Your F-150 may be equipped with two available features that can work independently or together
to help you back up a trailer. Pro Trailer Backup Assist and Trailer Reverse
Guidance. You can store up to 10 trailers in the system. Enter and calibrate each trailer
one time and the system stores that data. From then on, you just choose the name of
the trailer from a menu and the system is ready to use.
First, press the center button on the knob located to the right of the steering wheel.
Now, select Add a new Trailer on the center stack touchscreen.
Use the keyboard on the touchscreen to enter your trailer name. Then press the return button
to confirm. Select the type of trailer. In this case,
it’s Conventional. Hitch your trailer to the truck and connect
the electrical wiring harness. Check to make sure that the wiring is working.
Park your truck and trailer on a level surface. To make sure the truck and trailer are in
a straight line, shift into drive and pull straight forward.
Install the sensor using the components and instructions in the trailer sensor kit. The
sensor kit includes the dock station, the sensor and housing, a 10-foot wire harness,
large and small tie straps and the sensor mounting bracket.
The sensor must be mounted to a vertical part of the trailer that pivots when you turn your
vehicle. Do not mount the sensor to a stationary surface such as the truck side of the trailer
hitch. Make sure the mounting surface is vertical
and the arrows on the sensor housing are pointing up. The sensor housing must be firmly attached
to the trailer so it does not shake or wobble. Plug in the wiring harness to the sensor and
the vehicle. When the 12-pin connector to the truck is
fully plugged in, its red seal should not be visible.
Choose an area where you can safely drive forward and turn left or right. An opening
parking lot is an ideal place to perform the calibration. During calibration, the system
determines the trailer length. Drive straight at approximately eight kilometres
per hour to align the trailer behind your vehicle.
The touchscreen provides you with instructions and will tell you when the system is ready
for you to turn. Turn left or right whenever you’re ready and in a safe turning area.
Too shallow a turn will not calibrate the system properly. Make a 90-degree turn, like
you’re turning from one street to the cross street at an intersection.
The touchscreen shows a message that calibration is complete. Stop the vehicle and Pro Trailer
Backup Assist is ready to use. Shift into Reverse to activate the system.
The touchscreen will instruct you to remove your hands from the steering wheel. You will
control the accelerator and brakes normally. As you back up, use the knob to turn the trailer.
Turning the knob to the left will turn the trailer to the left; turning the knob to the
right will turn the trailer to the right. As soon as you release the knob or turn it
back to the central position, the vehicle starts following the trailer’s path. Turn
and hold the knob continuously for sharper vehicle and trailer turns.
You may have to use the knob to correct the trailer direction while attempting to move
the trailer straight back under some conditions. To use Trailer Reverse Guidance, shift your
vehicle into Reverse and press the camera button on the touchscreen
to expand the menu. If you do not set up a system, you can still use the camera views.
However, hitch angle graphic, automatic view switching and straight back mode will not
be available. You will need to complete the system setup for full functionality. Select
the Trailer Reverse Guidance icon on the screen. Select your trailer from the touchscreen.
The system will detect the trailer and display the hitch angle graphic. The auto mode camera
view is the default display. You can use Pro Trailer Backup Assist and Trailer Reverse
Guidance together or separately. If together, use the Pro Trailer Backup Assist knob to
steer. If Trailer Reverse Guidance alone, use the steering wheel. Either way, the camera
views can help you navigate your trailer into position.
The Hitch Angle Graphic display shows you a top-view representation of your truck and
trailer. This representation shows two different-coloured lines. A black line shows you where your trailer
is in relation to your vehicle. For Trailer Backup Assist, the white line represents the
amount the trailer will turn based on the knob input. For Trailer Reverse Guidance,
the white line represents the amount the trailer will turn based on steering wheel position.
This graphic can be seen in the normal rear view, bed camera, trailer auxiliary camera
and trailer reverse guidance camera views. In auto mode, this view moves as your trailer
moves so that you do not have to adjust the camera as you turn.
In manual mode, you can use the left and right arrows to see more of the driver or passenger
side. Press Auto to return to automatic camera adjustments. You can select the following
views by selecting the menu icon. The 360° camera shows the rear camera view
on the left side of the screen and the 360° view on the right side of the screen.
Rear view camera shows you what’s behind your vehicle.
Rear split-view camera shows 180° view of area behind your vehicle.
Bed camera shows the truck bed and can be used to check that items are properly secured
and that the tail gate is closed. Trailer auxiliary camera shows a rear view
camera image of what is behind your trailer. This camera needs to be purchased and installed
separately.
Trailer Reverse Guidance shows you a view of the sides of your truck and your trailer.
Pressing the return arrow takes you back to the 360° camera system and out of the Trailer
Reverse Guidance feature.