1998 FORD EXPEDITION Owners Manual

or equivalent. SAE class ªSº or
other conventional link type
chains may contact and cause
damage to the vehicle's wheel
house and/or body.
²Install chains securely, verifying
that the chains do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
²Drive cautiously. If you hear the
chains rub or bang against your
vehicle, stop and re-tighten the
chains. If this does not work,
remove the chains to prevent
damage to your vehicle.
²If possible, avoid fully loading
your vehicle.
²Remove the tire chains when
they are no longer needed. Do
not use tire chains on dry roads.
²The suspension insulation and
bumpers will help prevent
vehicle damage. Do not remove
these components from your
vehicle when using snow tires
and chains.
²Do not exceed 48 km/h (30
mph) with tire chains on your
vehicle.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
Important safety precautions
Do not overfill the fuel
tank. The pressure in an
overfilled tank may cause
leakage and lead to fuel spray
and fire.
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177

If you do not use the
proper fuel cap, the
pressure in the fuel tank can
damage the fuel system or cause
it to work improperly in a
collision.
The fuel system may be
under pressure. If the fuel
cap is venting vapor or if you
hear a hissing sound, wait until it
stops before completely
removing the cap.
Automotive fuels can
cause serious injury or
death if misused or mishandled.
Observe the following guidelines
when handling automotive fuel:
²Extinguish all smoking materials
and any open flames before
fueling your vehicle.
²Always turn off the vehicle
before fueling.
²Automotive fuels can be harmful
or fatal if swallowed. If fuel is
swallowed, call a physician
immediately, even if no
symptoms are immediately
apparent. The toxic effects of
fuel may not be visible for
hours.
²Fuels can also be harmful if
absorbed through the skin. If
fuel is splashed on the skin,
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178

promptly remove contaminated
clothing and wash skin
thoroughly with soap and water.
²If fuel is splashed in the eyes,
remove contact lenses, flush
with water for 15 minutes and
seek medical attention.
²Be particularly careful if you are
taking ªAntabuseº or other
forms of disulfiram for the
treatment of alcoholism.
Breathing gasoline vapors or
skin contact could cause an
adverse reaction. Consult a
physician immediately.
Choosing the right fuel
Use only UNLEADED FUEL. The
use of leaded fuel is prohibited by
law and could damage your
vehicle.
Your vehicle was not designed to
use fuel or fuel additives with
metallic compounds, including
manganese-based compounds
containing MMT.
Vehicles certified to California
emission standards (indicated on
the underhood Vehicle Emissions
Control Information label) are
designed to operate on California
reformulated gasolines. If
California reformulated gasoline is
not available when you refuel, your
vehicle can be operated on
non-California fuels. However, even
though your engine will perform
adequately on other gasolines, the
performance of the emission
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179

control devices and systems may
be adversely affected.
Repair of damage caused by using
a fuel that your vehicle was not
designed for may not be covered
by your warranty.
Octane recommendations
Your vehicle is designed to use
regular unleaded with an (R+M)/2
octane rating of 87. We do not
recommend gasolines labeled as
ªregularº in high altitude areas that
are sold with octane ratings of 86
or even less.
Do not be concerned if your
vehicle sometimes knocks lightly.
However, if it knocks heavily under
most driving conditions on fuel
with the recommended octane, see
your dealer or a qualified service
technician to prevent any engine
damage.
Fuel quality
If you are experiencing starting,
rough idle or hesitation problems
try a different brand of fuel. If the
condition persists, see your dealer
or a qualified service technician.
The American Automobile
Manufacturers Association (AAMA)
issued a gasoline specification to
provide information on high quality
fuels that optimize the
performance of your vehicle. We
87
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180

recommend the use of gasolines
that meet the AAMA specification
if they are available.
It should not be necessary to add
any aftermarket products to your
fuel tank if you continue to use a
high-quality fuel.
Cleaner air
Ford approves the use of gasolines
to improve air quality, including
reformulated gasolines that contain
oxygenates up to 10% ethanol or
15% MTBE.
Do not use gasolines containing
methanol, which can damage
critical fuel system components.
Damage resulting from the use of
methanol may not be covered by
your warranty.
Filling the fuel tank
1. Turn the engine off. After
opening the fuel door, remove the
cap carefully and slowly by turning
it counterclockwise
1¤4turn until it
stops. Pull to remove the cap. A
tether attaches the cap to the fuel
filler pipe.
2. Make sure that you pump
unleaded fuel and put the fuel
nozzle inside the fuel filler pipe.
²To optimize fill, it may be
necessary to reposition the
nozzle in the filler pipe.
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181

²To help reduce early nozzle shut
off and fuel spillage, park your
vehicle so the fuel filler door is
level.
²Avoid excessively fast fuel
dispensing rates (over 38 L
[10 gallons] per minute).
²If you spill fuel on the body of
your vehicle, clean it off
immediately. The fuel may dull
or soften the paint if it is not
washed off promptly.
²To replace the fuel cap, align
the tabs on the cap with the
notches on the fuel filler pipe.
Turn it clockwise until it stops.
²Push the fuel door closed.
If the check engine warning light
illuminates and remains illuminated
while the engine is started, the
fuel cap may not be properly
seated. Turn off the engine,
remove the fuel cap and replace it,
being sure to align the cap
properly.
If the cap is lost, replace it with an
authorized Motorcraft or equivalent
part.
Calculating fuel economy
To accurately calculate your
vehicle's fuel economy:
1. Fill the tank completely and
record the initial odometer
reading.
2. Each time you fill the tank,
record the amount of fuel added
(in liters or gallons).
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182

3. After at least three to five fuel
tank fill-ups, fill the fuel tank and
record the current mileage
reading.
4. Use one of the following
equations to calculate fuel
economy.
Liters used x 1004Total
kilometers traveled
Total miles traveled4Total
gallons used
Keep a record for at least one
month. This will provide an
accurate estimate of the vehicle's
fuel economy.
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with
various emission control
components and a catalytic
converter which will enable your
vehicle to comply with applicable
exhaust emission standards. To
make sure that the catalytic
converter and other emission
control components continue to
work properly:
²Use only unleaded fuel.
²Avoid running out of fuel.
²Do not turn off the ignition
while your vehicle is moving,
especially at high speeds.
²Have the services listed in your
ªService Guideº performed
according to the specified
schedule.
The Scheduled Maintenance
Services listed in the ªService
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183

Guideº are required because they
are considered essential to the life
and performance of your vehicle
and to its emissions system.
If other than Ford, Motorcraft or
Ford authorized parts are used for
maintenance replacements or for
service of components affecting
emission control such non-Ford
parts should be equivalent to
genuine Ford Motor Company
parts in performance and
durability.
Do not park, idle, or drive
your vehicle in dry grass
or other dry ground cover. The
emission system heats up the
engine compartment and exhaust
system, which can start a fire.
Watch for fluid leaks, strange
odors, smoke, loss of oil pressure,
the charging system warning light,
the ªCheck Engineº light or the
temperature warning light. These
events could indicate that the
emission control system is not
working properly.
If you smell exhaust fumes
of any kind inside your
vehicle, have the dealer inspect
and fix your vehicle immediately.
Do not drive if you smell exhaust
fumes. These fumes are harmful
and could kill you.
Do not make any unauthorized
changes to your vehicle or engine.
By law, vehicle owners and anyone
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184