
Shifting between 4x4 Auto and ON modes
Switch the four-wheel drive control
to 4x4 ON to apply power to both
axles. When you activate the control
to 4x4 ON, the indicator light will
illuminate in the instrument cluster.
When you switch the control back
to 4x4 AUTO for normal on-road
operating conditions, the indicator
light is activated and will turn off.
Either shift can be done at a stop or
while driving at any speed.
Driving off-road with truck and utility vehicles
4x4 vehicles are specially equipped for driving on sand, snow, mud and
rough terrain and have operating characteristics that are somewhat
different from conventional vehicles, both on and off the road.
How your vehicle differs from other vehicles
Truck and utility vehicles can differ from some other vehicles. Your
vehicle may be higher to allow it to travel over rough terrain without
getting hung up or damaging underbody components.
The differences that make your vehicle so versatile also make it handle
differently than an ordinary passenger car.
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. To maintain
steering and braking control of your vehicle, you must have all four
wheels on the ground and they must be rolling, not sliding or spinning.
Basic operating principles
²Drive slower in strong crosswinds which can affect the normal steering
characteristics of your vehicle.
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171

²Be extremely careful when driving on pavement made slippery by
loose sand, water, gravel, snow or ice.
If your vehicle goes off the edge of the pavement
²If your vehicle goes off the edge of the pavement, slow down, but
avoid severe brake application, ease the vehicle back onto the
pavement only after reducing your speed. Do not turn the steering
wheel too sharply while returning to the road surface.
²It may be safer to stay on the apron or shoulder of the road and slow
down gradually before returning to the pavement. You may loose
control if you do not slow down or if you turn the steering wheel too
sharply or abruptly.
²It often may be less risky to strike small inanimate objects, such as
highway reflectors, with minor damage to your vehicle rather than
attempt a sudden return to the pavement which could cause the
vehicle to slide sideways out of control or roll over. Remember, your
safety and the safety of others should be your primary concern.
If your vehicle gets stuck
If the vehicle is stuck it may be rocked out by shifting from forward and
reverse gears, stopping between shifts, in a steady pattern. Press lightly
on the accelerator in each gear.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few minutes or damage
to the transmission and tires may occur or the engine may
overheat.
Do not spin the wheels at over 56 km/h (35 mph). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Emergency maneuvers
²In an unavoidable emergency situation where a sudden sharp turn
must be made, remember to avoid ªover-drivingº your vehicle, i.e.,
turn the steering wheel only as rapidly and as far as required to avoid
the emergency. Excessive steering will result in less vehicle control,
not more. Additionally, smooth variations of the accelerator and/or
brake pedal pressure should be utilized if changes in vehicle speed are
called for. Avoid abrupt steering, acceleration or braking. Use all
available road surface to return the vehicle to a safe direction of
travel.
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172

²In the event of an emergency stop, avoid skidding the tires and do not
attempt any sharp steering wheel movements.
²If the vehicle goes from one type of surface to another (i.e., from
concrete to gravel) there will be a change in the way the vehicle
responds to a maneuver (steering, acceleration or barking). Again,
avoid these abrupt inputs.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all four wheels on the most solid
area of the trail. Avoid reducing the tire pressures but shift to a lower
gear and drive steadily through the terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly
and avoid spinning the wheels.
If you must reduce the tire pressure for whatever reason in sand, make
sure you re-inflate the tires as soon as possible.
Avoid excessive speed because vehicle momentum can work against you
and cause the vehicle to become stuck to the point that assistance may
be required from another vehicle. Remember, you may be able to back
out the way you came if you proceed with caution.
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.
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle speed or direction when you
are driving in mud. Even 4x4 vehicles can lose traction in slick mud. As
when you are driving over sand, apply the accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning your wheels. If the vehicle does slide, steer in the direction of
the slide until you regain control of the vehicle.
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173

When climbing a steep slope or hill,
start in a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from a
higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the
engine and the possibility of stalling.
If you do stall out, Do not try to
turnaround because you might roll
over. It is better to back down to a
safe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels to climb the hill. Too much
power will cause the tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting in loss of
vehicle control.
Descend a hill in the same gear you
would use to climb up the hill to
avoid excessive brake application
and brake overheating. Do not
descend in neutral, disengage
overdrive or manually shift to a
lower gear. When descending a
steep hill, avoid sudden hard
braking as you could lose control.
When you brake hard, the front
wheels can't turn and if they aren't
turning, you won't be able to steer.
The front wheels have to be turning in order to steer the vehicle. Rapid
pumping of the brake pedal will help you slow the vehicle and still
maintain steering control.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, apply the brakes steadily. Do not
ªpumpº the brakes.
Driving on snow and ice
4x4 vehicles have advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but can
skid like any other vehicle.
Should you start to slide while driving on snowy or icy roads, turn the
steering wheel in the direction of the slide until you regain control.
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.
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175

