2018 Ford Focus ST Owners Manual - Using Adaptive Cruise Control - Vehicles With: 4.2 Inch Instrument Cluster Display Screen/Adaptive Cruise Control

Using Adaptive Cruise Control - Vehicles With: 4.2 Inch Instrument Cluster Display Screen/Adaptive Cruise Control

WARNING:  You are responsible for controlling your vehicle at all times. The system is designed to be an aid and does not relieve you of your responsibility to drive with due care and attention. Failure to follow this instruction could result in the loss of control of your vehicle, personal injury or death.    WARNING:  Pay close attention to changing road conditions such as entering or leaving a highway, on roads with intersections or roundabouts, roads without visible lanes of travel, roads that are winding, slippery, unpaved, or steep slopes.    WARNING:  The system may not detect stationary or slow moving vehicles below 10 km/h (6 mph).    WARNING:  Do not use the system when towing a trailer that has aftermarket electronic trailer brake controls. Failure to follow this instruction could result in the loss of control of your vehicle, personal injury or death.    WARNING:  The system is not a crash warning or avoidance system.    WARNING:  The system does not detect pedestrians or objects in the road.    WARNING:  The system does not detect oncoming vehicles in the same lane.    WARNING:  Do not use the system in poor visibility, for example fog, heavy rain, spray or snow.    WARNING:  Do not use tire sizes other than those recommended because this can affect the normal operation of the system. Failure to do so may result in a loss of vehicle control, which could result in serious injury.

The system adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain the set gap between you and the vehicle in front of you in the same lane.  You can select four gap settings.

The system uses a radar that projects a beam directly in front of your vehicle.

The adaptive cruise controls are on the steering wheel.

Switching Adaptive Cruise Control On

  Press to set the system in standby mode.

The indicator, current gap setting and set speed appear in the information display.

Setting the Adaptive Cruise Speed

Drive to the required speed.

  Press the toggle button upward to set the current speed.

Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.

The indicator, current gap setting and set speed appear in the information display.

A vehicle graphic appears in the information display if the system detects a vehicle in front of you.

Note:   When adaptive cruise control is active, the speedometer may vary slightly from the set speed displayed in the information display.

Following a Vehicle

WARNING:  When following a vehicle that is braking, your vehicle does not always decelerate quickly enough to avoid a crash without driver intervention. Apply the brakes when necessary. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.    WARNING:  The system only warns of vehicles detected by the radar sensor. In some cases there may be no warning or a delayed warning. Apply the brakes when necessary. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.

 When a vehicle ahead of you enters the same lane or a slower vehicle is ahead in the same lane, the vehicle speed adjusts to maintain a preset gap distance.A vehicle graphic appears in the information display.

Note:   When you are following a vehicle and you switch on a direction indicator, adaptive cruise control may provide a small temporary acceleration to help you pass.

Your vehicle maintains a consistent gap from the vehicle ahead until:

• The vehicle in front of you accelerates to a speed above the set speed.
• The vehicle in front of you moves out of the lane you are in.
• You set a new gap distance.

 The system applies the brakes to slow your vehicle to maintain a safe gap distance from the vehicle in front. The system only applies limited braking. You can override the system by applying the brakes.

If the system determines that its maximum braking level is not sufficient, an audible warning sounds when the system continues to brake. Take immediate action.

Note:   The brakes may emit noise when applied by the system.

Setting the Gap Distance

  You can decrease or increase the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front by pressing the gap control.

Note:   It is your responsibility to select a gap appropriate to the driving conditions.

 The selected gap appears in the information display as shown by the bars in the image. You can select four gap settings.

Adaptive Cruise Control Distance Between Vehicle Settings

When you switch the ignition on, the system selects the last chosen gap setting.

Overriding the System

WARNING:  If you override the system by pressing the accelerator pedal, it does not automatically apply the brakes to maintain a gap from any vehicle ahead.

Use the accelerator pedal to intentionally exceed the set speed limit.

When you override the system, the vehicle graphic disappears from the information display.

Changing the Set Speed

Press the toggle button upward to increase the set speed.

Press the toggle button downward to decrease the set speed.

You can adjust the set speed in small or large increments. Press the toggle button upward or downward once to adjust the set speed in small increments. Press and hold the toggle button upward or downward to adjust the set speed in large increments.

The system may apply the brakes to slow your vehicle to the new set speed. The set speed continuously displays in the information display when the system is active.

Canceling the Set Speed

  Press the button, or tap the brake pedal.

The last set speed displays with a strikethrough and the last gap setting appears but does not erase.

Note:   The set speed also cancels if you press the clutch pedal for an extended period.

Resuming the Set Speed

  Press the button.

The vehicle speed returns to the previously set speed and gap setting. The set speed continuously shows in the information display when the system is active.

Note:   Only use resume if you are aware of the set speed and intend to return to it.

Automatic Cancellation

The system does not operate if the vehicle speed is below 20 km/h (12 mph). A tone sounds and adaptive braking releases if the vehicle speed falls below 20 km/h (12 mph).

Automatic cancellation can also occur when:

• The tires lose traction.
• The engine speed is too low.
• You apply the parking brake.

Note:   If the engine speed drops too low, the information display advises you to shift to a lower gear.

