loose sand,

water, gravel, snow or ice.

If Your Vehicle Goes Off the Edge of the

If your vehicle is equipped with

AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability

Control™, it may be beneficial to

disengage the AdvanceTrac® with Roll

Stability Control™ system while

attempting to rock the vehicle.

Pavement

•

If your vehicle goes off the edge of the

pavement, slow down, but avoid severe

brake application, ease the vehicle

back onto the pavement only after

reducing your speed. Do not turn the

steering wheel too sharply while

returning to the road surface.

Emergency Maneuvers

•

In an unavoidable emergency situation

where a sudden sharp turn must be

made, remember to avoid

•

It may be safer to stay on the apron or

shoulder of the road and slow down

gradually before returning to the

"over-driving" your vehicle (i.e., turn the

steering wheel only as rapidly and as

far as required to avoid the

pavement. You may lose control if you

do not slow down or if you turn the

steering wheel too sharply or abruptly.

emergency). Excessive steering will

result in less vehicle control, not more.

Additionally, smooth variations of the

accelerator and/or brake pedal

It often may be less risky to strike small

objects, such as highway reflectors,

with minor damage to your vehicle

rather than attempt a sudden return to

the pavement which could cause the

vehicle to slide sideways out of control

or rollover. Remember, your safety and

the safety of others should be your

primary concern.

pressure should be utilized if changes

in vehicle speed are called for. Avoid

abrupt steering, acceleration or braking

which could result in an increased risk

of loss of vehicle control, vehicle

rollover and/or personal injury. Use all

available road surface to return the

vehicle to a safe direction of travel.

If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck

•

In the event of an emergency stop,

avoid skidding the tires and do not

attempt any sharp steering wheel

movements.

If the vehicle goes from one type of

surface to another (i.e., from concrete

to gravel) there will be a change in the

way the vehicle responds to a

maneuver (steering, acceleration or

braking). Again, avoid these abrupt

inputs.

WARNING:Do not spin the wheels

at over 34 mph (55 km/h). The tires may

fail and injure a passenger or bystander.

Note: Do not rock the vehicle if the engine

is not at normal operating temperature or

damage to the transmission may occur.

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EcoSport (CBW) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 17-06-2019, LN1J-19A321-ZFA enUSA, Edition date: 201904, First-Printing

Four-Wheel Drive(If Equipped)

Sand

Once through water, always try the brakes.

Wet brakes do not stop the vehicle as

effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be

improved by moving your vehicle slowly

while applying light pressure on the brake

pedal.

When driving over sand, try to keep all four

wheels on the most solid area of the trail.

Avoid reducing the tire pressures but shift

to a lower gear and drive steadily through

the terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly

and avoid spinning the wheels.

Do not drive your 4WD vehicle in deep

sand. This will cause the 4WD system to

overheat. After the system has cooled

down, normal 4WD function will return.

Under severe operating conditions, the A/C

may cycle on and off to protect

overheating of the engine.

Avoid excessive speed because vehicle

momentum can work against you and

cause the vehicle to become stuck to the

point that assistance may be required from

another vehicle. Remember, you may be

able to back out the way you came if you

proceed with caution.

Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle

speed or direction when you are driving in

mud. Even 4WD vehicles can lose traction

in slick mud. As when you are driving over

sand, apply the accelerator slowly and

avoid spinning your wheels. If the vehicle

does slide, steer in the direction of the slide

until you regain control of the vehicle.

After driving through mud, clean off residue

stuck to rotating driveshafts and tires.

Excess mud stuck on tires and rotating

driveshafts causes an imbalance that

could damage drive components.

Note: Driving through deep water may

damage the transmission.

If the front or rear axle is submerged in

water, the axle lubricant and 4WD PTU

(Power Transfer Unit) lubricant should be

checked and changed if necessary.

Mud and Water

If you must drive through high water, drive

slowly. Traction or brake capability may

be limited.

Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain

When driving through water, determine the

depth; avoid water higher than the bottom

of the wheel rims (for cars) or the bottom

of the hubs (for trucks) (if possible) and

proceed slowly. If the ignition system gets

wet, the vehicle may stall.

Note: Avoid driving crosswise or turning on

steep slopes or hills. A danger lies in losing

traction, slipping sideways and possibly

rolling over. Whenever driving on a hill,

determine beforehand the route you will

use. Do not drive over the crest of a hill

without seeing what conditions are on the

other side. Do not drive in reverse over a hill

without the aid of an observer.

Whenever driving on a hill, determine

beforehand the route you will use. Do not

drive over the crest of a hill without seeing

what conditions are on the other side. Do

not drive in reverse over a hill without the

aid of an observer.

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EcoSport (CBW) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 17-06-2019, LN1J-19A321-ZFA enUSA, Edition date: 201904, First-Printing

Four-Wheel Drive(If Equipped)

Maintenance and Modifications

Although natural obstacles may make it

necessary to travel diagonally up or down

a hill or steep incline, you should always

try to drive straight up or straight down.

The suspension and steering systems on

your vehicle have been designed and

tested to provide predictable performance

whether loaded or empty and durable load

carrying capability. For this reason, Ford

Motor Company strongly recommends that

you do not make modifications such as

adding or removing parts (such as lowering

kits or stabilizer bars) or by using

When climbing a steep slope or hill, start

in a lower gear rather than downshifting to

a lower gear from a higher gear once the

ascent has started. This reduces strain on

the engine and the possibility of stalling.

If you do stall out, do not try to turnaround

because you might roll over. It is better to

back down to a safe location.

Apply just enough power to the wheels to

climb the hill. Too much power will cause

the tires to slip, spin or lose traction,

resulting in loss of vehicle control.

replacement parts not equivalent to the

original factory equipment.

Any modifications to a vehicle that raise

the center of gravity can make it more likely

the vehicle will rollover as a result of a loss

of control. Ford Motor Company

recommends that caution be used with

any vehicle equipped with a high load or

device (such as ladder or luggage racks).

Failure to maintain your vehicle properly

may void the warranty, increase your repair

cost, reduce vehicle performance and

operational capabilities and adversely

affect driver and passenger safety.

Frequent inspection of vehicle chassis

components is recommended if the vehicle

is subjected to off-highway usage.

Descend a hill in the same gear you would

use to climb up the hill to avoid excessive

brake application and brake overheating.

Do not descend in neutral; instead,

disengage overdrive or manually shift to a

lower gear. When descending a steep hill,

avoid sudden hard braking as you could

lose control. The front wheels have to be

turning in order to steer the vehicle.

Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, therefore

apply the brakes steadily. Do not “pump”

the brakes.

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EcoSport (CBW) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 17-06-2019, LN1J-19A321-ZFA enUSA, Edition date: 201904, First-Printing

Four-Wheel Drive for Your Ford Ecosport SUV 2020

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