FORD 2005 Escape Hybrid v.2 - Manual (Page 202)

• Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached.
• If you are driving down a long or steep hill, shift to a lower gear. Do
not apply the brakes continuously, as they may overheat and become
less effective.
• The trailer tongue weight should be 10–15% of the loaded trailer weight.
• After you have traveled 50 miles (80 km), thoroughly check your
hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts.
• Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. If you must
park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer’s wheels.
Launching or retrieving a boat
Disconnect the wiring to the trailer before backing the trailer
into the water. Reconnect the wiring to the trailer after the
trailer is removed 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 cm) 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 driveability, emissions and reliability.
Replace the rear axle lubricant any time the axle has been submerged in
water. Rear axle lubricant quantities are not to be checked or changed
unless a leak is suspected or repair required.
RECREATIONAL TOWING
An example of “recreational towing” is towing your vehicle behind a
motorhome.
The Escape Hybrid may be
Љflat-towedЉ (all wheels on the ground) by
shifting the transmission into Neutral. This is permitted for Front Wheel
Drive (FWD) or Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) vehicles. Your vehicle may be
towed up to a speed of 120 km/h (75 mph) but you should always obey
local speed limits.
You also have the option of trailering the vehicle with its front wheels on
a dolly, or trailering will all four wheels off the ground.
For other towing requirements, refer to Wrecker towing in the Roadside
Emergencies chapter.
2005 Escape Hybrid (hev)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
202