The rear window of a vehicle, regardless of body style.

An engine shaft designed so that it rotates in such a way that it reduces or cancels out vibrations produced by the engine, resulting in reduced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) in the passenger compartment. In four-cylinder engines, two shafts turning in opposite directions on either side of the engine’s crankshaft are generally used, while in V-type engines, a single balance shaft is used.

A flexible joint which consists of a ball in a socket and used primarily in front suspensions to accommodate a wide range of angular motions.

This is the weight of the vehicle including a full tank of fuel and all standard equipment. It does not include passengers, cargo or any optional equipment. Your Ford dealership salesperson can give you this number for the vehicle(s) you are considering.

A feature on some vehicles that automatically turns off interior or underhood lights after a set period of time (e.g., 30-45 minutes), to help prevent battery power drainage and save enough power to restart the vehicle.

Provides increased electrical power to help meet the high demands of cold-weather starting and is recommended for temperatures below -20¼F.

Also known as a dead axle, a rigid axle that supports the non-driven wheels of a vehicle.

A serpentine belt is a combination of a V-ribbed belt on one side and a flat-back belt on the other side. This combines the traditional V-belt, which drives by a wedging action, and a flat-back belt, which uses friction to drive the various components. The purpose of a serpentine belt is to eliminate the number of belts needed to drive the accessories, like an alternator or air conditioning compressor.

A styling term that refers to the imaginary line formed where a vehicle’s lower body meets the greenhouse.

A frame or rim surrounding items such as vent outlets, instrumentation, radios and other features.

Equipped on the Excursion. In the event of a frontal collision with a car, the BlockerBeam™ is designed to make contact with the frame rails of a car. This helps to prevent the car from sliding beneath the higher-riding Excursion.

(Standard on the Excursion and F-150 SuperDuty models.) In the event of a frontal collision with a car, the BlockerBeam™ is designed to make contact with the frame rails of a car. This helps to prevent the car from sliding beneath the higher-riding vehicle.

A variety of materials applied to, or fitted into, the body structure at critical locations to reduce the transmission of drivetrain and road noise to the passenger compartment.

Joint sealers and special anti-squeak sealing devices are used in all Ford cars and light trucks to help reduce interior noise, including:

• Vinyl sealing material applied to exposed spot-welded body panel seams, joints and exposed holes on the inner side members
• Rubber and vinyl plastic seals located on the drip rails and rear deck trough
• Windshield and backlite sealed with either butyl tape or urethane adhesive
• Special pads, grommets, seals and plug buttons that guard against dust and drafts
• Heat-curing sealer applied to seams and joints in the passenger and luggage compartments

A type of vehicle construction available in all Ford sport utility vehicles except Escape in which the body is attached to a separate frame, often with rubber mounts to reduce squeaks and rattles, helping to isolate road noise and vibration. Crown Victoria and all Ford trucks utilize body-on-frame construction.

Semi-hard plastic cover that protects the top frame, fabric and rear-window glass components on a convertible after the top has been folded down behind the rear seat.

While these two terms are frequently used together, they are two totally different measurements: Bore is the measurement of the inside diameter of a cylinder Stroke is the distance the piston travels from top dead center to bottom dead center of the cylinder

A no-cost option required in states where a front license plate is required by law.

The front/rear distribution of a vehicle’s braking power. Generally, the front of a vehicle, where the engine and the majority of weight and steering functions are located, supplies the greater amount of braking power.

The actual horsepower of an engine, measured by a brake attached to the driving shaft and recorded by a dynamometer.

The process of varying pedal pressure to hold a vehicle on the verge of lockup to supply maximum braking efficiency. Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) employ computer-controlled modulators to maximize braking efficiency.

The arc-shaped carrier to which the brake linings are mounted in a drum brake. They also force the lining against the rotating drum during braking.

A feature requiring the driver to depress the brake pedal in order to shift out of Park and into any gear to prevent accidental engagement of drive gears. Passenger cars with a floor-mounted shift lever include a manual override

A type of braking system in which brake shoes, in a vise-like caliper, grip a revolving disk mounted on a wheel to slow or stop disc and wheel rotation for braking.

