1997 FORD E SERIES Owners Manual

vehicle. However, if the normal
brakes fail, the parking brake can
be used to stop your vehicle in an
emergency. Since the parking
brake applies only the rear brakes,
the vehicle's stopping distance will
increase greatly and the handling
of your vehicle will be adversely
affected.
Setting the parking brake
The brake light in the instrument
cluster will illuminate and remain
illuminated (when the ignition
switch is turned to ON) until the
parking brake is released.
²Fully depress the parking brake
pedal.
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Releasing parking brake
²Push parking brake pedal down
firmly, then release.
If the parking brake is fully
released, but the Brake
System light remains on, have
the brakes checked immediately.
They may not be working
properly.
STEERING YOUR VEHICLE
If the amount of effort needed to
steer your vehicle changes at a
constant speed, have the vehicle
power steering system checked.
Never hold the steering wheel to
the extreme left or right for more
than five seconds if the engine is
running. This can damage the
power steering pump.
After any severe impact or
collision involving the front end,
observe the steering wheel
alignment. If the spoke of the
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steering wheel seem to be in a
different position while going
straight down the road, have the
suspension and steering checked
for possible damage.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
OPERATION
Hold the brake pedal down
while you move the
gearshift lever from position to
position. If you do not hold the
brake pedal down, your vehicle
may move unexpectedly and
injure someone.
Pull the gearshift lever towards
you and downward to move the
automatic gearshift.
P (Park)Ð Always come to a
complete stop before shifting into
or out of P (Park).
When you leave your
vehicle, place the gearshift
lever in P (Park). Set the
parking brake fully, and shut off
the engine. Never park your
vehicle in N (Neutral). If you do
not take these precautions, your
vehicle may move suddenly and
injure someone.
R (Reverse)Ð Always come to a
complete stop before shifting into
or out of R (Reverse).
P RN 21D
P RN 21D
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N (Neutral)Ð Vehicle is free to
roll.
D(Overdrive)Ð The normal
driving position for the best fuel
economy. Transmission operates
automatically in gears one through
four.
D(Overdrive) can be deactivated
by pressing the transmission
control switch on the end of the
gearshift lever. The transmission
control indicator light (TCIL) (the
word ªOFFº) on the end of the
gearshift lever will remain off.
D (Drive)Ð Not shown on the
display. Activate by pressing the
transmission control switch on the
end of the gearshift lever. The
TCIL (the word ªOFFº) will
illuminate on the gearshift lever.
Transmission operates in gears one
through three. D (Drive) provides
more engine braking than
D(Overdrive) and is useful
whenever driving conditions (i.e.,
city traffic, hilly terrain, etc.) cause
the transmission to excessively
shift between
D(Overdrive) and
D (Drive).
Also deactivate
D(Overdrive)
when:
²driving with a heavy load
²towing a trailer up or down
steep hills
²additional engine braking is
desired
To return to
D(Overdrive)
mode, press the transmission
control switch. The TCIL (the
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word ªOFFº) will no longer be
illuminated.
Each time the vehicle is started,
the transmission will automatically
return to normal overdrive mode
and you must press the TCS to
deactivate overdrive again if you
do not want overdrive operation.
2 (Second)Ð Use 2 (Second) to
start-up on slippery roads or to
provide additional engine braking
on downgrades. Transmission
operates in first and second gears.
1 (Low)Ð Use 1 (Low) to
provide maximum engine braking
on steep downgrades. Upshifts can
be made by shifting to 2 (Second)
or to
D(Overdrive). Selecting 1
(Low) at higher speeds causes a
shift to 2 (Second), and will shift
to 1 (Low) after vehicle
decelerates to the proper speed.
Brake-shift interlock
The brake-shift interlock feature
prevents you from shifting from P
(Park) unless the brake pedal is
depressed (with the ignition in the
ON position). If you cannot move
the gearshift out of P (Park) with
the brake pedal depressed:
1. Turn ignition key to Off.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Turn ignition key to Lock and
remove the key.
4. Re-insert the ignition key and
turn it to Off.
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5. Shift the transmission to N
(Neutral).
6. Start the vehicle.
If you need to use the above
procedure, it is possible that a fuse
has blown and your brakelamps
may not be functioning. Refer to
theRoadside emergencies
chapter for instructions on
replacing fuses.
Do not drive your vehicle
until you verify that the
brakelamps are working.
VEHICLE LOADING
It is extremely dangerous
to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In
a collision, people riding in these
areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area
of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your
vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
Before loading a vehicle, familiarize
yourself with the following terms:
²Base Curb Weight:Weight of
the vehicle including any
standard equipment, fluids,
lubricants, etc. It does not
include passengers or
aftermarket equipment.
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²Payload:Combined maximum
allowable weight of cargo,
passengers and optional
equipment. The payload equals
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) minus base curb
weight.
²GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight):
Base curb weight plus the
payload weight (including
passengers, cargo and optional
equipment. Remember, the GVW
is not a limit or a specification.
²GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating):Maximum total weight
of the base vehicle, passengers,
optional equipment and cargo.
The GVWR is specific to each
particular vehicle and is listed
on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label on the driver
door pillar.
²GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
Rating):Carrying capacity for
each axle system (front and
rear). This amount is specific to
each particular vehicle and is
listed on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label on the driver
door pillar.
²GCWR (Gross Combined
Weight Rating):Maximum
combined weight of the towing
vehicle (including passengers
and cargo) and the trailer. The
GCWR indicates the maximum
loaded weight that the vehicle is
allowed to tow.
²Maximum trailer weight:
Maximum weight of a trailer the
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loaded vehicle (including
passengers and cargo) is
permitted to tow. It is
determined by subtracting the
weight of the loaded towing
vehicle from the GCWR of the
towing vehicle.
²Trailer weight range:
Specified weight range that the
trailer must fall within that
ranges from zero to the
maximum trailer weight rating.
Remember to figure in the tongue
load of your loaded trailer when
figuring the total weight of your
vehicle and rear axle loads.
Do not use replacement tires with
lower weight capacities than the
original because they may lower
the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR
limitations. Replacement tires with
a higher weight limit than the
originals do not increase the
GVWR and GAWR limitations.
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