Ford Freestyle - Taurus X

maxdraw

Thanks for the photos. Great installation.

jessealan

Is the ford esp a must for this vehicle. I did not buy one and am considering it. My build date is may of 05 so that may help right? Decisions.

bruneau1

I saw a Freebie with a nice pinstripe going around the entire vehicle. Since it was a monochromatic Limited, it added nice detail. I am going to have it done to mine. It was near the top of the doors.

bobw3

"Is the ford esp a must for this vehicle."

Just look at the cost of the ESP and decide if you think you'll have that much in repairs over the period of the ESP. I stay away from them, because they're priced to make the seller a profit, which means that in the long run, most people won't ever use the ESP beyond their cost. If they did, then the ESP would go out of business. But it's a risk, so if it's going to keep you up at night, then buy it. For me, my experience with Fords (previous owner of a 91 Escort and current owner of 99 Cougar) is that any major problems won't happen until after 100,000 miles, which is after any ESP. And the way I drive, I'll reach 100,000 in about 4 years.

cmuniz

I did it to my Limited and it really looks nice. The guy that did mine used two small stripes of slightly different colors and then put a small Ford emblem on the front doors and on the back he put both Ford and Freestyle decals - it really looks nice. I saw the guy pinstripping at a Honda dealership and asked if he would do mine. Cost was $79 in Boone. NC

freealfas

When we bought our 05 LTD FWD FS we called our insurance company(geico) to see the cost of adding the new car and were pleasantly surprised that as part of our insurance payment included was an extended warranty that is 7yrs/100k since we were buying new. I too was a little concerned at Ford's skimpy warranty in light of Chrysler's extended powertrain warranty they offer when we looked at Pacifica's. We liked the FS better and wanted it and when we found out Geico offered the ESP it was a no brainer. So you might want to look into what your insurance company offers. Ours has a $250 deductible which will keep major repairs in check once we are out of the Ford Warranty. On another note I was just counseling a friend who decided to purchase a Prius. The dealer offered him a 7yr/100k ESP for $1800+, In light of the hybrid technology I said it might be something to consider. I went to Toyota's website after talking to my friend and read the Prius specific warranty which the dealer failed to clarify the details of to my friend, the basic warranty was 3yr/36k everything, 60/60k drivetrain, 8yr/100k hybrid components including batteries. After talking to him again and reviewing what you were paying $1800+ for it seemed a little ridiculous to spend the extra. Since I saved him $1800+ I told him my counseling would cost him half of the $1800+ and I would like it in small bills and he still would be coming out ahead. This experience seems to verify the profit center nature that the ESP represents to the dealers. I would be a little more interested in a ESP for the purchase of a used car as you never can really know the history of a pre-owned car, In the case of our new car the Geico supplied ESP was really a swing vote in our final decision to go with the FS knowing we were protected until 100k. With Ford using the reliable 3.0 in this rig they might have wanted to bolster confidence in the CVT for people not familiar with it and a longer powertrain warranty would have reflected more confidence. It's up to you with your purchase of the ESP, if you would sleep easier at night with it and want the security barter with the dealer on it or find an reputable independant company that offers them, whatever you do make sure you follow all the service schedules, oil changes(the single biggest thing you can do to take care of your car) and keep your documentation as that will be your only way to prove you have taken care of your vehicle if a claim arrises.(BTW In 5yr we have had 2 claims on our Geico insurance and all I can say is good things about our dealings with them)

bobw3

Right now I pay $404/year with $1000 deductables to insure our Freestyle. Not sure what you pay, but if the ESP is included, I'd rather know what I'm paying for the ESP then having it hidden in the insurance premium. Does your premium go down after 7 years/100,000 miles, since you're no longer covered by the ESP.

freealfas

After reviewing our policy, our mechanical breakdown is broken out at as 1 payments of $35 per 6 mos totaling $490 over the life of the 7yrs/100k limits, i.e. the mech breakdown payment expires. We live in Chicago proper and have significantly higher premiums than yours in part due to the fact we park on the street and have a $500 deduct. Despite that, the ESP with a $250 deduct. through Geico was cheaper than the dealer and we do not have it as part of our loan therefore we are not paying points on its cost either. For us it was a win/win and very reasonably priced.

bobw3

Yes, $500 for an ESP sounds really good.

stevedebi

"Right now I pay $404/year with $1000 deductables to insure our Freestyle"

Wow, I can tell you don't live in California...

stevedebi

"I went to Toyota's website after talking to my friend and read the Prius specific warranty which the dealer failed to clarify the details of to my friend, the basic warranty was 3yr/36k everything, 60/60k drivetrain, 8yr/100k hybrid components including batteries."

