This car is yours now — learn it, take care of it, and enjoy the freedom that comes with it. Everything you need to know is right here. Drive safe out there.
As long as the key fob is on you (pocket or bag), the car knows you're there.
Unlock: grab the door handle — it unlocks automatically.
Lock: press the small flat pad on the outside of the handle as you walk away.
Tip: No need to dig for keys. Just keep the fob with you.
Make sure the fob is inside the car.
Press the brake pedal down with your foot.
Press the START/STOP button.
To turn off: put it in Park, then press the button again (no foot on brake needed).
The 5-button pad on the driver's door works with a code — never needs batteries. Your factory code is on the owner's wallet card in the glovebox.
Unlock driver door: tap your 5-digit code.
Unlock all doors: code, then press 3·4 within 5 seconds.
Lock everything: close the door, press & hold 7·8 + 9·0 together (no code needed).
Make your own code: enter factory code → press 1·2 → enter your new 5 digits → press 1·2 to save.
Handy for: going for a run or to the beach without carrying keys.
From the key fob: press the lock button once, then press the remote-start button (the circular arrows) twice.
From your phone: use the Ford app (see the next section) to start it from anywhere.
Minnesota winters: leave the climate set to a warm temp and the car will pre-heat itself — windshield clear before you even walk out. Only ever remote start outside, never in a closed garage.
Your screen & phone
CarPlay is the best way to connect — it puts your iPhone's maps, messages, music, and Siri right on the 8" screen. On this car it works through a cable (you plug in), not wirelessly.
Grab the USB cable that charges your phone (USB-C for newer iPhones and Android).
Plug it into the USB port with the little phone icon up front.
If it asks, tap Continue / Agree / Enable on the screen.
CarPlay fills the screen — tap Maps, Messages, or Music, or hold the steering-wheel voice button for Siri.
After the first time, it launches on its own whenever you plug in — and your phone charges while you drive.
If CarPlay doesn't pop up: make sure you're using the front port marked with a phone icon — that's the data port. Android phone? Same steps; it's called Android Auto.
Set this up once so calls and music still work on days you don't plug in — it reconnects on its own every time you get in.
On the screen, tap Phone → Add Phone.
On your phone: Settings → Bluetooth, pick the car.
Check the numbers match, tap Pair / Yes, allow contacts.
Do you need both? Yes, but for different reasons. Pair Bluetooth once as your auto-connecting basics, and plug in for CarPlay when you want maps and the full screen. When you're plugged into CarPlay it handles calls and music too — so on those days it does everything. Bluetooth just keeps you hands-free on the days you don't plug in.
Download the Ford app and make an account.
Tap Add Vehicle and scan the VIN (on the door-jamb sticker) or type it.
Tap Activate, then start the car and tap Allow on the screen.
Then from your phone you can remote start, lock/unlock, see your fuel level, find where you parked, and check tire pressure.
The car has a built-in 4G Wi-Fi hotspot (up to 10 devices) — it needs a data plan, which usually comes with a free trial to start.
There are two charge ports up front: one USB-A (older cables) and one USB-C (newer cables).
Voice control: press the talk button on the steering wheel and just say what you want — "Call Mom," "Play my music," "Navigate home."
Driving aids (Co-Pilot360)
These help you, but they don't replace you. Stay in charge — they're a backup, not autopilot.
If it senses you're about to hit a car or pedestrian, it flashes a warning and beeps — and if you don't react, it can brake on its own to soften or avoid the crash.
It's always on. Nothing to set up.
A little light glows in the side mirror when a car is sitting in your blind spot — don't change lanes toward it.
Backing out of a parking spot, it warns you if a car is coming from the side.
Still turn your head and check — the light is a helper, not a replacement for a shoulder check.
If you wander out of your lane without a turn signal, the wheel gently nudges back and/or vibrates to get your attention.
Use your turn signal when changing lanes and it leaves you alone.
Regular cruise control, but smarter — it automatically slows down to keep distance from the car ahead, and speeds back up when it's clear.
Use the cruise buttons on the steering wheel to set your speed.
Adjust the following gap with the gap button (more bars = more space).
