2003 FORD RANGER octane

clothing and wash skin thoroughly with soap and water. Repeated or
prolonged skin contact with fuel liquid or vapor causes skin irritation.
•Be particularly careful if you are taking“Antabuse”or other forms of
disulfiram for the treatment of alcoholism. Breathing gasoline and/or
ethanol vapors, or skin contact could cause an adverse reaction. In
sensitive individuals, serious personal injury or sickness may result. If
fuel is splashed on the skin, promptly wash skin thoroughly with soap
and water. Consult a physician immediately if you experience an
adverse reaction.
•FFV fuel tanks may contain zero to 85 percent ethanol. Any fuel
blends containing gasoline and ethanol should be treated the same as
“Fuel Ethanol”. To identify if your vehicle is an FFV, check your VIN
or the label on the inside of your fuel filler door. When checking the
VIN look for the engine type identifier (8th character). If your vehicle
is an FFV, then the character will be labeled as a“K.”
Pure ethanol is the alcohol which is the intoxicating agent in liquor, beer
and wine. It is distilled from the fermentation of plants such as field corn
and sugar cane. When ethanol is used in the making of motor fuels, a
small amount of a bad tasting chemical is added to discourage beverage
use. The resulting fuel is called E
d100 meaning 100% pure ethanol
diluted by 2% to 5% gasoline as the“denaturant.”
Fuel ethanol (summer blend
d) is then made by adding 15% more
unleaded gasoline. The resulting fuel also has a higher octane rating than
unleaded regular gasoline and other properties which allow engine
designs with greater efficiency and power.
Winter blends may contain up to 30% (E70)unleaded gasoline (25% plus
the denaturant) to enhance cold engine starts. Severely cold weather
may require additional measures for reliable starting. Refer toCold
Weather Startingin theDrivingchapter.
Ethanol is more chemically active than gasoline. It corrodes some metals
and causes some plastic and rubber components to swell, break down or
become brittle and crack, especially when mixed with gasoline. Special
materials and procedures have been developed for flexible fuel vehicles
and the dispensers used by ethanol fuel providers.
Flexible fuel components and standard unleaded gasoline fuel
components are not interchangeable. If your vehicle is not
serviced in accordance with flexible fuel vehicles procedures, damage
may occur and your warranty may be invalidated.
Maintenance and Specifications
207

If you must replace the fuel filler cap, replace it with a fuel filler
cap that is designed for your vehicle. The customer warranty may
be void for any damage to the fuel tank or fuel system if the
correct genuine Ford or Motorcraft fuel filler cap is not used.
The fuel system may be under pressure. If the fuel filler cap is
venting vapor or if you hear a hissing sound, wait until it stops
before completely removing the fuel filler cap. Otherwise, fuel may
spray out and injure you or others.
If you do not use the proper fuel filler cap, excessive pressure or
vacuum in the fuel tank may damage the fuel system or cause
the fuel cap to disengage in a collision, which may result in possible
personal injury.
Choosing the right fuel
Use only UNLEADED FUEL. The use of leaded fuel is prohibited by law
and could damage your vehicle.
If your vehicle is a flexible fuel vehicle (FFV), use only UNLEADED
FUEL and (E85) ETHANOL. The use of leaded fuel is prohibited by law
and could damage your vehicle.
Do not use fuel containing methanol. It can damage critical fuel system
components.
Your vehicle was not designed to use fuel or fuel additives with metallic
compounds, including manganese-based compounds containing MMT.
Repairs to correct the effects of using a fuel for which your vehicle was
not designed may not be covered by your warranty.
Octane recommendations
Do not be concerned if your engine
sometimes knocks lightly. However,
if it knocks heavily under most
driving conditions while you are
using fuel with the recommended
octane rating, see your dealer or a qualified service technician to prevent
any engine damage.
Unleaded Gasoline engines
Your vehicle is designed to use“Regular”unleaded gasoline with an
(R+M)/2 octane rating of 87. We do not recommend the use of gasolines
labeled as“Regular”that are sold with octane ratings of 86 or lower in
high altitude areas.
87(R+M)/2 METHOD
Maintenance and Specifications
209

