2013 Ford Transit Connect Passenger Owner Manual Printing 2 - Page 181

180 Maintenance If you drive in extremely hot climates: • It may be necessary to have a Ford authorized dealer decrease the coolant concentration to 40%. • A coolant concentration of 40% will provide improved overheat protection. Engine coolant concentrations below 40% will decrease the corrosion/freeze protection characteristics of the engine coolant and may cause engine damage. Vehicles driven year-round in non-extreme climates should use prediluted engine coolant for optimum cooling system and engine protection. What you should know about fail-safe cooling (if equipped) If the engine coolant supply is depleted, this feature allows the vehicle to be driven temporarily before incremental component damage is incurred. The "fail-safe" distance depends on ambient temperatures, vehicle load and terrain. WARNING: If fail-safe cooling activates, pull off the road as soon as safely possible, and turn the engine off, because the engine may automatically shut off while driving without further indication. How fail-safe cooling works If the engine reaches a preset over-temperature condition, the engine will automatically switch to alternating cylinder operation. Each disabled cylinder acts as an air pump and cools the engine. When this occurs the vehicle will still operate. However: • The engine power will be limited. • The air conditioning system will be disabled. Continued operation will increase the engine temperature: • The engine will completely shut down. • Steering and braking effort will increase. Once the engine temperature cools, the engine can be re-started. Take your vehicle to an authorized dealer as soon as possible to minimize engine damage. 2013 Transit Connect (tst) Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, November 2012 USA (fus)