2003 FORD F250 height

5. Place the height adjusters onto
the back of the storage
compartment door. Add as many
adjusters needed to activate the
garage door opener.
6. Close the storage compartment
door and press the garage door
opener control to verify that it
works. If not, you may need to add
more adjusters.
One-touch moon roof (if equipped)
With trip computer
Without trip computer
Toopenthe moon roof using the one-touch operation switch:
•Press and release the rear portion of the one-touch moon roof control.
•To halt motion at any point during one-touch opening, press the
control a second time.
Toclosethe moon roof:
•Press and hold the front portion of the moon roof control. Release the
control to stop the roof closing at any position.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driver Controls
51

The driver and front outboard passenger safety belt system (including
retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be replaced if the vehicle
is involved in a collision that results in the activation of the safety belt
pretensioners. Refer to theSafety belt maintenancesection in this
chapter.
Failure to replace the safety belt assembly under the above
conditions could result in severe personal injuries in the event of
a collision.
Front safety belt height adjustment
If your shoulder belts come out of the seatback, you will not have a
safety belt height adjuster.
Adjust the height of the shoulder belt so the belt rests across the middle
of your shoulder.
•Regular Cab and 4–door CrewCab
•4–door Super Cab (if equipped)
To adjust the shoulder belt height, push the button and slide the height
adjuster up or down. Release the button and pull down on the height
adjuster to make sure it is locked in place.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
83

Position the safety belt height adjusters so that the belt rests
across the middle of your shoulder. Failure to adjust the safety
belt properly could reduce the effectiveness of the seat belt and
increase the risk of injury in a collision.
Lap belts
Adjusting the lap belt
The lap belt should fit snugly and as low as possible around the
hips, not across the waist.
•1st row and 3rd row (if equipped) center seating positions
The lap belt does not adjust automatically.
Insert the tongue into the correct
buckle (the buckle closest to the
direction the tongue is coming
from). To lengthen the belt, turn the
tongue at a right angle to the belt
and pull across your lap until it
reaches the buckle. To tighten the
belt, pull the loose end of the belt
through the tongue until it fits
snugly across the hips.
Shorten and fasten the belt when
not in use.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
84

8. Confirmation of enabling BeltMinder is provided by:
•The safety belt warning light flashing four times per second for three
seconds.
•Followed by three seconds with the safety belt warning light off.
•Once again, the safety belt warning light will flash four times per
second for three seconds.
9. After receiving confirmation, the deactivation/activation procedure is
complete.
Safety belt extension assembly
If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, there is a 20 cm (8
inch) safety belt extension assembly that can be added (part number
611C22). This assembly can be obtained from your dealer at no cost.
Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the safety
belt. Manufacturer identification is located at the end of the webbing on
the label. Also, use the safety belt extension only if the safety belt is too
short for you when fully extended.
Do not use extensions to change the fit of the shoulder belt
across the torso.
Safety belt maintenance
Inspect the safety belt systems periodically to make sure they work
properly and are not damaged. Inspect the safety belts to make sure
there are no nicks, tears or cuts. Replace if necessary. All safety belt
assemblies, including retractors, buckles, front seat belt buckle
assemblies, buckle support assemblies (slide bar-if equipped), shoulder
belt height adjusters (if equipped), shoulder belt guide on seatback (if
equipped), child safety seat LATCH and tether anchors, and attaching
hardware, should be inspected after a collision. Ford Motor Company
recommends that all safety belt assemblies used in vehicles involved in a
collision be replaced. However, if the collision was minor and a qualified
technician finds that the belts do not show damage and continue to
operate properly, they do not need to be replaced. Safety belt assemblies
not in use during a collision should also be inspected and replaced if
either damage or improper operation is noted.
Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the safety belt
assembly under the above conditions could result in severe
personal injuries in the event of a collision.
Refer toInteriorin theCleaningchapter.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
89

Preparing to tow
Use the proper equipment for towing a trailer and make sure it is
properly attached to your vehicle. See your dealer or a reliable trailer
dealer if you require assistance.
Hitches
Do not use hitches that clamp onto the vehicle’s bumper or attach to the
axle. You must distribute the load in your trailer so that 10%–15% of the
total weight of the trailer is on the tongue.
Load equalizing hitch
When hooking up a trailer using a load equalizing hitch, always use the
following procedure:
1. Park the unloaded vehicle on a level surface. With the ignition on and
all doors closed, allow the vehicle to stand for several minutes so that it
can level.
2. Measure the height of a reference point on the front and rear bumpers
at the center of the vehicle.
3. Attach the trailer to the vehicle and adjust the hitch equalizers so that
the front bumper height is within 0–13 mm (0.5 in) of the reference
point. After proper adjustment, the rear bumper should be no higher
than in Step 2.
Note:Adjusting an equalizing hitch so the rear bumper of the vehicle is
higher than it was unloaded will defeat the function of the load
equalizing hitch and may cause unpredictable handling.
Safety chains
Always connect the trailer’s safety chains to the frame or hook retainers
of the vehicle hitch. To connect the trailer’s safety chains, cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow slack for turning corners.
If you use a rental trailer, follow the instructions that the rental agency
gives to you.
Do not attach safety chains to the bumper.
Trailer brakes
Electric brakes and manual, automatic or surge-type trailer brakes are
safe if installed properly and adjusted to the manufacturer’s
specifications. The trailer brakes must meet local and Federal
regulations.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driving
167

