2003 FORD EXPLORER parking brake

Check fuel cap (if equipped):
Illuminates when the fuel cap may
not be properly installed. Continued
driving with this light on may cause
the Service engine soon light to
come on.
Brake system warning light:To
confirm the brake system warning
light is functional, it will
momentarily illuminate when the
ignition is turned to the ON position when the engine is not running, or
in a position between ON and START, or by applying the parking brake
when the ignition is turned to the ON position. If the brake system
warning light does not illuminate at this time, seek service immediately
from your dealership. Illumination after releasing the parking brake
indicates low brake fluid level and the brake system should be inspected
immediately by your servicing dealership.
Driving a vehicle with the brake system warning light on is
dangerous. A significant decrease in braking performance may
occur. It will take you longer to stop the vehicle. Have the vehicle
checked by your dealer immediately.
Anti-lock brake system:If the
ABS light stays illuminated or
continues to flash, a malfunction has
been detected, have the system
serviced immediately. Normal
braking is still functional unless the brake warning light also is
illuminated.
Air bag readiness:If this light fails
to illuminate when ignition is turned
to ON, continues to flash or remains
on, have the system serviced
immediately. A chime will also
sound when a malfunction in the supplemental restraint system has been
detected.
CHECK
FUEL
CAP
ABS
Instrument Cluster
11

HEADLAMP CONTROL
Turns the lamps off.
Turns on the parking lamps,
instrument panel lamps, license
plate lamps and tail lamps.
Turns the headlamps on.
Autolamp delay system
The autolamp system sets the headlamps to turn on and off
automatically. The autolamp control, located on the headlamp control,
may be set to:
•turn on the lamps automatically at night
•turn off the lamps automatically during the daylight
•keep the lamps on for up to three minutes after the key is turned to
OFF.
To turn the autolamps on, rotate the control counterclockwise to
.
Foglamp control (if equipped)
The foglamps can be turned on only
when the headlamp control is in
the
,andposition and
the high beams are not turned on.
Pull headlamp control towards you
to turn foglamps on. The foglamp
indicator light
will illuminate
when foglamp is activated.
Push the headlamp control towards the instrument panel to deactivate
the foglamps.
Daytime running lamps (DRL) (if equipped)
Turns the headlamps on with a reduced output. To activate:
•the ignition must be in the ON position and
•the headlamp control is in the OFF or Parking lamps position
•the parking brake must be disengaged.
A
A
Lights
33

Replacing front parking lamp/turn signal/sidemarker bulbs
1. Turn off the headlamp switch to
off.
2. Remove headlamp screw from the
bulb assembly.
3. Disengage lamp assembly.
4. Rotate the bulb socket
counterclockwise and remove it
from the lamp assembly.
5. Pull the bulb straight out.
Reverse steps to reinstall bulb(s).
Replacing tail/brake/turn/backup lamp bulbs
1. Turn the headlamp switch to OFF
and open the liftgate.
2. Remove the two screws from the
lamp assembly.
3. Remove the lamp assembly.
4. Rotate the bulb socket
counterclockwise and remove it
from the lamp assembly.
5. Pull the bulb straight out of the
socket.
Reverse steps to reinstall bulb(s).
Lights
40

Reasons given... Consider...
“Traffic is light”Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in single-vehicle
crashes,many when no other vehicles are around.
“Belts wrinkle my
clothes”Possibly, but a serious crash can do much more
than wrinkle your clothes, particularly if you are
unbelted.
“The people I’m
with don’t wear
belts”Set the example, teen deaths occur 4 times more
often in vehicles with TWO or MORE people.
Children and younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.
“I have an air bag”Air bags offer greater protection when used with
safety belts. Frontal airbags are not designed to
inflate in rear and side crashes or rollovers.
“I’d rather be
thrown clear”Not a good idea.Peoplewho areejected are 40
times more likely to DIE.Safety belts help
prevent ejection, WE CAN’T“PICK OUR CRASH”.
Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt to avoid the Belt
Minder chime. Sitting on the safety belt will increase the risk of
injury in an accident. To disable (one-time) or deactivate the Belt
Minder feature please follow the directions stated below.
One time disable
Any time the safety belt is buckled and then unbuckled during an
ignition ON cycle, BeltMinder will be disabled for that ignition cycle only.
Deactivating/activating the BeltMinder feature
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
•the parking brake is set
•the gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic transmission) or the neutral
position (manual transmission).
•the ignition switch is in the OFF position
•all vehicle doors are closed
•the driver’s safety belt is unbuckled
•the parklamps/headlamps are in OFF position (If vehicle is equipped
with Autolamps, the Autolamps featureMUSTbe turned off.)
Read steps1-9thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
Seating and Safety Restraints
111

