Flat tire, an observation...

[MikB]

It's not often when I get a flat but, I got one on the Ex. Found out before I took off yesterday (tire pressure warning on dash observed) while it was sitting in the driveway. So, I pulled the bicycle like spare tire from it's pit and put it on. The flat was on the RR.

Now for the interesting thing. The tire pressure warning light remaining on wasn't a surprise to me as it's not a very complex system. Would be great if it had the ability to recognize which tire(s) were low though, as it is, not so. However, the interesting thing that also happened was a message saying the "AWD is OFF" so, I only had FWD. It didn't so much surprise me more than it's reference to 'AWD' did. Every other reference about the drivetrain on the Ex is all about '4WD'. We all know the argument about the current version of the Ex. "It's 4WD! No, It's AWD and on and on. Well, I'm here to tell you that it is also 'AWD' according to the message that appeared because of using the bicycle like, spare tire. As I said, just an observation.

I have since had the tire repaired a little while ago at my neighborhood GoodYear tire center at no charge and now, will go out and put it back on the Ex where all the 'warning' messages will disappear back to normal.

 

[peterk9]

Thanks for posting that. Very interesting. Apparently the 2016 models do have individual readouts. Now I'm just waiting to see if and when Ford will but the correct badge on the vehicle. I think it's a 'sales' gimmick.

Peter

 

[blwnsmoke]

It does know which tire is low, it just does not show you that information. The Ex knows what psi is in each individual tire. I check my tires psi through the FORScan App on my phone reading the Explorer's computers.

 

[MikB]

Thanks for posting that. Very interesting. Apparently the 2016 models do have individual readouts. Now I'm just waiting to see if and when Ford will but the correct badge on the vehicle. I think it's a 'sales' gimmick.

Peter

Not to start yet another debate on the subject but, I have come to be comfortable in how I see AWD/4WD as it pertains to the Ex but, I don't want to beat a dead horse:
I am of the mind that the Ex can be both AWD and 4WD but, not at the same time. Using the 'terrain management' as a guide, in 'Normal' mode, it is AWD. When you change out of 'Normal' mode into any of the other selections, that's when it's 4WD. That's just how I see it but, I understand the other side of the story as I also have a 4WD Ranger.

I will have to look into this 'FORScan as it sounds quite interesting and useful. I'd like to know what the computer(s) know myself.

 

[Flatplane]

So before I add anything to this thread, will it be about tire pressure or semantic description of driving wheels?

smaller tire size of the "bicycle like spare tire" is read as different speeds by the ABS module and communicated over the network to allow the Vehicle Dynamics Module. This discrepancy is to correct for allowing power in the same quotient to all wheels when driving straight.
Agreed when returning the EX to before Flat status will extinguish the lights but will take many more drive cycle to erase the DTC stored that was a result of the different tire sizes. DTC's can be stored without turning on the light.