For California, the Hybrid components are warranted for 8 years or 150k miles.

vgumbatz

I know that many Freestyle owners, like myself, would like to add body side molding. What does everyone think of the ones offered here:

http://www.autoamenity.com/Body-Molding/Body-Side-Molding.htm

I kinda like the all chrome ones, but the black would work as well. Nice thing is the cost as well as tips being finished off.

renew

For anyone interested, found a good site that explains what CANbus is and how it works. There have been a few threads in this forum about Freestyle using this for control. It combines both simple and very technical terms but is understandable enough to get a broad idea.

www.mjschofield.com">link title

bobw3

The latest CR reviews the Mazda 5, Pontiac Vibe, and a couple of others, but at the end it has a one page Freestyle review. Pretty good review, although their city MPG of 12 is really low. Probably because the tester wasn't used to the CVT. While I don't pay much attention to the CR red & black circles, the actual reviews can be pretty informative.

nitromax

Either that, or they sat and idled at lights quite a bit. I can get my Freestyle down to about 2 mpg if I reset while sitting at a traffic light. :-)
If I reset while doing typical errands (stop and go traffic)around town, I get in the 21 mpg range and if I reset while cruising the highway, I get in the 29 mpg range.

CR should know that and they should adjust their mpg numbers accordingly.
One would argue that sitting at traffic lights is part of city driving...I agree, but it gives false mpg numbers as far as judging mpg average. Isn't the rule that if you have to idle more than a minute than you're better off shutting off your car? I bet their mpg numbers would go up substantially if they did that.
:-)

My point is they are misleading the public with bloated mpg numbers like that. They make the Freestyle sound worse than a Hummer.

My guesss is that they sat in a parking lot idling while they played with the cars gadgets.

stevedebi

"My point is they are misleading the public with bloated mpg numbers like that. They make the Freestyle sound worse than a Hummer.

My guesss is that they sat in a parking lot idling while they played with the cars gadgets."

I don't think CR uses the trip computers at all. They take the Miles and divide by the gallons used. I have no dout that they got the MPG they reported around town. CR is notorious for putting the "petal to the metal" when accelerating.

magdad

I have noticed that I lost 2-3 MPG since winter hit and the wife started insisting I warm the car up for the kid in the mornings. I now average @20 in town and @25 on the freeway.

bobw3

Same here, and I too think it's because we let the car warm up in the morning.

BTW, I only calculate mpg manually since I don't have the trip computer (SE) and the best I get is 26mpg hwy and about 22 city, but now it's down to 17mpg maybe because of the cold and warm up periods.

bongo3

These can be played through rear ent. system. Just plug in and push AUX button on radio or system.

vwcarcrazy

Here is where my new body-color painted moldings came from: http://www.dawn-ent.com/
They are custom made and painted. Have finished ends on both ends of each piece (no non-painted exposed ends). My final cost was $150 including painting to match body color and installation. They look like factory moldings. You can look at pictures on the web page. They do not have the Freestyle moldings shown yet as they are a brand new offering - mine were just installed a few days ago by a local auto trim company that ordered them from Dawn's. More expensive, but cheaper than purchasing the Ford 500 moldings and then having them painted. It is still too cold and messy here in Minnesota to get my Freestyle clean enough for pictures, but I will eventually post some.

tourist1234

bongo3,
could you give more detail. My wife wants to play her ipod through the Freestyle. We have the entertainment system. Its cold out, 11pm and I don't want to run out to the garage to see what external inputs the DVD entertainment system has. I have not been in the back seat much. I believe the external inputs were red and white RCA jacks. Is that correct? Do you have a cord with RCA jacks that plugs into the iPod?
Thanks for the additional info. I will take a look in the morning before I go to work.

vgumbatz

Does Dawn paint the moldings or do you have to have it done?

nitromax

Your drop in mileage could be due to the additive used to keep the gas from freezing in the winter. It's known for affecting mpg numbers.

