2000 FORD EXPLORER weight

neck, the child should wear the lap and shoulder belt. Moving the child
closer to the center of the vehicle may help provide a good shoulder belt
fit.
Do not leave children, unreliable adults, or pets unattended in
your vehicle.
To improve the fit of lap and shoulder belts on children who have
outgrown child safety seats, Ford recommends use of a belt-positioning
booster seat that is labelled as conforming to all applicable Federal motor
vehicle safety standards. Belt-positioning booster seats raise the child
and provide a shorter, firmer seating cushion that encourages safer
seating posture and better fit of lap and shoulder belts on the child.
A belt-positioning booster should be used if the shoulder belt rests in
front of the child's face or neck, or if the lap belt does not fit snugly on
both thighs, or if the thighs are too short to let the child sit all the way
back on the seat cushion when the lower legs hang over the edge of the
seat cushion. You may wish to discuss the special needs of your child
with your pediatrician.
SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN
Child and infant or child safety seats
Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of the
child. Carefully follow all of the manufacturer's instructions with the
safety seat you put in your vehicle. If you do not install and use the
safety seat properly, the child may be injured in a sudden stop or
collision.
Seating and safety restraints
144

Automatic transmissions may shift frequently while driving up steep
grades. Eliminate frequent shifting by shifting out of
(Overdrive) into
D (Drive).
Driving on snow and ice
An AWD vehicle has advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but
can skid like any other vehicle.
Avoid sudden applications of power and quick changes of direction on
snow and ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and steadily when starting
from a full stop.
When braking, apply the brakes as you normally would. In order to allow
the anti-lock brake system (ABS) to operate properly, keep steady
pressure on the brake pedal.
Allow more stopping distance and drive slower than usual. Consider
using one of the lower gears.
TRACTION-LOK AXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
This axle provides added traction on slippery surfaces, particularly when
one wheel is on a poor traction surface. Under normal conditions, the
Traction-Lok axle functions like a standard rear axle.
Extended use of other than the manufacturer's specified size tires on a
Traction-Lok rear axle could result in a permanent reduction in
effectiveness. This loss of effectiveness does not affect normal driving
and should not be noticeable to the driver.
To avoid injury, never run the engine with one wheel off the
ground, such as when changing a tire.
VEHICLE LOADING
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.
²Payload:Combined maximum allowable weight of cargo, passengers
and optional equipment. The payload equals the gross vehicle weight
rating minus base curb weight.
²GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight):Base curb weight plus payload
weight. The GVW is not a limit or a specification.
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176

²GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating):Maximum total weight of
the base vehicle, passengers, optional equipment and cargo. The
GVWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the Safety
Certification Label on the driver's door pillar.
²GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating):Carrying capacity for each axle
system. The GAWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the
Safety Certification Label on the driver's door pillar.
²GCW (Gross Combined Weight):The combined weight of the
towing vehicle (including passengers and cargo) and the trailer.
²GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating):Maximum combined
weight of towing vehicle (including passengers and cargo) and the
trailer. The GCWR indicates the maximum loaded weight that the
vehicle is designed to tow.
²Maximum Trailer Weight Rating:Maximum weight of a trailer the
vehicle is permitted to tow. The maximum trailer weight rating is
determined by subtracting the vehicle curb weight for each
engine/transmission combination, any required option weight for trailer
towing and the weight of the driver from the GCWR for the towing
vehicle.
²Maximum Trailer Weight:Maximum weight of a trailer the loaded
vehicle (including passengers and cargo) is permitted to tow. It is
determined by subtracting the weight of the loaded trailer towing
vehicle from the GCWR for 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.
Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
certification label.
Do not use replacement tires with lower load carrying capacities than the
originals because they may lower the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR
limitations. Replacement tires with a higher limit than the originals do
not increase the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
The Safety Certification Label, found on the driver's door pillar, lists
several important vehicle weight rating limitations. Before adding any
additional equipment, refer to these limitations. If you are adding weight
Driving
177

to the front of your vehicle, (potentially including weight added to the
cab), the weight added should not exceed the front axle reserve capacity
(FARC). Additional frontal weight may be added to the front axle reserve
capacity provided you limit your payload in other ways (i.e. restrict the
number of passengers or amount of cargo carried).
Always ensure that the weight of passengers, cargo and equipment being
carried is within the weight limitations that have been established for
your vehicle including both gross vehicle weight and Front and rear
gross axle weight rating limits. Under no circumstance should these
limitations be exceeded. Exceeding any vehicle weight rating limitation
could result in serious damage to the vehicle and/or personal injury.
Special loading instructions for owners of pickup trucks and
utility-type vehicles
For important information regarding safe operation of this type
of vehicle, see thePreparing to drive your vehiclesection in
theDrivingchapter of this owner guide.
Loaded vehicles, with a higher center of gravity, may handle
differently than unloaded vehicles. Extra precautions, such as
slower speeds and increased stopping distance, should be taken when
driving a heavily loaded vehicle.
Your vehicle has the capability to haul more cargo and people than most
passenger cars. Depending upon the type and placement of the load,
hauling cargo and people may raise the center of gravity of the vehicle.
Calculating the load your vehicle can carry/tow
1. Use the appropriate maximum gross combined weight rating (GCWR)
chart to find the maximum GCWR for your type engine and rear axle
ratio.
2. Weigh your vehicle as you customarily operate the vehicle without
cargo. To obtain correct weights, try taking your vehicle to a shipping
company or an inspection station for trucks.
3. Subtract your loaded vehicle weight from the maximum GCWR on the
following charts. This is the maximum trailer weight your vehicle can tow
and must fall below the maximum shown under maximum trailer weight
on the chart.
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178

