Ford Fusion: All-Wheel Drive

All-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 AWD system turns on when needed and does not require input from you.

Note: The AWD 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 AWD system fault is present. An AWD system fault will cause the AWD 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 AWD system has overheated. This condition may occur if the vehicle was operated in extreme conditions with excessive wheel slip, such as deep sand. To resume normal AWD 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 AWD system has adequately cooled, the warning message will turn off and normal AWD function will return.

Do not use a spare tire of a different size other than the tire provided. If the mini-spare tire is installed, the AWD 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 information display. 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 AWD system to stop functioning and default to front-wheel drive or damage the AWD system.

Driving In Special Conditions With All-Wheel Drive (AWD)

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.

Under severe operating conditions, the A/C may cycle on and off to protect overheating of the engine.

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 may be safer to stay on the apron or shoulder of the road and slow down gradually before returning to the pavement. You may lose control if you do not slow down or if you turn the steering wheel too sharply or abruptly.
• 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.

If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck

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: 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: 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.

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.

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.

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 will 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 will be a change in the way the vehicle responds to a maneuver (steering, acceleration or braking). Again, avoid these abrupt inputs.

Sand

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 AWD vehicle in deep sand. This will cause the AWD system to overheat. After the system has cooled down, normal AWD 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.

Mud and Water

If you must drive through high water, drive slowly. Traction or brake capability may be limited.

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.

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.

Note: Driving through deep water may damage the transmission.

If the front or rear axle is submerged in water, have the power transfer unit (PTU) or rear axle serviced by an authorized dealer.

“Tread Lightly” is an educational program designed to increase public awareness of land-use regulations and responsibilities in our nations wilderness areas. Ford Motor Company joins the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in encouraging you to help preserve our national forest and other public and private lands by “treading lightly.”

Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain

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.

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.

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.

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.

Driving on Snow and Ice

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 may 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. Since your vehicle is equipped with a four wheel (ABS), 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, 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 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.