The highway numbers I posted were at speeds just below 70 mph while using cruise control. I easily get in the high 20's with this method.

bobw3

That makes sense. I usually put the cruise at 75mph and get about 25mpg, so if you're at 69mph I can see getting in the high 20's mpg.

bruneau1

There is not a single car on the market that will meet its EPA mileage numbers when tested by CR, not even Hondas and Toyotas. The EPA testing is way out-of-date and misleading. As for CR, it would be impossible to test all cars under the same conditions- drivers, driver's style. temperature, air on-off, road conditions, etc, etc. Our FWD comes pretty close to meeting its published numbers. however, if the Duratec has to work very hard, and it does under heavy loads and acceleration, mileage can be poor. Like almost everything, it depends. As far as the EPA methods and numbers, we are in a catch 22: more realistic numbers would mean that many American brands would be unable to meet current mileage requirements (also unrealisic, especially for vehicles classified as trucks) and the road down to the end would be even faster. The horsepower race is on everywhere, and it is exactly the wrong direction, and it will be impossible to stop until we have realistic and responsible fuel economy standards.

barnstormer64

"could you give more detail. My wife wants to play her ipod through the Freestyle. We have the entertainment system."

All you need is a 3.5mm stereo to dual-RCA plug cord (any Radio Shack should have it, and probably WalMart).

Plug the iPod outputs into the two RCA inputs (not the yellow video input) on the Entertainment System.

On the radio, select the AUX button to play that input.

Note: I have had issues with the AUX button giving me the "No Aux Input" message when doing this. The solution for me has been to always have a DVD (probably a CD would work, too) in the DVD player.

Now, when I hit the AUX button, it will sometimes connect me straight back to the Ipod, but other times it will attempt to connect to the DVD player . . when it does that, I just hit AUX again, and it switches to the aux inputs instead of the DVD.

If you have the rear-entertainment system, you do NOT want to use the PIE adapter from the LogJamElectronics link. Using it will disable the rear entertainment system from the radio and speakers.

You can, though, still use the Drive+Play from Harman-Kardon. Just have the installer route the outputs from it back through the headliner to the DVD players' aux inputs.

vwcarcrazy

They come painted to match factory color - you have to provide the factory color number (from the sticker inside the drivers front door sill). I ordered mine from an Auto Trim dealer in Minnesota after trying for 2 months to get directly from Dawns. Dawns said they had no sizing/template information for the Freestyle, but would get around to it eventually. The Trim Dealer measured up my Freestyle and sent the information to Dawns. Dawns should now have the measurements and templates to make for direct orders, or they can recommend an Auto Trim dealer in your area who can order and install. The moldings came painted (exact match) and have a brand new 3M adhesive that uses an activator to improve bond. The day mine were installed it was 10 deg F outside. After bringing my Freestyle into the shop and heating it up, they cleaned the doors - alcohol wiped off any trace wax - masked where the molding would go (both sides - top and bottom of where adhesive would go) - applied the liquid activator to the door - and installed the moldings. The installer said you have no 2nd chance using the activator. They are ON. Look great - like factory. They are 1 1/4 inch wide, which is a good size for the Freestyle. They are installed 6 inches above the lower body cladding. Call Dawn's and if any problem reply back and I will provide the Minnesota Trim Shop info, but you should be able to order direct. Mine were $150 installed. I do not know what Dawns charges direct.

tourist1234

barnstormer64,
thanks much for the additional info. I already had a 3.5mm stereo to dual RCA plug wire in my miscellaneous box of electronic stuff. I had some time after work this evening and gave it a try. It worked as you described on my first try. I will set something up for my wife with a mount for the majority of the time when she wants to listen to the pod.
For when we are on vacation and we want to leave the DVD for the rear seat occupants I think I will buy an inexpensive FM modulator for listening in the front.

thanks,
john

jjprices

Hi! My wife and I ordered an '06 Freestyle a month ago and it's scheduled to arrive 3rd week in January. We're really looking forward to it, and did test drive just about everything that can be compared to it. Nothing else could come close the the value of the Freestyle.

I was curious what tires are coming on the base SE models now? I believe they were originally coming with Continental ContiTouringContact CT95. After reading reviews at various websites, I would replace those asap.

I'm pushing to put Blizzak LM50s on the OEM wheels in 225/60/17, and getting a set of 18s for summer and putting on Kumho Ecsta SPTs in 245/50/18.

I'm wondering if anyone has mounted 245 width tires on the freestyle, or if anyone knows for sure if they won't fit (i.e. rubbing suspension components).

Thanks all!
-Jordan
Mpls,MN

freealfas

"I was curious what tires are coming on the base SE models now? I believe they were originally coming with Continental ContiTouringContact CT95. After reading reviews at various websites, I would replace those asap."

