Ford Fusion Hybrid (2014 year). Manual — part 51

Trailer lamps are required on most towed
vehicles. Make sure all running lights, brake
lights, turn signals and hazard lights are
working.

Before Towing a Trailer

Practice turning, stopping and backing-up
to get the feel of your vehicle-trailer
combination before starting on a trip.
When turning, make wider turns so the
trailer wheels clear curbs and other
obstacles.

When Towing a Trailer

•

Do not drive faster than 70 mph (113
km/h) during the first 500 miles (800
kilometers).

•

Do not make full-throttle starts.

•

Check your hitch, electrical connections
and trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly
after you have traveled 50 miles (80
kilometers).

•

When stopped in congested or heavy
traffic during hot weather, place the
gearshift in position P (automatic
transmission) or neutral (manual
transmission) to aid engine and
transmission cooling and to help A/C
performance.

•

Turn off the speed control with heavy
loads or in hilly terrain. The speed
control may turn off automatically
when you are towing on long, steep
grades.

•

Shift to a lower gear when driving down
a long or steep hill. Do not apply the
brakes continuously, as they may
overheat and become less effective.

•

If your transmission is equipped with a
Grade Assist or Tow/Haul feature, use
this feature when towing. This provides
engine braking and helps eliminate
excessive transmission shifting for
optimum fuel economy and
transmission cooling.

•

Allow more distance for stopping with
a trailer attached. Anticipate stops and
brake gradually.

•

Avoid parking on a grade. However, if
you must park on a grade:

•

Turn the steering wheel to point
your vehicle tires away from traffic
flow.

•

Set your vehicle parking brake.

•

Place the automatic transmission
in position P or manual
transmission in a low gear.

•

Place wheel chocks in front and
back of the trailer wheels. (Chocks
not included with vehicle.)

Launching or Retrieving a Boat or
Personal Watercraft (PWC)

Note: Disconnect the wiring to the trailer
before backing the trailer into the water.

Note: Reconnect the wiring to the trailer
after you remove the trailer from the water.

When backing down a ramp during boat
launching or retrieval:

•

Do not allow the static water level to
rise above the bottom edge of the rear
bumper.

•

Do not allow waves to break higher
than 6 inches (15 centimeters) above
the bottom edge of the rear bumper.

Exceeding these limits may allow water to
enter vehicle components:

•

Causing internal damage to the
components.

•

Affecting drivability, emissions, and
reliability.

Any time the rear axle submerges in water,
replace the rear axle lubricant. Water may
contaminate the rear axle lubricant, which
is not a normal maintenance inspection
item unless there is a possibility of a leak
or other axle repair is required.

207

Towing

TRANSPORTING THE VEHICLE

E143886

If you need to have your vehicle towed,
contact a professional towing service or,
if you are a member of a roadside
assistance program, your roadside
assistance service provider.

We recommend the use of a wheel lift and
dollies or flatbed equipment to tow your
vehicle. Do not tow with a slingbelt. Ford
Motor Company has not approved a
slingbelt towing procedure. Vehicle
damage may occur if towed incorrectly, or
by any other means.

Ford Motor Company produces a towing
manual for all authorized tow truck
operators. Have your tow truck operator
refer to this manual for proper hook-up
and towing procedures for your vehicle.

It is acceptable to have your front-wheel
drive vehicle towed from the front if using
proper wheel lift equipment to raise the
front wheels off the ground. When towing
in this manner, the rear wheels can remain
on the ground.

Front-wheel drive vehicles must have the
front wheels placed on a tow dolly when
towing your vehicle from the rear using
wheel lift equipment. This prevents
damage to the transmission.

Towing an all-wheel drive vehicle requires
that all wheels be off the ground, such as
using a wheel lift and dollies or flatbed
equipment. This prevents damage to the
transmission, all-wheel drive system and
vehicle.

TOWING THE VEHICLE ON
FOUR WHEELS

Emergency Towing

If your vehicle becomes inoperable
(without access to wheel dollies,
car-hauling trailer, or flatbed transport
vehicle), it can be flat-towed (all wheels
on the ground, regardless of the powertrain
and transmission configuration) under the
following conditions:

•

Your vehicle is facing forward for
towing in a forward direction.

•

Place the transmission in position N. If
you cannot move the transmission into
N, you may need to override it. See
Transmission (page 150).

•

Maximum speed is 35 mph (56 km/h).

•

Maximum distance is 50 miles (80
kilometers).

208

Towing

Recreational Towing

Note: Put your climate control system in
recirculated air mode to prevent exhaust
fumes from entering the vehicle. See
Climate Control (page 108).

Follow these guidelines if you have a need
for recreational (RV) towing. An example
of recreational towing would be towing
your vehicle behind a motorhome. We
designed these guidelines to prevent
damage to your transmission.

Front-wheel Drive Vehicles

You can tow your vehicle with the front
wheels off the ground by using a tow dolly.
If you are using a tow dolly, follow the
instructions specified by the equipment
provider.

All-wheel Drive Vehicles

All-wheel drive vehicles CANNOT be
flat-towed (all wheels on the ground), as
vehicle or transmission damage may occur.
It is recommended to tow your vehicle with
all four (4) wheels off the ground such as
when using a car-hauling trailer. Otherwise,
you cannot recreational tow your vehicle.

209

Towing

BREAKING-IN

You need to break in new tires for
approximately 300 miles (480
kilometers). During this time, your vehicle
may exhibit some unusual driving
characteristics.

Avoid driving too fast during the first 1000
miles (1600 kilometers). Vary your speed
frequently and change up through the
gears early. Do not labor the engine.

Do not tow during the first 1000 miles
(1600 kilometers).

ECONOMICAL DRIVING

Fuel economy is affected by several things
such as how you drive, the conditions you
drive under and how you maintain your
vehicle.

There are some things to keep in mind that
may improve your fuel economy:

•

Accelerate and slow down in a smooth,
moderate fashion.

•

Drive at steady speeds.

•

Anticipate stops; slowing down may
eliminate the need to stop.

•

Combine errands and minimize
stop-and-go driving.

•

When running errands, go to the
furthest destination first and then
work your way back home.

•

Close the windows for high-speed
driving.

•

Drive at reasonable speeds. (Traveling
at 65 mph/105 kph uses about 15%
less fuel than traveling at 75 mph/121
kph).

•

Keep the tires properly inflated and use
only the recommended size.

•

Use the recommended engine oil.

•

Perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance.

There are also some things you may want
to avoid doing because they reduce your
fuel economy:

•

Avoid sudden or hard accelerations.

•

Avoid revving the engine before turning
off the car.

•

Avoid long idle periods.

•

Do not warm up your vehicle on cold
mornings.

•

Reduce the use of air conditioning and
heat.

•

Avoid using speed control in hilly
terrain.

•

Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving.

•

Avoid carrying unnecessary weight
(approximately 1 mpg [0.4
kilometers/liter] is lost for every 400
lbs [180 kilograms] of weight carried).

•

Avoid adding particular accessories to
your vehicle (e.g. bug deflectors,
rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski
racks).

•

Avoid driving with the wheels out of
alignment.

DRIVING THROUGH WATER

Note: Driving through deep water above
the recommended levels can cause vehicle
damage.

If driving through deep or standing water
is unavoidable, proceed very slowly. Never
drive through water that is higher than the
bottom of the wheel rims (for cars) or the
bottom of the hubs (for trucks).

210

Driving Hints