The TARC is the weight of the permanently attached equipment that can
be added to the vehicle without violating the vehicle’s Safety Compliance
Certification. This includes the snowplow mounting hardware but does
not include the removable portion of the snowplow assembly.
Installing the snowplow
Read the following instructions before installing a snowplow:
•Front GAWR must not exceed 63% of the GVW. Add ballast weight to
the back of the vehicle, if necessary. Refer to the Safety Compliance
Certification Label to find your vehicle’s front GAWR.
•The Front Axle Accessory Reserve Capacity and the TARC listed on
the bottom right of the Safety Compliance Certification Label will
determine whether or not the addition of a snowplow will overload
your vehicle.
•The weight of the snowplow and supporting components distributed to
the front axle must not exceed the Front Axle Accessory Reserve
Capacity.
•The total weight of the snowplow and aftermarket equipment must
not exceed the TARC.
•The weight of the installed snowplow and aftermarket equipment must
not load the vehicle beyond the GAWR (front/rear) and GVWR listed
on the Safety Compliance Certification Label.
•The total weight of the snowplow and aftermarket equipment must be
considered part of the payload and must not exceed the GCWR for
towing.
•Federal and most local regulations require additional exterior lamps
for snowplow-equipped vehicles. Consult your dealer for additional
information.
•Tires have their maximum inflation pressure and associated load rating
imprinted on the tire sidewall. This pressure may or may not be the
same as that shown as recommended on the vehicle. The vehicle
operator may have to adjust the tire inflation pressure to
accommodate the snowplow and payload. Consult your dealer or
equipment installer for help with proper inflation pressures.
•Federal and some local regulations require additional exterior lamps
for snowplow-equipped vehicles. Consult your dealer for additional
information.
•After installing a snowplow to the vehicle, ensure the vehicle’s front
toe alignment and front ride height are within specification (reset if
required). These specifications are located in the vehicle’s Workshop
Manual.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driving
171

Note:Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
certification label.
Removing snowplow
After removing a snowplow from the vehicle, ensure the vehicle’s front
toe alignment and front ride height are within specification (reset if
required).
Snowplowing with your air bag-equipped vehicle
Your vehicle is equipped with a driver and passenger air bag
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) The SRS is designed to activate in
certain frontal and offset frontal collisions when the vehicle sustains
sufficient longitudinal deceleration.
Careless or high speed driving while plowing snow which results in
sufficient vehicle decelerations can deploy the air bag. Such driving also
increases the risk of accidents.
All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag (SRS) is
provided.
Never remove or defeat the“tripping mechanisms”designed into the
snow removal equipment by its manufacturer. Doing so may cause
damage to the vehicle and the snow removal equipment as well as
possible air bag deployment.
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the Air Bag
Supplemental Restraint System or its fuses. See your Ford or
Lincoln Mercury dealer.
Additional equipment such as snowplow equipment may effect
the performance of the air bag sensors increasing the risk of
injury. Please refer to the Body Builders Layout Book for instructions
about the appropriate installation of additional equipment.
Engine temperature while plowing
When driving with a snowplow, your engine may run at a higher
temperature than normal because the attached snowplow blade will
restrict airflow to the radiator.
If you are driving more than 24 km (15 miles) at temperatures above
freezing, angle the plow blade either full left or full right to provide
maximum airflow to the radiator.
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driving
172

ENGINE DATA
Engine* 5.4L V8 engine 6.8L V10 engine
Cubic inches 330 415
Required fuel 87 octane 87 octane
Firing order 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 1-6-5-10-2-7-3-8-4-9
Spark plug gap1.3-1.4 mm
(0.052-0.056 inch)1.3-1.4 mm
(0.052-0.056 inch)
Ignition system Coil on plug Coil on plug
Compression ratio 9.0:1 9.0:1
*Refer to the6.0 Liter Power Stroke Direct Injection Turbo Diesel
Owner’s Guide Supplementfor Motorcraft diesel engine service part
numbers.
VEHICLE DIMENSIONS
F250–Regular and Super Cab
Dimension Body style
Regular
Cab 4x2Regular
Cab 4x4Super Cab
4x2Super Cab
4x4
(1) Overall
height1935 mm
(76.2 in)2005 mm
(78.9 in)1943 mm
(76.5 in)
b2008 mm
(79.0 in)b
(2) Track
(Front /
Rear)1736 mm
(68.3 in) /
1729 mm
(68 in)1736 mm
(68.3 in) /
1729.3 mm
(68 in)1736 mm
(68.3 in) /
1729.3 mm
(68 in)1736 mm
(68.3 in) /
1729.3 mm
(68 in)
(3) Overall
width2031 mm
(79.9 in)2031 mm
(79.9 in)2031 mm
(79.9 in)2031 mm
(79.9 in)
(4)
Wheelbase3479.8 mm
(137 in)3479.8 mm
(137 in)3610.7 mm
(141.8 in)
a
4013.2 mm
(158 in)b
3610.7 mm
(141.8 in)a
4013.2 mm
(158 in)b
2003 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
260