You should be getting the Conti's with your '06. Our '05 LTD FWD in the most recent Chicago storms got through everything with no problems, unplowed, slush, etc.. Our tires are only 6k old so they are still basically new and have most of their tread depth which I believe is integral to their success this winter. If your winter is proving to be a mild one you might just run the Conti's and save the money this season, I'd at least try them first. Their bad rap I think is a little undeserved, We have had no issues that you read about with ours. While not the best tire on the market and I will not be replacing them with same OEM, I don't think they are as bad as people think they are. I have a set of new boxed 18" Montego 15 spoke wheels I will be mounting this spring to set our FS apart. I have not been tire shopping yet but will update what I get when I finally do. I can't speak to teh 245 size as i'm still a stocker but can't wait for spring and new shoes. PS - I am a big proponent/longtime customer of the Tire Rack, it's good to see other people out there as savy with their tire purchases as they are in their selection of the FS... By the way you are going to Love it when you get it, have fun...

428cj

I studied what floor mats were available for my black-on-black Freestyle Ltd and used two sources. I purchased the Husky liner for the second row and the area behind the third seat. They are deep and fit very well. The ebony matches my black interior.

One thing about the second-row Husky - they make it appear in pictures and text to be a one-piece mat when it is really two. One piece tucks under another to give full door-to-door coverage for the second row.

I went with the heavy rubber mats from Ford that say FREESTYLE for the front. They are a perfect fit, the color matches the carpet and the wording is a nice touch. The groves have depth, but not as deep as the Huskies. Still, the driver and front passenger usually show more care than the kids in the back so they are fine.

I cound not gind third-row mats anywhere. However, the Ford front mats cone with two second-row mats in the same groovey style but without the name. You can put them in the third row by tucking one end under the seat and the contour flows under the second row for the protection I wanted. It is a nice solution for no additional cost since they come with the front seat mats.

I plan to swap them out in the spring when snow season is over. I will leave the Husky behind the third row year-round. It offers good protection for what gets put back there.

By the way, the AWD and CVT are excellent in the snow andit pulls the passes into the Colorado Rockies with ease.

428cj

Opps, slow coffee. I ment to say this instead of the typos.

I cound not FIND third-row mats anywhere. However, the Ford front mats COME with two second-row mats in the same groovey style but without the name.

funits

Is it true that AWD Freestyles come with the Nivomat self-leveling rear suspension found in Volvos?

stever

Remember that after posting, you can edit your post for 30 minutes. There's also a spell check button when you post. We can't help you with the slow coffee part. :P

Steve, Host

northlakes

According to a couple of sites, the AWD Freestyle and 500's have Sachs Nivomat self-leveling rear suspension, but not the FWD's. I will check my shop manuals to see if there is a mention there as well. :shades:

passat_2002

Yes, they do.

maxdraw

I finished my install of the PIE Ipod adapter for my Freestyle. I kept it simple. I wanted to do a cool Harmon Kardon install like barnstormer64 (I might still later), but my budget right now doesn't permit. I'm happy with the way it came out though and it works great! It feels really stock because it uses the AUX button on the head unit. I opted to also purchase an additional attachment that hooks from the PIE's RCA jacks to my Ipod's docking connector. This powers and charges my Ipod as I play it. If you plan on installing this Ipod adaptor yourself, be sure to read the forum on the Logjam site. There are some important installation instructions there that are not included in the directions that come with the unit.

Here are a couple of photos of the installation.

soccerref

First -- thanks to all who've put time and effort into this board. I'm probably buying a Freestyle this next week, and this board has had lots of useful info.

In one of the test drives we did last week, we looked at a Limited with the auxiliary climate control system. It was about 32F here (Saginaw, MI area), and it seemed that there was only heat on the driver's side for the second and third rows. There was some discussion of this a while back, but no conclusion. For those with the Auxiliary Climate Control option -- do you find that it works well and is worth the money?

soccerref

Second question -- Do I read things correctly that the 6 disk CD player will handle MP3 CD's, in addition to "normal" audio CD's?

bobw3

The heat for the second row is under the first row seats. The aux climate is great for second & third row A/C (ceiling), and for third row heat (straight across the floor on the third row.)

maxdraw

This is an update to my earlier post. As I stated previously, everything was working and sounding great once I got all the correct installation instructions. Well, after I posted that message I went back to my car about 3 hours later and when I pressed the AUX button the factory head unit did NOT recognize the PIE AUX adapter. A day later it still isn't recognizing it. I have emailed both Logjam and PIE to see if they have any answers. If anyone out there has any experience with this, please let me know what you think. In the mean time I will keep you all posted as I try to resolve this issue.

xnappo

Yes, in fact I find the player works *better* with MP3 CDs than with normal CDs. Probably because it can buffer more from the disc. It will also shuffle the whole disc, so you can easily get a 12 album shuffle on one disc. Unfortunately the player will *not* shuffle discs, only within one disc.

