2003 FORD E SERIES tires

Habits
•Smooth, moderate operation can yield up to 10% savings in fuel.
•Steady speeds without stopping will usually give the best fuel
economy.
•Idling for long periods of time (greater than one minute) may waste
fuel.
•Anticipate stopping; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop.
•Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel economy.
•Slow down gradually.
•Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 88 km/h [55 mph] uses 15%
less fuel than traveling at 105 km/h [65 mph]).
•Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
•Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
•You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if
unnecessary shifting between third and fourth gear occurs.
Unnecessary shifting of this type could result in reduced fuel
economy.
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant specificationsin
this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle scheduled maintenance guide.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
Maintenance and Specifications
200

3. Carefully separate the two halves
of the air filter housing.
4. Remove the air filter element
from the housing.
5. Install a new air filter element. Be careful not to crimp the filter
element edges between the air filter housing. This could cause filter
damage and allow unfiltered air to enter the engine if not properly
seated.
6. Replace the two halves of the air filter housing and secure the clamp.
7. Connect the fresh air inlet tube to the radiator support.
INFORMATION ABOUT UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
New vehicles are fitted with tires
that have a rating on them called
Tire Quality Grades. The Quality
grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For
example:
•Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
These Tire Quality Grades are determined by standards that the United
States Department of Transportation has set.
Tire Quality Grades apply to new pneumatic tires for use on passenger
cars. They do not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches or limited production tires as defined in
Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 575.104(c)(2).
U.S. Department of Transportation-Tire quality grades:The U.S.
Department of Transportation requires Ford to give you the following
information about tire grades exactly as the government has written it.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
Maintenance and Specifications
207

government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices, and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature A B C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Maintenance and Specifications
208

SERVICING YOUR TIRES
Tire inflation information
The E550 vehicles are equipped with a tire that is an all-steel radial.
All-steel radial tires utilize steel cords in the sidewalls, and also require
increased inflation pressures of up to 95 psi. As such, they cannot be
treated like normal light truck tires. Tire service, including adjusting tire
pressure, must be performed by personnel trained, supervised and
equipped according to Federal Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) regulations. For example, during any procedure
involving tire inflation, the technician or individual must utilize a remote
inflation device, and insure that all persons are clear of the trajectory
area.
WARNINGAn inflated tire and rim can be very dangerous if
improperly used, serviced or maintained. To reduce the risk of
serious injury, never attempt to re-inflate a tire which has been run flat
or seriously under-inflated without first removing the tire from the
wheel assembly for inspection. Do not attempt to add air to tires or
replace tires or wheels without first taking precautions to protect
persons and property.
Maintenance and Specifications
209

Tire rotation
Because your vehicle’s tires perform different jobs, they often wear
differently. To make sure your tires wear evenly and last longer, rotate
them as indicated in the scheduled maintenance guide. If you notice that
the tires wear unevenly, have them checked.
The following procedure applies to vehicles equipped with single rear
wheels, if your vehicle is equipped with dual rear wheels it is
recommended that only the front wheels be rotated (side to side).
•Four tire rotation
•Five tire rotation
Maintenance and Specifications
210

Replacing the tires
Replace the tires when the wear
band is visible through the tire
treads. Due to exposure to the
elements and exhaust you should
replace the spare tire when you
replace the other tires.
When replacing full size tires, never mix radial bias-belted, or
bias-type tires. Use only the tire sizes that are listed on the
Certification Label. 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 handling may be affected which can lead to loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover and/or personal injury.
Make sure that all replacement tires are of the same size, type,
speed rating, load-carrying capacity and tread design (e.g.,“All
Terrain”,“Touring”, etc.), as originally offered by Ford.
Do not replace your tires with“high performance”tires or larger
size tires.
Failure to follow these precautions may adversely affect the
handling of the vehicle, and increase the risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover and/or personal injury.
Tires that are larger or smaller than your vehicle’s original tires may also
affect the accuracy of your speedometer.
SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
Snow tires must be the same size and grade as the tires you
currently have on your vehicle.
The tires on your vehicle have all weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, you may need to use snow
Maintenance and Specifications
211

tires and chains. If you need to use chains, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and specifications) be used, as chains may chip
aluminum wheels.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
•Use only SAE Class S chains.
•Install chains securely, verifying that the chains do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
•Drive 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.
•If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
•Remove the tire chains when they are no longer needed. Do not use
tire chains on dry roads.
•The suspension insulation and bumpers will help prevent vehicle
damage. Do not remove these components from your vehicle when
using snow tires and chains.
MOTORCRAFT PART NUMBERS
Component14.2L V6 engine 4.6L V8
engine5.4L V8
engine6.8L V10
engine
Air filter element FA-1634 FA-1634 FA-1634 FA-1634
Battery
(standard)BXT-65-750 BXT-65-750 BXT-65-750 BXT-65-750
Battery
(auxiliary)BH-65DC BH-65DC BH-65DC BH-65DC
Fuel filter FG-872 FG-872 FG-872 FG-872
Oil filter FL-400-S FL-820-S FL-820-S FL-820-S
PCV valve EV-251 EV-233 EV-233 EV-233
Spark plugs
2AGSF-34EEM3AWSF-32PP4AGSF-22W AGSF-22W
1Refer to the7.3 Liter Power Stroke Direct Injection Turbo Diesel
Owner’s Guide Supplementfor Motorcraft diesel engine service part
numbers.
2Refer to Vehicle Emissions Control Information (VECI) decal for spark
plug gap information.
Maintenance and Specifications
212

Seats ............................................75
child safety seats ......................99
Servicing your vehicle ..............176
Spare tire (see Changing the
Tire) ...........................................147
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................212, 220
Special notice
ambulance conversions ..............6
diesel-powered vehicles .............6
utility-type vehicles ....................6
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................217, 220
Speed control ..............................67
Starting your vehicle ........111–113
jump starting ..........................155
Steering wheel
tilting .........................................62
T
Temperature control
(see Climate control) ...........50, 52
Tires ...................................207–209
changing ..........................147–148
replacing ..........................150, 211
rotating ....................................210
snow tires and chains ............211
tire grades ...............................208
treadwear ................................207
Towing .......................................124
recreational towing .................136trailer towing ..........................124
wrecker ....................................160
Traction-lok rear axle ...............116
Transmission .............................117
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................204
fluid, refill capacities ..............213
lubricant specifications ..217, 220
Trunk ...........................................70
Turn signal ..................................54
V
Vehicle dimensions ...................220
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ..........................................222
Vehicle loading ..........................122
Ventilating your vehicle ...........114
W
Warning lights (see Lights) .......10
Washer fluid ..............................178
Water, Driving through .............121
Windows
power .........................................66
Windshield washer fluid and
wipers ..........................................61
checking and adding fluid .....178
replacing wiper blades .............61
Wrecker towing .........................160
Index
231