No hill descent assist.

[scotty888]

Hello. I have the Maverick 2021 hybrid xl. When I first bought the truck, I noticed the green hill descent lights that come on while driving down big hills at highway speed(which it says it isn’t supposed to do) but I swear it was Mai raining set speed ebb at hwy speeds. Thought this was a cool feature. Now I can’t see the light ever come on, even with trying the lower speeds, brake tap to set, etc. When I look this online it says that the button is on the centre console but I don’t have it on mine, I only have the three buttons( mode, traction control and brake assist). No button anywhere else in the truck for this, not even on steering wheel. Some blogs talk about going into the settings on the steering wheel to turn it on but I don’t seem to have that either. Any idea where I can find the button or where this can be turned on in settings?

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[Ray-n-AVL]

GRADE ASSIST
How Does Grade Assist Work?
This feature helps maintain vehicle speed
when driving down a slope. The system
uses a combination of engine motoring and
regenerative braking to maintain vehicle
speed.
Note: You could hear engine speed
increasing and decreasing. This is normal
operation.
The system activates when all the
following occur:
• Your vehicle is on a downhill slope.
• The selector is in drive (D).
• You release the accelerator pedal.

 

[OleFordGuy]

 

[HeyBales]

I'm pretty sure the 2021 Maverick came with no options at all.
Very base truck.

Seriously - pretty specific for it to be used as manual page shows.

You know when you turn key to On initially - it displays all the indicator lights, as a method to confirm nothing is burned out.

Do you see the indicator light there?
Confirm the light works first.

You sure your hybrid had that option?

 

[AceGoliath]

22 Maverick XLT Hybrid.

After the 24C01 Recall for Instrument Cluster software update I lost the “Grade Assist” light and it seems rather common that the “Grade Assist” light no longer comes on for many hybrids after that recall. Whether or not the system still works or if it has been disabled?

I live in Illinois so not many hills here that triggered it to begin with, lol.

This is a hybrid feature and not to confuse with “Hill Descent Control”

 

[lewiskauffman]

Same here. Central PA with lots of "hills"

 

[The Real Maverick]

The feature is still active in my 2022 Hybrid.

After my most recent software update the green icon light on the dash went away. But the (always automatic, never a button) feature is still active.

Take your foot off the "go" pedal on a steep descent and the truck will do it's best to maintain that exact speed. It won't accelerate or run-away.

Regen first, then by engine brake when the battery is full.

I got a new indicator at the same time the green hill assist lamp went away.

Got this for the very first time.
It used to toggle with no pop-ups.

 

[HeyBales]

I was just getting use of the hybrid Grade Assist version of this couple days ago on some test runs.
XLT no Lux - no indicator came up like the optional Hill Descent Control instructions mention.
I was over the 20 mph max for that option anyway, so it's not that option exactly.

No matter the mode - it applied max regen to stay somewhat near the speed I had it when I released the gas pedal or had last press of brake to slow to desired speed.

I must not have had long enough slope or it wasn't going too far above speed set and not full HVB - my ICE never spun up, but I was wondering as it seemed to be starting to go too fast and I thought I had to use brake, so perhaps I beat the ICE spinup by seconds.
Because regen and ICE combined would have likely been enough.

Wondering if the hybrid ability is regen/ICE only, and real brakes would never have been engaged like HDC.
It's so gentle I'm not sure on gentle hills if I'd have thought it was special - just the regen being the right amount to maintain speed by chance.

GRADE ASSIST

How Does Grade Assist Work?
This feature helps maintain vehicle speed when driving down a slope. The system uses a combination of engine motoring and regenerative braking to maintain vehicle speed.
Note: You could hear engine speed increasing and decreasing. This is normal operation.
The system activates when all the following occur:

• Your vehicle is on a downhill slope.
• The selector is in drive (D).
• You release the accelerator pedal.

compared to the optional system.

HOW DOES HILL DESCENT CONTROL WORK

Hill descent control can maintain vehicle speeds on downhill slopes between 2–20 mph (3–32 km/h). Above 20 mph (32 km/h), the system remains on but the descent speed cannot be set or maintained.
Note: The system does not function below 2 mph (3 km/h).
The system requires a cool down interval after a period of sustained use. Hill descent control provides a warning in the message center when the system is about to disengage for cooling. At this time, manually apply the brakes as needed to maintain descent speed.
Note: The amount of time that the system can remain active before cooling varies with conditions.

 

[The Real Maverick]

The "rock crawlers" here have a button/mode for extremely steep and low speed 2-20 MPH hills. It will use brakes from what I hear; but don't own one.

THE HYBRIDs have automatic "regen"
and/or engine brake to automatically hold and maintain any speed, 10 to 108 MPH if the hill is moderate. Say 8% and less. Below 10 MPH both regen and engine brake aren't very effective.

 

[lewiskauffman]

The Grade Assist on my 2022 XL used to light up when going down the driveway. Not now- there or anywhere. My wife no longer remarks about the high revs going down steep grades (I'm deaf).

 

[HeyBales]

It's like Ford is using some legal term - slope or grade or hill, keep it separate so we don't expect too much.

I'm guessing my 24MY they had already removed the Grade Assist light from coming on.
Probably caused more questions than assistance.
I'll have to see if during turn on it's even there to light up, or a PID on it being enabled or not.

I had frankly forgotten about it until these hill drives, when slippery mode nailed max regen at only about 30 mph - never seen that happen on normal coasting or gentle hills so it caught my attention and reminded me that ability is there, probably happening more often than I know.
But got me wondering what grade or slope does it kick in, compared to other cases where coasting does keep increasing speed especially in slippery mode.

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