Get Fuel and Refueling -> Transmission Guide for Ford Explorer SUV Sixth Generation (2012-2020)

Transmission

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WARNING: Always fully apply the

parking brake and make sure you shift

into park (P). Failure to follow this

instruction could result in personal injury

or death.

WARNING: Do not apply the brake

pedal and accelerator pedal

simultaneously. Applying both pedals

simultaneously for more than a few

seconds will limit engine performance,

which may result in difficulty maintaining

speed in traffic and could lead to serious

injury.

E227917

P

R

N

D

M

L

Park.

Reverse.

Neutral.

Drive.

Manual.

Low

Note: You may not be able to shift out of

park (P) unless the intelligent access key is

inside your vehicle.

Understanding Your Transmission

Selector Positions

Your vehicle has an electronic transmission

shifter. The transmission selector is on the

center console.

The instrument cluster displays the current

gear.

Note: Your vehicle could come with low (L)

or manual (M) in the center of the selector

depending on trim level.

Park (P)

With the transmission in park (P), your

vehicle locks the transmission and

prevents the wheels from turning. Always

come to a complete stop before putting

your vehicle into and out of park (P).

When you switch the ignition off, your

vehicle shifts into park (P). If you switch

the ignition off while your vehicle is moving,

the transmission first shifts into neutral (N)

until it reaches a speed less than 3 mph

(5 km/h) and then shifts into park (P).

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Transmission

The electric parking brake may apply when

Manual Mode (M) - Vehicles with

Paddle Shifters

you shift to park (P) without the brake

pedal fully pressed. The electric parking

brake applies when you shift to park (P)

on large slopes. The electric parking brake

releases with the drive away release

function or manually as described in the

Releasing the Electric Parking Brake

section. See Electric Parking Brake

(page 215).

With the transmission selector in manual

(M), the driver can change gears up or

down. After selecting the Manual (M)

button while the transmission range

selector is in Drive (D) position you now

have control of selecting the gear you

desire using shift buttons on the steering

wheel. See Understanding your SelectShift

Automatic™ transmission later in this

section.

Note: A warning tone sounds if you open

the driver door and you have not shifted the

transmission selector to park (P).

To exit manual mode, push the manual

(M) button on your transmission selector.

Reverse (R)

With the transmission selector in reverse

(R), your vehicle moves backward. Always

come to a complete stop before shifting

into and out of reverse (R).

Low (L) - Vehicles without Paddle

Shifters

With the transmission selector in low (L),

your vehicle provides maximum engine

braking. You can shift the transmission into

low (L) at any vehicle speed. The intent is

not for use under extended or normal

driving conditions, and results in lower fuel

economy.

Neutral (N)

With the transmission selector in neutral

(N), you can start your vehicle and it is free

to roll. Hold the brake pedal down when in

this position.

Automatic Return to Park

Note: This feature does not operate when

your vehicle is in Stay in Neutral mode or

neutral tow.

Drive (D)

Drive (D) is the normal driving position for

the best fuel economy and smoothness.

Shift the transmission selector to drive (D)

to allow your vehicle to move forward and

shift automatically through the forward

gears.

The transmission shifts to the appropriate

gear for optimum performance based on

ambient temperature, road slope, vehicle

load and your input.

The transmission returns to park (P) if any

of the following occur:

•

You switch the ignition off.

Your seatbelt is not fastened, and you

open the driver door.

•

The driver door is open, and you

unfasten your seatbelt.

If you switch the ignition off when your

vehicle is moving, your vehicle shifts into

neutral (N) until it slows down enough to

shift into park (P).

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Transmission

Note: This feature may not work properly

Note: Stay in Neutral Mode confirmation

message appears in the information display

when your vehicle has entered Stay in

Neutral mode and the neutral (N) button

on the transmission selector slowly blinks.

To exit Stay in Neutral mode, press the

brake pedal and shift to park (P) or start

the engine and apply brakes to shift to

another driving range, for example drive

(D) or reverse (R).

if the door ajar switch is malfunctioning. If

your door ajar indicator does not illuminate

when you open the driver door, or the

indicator illuminates with the driver door

closed, or Transmission not in Park cluster

message still displays when the shifter has

already selected reverse (R), neutral (N), or

drive (D) and driver door remains closed,

see your authorized dealer.

Stay in Neutral Mode

Tow Mode ^{(If Equipped)}

Note: Stay in neutral mode is a temporary

vehicle state that works with the engine

being in the running or OFF state. Once in

this mode, sufficient battery voltage must

be maintained or your vehicle returns to park

if the feature is left active for extended time

when engine is OFF.

Failure to follow this instruction could

result in vehicle damage not covered by

the vehicle Warranty.

Note: When entering an automatic car

wash, always enter the Stay in Neutral

Mode. Stay in Neutral Mode must be

enabled, if you are exiting the vehicle before

the car wash.

Extended usage of Stay in Neutral mode

may result in a battery voltage reduction

to level where the vehicle may no longer

start.

To activate tow mode, use the

drive mode switch on the center

E161509

console. See Selecting a Drive

Mode (page 278).

The indicator light illuminates and a

message displays in the instrument cluster

when the system becomes active. Select

a different mode to turn the system off.

The Tow Mode Feature:

•

Moves upshifts to higher engine speeds

to reduce the frequency of

transmission shifting.

•

Provides engine braking in all forward

gears, which slows your vehicle and

assist you in controlling your vehicle

when descending a grade.

•

Depending on driving conditions and

load conditions, it may downshift the

transmission, slow your vehicle and

control your vehicle speed when

descending a hill, without pressing the

accelerator pedal. The amount of

downshift braking provided varies

based upon the amount you press the

brake pedal.

