I’m curious too now. That’s a weird symbol!

 

Obviously when removing the radiator cap, if I understand the question. Maybe when combined with an overheating warning symbol?

 

I just reviewed the entire owners manual and found no reference other than what you found.

Very strange....

 

That’s probably their advice for when all the malfunction lights on the dash are lit up. They get kinda bright I’d bet.

:laurelhardy:

 

Engage Safety Squints

 

I'll ask my buddy who works for Ford engineering. Maybe he might know.

 

Thank you, be interested to know what it means. So far, Old Mechanic's explanation sounds the most likely. Still, you'd think those nimrods would include details about it in the owners manual but obviously not. :disappoin

 

Maybe people are so stupid now that they don't realize to shield the eyes from the sun? I don't know. maybe it's a warning of an ugly person walking and shield the eyes?? lol.

 

Sounds like a car that Doug Demuro should review and read the manual....

 

I contacted two local Ford dealers' service departments with this issue. I sent both of them a photo of the display icon and the words "shield the eyes" next to it. The first one didn't know and looked in their "shop manual" and consulted their shop foreman. By the next day they still knew nothing. The second dealer also didn't know. I asked "is there someone at Ford to whom you can refer me? I mean, somebody has to know. You are the Ford dealer, so that's why I called you". They texted me and said they asked their "service managers" and they don't know either and have never seen that. They didn't bother to refer me to someone at Ford who would know. I then texted both dealers the link to the online manual with the exact page number to find that display icon and got no response whatsoever from either of them. The second dealer seemed to think that since the display icon wasn't actually illuminated, then I shouldn't be worried about it. I think it's pretty lame that not only do they know nothing about this, but that they don't seem interested in finding the answer. They are Ford, so they should find the answer, but are not interested. They are only interested in selling the car and making money fixing or servicing the car. They don't want to waste their time answering a curious question that answering will not line their pockets with gold.

 

Ford Motor Corporation: Where the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

:facepalm:

 

John...contact toyo cr rep & ask. :dunno:

 

Wait... this is a dash cluster warning and not just something in the manual regarding maintenance work like the "!" triangle?
:facepalm:
Maybe it illuminates when there is a problem with the SRS that may case accidental deployment.

 

In the "Ford Service Content" online manual it reads: "Symbols Glossary: These are some of the symbols you may see on your vehicle." It then shows many symbols, which all look like the warning or information lights that could display in your dashboard or cluster. Not sure if "...you may see on your vehicle" can also refer to possibly a sticker somewhere on the car instead of only an illuminated display icon in the dash. Perhaps as Old Mechanic was saying, it could be a warning for when opening a hot radiator cap or degas reservoir cap. Here's a snapshot:

The "shield the eyes" display is right near other displays like "stability control", "side airbag", and "service engine soon". I know "service engine soon" and many of the others are definitely lights that can be illuminated to warn you or inform you of something. Maybe it's a sticker next to the radiator cap?

Here's the online manual (it's on scrolling page 12, or document page 9):

http://www.fordservicecontent.com/F...alog/owner_information/2017-Escape-Owners-Manual-version-1_om_EN-US_02_2016.pdf

TrailDust, can you check your family member's car and see if it is actually a sticker (perhaps near the radiator cap) instead of a dash display light?

 

My friend from Ford Engineering hasn't gotten back to me either, which means he doesn't know either. I know he does drive an Escape, so you'd think he'd want to know what it means. At this point, I guess we're all left in the dark about it.

 

There's a lawsuit for you I'm certain some bag lawyer will pick up in America: My client suffered emotional distress while reviewing his Ford Escape's owners manual warning to "shield the eyes," yet no one at the company could verify the nature of the threat nor when a driver would be notified of such a threat; in order to assuage my client's sleepless nights and panic attacks, we seek the sum of $45,000,000. Just give it time.

 

Okay, so I checked on my brother's Escape today. I used a high-intensity flashlight to illuminate his dashboard panel, and located the Shield Your Eyes icon on the right side of the speedometer display. I also looked under the hood and did not find a Shield Your Eyes sticky anywhere under the hood, not around the radiator, nor the overflow tank, nor on the battery cover. I did not remove the battery cover, but one would assume if that was the "threat" involved that the warning sticker would be on the outside of the cover.

:dunno: Seems to me the most likely explanation is that Shield Your Eyes illuminates if there's either a battery/alternator issue, or else a radiator/overheating issue, take your pick. Those would be the only threats to the driver that would warrant a "shield your eyes" warning. And yet again, an auto manufacturer screws the pooch when it comes to properly assembling an owners manual, and to that end properly conveying all pertinent information, to automobile owners. One day, perhaps, we'll get the full poop from an authoritative source.

 

Okay, so I checked on my brother's Escape today. I used a high-intensity flashlight to illuminate his dashboard panel, and located the Shield Your Eyes icon on the right side of the speedometer display.

OK, so it is indeed a display icon, and as far as we know there is no sticker anywhere. Thanks.

:rant: No thanks to two Ford dealers which not only didn't know, but didn't do much besides ask their shop foreman or service supervisor. Nothing up the chain from there. :shakehead: :thumbsdow:

 

This would make a good article for Jalopnik, if there’s a way to suggest it to one of their writers. Those car geeks love this kind of minutiae.

 

So it lights up when it senses impending:
Airbag deployment
Windshield breakage
Nuclear blast
Lane Bryant store

 

Haaaa, yeah....with plenty of advance warning too!

 

Well, if we want to bring that warning into contemporary culture, then one might argue "shield the eyes" is for that day when zombies walk the earth, and you can't afford to get zombie blood splattered into your face lest your best friends pump a bullet through your head. Bitches gotta run from the walking dead. :lol:

 

Maybe it lights up if it sees sex in public?

 

:thumbsup:

There you go, the perfect American narrative. Protect the children from sexual content. Meanwhile, they're live streaming bump-and-grind hip hop videos, as well as Two Girls One Cup, from the back seat while mommy is driving them around.

 

My coworker suggested driving through a parking lot, as if to test pedestrian auto-braking, but have someone throw nerf balls at the car.
Maybe the front impact/proximity sensors would give warning that something is about to impact the windshield?

 

This warning light has come on a number of times while I have been driving. I too called 2 dealers and service departments and noone can tell me the meaning behind it.