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:

    General maintenance information
    Why maintain your vehicle? This guide describes the scheduled maintenance required for your vehicle. Carefully following this schedule helps protect against major repair expenses resulting from ...

    Special notices
    New Vehicle Limited Warranty For a detailed description of what is covered and what is not covered by your vehicle’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty, see the warranty information that is provided ...

    Cleaning the interior
    WARNING: Do not use cleaning solvents, bleach or dye on the vehicle’s safety belts, as these actions may weaken the belt webbing. WARNING: On vehicles equipped with seat-mounted airbags, do not u ...