1997 FORD EXPLORER light

Make sure the following lights
illuminate briefly. If a light fails to
illuminate, have the vehicle
serviced.
²If the driver's safety belt is
fastened, the
light does not
illuminate.
STARTING
Special conditions when
starting
Starting the engine
1. Turn the key to 5 (Start)
without pressing the accelerator
and release as soon as the engine
starts. The key will return to 4
(On).
2. If the engine does not start
within five seconds, wait ten
seconds and try again.
3. If the engine does not start in
two attempts OR the temperature
is below Ð12ÉC (10ÉF), depress
0ABS
- +
P RND21RPM x 1000
12345
6- +
H
H
L LH
C
F
E
!BRAKE
CHECK
GAGE
0
20
1030405060
70
80
90
110
120000000
oooo
10020406080100
120
140
160
180
MPH km/hDOOR
AJARCHECK
GAUGE
O/D
OFF4WD
LOW 4WD SPEED
CONT
3
2
1
5
4
uno_special_conditions_title
uno_starting_vehicle
Starting
115

the brake pedal is depressed. If
you cannot move the gearshift
lever from P (Park) with the brake
pedal depressed:
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition key to Lock,
then remove the key.
3. Insert the key and turn the
ignition off.
4. Apply the brake pedal and shift
into N (Neutral).
5. Start the vehicle.
If it is necessary to use this
procedure to move the gearshift
lever , it is possible that a fuse
may have blown and the vehicle's
brakelamps may not be working.
Refer toFuses and relaysin the
Roadside emergencieschapter.
Driving (4R70W
transmission-5.0L engines only)
DOverdriveThe normal driving
position for the best fuel economy.
Transmission operates in gears one
through four.
Dcan be deactivated by pressing
the switch selector lever. The
O/D
OFFlight will illuminate.
D DriveNot shown on the display.
Activate by pressing the
transmission control switch.
O/D
OFFwill illuminate in the
instrument cluster. Transmission
operates in gears one through
three. D (Drive) provides more
engine braking than
D(Overdrive) and is useful when
uno_4r70w
Driving
122

Using the Control Trac system
Shifting between 4WD AUTO
and 4WD HIGH
Either shift can be done at a stop,
or at any forward speed.
²The 4WD HIGH light will
illuminate when you switch the
control to 4WD HIGH or turn off
if you switch to 4WD AUTO.
Shifting from 4WD AUTO or
4WD HIGH to 4WD LOW
To perform this shift, complete the
following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle and depress the
brake.
2. Place the automatic
transmission in N (Neutral) or
depress the manual transmission
clutch.
3. Rotate the 4WD control to 4WD
LOW.
Shifting from 4WD LOW to 4WD
AUTO or 4WD HIGH
To perform this shift, complete the
following steps:
1. Bring the vehicle to a stop.
2. Depress and hold the brake.
3. Place the automatic
transmission gearshift lever in N
(Neutral) or depress the manual
transmission clutch.
4. Move the 4WD control to the
4WD AUTO or 4WD HIGH position.
uno_2h_to_4h
uno_4h_to_2h
uno_4h_to_4l
uno_driving_off_road
Driving
129

accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning the wheels.
Driving through mud and water
After driving through mud, clean
off residue stuck to rotating
driveshafts and tires. Excess mud
stuck on tires and rotating
driveshafts causes an imbalance
that could damage drive
components.
If you must drive through high
water, drive slowly. Traction or
brake capability may be limited.
When driving through water,
determine the depth; avoid water
higher than the bottom of the hubs
(if possible) and proceed slowly. If
the ignition system gets wet, the
vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the
brakes. Wet brakes do not stop the
vehicle as effectively as dry brakes.
Drying can be improved by moving
your vehicle slowly while applying
light pressure on the brake pedal.
If the transmission and transfer
case are submerged in water, their
fluids should be checked and
changed, if necessary.
If the rear axle is submerged in
water, the rear axle lubricant
should be checked and changed, if
necessary. The rear axle is filled
with a synthetic lubricant and does
not normally require a lubricant
change for the life of the vehicle.
Rear axle lubricant quantities
should not need to be checked
unless a leak is suspected.
uno_driving_mud_water
uno_driving_hill
Driving
131

