Drive Mode

I’ve gotten into the habit of switching to conserve mode and disabling the auto start/stop as soon as I start the car. I found that the transmission shifts more smoothly in conserve mode (8 speed trans).
 
I’ve gotten into the habit of switching to conserve mode and disabling the auto start/stop as soon as I start the car. I found that the transmission shifts more smoothly in conserve mode (8 speed trans).
Same here. Also, when using ACC, I like the automatic acceleration profile better.
 
I can see the frustration, but I have to assume that Lincoln has a good reason for this. Maybe to protect ourselves from ourselves. Say you need to use the deep and slippery drive mode but you don't drive for several days after that. You get in and forget you had it there and drive on clean pavement and damage the vehicle. No bueno. Just a theory. This day and age, just another chip or module we all would need to wait for.

The Nav defaults to Normal.
Setting aside the question of whether or not Lincoln should presume to protect us from ourselves, since any mode other than Normal is displayed on the dashboard it's unlikely that would be missed by the driver for too long. I want to set Conserve mode as my default and will go out on a limb and guess both that Lincoln isn't anti-conservation, and that it won't damage the vehicle.
 
I can see the frustration, but I have to assume that Lincoln has a good reason for this. Maybe to protect ourselves from ourselves. Say you need to use the deep and slippery drive mode but you don't drive for several days after that. You get in and forget you had it there and drive on clean pavement and damage the vehicle. No bueno. Just a theory. This day and age, just another chip or module we all would need to wait for.

The Nav defaults to Normal.
Theory is not good. Ford is not concerned about the climate. Driving in deep or slippery would not hurt the engine or transmission on dry roads.
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Theory is not good. Ford is not concerned about the climate. Driving in deep or slippery would not hurt the engine or transmission on dry roads.
I don't normally respond to "Guest" accounts, but here goes.

I did not specify engine or transmission damage. I said damage the vehicle. Here is a note from page 225 of the '22 Navigator manual:

Screenshot 2025-08-22 at 9.32.39 AM.webp
So, whoever you are, I'm not sure why you would say my theory is not good. If you want drive on dry pavement in those Modes and maybe damage your drive components, have at it.
 
I'd like to add my .02 cents to this conversation. 2024 Corsair Grand Touring.

The differences between "Conserve" and "Normal" read to me as being purely changing the responsiveness of the inputs. The manual doesn't suggest the "Conserve" mode does more than simply lower the air conditioning output in an attempt to make the engine more efficient and lowering throttle response. You can achieve the same result in normal mode. In other words, its not like its shutting off a cylinder or doing something that you can't already change in terms of your driving habits.

The only possible change I see that isn't clear in the manual is holding automatic shift points in the transmission to higher or lower revs depending on the mode. But again, this is still something you can control directly regardless of the mode selected using the paddle shifters. Interestingly, the only modes that expressly mention changing shift points are the "Excite" and "Slippery" Mode options.

See page 331 here- https://www.fordservicecontent.com/..._Corsair_Owners_Manual_version_1_om_EN-US.pdf

I also don't think that note for the Navigator applies to our vehicles. The Navigator has a true 4x4 system in some models, whereas the Corsair is just AWD in some. That warning for "Slippery" mode also does not appear anywhere in the Corsair manual as far as I can tell.
 
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