Do not exceed the maximum loads listed on the Safety Compliance
Certification label. For load specification terms found on the label, refer
toVehicle loadingin this chapter. Remember to figure in the tongue
load of your loaded vehicle when figuring the total weight.
Trailer towing table (4x2 w/manual transmission)
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer weights
EngineRear
axle
ratioMaximum
GCWR-kg
(lbs.)Trailer weight
range-kg
(lbs.)
(0-Maximum)Maximum
frontal area of
trailer-m
2(ft2)
2-door
4.0L OHV 3.272 721
(6 000)0-998
(0-2 200)4.64
(50)
4.0L OHV 3.733 175
(7 000)0-1 451
(0-3 200)4.64
(50)
4-door
4.0L OHV 3.272 721
(6 000)0-998
(0-2 200)4.64
(50)
4.0L OHV 3.733 175
(7 000)0-907
(0-3 000)4.64
(50)
Notes:-For high altitude operation, reduce GCW by 2% per 300
meters (1 000 ft) elevation. For definitions of terms used in this table
and instructions on how to calculate your vehicle load, refer toVehicle
loadingin this chapter. Maximum trailer weights shown. The
combined weight of the completed towing vehicle and the loaded
trailer must not exceed the GCWR.
Towing a trailer over 1 588 kg (3 500 lbs.) requires a weight
distributing hitch.
Driving
180

Trailer towing table (4x4 w/manual transmission)
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer weights
EngineRear
axle
ratioMaximum
GCWR-kg
(lbs.)Trailer weight
range-kg
(lbs.)
(0-Maximum)Maximum
frontal area of
trailer-m
2(ft2)
2-door
4.0L OHV3.27 2 721
(6 000)0-907
(0-2 000)4.64
(50)
4.0L OHV3.55 2 948
(6 500)0-1 134
(0-2 500)4.64
(50)
4.0L OHV3.73 3 175
(7 000)0-1 361
(0-3 000)4.64
(50)
4.0L OHV4.10 3 175
(7 000)0-1 361
(0-3 000)4.64
(50)
4-door
4.0L OHV 3.552 948
(6 500)0-1 043
(0-2 300)4.64
(50)
4.0L OHV 3.733 175
(7 000)0-1 270
(0-2 800)4.64
(50)
Notes:- For high altitude operation, reduce GCW by 2% per 300
meters (1 800 ft) elevation. For definitions of terms used in this table
and instructions on how to calculate your vehicle load, refer toVehicle
loadingin this chapter. Maximum trailer weights shown. The
combined weight of the completed towing vehicle and the loaded
trailer must not exceed the GCWR.
Towing a trailer over 1 588 kg (3 500 lbs.) requires a weight
distributing hitch.
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181

Trailer towing table (4x2 w/automatic transmission)
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer weights
EngineRear
axle
ratioMaximum
GCWR-kg
(lbs.)Trailer Weight
Range-kg
(lbs.)
0-MaximumMaximum
frontal area of
trailer-m
2(ft2)
2-door
4.0L3.55 3 629
(8 000)0-1 887
(0-4 160)4.64
(50)
4.0L OHV3.73 4 082
(9 000)0-2 341
(0-5 160)4.64
(50)
4.0L
SOHC3.27 3 402
(7 500)0-1 651
(0-3 640)4.64
(50)
4.0L
SOHC3.55 3 856
(8 500)0-2 105
(0-4 640)4.64
(50)
4.0L
SOHC3.73 4 082
(9 000)0-2 331
(0-5 140)4.64
(50)
4-door
4.0L OHV3.55 3 629
(8 000)0-1 796 (3 960) 4.64
(50)
4.0L OHV3.73 4 082
(9 000)0-2 250
(0- 4 960)4.64
(50)
4.0L
SOHC3.554 082
(9 000)0-2 241
(0-4 940)4.64
(50)
4.0L
SOHC3.734 535
(10 000)0-2 694
(0-5 940)4.64
(50)
4.0L
SOHC4.104 535
(10 000)0-2 694
(0-5 940)4.64
(50)
5.0L 3.554 535
(10 000)0-2640
(0-5 820)4.64
(50)
5.0L 3.734 990
(11 000)0-3 093
(0-6 820)4.64
(50)
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182

Trailer towing table (4x2 w/automatic transmission)
Notes:For high altitude operation, reduce GCW by 2% per 300 meters
(1 000 ft) elevation. For definition of terms and instructions on
calculating your vehicle's load, refer toVehicle loadingin this chapter.
Maximum trailer weights shown. The combined weight of the
completed towing vehicle and the loaded trailer must not exceed the
GCWR.
Towing a trailer over 1 588 kg (3 500 lbs.) requires a weight
distributing hitch.
Trailer towing table
(4x4 and AWD with automatic transmission)
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer Weights
EngineRear
axle
ratioMaximum
GCWR-kg
(lbs.)Trailer Weight
Range-kg
(lbs.)
0-MaximumMaximum
frontal area of
trailer-m
2(ft2)
2-door
4.0L OHV3.73 4 082
(9 000)0-2 250
(0-4 960)4.64
(50)
4.0L OHV4.10 4 082
(9 000)0-2 250
(4 960)4.64
(50)
4.0L
SOHC3.27 3 402
(7 500)0-1 560
(0-3 440)4.64
(50)
4.0L
SOHC3.55 3 856
(8 500)0-2 014
(0-4 440)4.64
(50)
4.0L
SOHC3.73 4 082
(9 000)0-2 214
(0-4 940)4.64
(50)
4.0L
SOHC4.10 4 082
(9 000)0-2 214
(4 940)4.64
(50)
4-door
4.0L OHV 3.734 082
(9 000)0-2 159
(0-4 760)4.64
(50)
4.0L
SOHC3.554 082
(9 000)0-2 150
(0-4 740)4.64
(50)
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183