2015 Ford Escape Owner Manual Printing 1 - Page 239

Vehicle Care We engineer and test all motor vehicles and their components for reliable, regular driving. Under various conditions, long-term storage may lead to degraded engine performance or failure unless you use specific precautions to preserve engine components. Engine • Change the engine oil and filter prior to storage because used engine oil contains contaminates which may cause engine damage. Start the engine every 15 days for a minimum of 15 minutes. Run at fast idle with the climate controls set to defrost until the engine reaches normal operating temperature. With your foot on the brake, shift through all the gears while the engine is running. We recommend that you change the engine oil before you use your vehicle again. • General • • • Store all vehicles in a dry, ventilated place. Protect from sunlight, if possible. If vehicles are stored outside, they require regular maintenance to protect against rust and damage. • • Body • Wash your vehicle thoroughly to remove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housing and the underside of front fenders. Periodically wash your vehicle if it is stored in exposed locations. Touch-up exposed or primed metal to prevent rust. Cover chrome and stainless steel parts with a thick coat of auto wax to prevent discoloration. Re-wax as necessary when you wash your vehicle. Lubricate all hood, door and luggage compartment hinges and latches with a light grade oil. Cover interior trim to prevent fading. Keep all rubber parts free from oil and solvents. • Fuel system Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel until the first automatic shutoff of the fuel pump nozzle. • • • Cooling system • • Protect against freezing temperatures. When removing your vehicle from storage, check coolant fluid level. Confirm that there are no cooling system leaks and that fluid is at the recommended level. • Battery • • Check and recharge as necessary. Keep connections clean. If storing your vehicle for more than 30 days without recharging the battery, we recommend that you disconnect the battery cables to maintain battery charge for quick starting. • • Note: It is necessary to reset memory features if battery cables are disconnected. 236 Escape (TM2), enUSA, First Printing