Cleaning the engine

Engines are more efficient when they are clean because grease and dirt buildup keep the engine warmer than normal.

When washing:

• Take care when using a power washer to clean the engine. The high-pressure fluid could penetrate the sealed parts and cause damage.
• Do not spray a hot engine with cold water to avoid cracking the engine block or other engine components.
• Spray Motorcraft® Engine Shampoo and Degreaser on all parts that require cleaning and pressure rinse clean. In Canada, use Motorcraft® Engine Shampoo.
• Never wash or rinse the engine while it is hot or running; water in the running engine may cause internal damage.
• Never wash or rinse any ignition coil, spark plug wire or spark plug well, or the area in and around these locations.
• Cover the battery, power distribution box, and air filter assembly to prevent water damage when cleaning the engine.

    See also:

    Vehicle storage
    If you plan on storing your vehicle for an extended period of time (30 days or more), read the following maintenance recommendations to make sure your vehicle stays in good operating condition. A ...

    System status
    The information display controls provide information about keys programmed to the vehicle: • MYKEY MILES: Tracks mileage when a MyKey is used. If mileage does not accumulate as expected, then t ...

    Engine block heater (if equipped)
    WARNING: Failure to follow engine block heater instructions could result in property damage or physical injury. WARNING: To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use your heater with un ...