2011 Ford Fiesta Owner Guide 3rd Printing - Page 242

Driving Electronic stability control (ESC) Electronic stability control (ESC) may enhance your vehicle's directional stability during adverse maneuvers, for example when cornering severely or avoiding objects in the roadway. ESC operates by applying brakes to one or more of the wheels individually and, if necessary, reducing engine power if the system detects that the vehicle is about to skid or slide laterally. During ESC events, the stability control light in the instrument cluster will flash. Certain adverse driving maneuvers may activate the ESC system, which include but are not limited to: • Taking a turn too fast • Maneuvering quickly to avoid an accident, pedestrian or obstacle • Driving over a patch of ice or other slippery surfaces • Changing lanes on a snow-rutted road • Entering a snow-free road from a snow-covered side street, or vice versa • Entering a paved road from a gravel road, or vice versa Switching off AdvanceTrac௡ If the vehicle is stuck in snow, mud or sand, and seems to lose engine power, switching off certain features of the AdvanceTrac௡ system may be beneficial because the wheels are allowed to spin. This will restore full engine power and will enhance momentum through the obstacle. To switch off the AdvanceTrac௡ system, select traction control off through the vehicle setting menu in the multi-function display. Full features of the AdvanceTrac௡ system can be restored by selecting TCS again or by turning off and restarting the engine. If you switch off the AdvanceTrac௡ system, the traction control system will be de-selected in the multi-function display and the stability control off light will illuminate steadily. Selecting the AdvanceTrac௡ system again will turn off the stability control off light. 242 2011 Fiesta (fie) Owners Guide, 3rd Printing USA (fus)