WARNING   WARNING:  Vehicles with a higher center of gravity (utility and four-wheel drive vehicles) handle differently than vehicles with a lower center of gravity (passenger cars). Avoid sharp turns, excessive speed and abrupt steering in these vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously increases the risk of losing control of your vehicle, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.

The intelligent AWD system continuously monitors vehicle conditions and adjusts the power distribution between the front and rear wheels. It combines transparent all-surface operation with highly capable all-wheel drive.
The AWD system is always active and requires no driver input. It is capable of handling all road conditions. You can optimize the AWD performance for specialized driving conditions by selecting different drive modes.   See   Drive Control. 
Operating All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Vehicles with Mismatched Tires
WARNING   WARNING:  Only use replacement tires and wheels that are the same size, load index, speed rating and type (such as P-metric versus LT-metric or all-season versus all-terrain) as those originally provided by Ford. The recommended tire and wheel size may be found on either the Safety Compliance Certification Label (affixed to either the door hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the door edge that meets the door-latch post, next to the driver's seating position), or the Tire Label which is located on the B-Pillar or edge of the driver's door. If this information is not found on these labels, then you should contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible. Use of any tire or wheel not recommended by Ford can affect the safety and performance of your vehicle, which could result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.

Major dissimilar tire sizes between the front and rear axles could cause the AWD system to stop functioning and default to rear-wheel drive or damage the AWD system.
For optimum AWD performance, it is recommended to follow the tire rotation maintenance schedule. To avoid potential AWD malfunction or AWD system damage, it is recommended to replace all four tires rather than mixing significantly worn tires with new tires.
Driving In Special Conditions With All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Note:   AWD 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.
Basic Operating Principles in Special Conditions
  • 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 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.
  • It could be safer to stay on the apron or shoulder of the road and slow down gradually before returning to the pavement. You could lose control if you do not slow down or if you turn the steering wheel too sharply or abruptly.
  • It often could 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.
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck
WARNING   WARNING:  Apply the parking brake, shift into park (P), switch the ignition off and remove the key before you leave your vehicle. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.
WARNING   WARNING:  If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake warning lamp remains illuminated, the brakes may not be working properly. Have your vehicle checked as soon as possible.
WARNING   WARNING:  Do not spin the wheels at over 34 mph (55 km/h). The tires may fail and injure a passenger or bystander.

If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow it could 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.
If your vehicle is equipped with AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™, it could be beneficial to disengage the AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™ system while attempting to rock the vehicle.
Note:   Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating temperature or damage to the transmission could occur.
Note:   Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few minutes or damage to the transmission and tires could occur or the engine could overheat.
Emergency Maneuvers
  • In an unavoidable emergency situation where a sudden sharp turn must be made, remember to avoid "over-driving" your vehicle (i.e., turn the steering wheel only as rapidly and as far as required to avoid the emergency). Excessive steering can result in less vehicle control, not more. Additionally, smooth variations of the accelerator and/or brake pedal 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.
  • 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 is a change in the way the vehicle responds to a maneuver (steering, acceleration or braking). Again, avoid these abrupt inputs.
Sand
Do not continuously drive your AWD vehicle in deep sand for more than 2.5 mi (4 km). This can cause the driveline components to overheat.
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.
Avoid excessive speed because vehicle momentum can work against you and cause the vehicle to become stuck to the point that assistance could be required from another vehicle. Remember, you could be able to back out the way you came if you proceed with caution.
Mud and Water
If you must drive through high water, drive slowly. Traction or brake capability could be limited.
Note:   Driving through deep water could damage your vehicle.
If the front or rear axle has been submerged in water, the axle lubricant and AWD transfer case lubricant should be checked and changed if necessary.
When driving through water, determine the depth; avoid water higher than the bottom of the hubs (if possible) and proceed slowly. If the ignition system gets wet, the vehicle could stall.
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.
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle speed or direction when you are driving in mud. Even AWD 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.
Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Although natural obstacles could 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.
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.
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 turn around 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 can cause the tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting in loss of vehicle control.
Off Road Slippery
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.
Driving on Snow and Ice
WARNING   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.

Note:   Excessive tire slippage can cause driveline damage.
AWD vehicles have advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but can skid like any other vehicle.
Should you start to slide while driving on snowy or icy roads, turn the steering wheel in the direction of the slide until you regain control.
Avoid sudden applications of power and quick changes of direction on snow and ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and steadily when starting from a full stop.
Avoid sudden braking as well. Although an AWD vehicle could accelerate better than a two-wheel drive vehicle in snow and ice, it won’t stop any faster, because as in other vehicles, braking occurs at all four wheels. Do not become overconfident as to road conditions.
Make sure you allow sufficient distance between you and other vehicles for stopping. Drive slower than usual and consider using one of the lower gears. In emergency stopping situations, apply the brake steadily.
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, therefore apply the brakes steadily. Do not “pump” the brakes.
Maintenance and Modifications
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, we strongly recommend that you do not make modifications such as adding or removing parts (such as lowering kits or stabilizer bars) or by using 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. We strongly recommend 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 could 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.
All-Wheel Drive Gauge
This feature shows how the engine power is split between the front and rear axles in real time.
  1. Using the information display controls on the steering wheel, select Settings.
  1. Select Information.
  1. Select Intelligent AWD.
All-Wheel Drive Information Messages

Message   Description  
AWD Temporarily Locked
The system is temporarily locked.This could be due to the system increasing its capacity in order to improve performance.  
AWD Temporarily Disabled
The system temporarily turns off.This could be due to the system overheating.Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so and allow the system to cool.  
AWD Restored
The system resumes normal function.  
AWD Malfunction Service Required
The system has malfunctioned.Have your vehicle checked as soon as possible.  
AWD OFF
The system temporarily turns off to protect itself from overheating or if you are using a mismatched tire.  

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