Also - if anyone is interested - the DVD player will not read DVDs with MP3s on it.

Regards,
xnappo
2005 Ford Freestyle
1991 Nissan 300ZX TT

funits

Thank you for checking-up on this piece of information.

428cj

I installed the Ford accessory front-end over (bra)on my '05 LTD. The black cover looks great on my black-on-black Freestyle. Also, the FREESTYLE embossed name on the driver front hood piece looks cool. This piece has a nice deflector contour to it. The whole cover is very functional protection in the rock and sand covered mountain passes I drive to go skiing.

The hood piece is just the right depth for protection and still look good. The hood opens and closes the same as before with no interference. The chrome U-piece on SEL and LTD models is not covered so this grille look is not compromised.

The instructions are all in sketches with no words, so here are a few installation hints. First, put the cover in a warm place prior to installation because there is some stretching involved.

Only two tools are needed, a Phillips screwdriver and scissors. The scissors are to cut the thread holding the panel covering the license plate hole (if you use a front license plate.) Just turn it over and cut the blue stitching to remove the panel. Blue thread is only used on this piece.

The screwdriver is to remove one screw on each side under the wheel well and replace it with one with a snap head on it. However, and this is a big point, you will need a small plastic screw anchor (one for each wheel well) to re-insert to install the screw. I was not able to save the existing one in either case. They are destroyed upon removal.

Once installed, it is easy to remove for cleaning or for storage when the spring thaw arrives.

vwcarcrazy

I purchased a set of Nifty Catch-all mats for front, 2nd and 3rd rows. Here is a link to the least expensive source I found and ordered from (entire set $190 delivered): http://performance.thepartsbin.com/basket.php?makeid=9&modelid=656&year=2005&par- tid=399&brandid=509. They come in black, grey and beige. The beige is slightly darker than pebble, but a nice contrast and does not show dirt as much. They have a carpet-like surface, ridge around the edges to contain slop and fit the Freestyle like a glove. The 2nd and 3rd rows are 1-piece and entend nicely under the seats for improved protection. These mats are custom molded for the Freestyle and fit exact. The front driver's mat extends up under the pedals, with a cutout for the deadpedal (unlike the factory mat that stops short of the area under the pedals). All the mats have a very grippy backing and do not slide around at all. For added grip, the mats come with plastic "screws" and caps to attach to the carpet - but I do not use them. I personally do not like rubber mats. I find they tend to slip around too much (even with grips on the back) and are hard to keep clean looking, although note that the link also shows the Catch-all Extreme mats that are made of a rubberized material that does not look as ulitarian as the Husky mats. I have ordered the Catch-all mats for my last few SUV's and cars, and they work great and are easy to clean - just hose them off and let them dry. Also, with the Catch-all's, I use them year around - no need to have two sets of mats. Now, I am looking for a mat that will fit in the well behind the 3rd seat - that will allow the seat to fold down without having to be removed. Here is a link to one I am looking at: http://www.premiermotoring.net/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_main.html?catid=1919&sid=5iRD- Je1EwCh7EO9-25105168978.c4

rn865

Got an '06 LTD FWD last week. Loving it so far. Couple of questions:

1. It was delivered with a scratch similar to having been "keyed" about six inches long on the lower section of the driver's side door. It's hardly noticeable unless you are looking for it (as in inspecting it before taking delivery) in just the right light. The body shop guy at the dealership said the scratch is through the clearcoat and that he would have to sand it down, repaint the area, and then reapply clearcoat to the entire door. I'm thinking that might affect the value more than just leaving it alone, and maybe I should ask for a $100 credit at the parts/service department or something?

2. Has anyone noticed that when backing off the throttle the CVT seems to take a few seconds to catch up and start "coasting" or slowing down? It seems like I have to apply the brakes really hard to slow for an exit or a stop and that it's "fighting", the CVT which still seems to want to power forward?

