2020 Platinum — Some initial questions

[Ted Kramer]

Okay, coming out of a 2017 Explorer Platinum is not a steep learning code. Have to go through the manual tonight but thought I’d post some quick questions:

1. When in normal mode do folks tend to leave the diff in 2H or 4A? Any noticeable difference in mileage? I’m leaning toward 4A.
2. On the right side of the tack is the screen that shows the gear when in manual mode. It’s dark in Drive mode. Is this normal?
3. Any way to turn off the tabs on the center of the dash. Don’t live the look. My explorer the tabs disappeared if not touched for a few secs.
4. Is the ambient lighting color change gone? My son likes it. Not a big deal but can’t find it in the menues. My explorer allowed you to switch from like 10 colors.


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[RaginCajun87]

2. Push the plus gear button and gear display will show up.

4. Swipe the home screen to the left and you will see options to change ambient lighting color.

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[nate6966]

I leave mine in 2H during spring, summer, and fall. 4A in winter.
This is my first winter with my 19 platinum, so I don't know if the mileage difference will really be all that noticeable.
I don't know if the tabs will go away.

 

[Ted Kramer]

What gear button are you referring to? The M? That’s manual mode. That I see.


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[RaginCajun87]

You just hit the + button

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[Going_Going_Gone]

2. Push the plus gear button and gear display will show up.

4. Swipe the home screen to the left and you will see options to change ambient lighting color.

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FYI, on the ambient lighting, you need to have the Home Screen in "settings" when you swipe it to the left..or just hit the arrow on the right margin.

 

[dlcorbett]

The tabs go away if not touched for a good amount of time, usually 5 min. However since your 2020 has the updated sync system that none of us 18-19 owners have, none of us could confirm how your works unless someone has a 2020. As for the ambient lighting, a good amt of 2020 nav owners are getting their trucks without the ambient lighting sync module in their system. This mightve occurred to the expy as well.

 

[Ted Kramer]

Doesn’t seem the ambient light color change is available. The brightness control is under vehicle settings in sync menu. No color change.

Also can’t seem to get the tabs to disappear. Like sync three. Some different quirks though. A bit more difficult to set up way points on route. Since it’s always showing next then even miles away, the new destination option disappears. Might find another solution but now have to access second destination using voice control. [emoji20]


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[Gumby]

I leave mine in 2H during spring, summer, and fall. 4A in winter.

SAME

 

[NukeLife]

I just leave mine in 4A. I figure if I get into an accident avoidance maneuver it can’t hurt to have the extra tires gripping.

 

[GC2019]

I just leave mine in 4A. I figure if I get into an accident avoidance maneuver it can’t hurt to have the extra tires gripping.

Problem is that the extra gripping you think you have doesn’t exist. 4H Is an automatic feature and doesn’t mean full time 4 wheel drive. 4H kicks in when rear wheel slippage is detected, and not until.

Personally, I leave ours in 2H because it doesn’t spin the front end powertrain that doesn’t get locked until slippage. If it’s snowing, icy etc, then I use 4H.

 

[aggiegrad05]

Problem is that the extra gripping you think you have doesn’t exist. 4H Is an automatic feature and doesn’t mean full time 4 wheel drive. 4H kicks in when rear wheel slippage is detected, and not until.

Personally, I leave ours in 2H because it doesn’t spin the front end powertrain that doesn’t get locked until slippage. If it’s snowing, icy etc, then I use 4H.

In 4A the system does not only send power to the front wheels when slippage is detected. True, it's not all-time 4wd, but when you're in 4A you're actually going to get power to all 4 wheels most of the time you give throttle input. I am usually in 4A and the only time all 4 wheels aren't driven is when I'm cruising on the freeway.

As an experiment: while stopped on bone-dry pavement, put it in 4A, move over in your gauge cluster to the power distribution screen, and start moving...I bet you'll see power going to all four corners.

 

[aggiegrad05]

Doesn’t seem the ambient light color change is available. The brightness control is under vehicle settings in sync menu. No color change.

Also can’t seem to get the tabs to disappear. Like sync three. Some different quirks though. A bit more difficult to set up way points on route. Since it’s always showing next then even miles away, the new destination option disappears. Might find another solution but now have to access second destination using voice control. [emoji20]


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This is not there?




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[Calidad]

My 2019 Platinum only has 2000 miles on it. I leave it in 2H with two exceptions heavy rain / storms and future snow trips.

4H doesn’t improve handling it simply limits wheel spin under acceleration by having two more tires to put power too. In heavy rain that simply means you have more potential control under throttle than 2H.

The 10spd does seem pretty efficient regarding drag 2H vs 4H I doubt mileage difference is much. But the active 4H system uses clutches so unless your in road conditions that actually pose traction challenges it makes more sense to just run 2H and save the clutch life for times when 4H is actually a benefit.

 

[Ted Kramer]

This is not there?




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Nope. Gone. The intensity is now under the vehicle menu but no color changing.


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[aggiegrad05]

Nope. Gone. The intensity is now under the vehicle menu but no color changing.


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So....I think they got rid of that feature?!?!

Here is the link from the 2018 (and 2019) manual:
http://www.fordservicecontent.com/F...d=4740&vFilteringEnabled=False&userMarket=USA

And the page from the 2020 manual:

http://www.fordservicecontent.com/F...d=6997&vFilteringEnabled=False&userMarket=USA

In looking at the order sheets for the respective model years, I don’t see any differences...but the 2020 manual sure does not suggest that there is a color change option. If true, that’s a bummer...my 5yo loves that feature!

 

[Ted Kramer]

I'd think in rainy weather, 4A is better. Climbing hills, etc. Just overall better traction, cornering. Curious, does anyone see a big difference in mileage btw 2H and 4A?? That would be the only reason I'd switch to 2H is if the mileage was noticeably better.

 

[Gumby]

I'd think in rainy weather, 4A is better. Climbing hills, etc. Just overall better traction, cornering. Curious, does anyone see a big difference in mileage btw 2H and 4A?? That would be the only reason I'd switch to 2H is if the mileage was noticeably better.

I do, but likely only because the weather is crappier (snow / ice) and I am running winter tires as well as all the fuel stations are now into full swing with winter gas. So I was running about 10.5 to 11.5 L / 100 kms now I am running 13.5-14.9L/ 100kms. Of course there are more remote starts and idling due to cold temps.