Ford Escape: Storing Your Vehicle
Preparing Your Vehicle for Storage
If you plan on storing your vehicle for 30
days or more, the following maintenance
recommendations ensures your vehicle
stays in good operating condition.
Under various conditions, long-term
storage may lead to degraded engine
performance or failure unless you use
specific precautions to preserve your
vehicle.
General
- Store all vehicles in a dry, ventilated
place.
- If vehicles are stored outside, they
require regular maintenance to protect
against rust and weather damage.
- Make sure all linkages, cables, levers
and pins under your vehicle are covered
with grease to prevent rust.
- Move vehicles at least 25 ft (7.5 m)
every 15 days to lubricate working parts
and prevent corrosion.
- Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel
until the first automatic shutoff of the
fuel pump nozzle.
Engine
- Change the engine oil and filter prior to
storage because used engine oil
contains contaminants 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.
Body
- Wash your vehicle thoroughly to
remove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from
exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housings
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.
Hybrid Battery Systems
We recommend the following actions for
your vehicle:
- When storing your vehicle for greater
than 30 days the state of charge
should be approximately 50%.
Additionally we recommend
disconnecting the 12V battery which
will reduce system loads on the HV
battery.
12 Volt Battery
- Check and recharge as necessary. Keep
connections clean.
Note: It is necessary to reset memory
features if you disconnect the battery
cables.
Brakes
Make sure the brakes and parking brake
release fully.
Note: If you intend on parking your vehicle
for an extended period after cleaning the
wheels with a wheel cleaner, drive your
vehicle for a few minutes before doing so to
reduce the risk of increased corrosion of the
brake discs, brake pads and linings.
Tires
- Maintain recommended air pressure.
Note: If you intend on parking your vehicle
for an extended period after cleaning the
wheels with a wheel cleaner, drive your
vehicle for a few minutes before doing so.
This reduces the risk of corrosion of the
brake discs, brake pads and linings.
Removing Your Vehicle From Storage
When your vehicle is ready to come out of
storage, do the following:
- We recommend that you change the
engine oil before you use your vehicle
again.
- Wash your vehicle to remove any dirt
or grease film build-up on window
surfaces.
- Check windshield wipers for any
deterioration.
- Check under the hood for any foreign
material that may have collected
during storage such as mice or squirrel
nests.
- Check the exhaust for any foreign
material that may have collected
during storage.
- Check tire pressures and set tire
inflation per the Tire Label.
- Check brake pedal operation. Drive
your vehicle 15 ft (4.5 m) back and
forth to remove rust build-up.
- Check fluid levels (including coolant,
oil and gas) to make sure there are no
leaks, and fluids are at recommended
levels.
- If you remove the battery, clean the
battery cable ends and check for
damage.
Contact an authorized dealer if you have
any concerns or issues.
The distance between the underside of
your vehicle and the ground is less than
that of other models. Drive with extreme
care to avoid damage to your vehicle...
Other information:
Special Tool(s) /
General Equipment
Interior Trim Remover
Removal
WARNING:
Disconnect the 12 volt battery before servicing the direct
current to alternating current (DC-AC) inverter or alternating current
(AC) powerpoint to prevent the risk of high voltage shock. Failure to
follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury.
Disconnect the negative b..
Check
NOTE:
No factory-equipped vehicle should have more than a 25 mA
(0.025 amp) – 50 mA (0.050) draw depending on the vehicle's accessories.
Check for current drains on the battery in excess of 25 mA (0.025 amp) –
50 mA (0.050) with all the electrical accessories off and the vehicle
at rest for at least 75 minutes (depending on region). Current drains
can be tested with the following..