Page 99 of 240

6. Allow the belt to retract. The belt will click as it
retracts to indicate it is in the automatic locking
mode.
7. Pull the lap belt
portion across the child
seat toward the buckle
and pull up on the
shoulder belt while
pushing down with
your knee on the child
seat.
8. Allow the safety belt
to retract to remove
any slack in the belt.
9. Before placing the
child in the seat,
forcibly tilt the seat
forward and back to
make sure the seat is
securely held in place.
10. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make
sure the retractor is in the automatic locking mode
(you should not be able to pull more belt out). If the
retractor is not locked, unbuckle the belt and repeat
steps two through nine.
Check to make sure the child seat is properly
secured before each use.
Attaching child safety seats with tether
straps
Most new forward-facing child safety seats include a
tether strap which goes over the back of the seat
and hooks to an anchoring point. Tether straps are
available as an accessory for many older safety seats.
Contact the manufacturer of your child seat for
information about ordering a tether strap.
The rear seats of your vehicle are equipped with
built-in tether strap anchors located behind the seats
as described below.
Seating and safety restraints
99
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If the tether strap is clipped incorrectly, the
child safety seat may not be retained
properly in the event of a collision.
6. Refer to theInstalling child safety seats in
combination lap and shoulder belt seating
positionssection of this chapter for further
instructions to secure the child safety seat.
7. Tighten the child safety seat tether strap
according to the manufacturer's instructions.
If the safety seat is not anchored properly,
the risk of a child being injured in a collision
greatly increases.
Seating and safety restraints
102
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Important safety precautions
A computer system controls the engine's idle
revolutions per minute (RPM). When the engine
starts, the idle RPM runs faster to warm the engine.
If the engine idle speed does not slow down
automatically, have the vehicle checked. Do not
allow the vehicle to idle for more than 10 minutes at
high engine RPM.
Before starting the vehicle:
1. Make sure all vehicle occupants have buckled
their safety belts. For more information on safety
belts and their proper usage, refer to theSeating
and safety restraintschapter.
2. Make sure the headlamps and vehicle accessories
are off.
If starting a vehicle with an automatic transmission:
²Make sure the
parking brake is set.
²Make sure the gearshift is in P (Park).
If starting a vehicle with a manual transmission:
²Make sure the parking brake is set.
²Push the clutch
pedal to the floor.
Starting
104
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3. Turn the key to 4
(ON) without turning
the key to 5 (START).
If there is difficulty in
turning the key, firmly
rotate the steering
wheel left and right
until the key turns
freely. This condition may occur when:
²front wheels are turned
²front wheel is against the curb
²steering wheel is turned when getting in or out of
the vehicle
Make sure the corresponding lights illuminate or
illuminate briefly. If a light fails to illuminate, have
the vehicle serviced.
²If the driver's safety belt is fastened, the
light
may not illuminate.
1
2
34
5
P! BRAKE
L
0
00000 00
C
E
FH
LH
10 203020 406080100
120
140
160
180
405060 70
80
90
100
11 0
1204
5
6
7 3
2
1
H
THEFT
RPMX1000
FUEL DOORSELECT/RESET
LOW
FUELO/D
OFF AIR
BAGSERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
MPH km/h
ABS
.
CHECK
FUEL
CAP
P! BRAKE
L
0
00000 00
C
E
FH
LH
102040608020 40608010 012 0 14 0
160
180
200
220
240
100
120
140
305070 90
110
13 0
1504
5
6
7
8 3
2
1
H
THEFT
RPMX1000
FUEL DOORSELECT/RESET
LOW
FUELO/D
OFF AIR
BAGSERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
MPH km/h
ABS
.
CHECK
FUEL
CAP
Starting
105
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Do not connect the end of the second cable
to the negative (-) terminal of the battery to
be jumped. A spark may cause an explosion of the
gases that surround the battery.
5. Ensure that the cables are clear of fan blades,
belts, moving parts of both engines, or any fuel
delivery system parts.
Jump starting
1. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and run
the engine at moderately increased speed.
2. Start the engine of the disabled vehicle.
3. Once the disabled vehicle has been started, run
both engines for an additional three minutes before
disconnecting the jumper cables.
Removing the jumper cables
Remove the jumper cables in the reverse order
that they were connected.
1. Remove the jumper cable from thegroundmetal
surface.
Note:In the illustrations,lightning boltsare used
to designate the assisting (boosting) battery.
+–+–
Roadside emergencies
144
Page 146 of 240
will not effect function or durability of the
transmission. Over time, the adaptive learning
process will fully update transmission operation to
its optimum shift feel.
WRECKER TOWING
If you need to have your vehicle towed, contact a
professional towing service or, if you are a member,
your roadside assistance center.
It is recommended that your vehicle be towed with a
wheel lift or flatbed equipment. Do not tow with a
slingbelt. Ford Motor Company has not approved a
slingbelt towing procedure.
If your vehicle is to be towed from the rear using
wheel lift equipment, the front wheels must be
placed on a dolly to prevent damage to the front
fascia (bumper).
If the vehicle is towed by other means or
incorrectly, vehicle damage may occur.
Ford Motor Company provides a towing manual for
all authorized tow truck operators. Have your tow
truck operator refer to this manual for proper
hook-up and towing procedures for your vehicle.
Roadside emergencies
146
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²17 inch four tire
rotation
Replacing the tires
Replace the tires when
the wear band is
visible through the tire
treads.
When replacing full size tires, never mix
radial bias-belted, or bias-type tires. Use
only the tire sizes that are listed on the tire
pressure decal. Make sure that all tires are the
same size, speed rating, and load-carrying capacity.
Use only the tire combinations recommended on
the label. If you do not follow these precautions,
your vehicle may not drive properly and safely.
Make sure that all replacement tires are of
the same size, type, load-carrying capacity
and tread design (e.g., ªAll Terrainº, etc.), as
originally offered by Ford.
Maintenance and care
178
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²Do not spray with cold water to avoid cracking
the engine block or other engine components.
²Never apply anything to the drive belt (including
belt dressing).
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.
Maintenance and care
203