Maintenance
Fail-Safe Cooling
high-speed operation, and may
completely shut down without warning,
potentially losing engine power, power
steering assist, and power brake assist,
which may increase the possibility of a
crash resulting in serious injury.
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.
WARNING: Do not remove the
coolant reservoir cap when the engine is
on or the cooling system is hot. Wait 10
minutes for the cooling system to cool
down. Cover the coolant reservoir cap
with a thick cloth to prevent the
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.
possibility of scalding and slowly remove
the cap. Failure to follow this instruction
could result in personal injury.
If the engine reaches a preset
Your vehicle has limited engine power
when in the fail-safe mode, drive your
vehicle with caution. Your vehicle does not
maintain high-speed operation and the
engine may operate poorly.
Remember that the engine is capable of
automatically shutting down to prevent
engine damage. In this situation:
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.
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely
Continued operation increases the engine
possible and switch the engine off.
temperature, causing the engine to
2. If you are a member of a roadside
assistance program, we recommend
that you contact your roadside
assistance service provider.
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.
3. If this is not possible, wait a short
period for the engine to cool.
4. Check the coolant level. If the coolant
level is at or below the minimum mark,
add prediluted coolant immediately.
When Fail-Safe Mode Is Activated
5. When the engine temperature cools,
you can re-start the engine. Have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible to
minimize engine damage.
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
Note: Driving your vehicle without repair
increases the chance of engine damage.
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Kuga (CTD) Vehicles Built From: 22-06-2021, CG3851en enGBR, Edition date: 202104, First-Printing