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.
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.
²do not allow waves to break higher than 15 cm (6 inches) above the
bottom edge of the rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allow water to enter critical vehicle
components, adversely affecting driveability, emissions, reliability and
causing internal transmission damage.
Replace the rear axle lubricant any time the axle has been submerged in
water. Rear axle lubricant quantities are not to be checked or changed
unless a leak is suspected or repair required.
Disconnect the wiring to the trailer before backing the trailer into the
water. Reconnect the wiring to the trailer after the trailer is removed
from the water.
RECREATIONAL TOWING
An example of ªrecreational towingº is towing your vehicle behind a
motorhome.
If your vehicle is automatic transmission equipped, with a 4x2
(front-wheel drive only) configured powertrain, ªrecreational towingº is
permitted by trailering the vehicle with its front wheels on a dolly. This
protects the transmission's internal mechanical components from
potential lack of lubrication damage.
If your vehicle is automatic transmission equipped, with a 4x4 (all-wheel
drive) configured powertrain, ªrecreational towingº is permitted only if
the vehicle is trailered with all four (4) wheels off the ground. Otherwise,
no ªrecreational towingº is permitted.
If your vehicle is manual transmission equipped, shifting the transmission
into neutral permits ªflat-towingº (all wheels on the ground) for pulling
behind a motorhome. Your vehicle may be towed up to a speed of 120
km/h (75 mph) but you should always obey local speed limits.
For other towing requirements, refer toWrecker Towingin the
Roadside emergencieschapter.
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185

If you use the temporary spare tire continuously or do not follow
these precautions, the tire could fail, causing you to lose control
of the vehicle, possibly injuring yourself or others.
When driving with the temporary spare tiredo not:
²use more than one temporary spare tire at a time
²exceed 80 km/h (50 mph) or drive further than 3 200 km
(2 000 miles) total under any circumstances
²load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load rating listed on the
Safety Compliance Label
²tow a trailer
²use tire chains
²try to repair the temporary spare tire or remove it from its wheel
²use the wheel for any other type of vehicle
Use of a temporary spare tire at any one wheel location can lead to
impairment of the following:
²handling, stability and braking performance
²comfort and noise
²ground clearance and parking at curbs
²Winter driving capability
Tire change procedure
When one of the front wheels is off the ground, the transmission
alone will not prevent the vehicle from moving or slipping off the
jack, even if the vehicle is in P (Park) (automatic transaxle) or R
(Reverse) (manual transaxle).
To prevent the vehicle from moving when you change a tire, be
sure the parking brake is set, then block (in both directions) the
wheel that is diagonally opposite (other side and end of the vehicle) to
the tire being changed.
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196

44X4 vehicles exposed for prolonged periods to temperatures less than
±40É C (-40É F) should change out the rear axle fluid to Motorcraft SAE
75W-140 Synthetic Rear Axle Lubricant, Ford part number
XY-75W140±QL meeting Ford specification WSL-M2C192±A.
ENGINE DATA
Engine 2.0L DOHC I4 Zetec
engine3.0L DOHC V6
Duratec engine
Cubic inches 121 181
Required fuel 87 octane 87 octane
Firing order 1-3-4-2 1-4-2-5-3-6
Spark plug gap 1.22-1.32 mm
(0.048-0.052 inch)1.32-1.42 mm
(0.052-00.056 inch)
Ignition system DIS Coil on plug
Compression ratio 9.6:1 10.0:1
VEHICLE DIMENSIONS
Dimensions 4 Door mm (in.)
(1) Vehicle height/ Maximum
height*1 755 (69.1)/1 774 (69.8)*
(2) Front track / rear 1 551 (61.1)/1 530 (60.2)
(3)Overall width (body) 1 780 (70.1)
(4) Wheelbase 2 620 (103.1)
(5)Overall length 4 393 (173.0)
* Denotes a 4x4 vehicle with optional 16º tires
Maintenance and Specifications
267