1998 FORD F250 maintenance

antennas, before entering a car
wash.
After washing, apply the brakes
several times to dry them.
Waxing your vehicle
Wax when water stops beading on
the surface. This could be every
three or four months, depending
on operating conditions.
Use only carnauba or
synthetic-based waxes. Remove
any bugs and tar before waxing
vehicle. Use cleaning fluid or
alcohol with a clean cloth to
remove. Use tar remover to
remove any tar spots.
Repairing paint chips
Minor scratches or paint damage
from road debris may be repaired
with touch-up , paint repair foil or
aerosol paint spray from the Ford
accessory line. Observe the
application instructions on the
products.
Remove particles such as bird
droppings, tree sap, insect
remains, tar spots, road salt and
industrial fallout immediately.
Cleaning the wheels
Wash with the same detergent as
the body of your vehicle. Do not
use acid-based wheel cleaners,
steel wool, fuel or strong
detergents. Never use abrasives
that will damage the finish of
special wheel surfaces. Use a tar
remover to remove grease and tar.
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Cleaning the engine
Engines are more efficient when
they are clean because grease and
dirt buildup keep the engine
warmer than normal. When
washing:
²Take care when using a power
washer to clean the engine. The
high pressure fluid could
penetrate the sealed parts and
cause damage.
²Do not spray with cold water to
avoid cracking the engine block
or other engine components.
²Cover the highlighted areas to
prevent water damage when
cleaning the engine.
²Never wash or rinse the engine
while it is running; water in the
running engine may cause
internal damage.
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Cleaning plastic exterior parts
Use vinyl cleaner for routine
cleaning. Clean with a tar remover
if necessary. Do not clean plastic
parts with thinners, solvents or
petroleum-based cleaners.
Cleaning the exterior lamps
Wash with the same detergent as
the exterior of your vehicle. Use
glass cleaner or tar remover if
necessary.
To avoid scratching the lamps, do
not use a dry paper towel,
chemical solvents or abrasive
cleaners.
Cleaning the wiper blades
If the wiper blades do not wipe
properly, clean the windshield and
wiper blades with undiluted
windshield wiper solution or a mild
detergent. Rinse thoroughly with
clean water. To avoid damaging the
blades, do not use fuel, kerosene,
paint thinner or other solvents.
Cleaning the instrument panel
Clean with a damp cloth, then dry
with a dry cloth.
Avoid cleaner or polish that
increases the gloss of the upper
portion of the instrument panel.
The dull finish in this area helps
protect the driver from undesirable
windshield reflection.
Cleaning the interior fabric
Remove dust and loose dirt with a
whisk broom or a vacuum cleaner.
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Remove fresh spots immediately.
Follow the directions that come
with the cleaner.
Cleaning and maintaining the
safety belts
Clean the safety belts with a mild
soap solution recommended for
cleaning upholstery or carpets. Do
not bleach or dye the belts,
because these actions may weaken
the belt webbing.
Check the safety belt system
periodically to make sure there are
no nicks, wear or cuts. If your
vehicle has been involved in an
accident, refer to theSafety belt
maintenancesection in the
Seating and safety restraints
chapter.
Cleaning leather seats (if
equipped)
For routine cleaning, wipe the
surface with a soft, damp cloth.
For more thorough cleaning, wipe
the surface with a mild soap.
If the leather cannot be completely
cleaned using a mild soap and
water solution, the leather may
cleaned using a commercially
available cleaning product
ªTanners Preserve Leather
Cleanerº and a 3M ªType T'
scrubbing pad by using the
following steps;
The type of scrubbing pad is
very critical because the
common 3M ªScotch Briteº
green pad is too aggressive and
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will damage the leather surface
²Spray a small amount of the
leather cleaner on the pad and
rub the area to be cleaned with
the pad using a circular motion.
Only clean 1/4 of the area at a
time. For heavily soiled areas,
spray the cleaner directly onto
the leather (two squirts should
be adequate) and rub with the
pad. Repeat if necessary.
²Use a soft, damp cloth to
remove the loosened dirt and
foam.
²Dry with a soft cloth.
Do not use household cleaners,
glass cleaner, alcohol solutions
or cleaner intended for vinyl,
rubber or plastics. These
products can damage the
leather.
In some instances, color or dye
transfer can occur when wet
clothing (wool, denim, leathers
or other non-colorfast
garments) comes in contact
with leather upholstery. If this
occurs, the leather should be
cleaned immediately to avoid
permanent staining.
ªTanners Preserve Leather
Cleanerº (product number AS-300)
is available from ªFirst Brandsº by
calling 1±800±726±1001. This
product may also be available at
many local automotive after
market stores.
3M ªType Tº Clean And Finish
Scrubbing Pads (UPC
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04011±01276) are available
through your local 3M distributor.
Call 1±800±742±9649 for the
nearest distributor in your area.
PART NUMBER PART NAME
(Obtain Locally) Tanners Preserve Leather Cleaner
(Obtain Locally) 3M9Type T9Clean and Finish
Scrubbing Pads
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Fuse panels
instrument panel ....................133
power distribution box ...........138
Fuses ...................................132,133
Gauges, Mechanical ....................13
engine coolant temperature
gauge .........................................14
Hazard flashers .........................131
Headlamps
autolamp system .......................18
flashing ......................................35
high beam .................................35
turning on and off ....................17
Heating ........................................20
High beams
indicator light ...........................10
Hood
release lever ............................154
Ignition
positions of the ignition ...........27
removing the key ......................98
Instrument panel
lighting up panel and
interior .......................................18
Jump-starting your
vehicle .................................147,149
attaching cables ......................148
disconnecting cables ..............149
Keyless entry system
autolock .....................................44
Keys
key in ignition chime ...............12
Lamps
interior lamps ...........................36
map lamps .................................36
parking lamps .........................195
Lights, warning and indicator
air bag ..........................................8
anti-lock brakes (ABS) ..............9
anti-theft ...................................10
brake ............................................9
charging system ........................10check engine ............................6,7
door ajar ....................................11
engine oil pressure ...................10
four-wheel drive ........................11
fuel reset ................................6,12
safety belt ...................................9
turn signal indicator ...................9
Load limits
trailer towing ..........................110
Lubricant specifications ....205,208
Manual transmission ...................92
shift speeds .....................94,96,97
Mirrors
side view mirrors (power) .......38
Odometer .....................................15
Off road driving, 4-wheel drive 104
Overdrive ................................35,36
Panic alarm feature, remote
entry system ................................43
Parking brake ..............................85
Parts (see Motorcraft parts) ....205
Power door locks ........................38
Power steering
fluid, checking and adding ....169
Recreational towing, all wheels
on the ground ...........................123
Relays ........................................132
Remote entry system .................42
illuminated entry ......................47
locking/unlocking doors ...........43
replacement/additional
transmitters ...............................46
replacing the batteries .............45
Reporting safety defects ..........215
Safety restraints
automatic locking mode
(retractor) .......................54,55,56
extension assembly ..................57
for children ...............................68
lap and shoulder belts ........53,54
maintenance ..............................58
proper use .................................51
Index
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