Driving Through Water
Do not drive quickly through
standing water, especially if the
depth is unknown. Traction or
brake capability may be limited
and if the ignition system gets wet,
your engine may stall. Water may
also enter your engine's air intake
and severely damage your engine.
If driving through deep or standing
water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly. Never drive through water
that is higher than the bottom of
the hubs (truck) / wheel rims
(car).
Once through the water, always try
the brakes. Wet brakes do not stop
the vehicle as effectively as dry
brakes. Drying can be improved by
moving your vehicle slowly while
applying light pressure on the
brake pedal.
Driving on hill or slope terrain
When driving on a hill, avoid
driving crosswise or turning on
steep slopes. You could lose
traction and slip sideways. Drive
straight up, straight down or avoid
the hill completely. Know the
conditions on the other side of a
hill before driving over the crest.
When climbing a steep hill, start in
a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from
a higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the
engine and the possibility of
stalling.
Driving
132

Allow more stopping distance and
drive slower than usual. Consider
using one of the lower gears.
Control trac system indicator
lights
4WD and 4WD LOW indicator
lights are located in the instrument
cluster. If either light flashes, see
your dealer or qualified service
technician.
The indicator lights will also
illuminate under the following
conditions:
²4WD AUTO modeÐ Neither
light will illuminate.
²4WD HIGH modeÐ Only the
4WD high light illuminates.
²4WD LOW modeÐ The 4WD
LOW light illuminates.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
SYSTEM (5.0L ENGINES ONLY)
Your vehicle is equipped with an
all wheel drive (AWD) transfer
case. Power is constantly supplied
to all four wheels through the
transfer case. The AWD system is
full time and has no external
controls.
Like all utility type vehicles, your
AWD vehicle has special design
and equipment features that make
it capable of performing in a
variety of off-road applications.
Specific design characteristics give
these vehicles higher centers of
gravity than ordinary passenger
cars.
4WD
4WD
LOW
uno_indicator_lights
uno_awd
Driving
134

Trailer weight range
The range is between zero and the
maximum trailer weight rating
found in this chapter.
Using trailer brakes
Use electric brakes or manual,
automatic or surge type hydraulic
brakes that meet Federal and local
regulations. Install and adjust
brakes according to the
manufacturer's instructions.
Do not connect a trailer's
hydraulic brake system
directly to your vehicle's brake
system. Your vehicle may not
have enough braking power and
your chances of having a
collision greatly increase.
Using safety chains
Always connect the trailer's safety
chains to the vehicle. To connect
the chains, cross the chains under
the trailer tongue and attach to the
vehicle frame or hook retainers
(not the bumper). Make sure there
is enough slack to allow the vehicle
to turn corners.
Using trailer lamps
See your local trailer retailer or
rental agency for proper
instructions and equipment for
hooking up trailer lamps.
Do not hook the trailer lights
directly into the vehicle's wiring
system. If the trailer lamps are not
uno_brakes_trailer
uno_safety_chains
uno_lamps_trailer
Driving
143

working properly, the warning
lights in the instrument cluster
may not work properly.
Using a hitch
Do not use hitches that:
²clamp onto the vehicle bumper
²attach to the axle.
Distribute the load so that only 10
to 15% of the total weight of the
trailer is on the tongue. tie down
the load so that it does not shift
and change the weight on the
hitch. Follow the towing
instructions of a reputable rental
agency.
Driving while towing a trailer
Do not drive faster than 70 km/h
(45 mph) while towing a 454 kg
(1000 lb) trailer. Do not drive
faster than 72 km/h (45 mph) with
any weight trailer while towing in
hilly terrain or on hot days.
Speed control (if equipped) may
not work properly while towing on
long, steep grades.
If driving with an automatic
transmission:
²use D or L rather than while
towing up or down steep hills
²anticipate stops and brake
gradually.
Towing behind another vehicle
Do not tow your vehicle behind
another vehicle, such as an RV,
unless front wheel dollies are used.
uno_hitch
uno_driving_towing
uno_towing_behind
Driving
144