OK, one more. Anybody recommend an XM Radio ready replacement for the LTD 6 CD changer head? I have a Skyfi2 rigged with cigarette lighter adapter and FM modulater velcroed to the dash, but that's only temporary and I can't figure out where the Skyfi2 module will fit anywhere.

vwcarcrazy

I had a similar issue with my Freestyle arriving with a paint defect. Talking to the service manager, they arranged for a "paintless repair and detailing" company to fix the scratch. If you talk to the bodyshop, they will almost always recommend a sand and paint (vs using the "competition"). When the dealer preps a car for sale, they usually use the cheaper alternative - paintless - if the repair/dent/etc can be fixed without sanding & painting. The paintless company did an almost perfect job - without sanding and repainting the panel. I had the same concern you did about whether the fix would be worse than leaving it. They did a touchup and localized clearcoat, followed by a good buffing - repair was practically invisible - a good job and I was satisfied. They also provided a bottle of touch-up paint with the repair.
Also, check out the forums for recent posts on the XM and audio installations. One person did s great job of hiding the module in the overhead console (look at the flip-down mirror and sunglass areas) and another hid it inside the console area. I'm not familiar with your Skyfi2 unit for sizing, however. Good luck.

bobw3

"2. Has anyone noticed that when backing off the throttle the CVT seems to take a few seconds to catch up and start "coasting" or slowing down? It seems like I have to apply the brakes really hard to slow for an exit or a stop and that it's "fighting", the CVT which still seems to want to power forward? "

That's just the CVT, and it does take a little getting used to. The lack of an immediate slow down when you release the gas, and not the "jump" you feel when you press the gas on an automatic after a stoplight. When you let off the gas, I think the CVT is trying to maintain a constant speed, so it's almost gearing "up" and you get lower RPMs but the same overall speed.

I've had mine for a year now and I don't notice it, but at the beginning it was sort of weird. So on highways, when you're getting close to a car in front of you, when in an automatic or manual you could just let off the gas and you'd start slowing down instantly, with the CVT if I'm approaching a car in front of me too quickly then I have to tap the brakes a little, or shift into Low on the transmission to quicker slowdown. Based on the owner's manual, I don't think there's any problem going into Low gear at any time:

Page 200 of the owner's manual states:

"D (Drive)
The normal driving position for the best fuel economy.

L (Low)
Provides more engine braking when the accelerator pedal is released than D (Drive)."

1c3m9n

Can anyone tell me how the reverse sensor functions? We're looking to purchase a vehicle, but cannot find a functional explanation as to what it does. :confuse:

bobw3

Since I already have the pdf owner's manual open on page 200:
"REVERSE SENSING SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
The Reverse Sensing System (RSS) sounds a tone to warn the driver of obstacles near the rear bumper when R (Reverse) is selected and the vehicle is moving at speeds less than 3 mph (5 km/h). The system is not effective at speeds above 3 mph (5 km/h) and may not detect certain angular or moving objects. To help avoid personal injury, please read and understand the limitations of the reverse sensing system as contained in this section. Reverse sensing is only an aid for some (generally large and fixed) objects when moving in reverse on a flat surface at “parking
speeds”. Inclement weather may also affect the function of the RSS; this may include reduced performance or a false activation.
To help avoid personal injury, always use caution when in R
(Reverse) and when using the RSS. This system is not designed to prevent contact with small or moving objects. The system is designed to provide a warning to assist the driver in detecting large stationary objects to avoid damaging the vehicle. The system may not detect smaller objects, particularly those close to the ground. Driving
200 Certain add-on devices such as large trailer hitches, bike or surfboard racks and any device that may block the normal detection zone of the RSS system may create false beeps. The RSS detects obstacles up to six feet (two meters) from the rear bumper with a decreased coverage area at the outer corners of the bumper, (refer to the figures for approximate zone coverage areas). As you move closer to the obstacle, the rate of the tone increases. When the obstacle is less than 10 inches (25.0 cm) away, the tone will sound continuously. If the RSS detects a stationary or receding object further than 10 inches (25.0 cm) from the side of the vehicle, the tone will sound for only three seconds. Once the system detects an object approaching, the tone will sound again. The RSS automatically turns on when the gear selector is placed in
R (Reverse) and the ignition is ON. An RSS control on the instrument panel allows the driver to turn the RSS on and off. To turn the RSS off, the ignition must be ON, and the gear selector in R (Reverse). An indicator light on the control will illuminate when the system is turned off. If the indicator light illuminates when the RSS is not turned off, it may indicate a failure in the RSS. Keep the RSS sensors (located on the rear bumper/fascia) free from snow, ice and large accumulations of dirt (do not clean the
sensors with sharp objects). If the sensors are covered, it will affect the accuracy of the RSS. Driving 201
If your vehicle sustains damage to the rear bumper/fascia, leaving it misaligned or bent, the sensing zone may be altered causing inaccurate measurement of obstacles or false alarms.