A type of braking system that utilizes a metal drum mounted on a wheel to form the outer shell of a brake. The brake shoes press against the drum to slow or stop drum and wheel rotation for braking.

Ford Motor Company uses a number of different braking systems on its passenger cars and light trucks, including the following:

Four-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Standard on all Ford trucks and SUVs except Escape (optional on XL/standard on XLT), the four-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) used by Ford helps provide straight, more controlled stops, while helping the driver maintain steering control under most road conditions, including slippery road surfaces. Here¡¦s how the system works:

• ABS computer-controlled sensors prevent wheels from locking up, even when the driver presses hard on the brake pedal
• Sensors continuously monitor the speed of each wheel. When impending wheel lockup is detected, the computer signals the hydraulic control unit to apply and release (automatically pumping) the brakes several times per second with split-second timing, providing a level of braking efficiency that even professional race car drivers cannot duplicate, and resulting in shorter stopping distances and greater braking and steering control
• Three-channel ABS uses three individual channels to monitor and control brake pressure to the front wheels individually and to both rear wheels together
• Four-channel ABS operates similarly to the three-channel system, except that both rear wheels are monitored and operated separately
• A computer continuously monitors the ABS for malfunctions. Should a problem develop, an instrument panel light alerts the driver that the ABS computer has shut down and the brakes have been returned to normal, non-ABS operation
• The driver should never pump the brakes in a vehicle equipped with ABS. This would only defeat the system and increase stopping distances. For best performance, the driver should apply maximum pedal pressure. If the driver feels the front wheels begin to lock, they should momentarily release the pedal and repeat the squeeze technique. When using ABS, the driver may feel a slight pulsing sensation; this is completely normal

Rear-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Rear-wheel ABS is another type of ABS available on some light trucks (standard on Escape XL). It works in a similar fashion to four-wheel ABS, but monitors and operates only the rear wheels, especially important with light trucks, which often carry heavy loads supported primarily by the rear suspension and wheels

Dual Diagonal Braking System
All Ford front-wheel-drive vehicles feature a dual diagonal split-service hydraulic brake system with warning lamp With this system, diagonal circuits link front and rear wheels at opposite corners, so braking capacity is retained even if one of the two circuits malfunctions.

Power-assisted Four-wheel Disc Brakes
Also called caliper brakes, four-wheel disc brakes consist of a disc at each wheel that rotates at wheel speed and is straddled by a caliper that squeezes the edge of the disc to provide stopping or braking power

• Disc brakes provide a more linear response, and therefore operate more efficiently at high temperatures than drum brakes
• Power-assisted disc brakes use a vacuum-assist to provide power to the calipers, thereby greatly reducing pedal effort
• Ford power-assisted disc brakes are self-adjusting with pad clearance automatically maintained by the limited retracting action of the piston in the caliper

Power-assisted Front Disc/Rear Drum Brakes
A combination of the front disc and rear drum brake system. Drum brakes are a type of braking system with an iron casting shaped like a shallow drum that rotates with the wheel. Curved brake shoes are forced into contact with the inner edge of the drum to provide stopping or braking power. Power-assisted drum brakes use a vacuum-assist to provide power to the brake shoes, thereby greatly reducing pedal effort. Features of this system include: „h Front disc brake pad clearance automatically maintained by the limited retracting action of the piston in the caliper

• Adjustment of the rear drum brakes is accomplished when the brake pedal is applied while the vehicle is moving in Reverse
• Both front and rear brakes are self-adjusting
• Note: Availability of braking systems varies according to model.

A term used to describe an engine’s ability to fill its cylinders with air/fuel mixture and then discharge the burned exhaust gases. The more air/fuel an engine burns, the greater power it can produce.

Bumpers that exceed federal bumper standards by 2.5 mph and that can reduce damage to lamps, cooling system, exhaust and other body components in minor impacts.

The bumpers are formed of a strong, resilient and scuff-resistant material that is much lighter than a metal bumper and will not dent or rust as a metal bumper might.

A simple suspension bearing that accommodates limited rotary motion and is typically made of two coaxial steel tubes bonded to a rubber sleeve between them. A bushing can have a significant effect on ride harshness and handling depending on its compliance in different directions.