Ford Escape Owner's Manual page 125

Driving
Gear changing
To prevent the engine laboring when climbing hills or driving in strong
headwinds, etc. and assist braking when driving down a hill, select a
suitable lower gear. Refer to the Transmission operation section in this
chapter.
Overtaking
The ability of the vehicle to accelerate when overtaking is reduced,
therefore allow greater distances.
Servicing your vehicle
Before commencing a journey, check that the towing equipment, lights,
fluid levels, mirrors, tires and tire pressures and all gauges, controls and
instruments are operational. Check all items frequently during the
journey.
New vehicle towing
To avoid damaging your vehicle, restrict the towed weight for the first
3 000 km (1 900 miles) of travel.
Servicing after towing
If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more
frequent service intervals. Refer to your Service Guide for more
information.
Trailer towing tips
• When stopped in traffic for long periods of time in hot weather, place
the gearshift in P (Park) (automatic transmissions). This aids engine
cooling and air conditioner efficiency.
• 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
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 and
• Do not allow waves to break higher than 15 cm (6 inches) above the
bottom edge of the rear bumper.
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