Driving on snow and ice
4WD vehicles can skid like any other vehicle. If you start to skid while
driving on a snowy or icy road, turn the steering wheel in the direction
of the slide until you regain control. Although a 4WD vehicle may
accelerate better than a two-wheel drive vehicle in snow and ice, it won’t
stop any faster.
Don’t press hard on the accelerator or brake pedal or make quick
steering changes while on snow or ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and
steadily when starting from a full stop. If your vehicle is equipped with
ABS, apply the brake steadily. Do not “pump” the brakes. Refer to the
Brakessection of this chapter for additional information on the
operation of the anti-lock brake system. If your vehicle is not equipped
with ABS, use a “squeeze” braking technique. Push on the brake pedal
with a steadily increasing force which allows the wheels to brake yet
continue to roll so that you may steer in the direction you want to travel.
If you lock the wheels, release the brake pedal and repeat the squeeze
technique.
Never drive with chains on the front tires of 4WD vehicles without also
putting them on the rear tires. This could cause the rear to slide and
swing around during braking.
Maintenance and Modifications
Ford strongly recommends that you do not add or remove steering or
suspension parts (such as lift kits or stabilizer bars) or by using
replacement parts not equivalent to the original factory equipment. Do
not use aftermarket “lift kits” or other suspension modifications. These
could adversely affect the vehicle’s handling characteristics, which could
lead to loss of vehicle control or roll over and serious injury. Frequent
inspection of vehicle chassis components is recommended if the vehicle
is subjected to heavy off-road usage.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
If driving through deep or standing water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly especially if the depth is not known. Never drive through water
that is higher than the bottom of the hubs (for trucks) or the bottom of
the wheel rims (for cars). Traction or brake capability may be limited
and your vehicle may stall. Water may also enter your engine’s air intake
and severely damage your engine.
Once through the water, always dry the brakes by moving your vehicle
slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal. Wet brakes do
not stop the vehicle as quickly as dry brakes.Driving through deep
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•Remove particles such as bird droppings, tree sap, insect deposits, tar
spots, road salt and industrial fallout before repairing paint chips.
•Always read the instructions before using the products.
ALUMINUM WHEELS AND WHEEL COVERS
Aluminum wheels and wheel covers are coated with a clearcoat paint
finish. In order to maintain their shine:
•Clean weekly with Motorcraft Wheel and Tire Cleaner (ZC-37–A),
which is available from your dealer. Heavy dirt and brake dust
accumulation may require agitation with a sponge. Rinse thoroughly
with a strong stream of water.
•Never apply any cleaning chemical to hot or warm wheel rims or
covers.
•Some automatic car washes may cause damage to the finish on your
wheel rims or covers. Chemical-strength cleaners, or cleaning
chemicals, in combination with brush agitation to remove brake dust
and dirt, could wear away the clearcoat finish over time.
•Do not use hydrofluoric acid-based or high caustic-based wheel
cleaners, steel wool, fuels or strong household detergent.
•To remove tar and grease, use Ford Extra Strength Tar and Road Oil
Removal (B7A-19520–AA), available from your dealer.
ENGINE
Engines are more efficient when they are clean because grease and dirt
buildup keep the engine warmer than normal. When washing:
•Take care when using a power washer to clean the engine. The
high-pressure fluid could penetrate the sealed parts and cause
damage.
•Do not spray a hot engine with cold water to avoid cracking the
engine block or other engine components.
•Spray Motorcraft Engine Shampoo and Degreaser (ZC-20) on all parts
that require cleaning and pressure rinse clean.
•Cover the highlighted areas to prevent water damage when cleaning
the engine.
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