1997 FORD F150 light

3. Turn the key to the ON position
(without turning the key to
START).
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.
!MPH 1050
3070
4080
120
140
18 0
40
20
0
10090 60
8060100
20 km/h
0010
000005CH
EF
DOOR
AJARLOW
FUEL
MPH
CHECK
ENGINEABS
L H18
8
BRAKE
!
LOW
FUEL
ABS
BRAKE
3
MPH 1050
3070
4080
120
140
18 0
40
20
0
10090 60
8060100
20 km/h
0010
0000052
4
5
6 01LH
CH
EF
818RPMx1000CHECK
ENGINE
Starting
87

braking technique. However,
avoid taking any unnecessary
risks.
Parking brake
The parking brake should be used
whenever you park your vehicle. It
is not designed to stop a moving
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!BRAKElight in the instrument
cluster will illuminate and remain
illuminated (when the ignition
f12_parking_brake
f12_setting_pbrake
Driving
92

Do not leave the vehicle
unattended with the
transfer case in the N (Neutral)
position. Always set the parking
brake fully and turn off the
ignition when leaving the vehicle.
Releasing parking brake
Pull the BRAKE lever forward.
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.
TRACTION LOKTREAR AXLE
(IF EQUIPPED)
This axle provides added drive
away traction on slippery surfaces,
BRAKE
f12_releasing_pbrake
f12_traction_lok
Driving
94

N (Neutral)± Vehicle is free to
roll.
D(Overdrive)± The normal
driving position for the best fuel
economy. Transmission operates 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)
(OFF) on the end of the gearshift
lever will remain off.
D (Drive)± Not shown on the
display. Activate by pressing the
transmission control switch on the
end of the gearshift lever. The
TCIL (OFF) 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 (OFF)
will no longer be illuminated.
OVERDRIVE OFF
Driving
97

Utility and four-wheel
drive vehicles arenot
designed for cornering at speeds
as high as passenger cars any
more than low-slung sports cars
are designed to perform
satisfactorily under off-road
conditions. Avoid sharp turns or
abrupt maneuvers in these
vehicles.
4WD operation is not
recommended on dry pavement.
Doing so could result in difficult
disengagement of the transfer
case, increased tire wear and
decreased fuel economy.
4WD system indicator lights
The 4WD system indicator lights
illuminate only under the following
conditions. If these lights
illuminate during normal driving,
have your vehicle serviced.
4x4± illuminates when 4H (4WD
High) or 4L (4WD Low) is
selected.
LOW RANGE ± illuminates when
4L (4WD Low) is selected.
f12_fourwd_lights
f12_using_4wd_leverop
Driving
106

When using 4WD, maintain
steering wheel control at all times,
especially in rough terrain. Since
sudden changes in terrain can
result in abrupt steering wheel
motion, make sure you grip the
steering wheel from the outside.
Do not grip the spokes.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle
damage from concealed objects
such as rocks and stumps.
You should either know the terrain
or examine maps of the area
before driving. Map out your route
before driving in the area. For
more information on driving
off-road, read the ªFour Wheelingº
supplement in your owner's
portfolio.
If your vehicle gets stuck
If the vehicle is stuck, shift the
transmission in a steady motion
between forward and reverse
gears. Allow the transmission to
engage, then press lightly on the
accelerator. DO NOT rock the
vehicle for more than a few
minutes. The transmission and
tires may be damaged or the
engine can overheat.
Do not spin the wheels at
over 35 mph (55 km/h).
The tires may fail and injure a
passenger or bystander.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to
keep all four wheels on the most
f12_driving_sand
Driving
112

solid area of the trail. Do not
reduce the tire pressures but shift
to a lower gear and drive steadily
through the terrain. Apply the
accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning the wheels.
Mud and water
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.
After driving through mud, clean
off residue stuck to rotating
driveshafts and tires. Excess mud
stuck on tires and rotating
driveshafts causes an imbalance
f12_driving_mud_water
Driving
113

²Allow more room for stopping
with a trailer attached.
²Practice turning, stopping and
backing in an area before
starting on a trip to get the feel
of the vehicle/trailer
combination.
²When turning, drive slightly
beyond the normal turning point
so the trailer wheels will clear
curbs and other obstacles.
²When stopped in traffic for long
periods of time in hot weather,
place the automatic transmission
gearshift in P (Park) to increase
idle speed. This aids engine
cooling and air conditioner
efficiency.
²Vehicles with trailers should not
be parked on a grade. If you
must park on a grade, place
wheel chocks under the trailer's
wheels.
²After you have travelled about
80 km (50 miles), thoroughly
check your hitch, electrical
connections and trailer wheel
lug nuts.
Launching or retrieving a boat
When backing down a ramp during
boat launching or retrieval,
²Do not allow the static water
level to rise above the bottom
edge of the rear bumper and
²Do not allow waves to break
higher than 15 cm (six inches)
above the bottom edge of the
rear bumper.
com_launch-retrieving_boat.01
Driving
128