Do not tow your vehicle in this mode.

With the transmission selector in Stay in

Neutral Mode, you can start your vehicle

and it is free to roll.

To enter Stay in Neutral mode, do the

following:

1. Bring your vehicle to a complete stop.

2. Shift into neutral (N).

3. Press the manual (M) or low (L) button

within five seconds after shifting to

neutral (N).

The tow mode feature improves

transmission operation when towing a

trailer or a heavy load. All transmission

gear ranges are available when using tow

mode.

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Transmission

SelectShift in drive (D):

SelectShift Automatic™

Transmission (If Equipped)

•

Provides a temporary manual mode

for performing more demanding

maneuvers with extra control of gear

selection, for example, when towing or

overtaking. This mode holds a selected

gear for a temporary period of time

dependent on driver inputs, for

example, steering or accelerator pedal

input.

Your vehicle has a SelectShift Automatic

transmission, which gives you the ability

to change gears up or down, without a

clutch, as preferred.

To prevent the engine from running at too

low an RPM, which may cause it to stall,

SelectShift still automatically makes some

downshifts if it has determined that you

have not downshifted in time. Although

SelectShift makes some downshifts for

you, it still allows you to downshift at any

time if SelectShift determines that

damage to the engine from over-revving

does not occur.

•

You can exit SelectShift by holding the

(+) for two seconds or by driving

normally.

SelectShift in manual (M):

•

Provides a permanent manual gear

selection with full control of gear

selection.

Note: Engine damage may occur if you

maintain excessive engine revving without

shifting.

•

You can exit SelectShift by pushing the

manual (M) button plus holding the

(+). This will shift you into the correct

gear.

Note: Vehicles may have either steering

wheel controls or gearshift lever controls.

The instrument cluster displays your

currently selected gear. If you request an

unavailable gear due to vehicle conditions,

for example, low speed, too high engine

speed for requested gear selection, the

current gear flashes three times.

Note: At full accelerator pedal travel, the

transmission automatically downshifts for

maximum performance.

SelectShift could upshift if the engine

reaches its RPM limit. It may also be

upshifted by pressing the + button on the

steering wheel or shift lever control.

Pull the + paddle on the steering wheel

or push the + button on the gearshift

lever to activate SelectShift.

•

Pull the right paddle (+) to upshift.

Pull the left paddle (–) to downshift.

Manual Park Release (MPR)

WARNING: When doing this

procedure, you need to take the

transmission out of park (P) which

means your vehicle can roll freely. To

avoid unwanted vehicle movement,

always fully apply the parking brake prior

to doing this procedure. Use wheels

chocks if appropriate.

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Transmission

3. Turn the vehicle ignition on without

starting the vehicle by pressing the

ignition push to start without pressing

the brake.

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.

4. Once in the driver seat, fully apply the

brake pedal and hold. Do not release.

WARNING: Do not drive your

vehicle until you verify that the

stoplamps are working.

Use the manual park release to move your

transmission from the park (P) position in

the event of an electrical malfunction or

emergency.

E317360

Activating the Manual Park Release

Cable

Note: A: 2.0 in (50 mm) B: 0.1 in (3.3 mm)

5. Insert a screwdriver type tool, see

description, or your car key into the

Manual Park Release (MPR) lever slot.

Pull the manual park release lever

toward the rear until the detent in the

slot pops up, against the tool or key.

Allow full upward travel of detent,

approximately 0.28 in (7 mm) in the

park override mode (Click). You can

remove the tool. If done correctly, a

message on the instrument cluster

displays Park Not Available,

Transmission Not in Park, or Shift

System Fault.

6. With your foot still fully applied on the

brake pedal, disengage the parking

brake. See Electric Parking Brake

(page 215).

E292050

1. Apply the parking brake. See Electric

Parking Brake (page 215).

Note: If the vehicle battery is dead, for

example, no electrical power is available,

you require an external power to apply the

parking brake.

7. Your vehicle remains in neutral (N) for

emergency towing purposes.

2. Using the key or a flat head screwdriver,

maximum length 5 in (120 mm), as

shown in the picture, carefully open the

access cover under the arm rest

console. See Keys and Remote

Controls (page 57).

8. Switch off the ignition.

9. Once safe, and there is no risk of your

vehicle rolling, disconnect the negative

(black) battery cable from the battery.

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Transmission

7. If the instrument cluster does not

display the park (P) position or there

is a message stating park (P) is not

available, transmission not in park (P)

or a shift system fault, apply the

parking brake before exiting your

vehicle and contact an authorized

dealer for service.

If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck in Mud

or Snow

E297270

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 minute or damage to the transmission and

tires may occur, or the engine may overheat.

Returning Your Vehicle to Normal

Mode

1. Reconnect the negative (black) battery

cable to the battery.

If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow,

rock it out by shifting between forward and

reverse gears, stopping between shifts in

a steady pattern. Press lightly on the

accelerator in each gear.

2. Apply the parking brake. See Electric

Parking Brake (page 215).

Note: If the vehicle battery is dead, for

example, no electrical power is available,

you require an external power to apply the

parking brake.

3. Fully apply the brake pedal and hold,

do not release.

4. Insert the screwdriver tool or car key

fully into the manual park release lever

slot. Push the tool downwards. The

system detent releases and the manual

park release lever moves forward,

allowing the vehicle to go back into

park (P). Remove the tool or car key.

5. Install the access cover.

6. With your foot fully applied on the

brake pedal, start your vehicle. Confirm

that your vehicle is in the park (P)

position and that the instrument

cluster indicates park (P).

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Fuel and Refueling -> Transmission for Your Ford Explorer SUV Sixth Generation (2012-2020)

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