2003 FORD F250 heating

Introduction 4
Instrument Cluster 12
Warning and control lights 12
Gauges 15
Entertainment Systems 19
AM/FM stereo 19
AM/FM stereo cassette 21
AM/FM stereo cassette with CD 23
AM/FM stereo with CD 27
CD changer 31
Climate Controls 35
Heater only 35
Manual heating and air conditioning 36
Lights 38
Headlamps 38
Turn signal control 41
Bulb replacement 42
Driver Controls 48
Windshield wiper/washer control 48
Steering wheel adjustment 49
Moon roof 51
Power windows 52
Mirrors 53
Speed control 56
Message center 59
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1

Speedometer:Indicates the
current vehicle speed.
Engine coolant temperature
gauge:Indicates engine coolant
temperature. At normal operating
temperature, the needle will be in
the normal range (between“H”and
“C”).If it enters the red section,
the engine is overheating. Stop
the vehicle as soon as safely
possible, switch off the engine
and let the engine cool.
Never remove the coolant reservoir cap while the engine is
running or hot.
Odometer:Registers the total
kilometers (miles) of the vehicle.
Trip odometer:Registers the
kilometers (miles) of individual
journeys. Press the control once to
switch from the odometer to the
trip odometer. To reset the trip,
press the control again until the trip reading is 0.0 miles.
Tachometer:Indicates the engine
speed in revolutions per minute.
Driving with your tachometer
pointer continuously at the top of
the scale may damage the engine.
DPRND2
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Instrument Cluster
16

Transmission fluid temperature gauge (automatic transmission
only):If the gauge is in the:
White area(normal) - the
transmission fluid is within the
normal operating temperature
(between“H”and“C”).
Yellow area(warning)—the
transmission fluid is higher than
normal operating temperature. This
can be caused by special operation
conditions (i.e. snowplowing, towing
or off road use). Refer toSpecial
Operating Conditionsin the
scheduled maintenance guide for
instructions. Operating the
transmission for extended periods of
time with the gauge in the yellow
area may cause internal transmission damage.
Altering the severity of the driving conditions is recommended to lower
the transmission temperature into the normal range.
Red area(over temperature)—
the transmission fluid is overheating.
Stop the vehicle to allow the
temperature to return to normal
range.
If the gauge is operating in the
Yellow or Red area, stop the vehicle
and verify the airflow is not
restricted such as snow or debris
blocking airflow through the grill. If
the gauge continues to show high
temperatures, see your Ford dealer.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Instrument Cluster
18

To aid in side window defogging/demisting in cold weather:
1. Select
2. Set the temperature control to full heat
3. Set the fan speed to the highest setting.
4. Direct the outer instrument panel vents towards the side windows
To increase airflow to the outer instrument panel vents, close the vents
located in the middle of the instrument panel.
Do not place objects on top of the instrument panel as these
objects may become projectiles in a collision or sudden stop.
MANUAL HEATING AND AIR
CONDITIONING SYSTEM
1.Fan speed adjustment:Controls
the volume of air circulated in the
vehicle.
2.Temperature selection:
Controls the temperature of the airflow in the vehicle.
3.Air flow selections:Controls the direction of the airflow in the
vehicle. See the following for a brief description on each control.
MAX A/C:Uses recirculated air to cool the vehicle. Air flows from the
instrument panel vents only.
A/C:Uses outside air to cool the vehicle. Air flows from the instrument
panel vents only.
:Distributes outside air through the instrument panel vents.
OFF:Outside air is shut out and the fan will not operate.
:Distributes outside air through the instrument panel vents and the
floor vents.
:Distributes outside air through the floor vents.
:Distributes outside air through the windshield defroster vents and
floor vents.
:Distributes outside air through the windshield defroster vents.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Climate Controls
36

Heated outside mirrors(if equipped)
The main mirror glass is heated
automatically to remove ice, mist
and fog and activates when the
vehicle is started.
Note:The mirrors may behotto
the touch but will not burn. This is
a normal condition.
The mirror heating elements are
designed to operate regardless of
the geographic location of the
vehicle. There is no switch to turn on, or other operator involvement
required other than to start the vehicle.
The spotter mirror, below the main mirror, is not heated and must be
adjusted manually.
Do not remove ice from the mirrors with a scraper or attempt to
readjust the mirror glass if it is frozen in place. These actions
could cause damage to the glass and mirrors.
Signal mirrors (if equipped)
Mirror mounted side turn signal indicator (if equipped)
When the vehicle turn signals are
activated, the outer portion of the
mirror housing will blink amber.
The turn signal feature can be seen
by other drivers who may approach
from the rear of the vehicle.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driver Controls
54

Using the engine block heater (if equipped)
Use of an engine block heater is
strongly recommended if you live in
a region where temperatures reach
-23°C (-10°F) or below. For best
results, plug the heater in at least
three hours before starting the
vehicle. The heater can be plugged
in the night before starting the
vehicle. The plug for the block
heater is exposed in the front of the
vehicle, beneath the grille. Vehicles
equipped with a gasoline engine have the plug exposed on the driver
side of the vehicle; vehicles equipped with a Diesel engine have the plug
exposed on the passenger side of the vehicle.
To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use your heater
with ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged (cheater)
adapters.
Guarding against exhaust fumes
Carbon monoxide is present in exhaust fumes. Take precautions to avoid
its dangerous effects.
If you smell exhaust fumes inside your vehicle, have your dealer
inspect your vehicle immediately. Do not drive if you smell
exhaust fumes.
Important ventilating information
If the engine is idling while the vehicle is stopped for a long period of
time, open the windows at least 2.5 cm (one inch) or adjust the heating
or air conditioning to bring in fresh air.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driving
114

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
turn around 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; instead,
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’tbe
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
“pump”the brakes.
Driving on snow and ice
4WD 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.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driving
141

If you are driving less than 24 km (15 miles) at speeds up to 64 km/h
(40 mph) in cold weather, you will not need to worry about blade
position to provide maximum airflow.
Refer toTransmission temperaturegauge in theInstrument cluster
chapter for transmission fluid temperature information.
4WD operation while plowing
•Shift transfer case to 4x4 LOW (4WD Low) when plowing in small
areas at speeds below 8 km/h (5 mph).
•
Shift transfer case to 4x4 HIGH (4WD High) when plowing larger areas
or light snow at higher speeds. Do not exceed 24 km/h (15 mph).
•Do not shift the transmission from a forward gear to R (Reverse) until
the engine is at idle and the wheels are stopped.
•If the vehicle is stuck, shift the transmission in a steady motion
between forward and reverse gears. Do not rock the vehicle for more
than a few minutes. The transmission and tires may be damaged or
the engine can overheat.
It is the owner’s responsibility to avoid engine overheating which
can cause damage.
Refer toTransmission temperature gaugein theInstrument cluster
chapter for transmission fluid temperature information.
Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (55 km/h). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driving
173