Hilly Condition Usage

Select a lower gear when the system is active and you are driving downhill on steep grades, for example in mountainous areas. The system needs additional engine braking in these situations to reduce the load on the brake system to prevent it from overheating.

Note:   A tone sounds and the system turns off if it applies brakes for an extended period of time. This allows the brakes to cool. The system operates after the brakes cool.

Switching Adaptive Cruise Control Off

  Press the button.

Note:   The set speed erases when you switch the system off.

Detection Issues

WARNING:  On rare occasions, detection issues can occur due to the road infrastructures, for example bridges, tunnels and safety barriers. In these cases, the system may brake late or unexpectedly. At all times, you are responsible for controlling your vehicle, supervising the system and intervening, if required.    WARNING:  If the system malfunctions, have your vehicle checked as soon as possible.

The radar has a limited field of view. It does not detect all vehicles in all situations and could detect vehicles later that you expect. The lead vehicle graphic does not display if the system does not detect a vehicle in front of you.

Detection issues can occur: AWhen driving on a different line than the vehicle in front. BWith vehicles that edge into your lane. The system can only detect these vehicles once they fully move into your lane. CThere may be issues with the detection of vehicles in front when driving into and coming out of a bend or curve in the road.

In these cases, the system may brake late or unexpectedly. You should stay alert and take action when necessary.

If something hits the front of your vehicle or damage occurs, the radar-sensing zone may change.This could cause the system to malfunction. Have your vehicle checked as soon as possible.

System Not Available

The system may not turn on if there is:

• A blocked sensor.
• High brake temperature.
• A failure in the system or a related system.

Adaptive Cruise Control System Sensors

WARNING:  The system may not operate properly if the sensor is blocked. Keep the windshield free from obstruction.

The camera is mounted behind the interior mirror.

The radar is behind the front grille below the license plate.

 A message displays if something obstructs the radar signals from the sensor. The system cannot detect a vehicle ahead and does not function when something blocks the sensor.

Note:   You cannot see the sensor, it is behind a fascia panel.

Note:   Keep the front of your vehicle free of dirt, metal badges or objects. Vehicle front protectors, aftermarket lights, additional paint or plastic coatings could also degrade sensor performance.

Due to the nature of radar technology, a blocked sensor message could display when the sensor is not blocked. This can happen, for example, when driving in sparse rural or desert environments. A false blocked condition self clears or clears after you switch the ignition off and on.

Switching to Normal Cruise Control

WARNING:  Normal cruise control will not brake when your vehicle is approaching slower vehicles. Always be aware of which mode you have selected and apply the brakes when necessary.

You can change from adaptive cruise control to cruise control using the information display.

To switch between adaptive cruise control and normal cruise control, use the information display controls on the steering wheel to select the following:

The cruise control indicator replaces the adaptive cruise control indicator if you select normal cruise control.The gap setting does not display, the system does not automatically respond to lead vehicles and adaptive braking does not activate. The system remembers the last setting when you start your vehicle.

Adaptive Cruise Control Indicator

  The indicator appears when you switch the system on.

The indicator appears in the information display when the system is in standby mode and when you set the adaptive cruise speed.

Adaptive Cruise Control Information Messages

Adaptive Cruise Control With Speed Sign Recognition (If Equipped)

WARNING:  You are responsible for controlling your vehicle at all times. The system is designed to be an aid and does not relieve you of your responsibility to drive with due care and attention. Failure to follow this instruction could result in the loss of control of your vehicle, personal injury or death.

The system combines speed sign recognition with adaptive cruise control. The system allows you to set the vehicle speed to the speed limit detected by the speed sign recognition system. For example, if the speed sign recognition system detects a 80 km/h (50 mph) speed limit, the vehicle speed is set to 80 km/h (50 mph).

Note:   The system does not set the vehicle speed to speed limits shown with a supplementary traffic sign in the information display.

Note:   You can override the set speed at any time.

Note:   The adaptive cruise control gap setting normally operates.

Switching Between the Cruise Control Modes

You can change between the cruise control modes using the information display.

To switch between the cruise control modes, use the information display controls on the steering wheel to select the following:

Intelligent Mode

If you select this mode, a bracket appears around the set speed and the detected speed limit sign in the information display. The system is designed to set the vehicle speed to the speed limit detected by the speed sign recognition system before your vehicle passes the speed limit sign.

Under certain conditions, the system may not adjust the vehicle speed until after your vehicle passes the speed limit sign.

Note:   The set speed adjusts when the system detects a different maximum speed limit.

If the system does not detect a speed limit, the vehicle speed remains at the current set speed.

Automatic Cancellation

If the speed sign recognition system detects a speed limit below the minimum adaptive cruise control set speed, a tone sounds and the system returns to standby mode.

Adjusting the Set Speed Tolerance Settings

You can set a permanent speed tolerance that is above or below the detected speed limit through the tolerance menu in the information display.

To adjust the speed tolerance setting, use the information display controls on the steering wheel to select the following:

Adaptive Mode

If you select this mode, adaptive cruise control operates with manual set speed input. The system does not set the vehicle speed to the speed limit detected by the speed sign recognition system.

Normal Mode

If you select this mode, normal cruise control operates. The gap setting does not display, the system does not automatically respond to lead vehicles and adaptive braking does not activate.

Adaptive Cruise Control With Speed Sign Recognition Information Messages