Riding a wave of outdoor-oriented trims intended to capitalize on the vogue of pandemic-induced appreciation for fresh air, Ford introduced the Timberline trim to the Explorer lineup for 2021. Beyond its many off-road-oriented features (which include standard four-wheel drive and steel skid plates, improved approach and departure angles, and Trail and Deep Snow/Sand drive modes), the Explorer Timberline also offers an accessory package for auxiliary lighting that comes with an extra button and light on your dash — but you won’t find it explained in any owner’s manual.
Available exclusively on model-year 2021-22 Explorer Timberlines, the extra lights come courtesy the factory-developed and installed Timberline Off-Road Light Kit. The kit includes a harness and bracket that allows for the installation of two 10-inch LED lights into the crossbar on the grille.
As the above image details, the extra lights can be controlled via the Aux button on the headlight dial to the left of the steering wheel; the corresponding orange light below it illuminates when the auxiliary lights are on, but don’t bother pushing it — that light is simply a light. Also note that the Aux button won’t be labeled and there is no orange light in Explorer Timberlines that aren’t outfitted for the extra lights, which look like this when illuminated:
Ford Explorer Timberline auxiliary lights | Manufacturer image
That right there is additional output of 160,000 candelas, or what Ford claims is the equivalent of 2.5 times the brightness of the standard high-beam headlights — a helpful addition to any nighttime terrain traversal. If your Explorer is not already equipped as such and remote rock crawling after hours is your type of way, the Timberline Off-Road Light Kit is available from Ford for $545.
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Keyword: What Does This Button in the Ford Explorer Timberline Do?