Ford Escape Quiz
SYNC™ (if equipped)

911 Assist

In this manual: SYNC™ (if equipped)
Introduction — 1Symbol Glossary — 1Data Privacy — 7At a Glance — 1Child Safety — 11Seat Belts — 9Personal Safety System™ — 1Airbags — 8Pedestrian Warning System. 911 Assist — 1Keys and Remote Controls — 8MyKey™ — 5Doors & Locks — 5Keyless Entry — 6Easy Entry and Exit — 1Liftgate - Vehicles With: Manual Liftgate — 3Liftgate - Vehicles With: Power Liftgate — 6Safety — 4Steering Wheel — 1Wipers and Washers — 7Exterior Lighting — 8Interior Lighting — 4Windows — 3Interior Mirror — 1Exterior Mirrors — 1Sunroof (if equipped) — 4Instrument Cluster — 16Instrument Cluster Display — 14Trip Computer — 3Head-Up Display (If Equipped) — 1Remote Start — 5Climate Control — 7Cabin Air Quality — 1Front Seats — 5Rear Seats — 1Rear Seat Reminder — 1Memory Function — 1Garage Door Opener — 7USB Ports — 3Power Point - Vehicles With: 12V Outlet — 1Wireless Accessory Charger — 1Storage — 1Starting and Stopping the Engine — 9Hybrid Electric Vehicle Information — 6Auto Start-Stop — 1Fuel and Refueling — 10Catalytic Converter — 1High-Voltage Battery — 1Charging Your Vehicle – Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) — 7Automatic Transmission — 8All-Wheel Drive — 1Brakes — 4Electric parking brake — 1Hill Start Assist — 1Auto Hold — 1Traction Control — 1Stability Control — 1Steering — 1Park Aid — 7Rearview Camera — 1Active Park Assist — 5Cruise Control — 1Adaptive Cruise Control — 10Drive Mode Control — 5Lane Keeping System — 6Blind Spot Information System — 5Cross-Traffic Alert — 5Pre-Collision Assist — 9Driver Alert — 4Traffic Sign Recognition — 4Loading — 6Cargo Area — 1Trailer Hitch Connection — 3Towing a Trailer — 4Trailer Sway Control — 1Driving Tips — 4Breakdown and Emergency Information — 7Towing Your Vehicle — 4Fuses — 4Maintenance — 14Vehicle Care — 5Body Styling Kits — 1Storing Your Vehicle — 1Wheels and Tires Information — 6Tire Care — 4Tire Sealant and Inflator Kit — 8Tire Pressure Monitoring System — 4Road Wheel Replacement — 1Capacities and Specifications — 16Vehicle Identification — 1Connected Vehicle — 4Vehicle Wi-Fi Hotspot — 3Audio System — 8SYNC™ (if equipped) — 9SYNC™ 3 (if equipped) — 41Accessories — 1Ford Protect — 1Scheduled Maintenance — 4Customer Information — 23Appendices — 3
~4min read

If an airbag deploys (except for knee airbags and rear seat belt inflatable airbags [if equipped]) or the fuel pump shutoff is activated as a result of a crash, your SYNC-equipped vehicle may contact emergency services by dialing 911 through a paired and connected Bluetooth-enabled phone.

Important information about airbag deployment is found in this chapter.

Important information about fuel pump shutoff is found in this chapter.

Turning 911 Assist On or Off

Press the Settings button, then select:

Ford Escape. 911 Assist

To make sure 911 Assist is working properly:

  • SYNC must be on and working properly at the time of the incident and during activation and use of the feature.
  • The 911 Assist feature must be turned on before the incident.
  • You must pair and connect a Bluetooth-enabled and compatible mobile phone to SYNC.
  • The connected Bluetooth-enabled phone must be able to place and maintain an outgoing call at the time of the incident.
  • The connected Bluetooth-enabled phone must have sufficient network coverage, battery charge and signal strength.
  • The vehicle must have battery power and be located in the USA, Canada, or in an area where 911 is the emergency number.

In the Event of a Crash

Not all crashes deploy an airbag or activate the fuel pump shutoff (triggers for 911 Assist). If a connected cellular phone loses connection with SYNC during a crash, SYNC searches for and attempts to connect to the previously paired cellular phone. If SYNC cannot connect, it attempts to call emergency services.

Before the Call:

  • SYNC provides a short window of time (about 10 seconds) to cancel the call. If the call cannot be canceled, SYNC attempts to dial 911.
  • SYNC may say the following or a similar message: "SYNC will attempt to call 911. To cancel the call, press Cancel on the screen or press and hold the phone button on the steering wheel."

If you do not cancel the call and SYNC makes a successful call, a pre-recorded message plays to the 911 operator, and the passenger(s) in your vehicle may be able to speak with the operator. Be prepared to state your name, phone number and location immediately, because not all 911 systems are able to receive this information electronically.

911 Assist may not operate if:

  • Your mobile phone or 911 Assist equipment is damaged as a result of a crash.
  • The vehicle battery or the SYNC system has no power.
  • Phones are removed from your vehicle that are paired and connected to the system.

911 Assist Privacy Notice

When you enable 911 Assist, it may notify emergency services that your vehicle has been involved in a crash with an airbag deployment or a fuel pump shutoff. Some versions or updates of 911 Assist may also be capable of electronically or verbally disclosing your vehicle location or other vehicle or crash information to 911 operators, to help 911 operators provide the most appropriate emergency services. If you do not want to disclose this information, do not enable this feature.

Test yourself

A quick Ford Escape quiz: every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the manual page.