STARTING
Positions of the ignition
1. OFF/LOCK, shuts off the engine
and all accessories/locks the steering
wheel, gearshift lever and allows key
removal.
2. ACC, allows the electrical
accessories such as the radio to
operate while the engine is not
running. This position also unlocks
the steering wheel.
3. ON, all electrical circuits
operational. Warning lights illuminated. Key position when driving.
4. START, cranks the engine. Release the key as soon as the engine
starts.
Important safety precautions
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.
Before starting the vehicle:
1. Make sure all occupants buckle 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 electrical accessories are off.
•Make sure the parking brake is
set.
4
3
2
1
Driving
134

brake pedal pulsation may be observed during ABS braking; any
pulsations or mechanical noise you may feel or hear is normal.
ABS warning lamp
ABS
TheABSlamp in the instrument cluster momentarily illuminates when
the ignition is turned to ON. If the light does not illuminate during start
up, remains on or flashes, the ABS may be disabled and the ABS may
need to be serviced.
Even when the ABS is disabled,
normal braking is still effective. (If
your BRAKE warning lamp
illuminates with the parking brake
released, have your brake system serviced immediately.)
Brake Assist (if equipped as part of the AdvanceTracsystem)
The Brake Assist system provides full braking force during panic braking
situations. It detects a rapid application of the brake pedal and
maximizes the amount of brake booster assist, helping the driver to
achieve maximum braking pressure. Once a panic brake application is
detected, the system will remain activated as long as the brake pedal is
depressed. The system is deactivated by releasing the brake pedal.
When the system activates, the brake pedal will travel with very little
effort; this is normal.
Parking brake
Apply the parking brake whenever
the vehicle is parked. To set the
parking brake, press the parking
brake pedal down until the pedal
stops.
The BRAKE warning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates and
remains illuminated (when the
ignition is turned ON) until the
parking brake is released.
!
BRAKE
Driving
138

Always set the parking brake fully and make sure that the
gearshift is securely latched in P (Park).
The parking brake is not recommended to stop a moving vehicle.
However, if the normal brakes fail, the parking brake can be used to stop
your vehicle in an emergency. Since the parking brake applies only the
rear brakes, the vehicle’s stopping distance will increase greatly and the
handling of your vehicle will be adversely affected.
Pull the release lever to release the
brake. Driving with the parking
brake on will cause the brakes to
wear out quickly and reduce fuel
economy.
ADVANCETRACSTABILITY ENHANCEMENT SYSTEM
(IF EQUIPPED)
The AdvanceTrac
system provides a stability enhancement feature as
well as a traction enhancement feature. It helps your vehicle maintain
traction, when driving on slippery and/or hilly road surfaces, by detecting
and controlling wheel spin. Excessive wheel spin is controlled by
momentarily reducing engine power and rapidly applying the anti-lock
brakes. The system is a driver aid which makes your vehicle easier to
handle primarily on snow and ice-covered roads.
If your vehicle should become stuck in deep snow or mud, try switching
the AdvanceTrac
system off by pressing the AdvanceTrac
button.
This will allow your tires to“dig”for traction.
If the AdvanceTrac
system is activated excessively in a short period of
time, the brake portion of the system will shut down to allow the brakes
to cool down. A limited AdvanceTrac
function using only engine power
reduction will still help control the wheels from over-spinning. When the
brakes have cooled down, the system will again function normally.
Anti-lock braking is not affected by this condition and will function
normally during the cool-down period.
Driving
139

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.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION
Brake-shift interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a brake-shift interlock feature that prevents
the gearshift lever from being moved from P (Park) when the ignition is
in the ON position unless brake pedal is depressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift lever out of P (Park) with ignition in
the ON position and the brake pedal depressed:
1. Apply the parking brake, turn ignition key to LOCK, then remove the
key.
2. Locate the access cover plate to
the brake-shift interlock override. It
is located on the underside of the
steering column.
Driving
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