In stop-and-go traffic it'll brake to a full stop and resume when traffic moves.
Great for highway road trips — way less tiring.
Shift into Reverse and the screen shows the camera with guide lines that bend as you steer. Beeps speed up as you get closer to something — solid tone means stop.
Always glance over your shoulder too, especially with kids or pets around.
The engine shuts off when you're stopped and restarts the instant you lift off the brake. Totally normal — it saves fuel.
If you don't like it on a drive, press the A⃝ OFF button near the shifter to pause it (it comes back on next start).
Comfort & climate
Two temperature dials — driver side and passenger side set separately. Press AUTO and the car handles fan speed and vents to hold your temperature.
Defrost fast: hit the front defrost button to clear a foggy or icy windshield.
Look for the heated-seat buttons (a seat with wavy lines) — tap to cycle warm levels. The heated steering wheel has its own button (a wheel with wavy lines).
Pro move: pair these with remote start so the car's toasty before you're in it.
The driver's seat moves every direction with the buttons on the seat's left side — up/down, forward/back, and recline. Take a minute to get it right so you can reach the pedals comfortably and see well over the wheel.
Controls are on the ceiling near the rearview mirror.
Sunshade: slide the cover back to let light in.
Vent/open: press to tilt the glass up, or slide it open. Press again to close.
Close it when you park in the rain or leave the car — water and sun fade interiors.
A quick tap up or down on your window switch runs it fully — no need to hold it.
Lights & visibility
Leave the headlight dial on AUTO and the car turns lights on at dusk, in tunnels, and in rain — and off in daylight.
There are fog lights for heavy fog/snow, plus bright LED daytime running lights so others see you.
The wiper stalk has a rear-wiper setting; the rear defrost button (wavy lines in a rectangle) melts ice and clears fog off the back glass and warms the side mirrors too.
Fuel & care
There's no cap to twist off. Just push the nozzle straight into the flap and pump.
Use regular 87 octane gas — that's all it needs.
Push the nozzle in firmly so it seals; pump as normal.
Using a gas can? There's a little white funnel in the cargo area — capless fillers won't take a can's spout without it.
A horseshoe-with-exclamation-point light means a tire is low. Cold weather often triggers it. Add air to the pressure listed on the sticker in the driver's door jamb (it'll be there in PSI).
If it ever flashes then stays on, or the car feels weird, you may have a flat — pull over somewhere safe. There's a compact spare under the cargo floor.
An "Oil Change Due" or wrench message will pop up on the dash when service is near. The Ford app also tracks it and shows vehicle health.
When one shows up, tell Dad or book it at a Ford dealer. Don't ignore oil changes — it's the #1 thing that keeps an engine happy for years.
Cargo & space
The back seats fold down 60/40 (one side or both) for long or bulky things, and they slide forward/back for extra legroom or extra trunk space.
A retractable shade pulls across the trunk to hide what's back there (smart for parking in public). The rubber-ish cargo mat protects the floor — pull it out and rinse it when it gets muddy.
The roof rails sit flush against the roof, so they look like trim — but they're genuine mounting points. They just don't come with crossbars, and you can't strap cargo straight to them.
To carry anything up top, add a crossbar set made for a 2020–2022 Escape (Ford's own, or Thule / Yakima / similar). They clamp on — no drilling.
Then a cargo box, bike, kayak, or ski carrier attaches to the crossbars.
Weight limit: the roof holds roughly 100 lbs spread out while driving — don't overload it, and check the owner's manual for the exact number.
Safety & emergencies
If you're ever in a serious crash with your phone paired, the car can automatically call 911 and share your location. You don't have to do anything — but it's there if the worst happens.
Red light or message: pull over safely as soon as you can and call Dad — red means stop and check.
Yellow/amber light: usually "get it looked at soon," not an emergency — let Dad know.
Temperature gauge high / steam: pull over and turn it off.
When in doubt, it's always okay to pull over somewhere safe and ask for help. Never push a car that's telling you something's wrong.
You can call for roadside help right from the Ford app, or save Dad's number and your insurance roadside line in your phone now so it's ready before you ever need it.