FFV engine (if equipped)
Your vehicle is designed to use (E85) Fuel Ethanol,“Regular”unleaded
gasoline or any percentage of the two fuels combined.
U.S. government regulations require fuel ethanol dispensing
pumps to have a small, square, orange and black label with the
common abbreviation or the appropriate percentage for that
region. Use of other fuels such as Fuel Methanol may cause
powertrain damage, a loss of vehicle performance, and your
warranty may be invalidated.
Fuel quality
Many of the world’s automakers
issued the World-wide Fuel Charter
that recommends gasoline
specifications to provide improved
performance and emission control
system protection for your vehicle.
Gasolines that meet the World-wide
Fuel Charter should be used when
available. Ask your fuel supplier
about gasolines that meet the
World-wide Fuel Charter. In Canada,
look for fuels that display theAuto Makers’Choice
logo.
It should not be necessary to add any aftermarket products to your fuel
tank if you continue to use high quality fuel of the recommended octane
rating. Aftermarket products could cause damage to the fuel system.
Repairs to correct the effects of using an aftermarket product in your
fuel may not be covered by your warranty.
Unleaded Gasoline engines
If you are experiencing starting, rough idle or hesitation driveability
problems during a cold start, try a different brand of“Regular”unleaded
gasoline.“Premium”unleaded gasoline is not recommended (particularly
in the United States) because it may cause these problems to become
more pronounced. If the problems persist, see your dealer or a qualified
service technician.
FFV engine (if equipped)
Your FFV will operate well on ordinary“Regular”unleaded gasoline, but
only the highest quality fuel ethanol will provide the same level of
protection and performance. To identify if your vehicle is an FFV, check
your VIN or the label on the inside of your fuel filler door. When
Maintenance and Specifications
210

taking fuel economy measurements during the first 1,600 km (1,000
miles) of driving (engine break-in period). You will get a more accurate
measurement after 3,000 km–5,000 km (2,000 miles-3,000 miles).
Filling the tank
The advertised fuel capacity of the fuel tank on your vehicle is equal to
the rated refill capacity of the fuel tank as listed in theRefill capacities
section of this chapter.
The advertised capacity is the amount of the indicated capacity and the
empty reserve combined. Indicated capacity is the difference in the
amount of fuel in a full tank and a tank when the fuel gauge indicates
empty. Empty reserve is the small amount of fuel remaining in the fuel
tank after the fuel gauge indicates empty.
The amount of usable fuel in the empty reserve varies and should
not be relied upon to increase driving range. When refueling your
vehicle after the fuel gauge indicates empty, you might not be
able to refuel the full amount of the advertised capacity of the
fuel tank due to the empty reserve still present in the tank.
For consistent results when filling the fuel tank:
•Turn the engine/ignition switch to the off position prior to refueling,
an error in the reading will result if the engine is left running.
•Use the same filling rate setting (low—medium—high) each time
the tank is filled.
•Allow no more than 2 automatic click-offs when filling.
•Always use fuel with the recommended octane rating.
•Use a known quality gasoline, preferably a national brand.
•Use the same side of the same pump and have the vehicle facing the
same direction each time you fill up.
•Have the vehicle loading and distribution the same every time.
Your results will be most accurate if your filling method is consistent.
Calculating fuel economy
1. Fill the fuel tank completely and record the initial odometer reading
(in kilometers or miles).
2. Each time you fill the tank, record the amount of fuel added (in liters
or gallons).
3. After at least three to five tank fill-ups, fill the fuel tank and record
the current odometer reading.
Maintenance and Specifications
212

ENGINE DATA
Engine 2.3L I4 engine 3.0L V6 engine 4.0L V6 engine
Cubic inches 138 182 245
Required fuel 87 octane 87 octane 87 octane
Firing order 1-3-4-2 1-4-2-5-3-6 1-4-2-5-3-6
Spark plug gap1.04-1.19 mm
(0.041-0.047
inch)1.07-1.1 7mm
(0.042-0.046
inch)1.3-1.4 mm
(0.052-0.056
inch)
Ignition system EDIS EDIS EDIS
Compression
ratio9.7:19.7:1 9.0:1
VEHICLE DIMENSIONS
Vehicle
dimensionsRegular Cab
Short Wheel
Base (SWB) mm
(in)Regular Cab
Long Wheel
Base (LWB)
mm (in)Supercab mm
(in)
(1) Overall
length4 763 (187.5) 5 093 (200.5) 5 153 (202.9)
(2) Overall
width1 785 (70.3) 1 785 (70.3) 1 785 (70.3)
(3) Overall
height 4x2/4x41 593.5 (62.7) /
1 655 (65.2)1 596 (62.8) /
1 655 (65.2)1 599 (62.9) /
1 657 (65.2)
(4) Wheelbase 2 831 (111.4) 2 983 (117.4) 3 192 (125.7)
(5) Track -
Front1 486 (58.5) 1 486 (58.5) 1 485 (58.5)
(5) Track -
Rear1 455 (57.3) 1 455 (57.3) 1 455 (57.3)
Maintenance and Specifications
236

Exhaust fumes ..........................112
F
Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) ....205
Fluid capacities .........................229
Foglamps .....................................41
Four-Wheel Drive vehicles .......120
driving off road .......................123
electronic shift ................122–123
indicator light .........................121
lever operated shift ................121
preparing to drive your
vehicle .....................................114
Fuel ............................................205
calculating fuel economy .......211
cap ...........................................208
capacity ...................................229
choosing the right fuel ...........209
comparisons with EPA fuel
economy estimates .................214
detergent in fuel .....................211
filling your vehicle
with fuel ..................205, 208, 212
filter, specifications ........211, 229
fuel pump shut-off switch .....147
improving fuel economy ........211
octane rating ...................209, 236
quality ......................................210
running out of fuel .................211
safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................205
Fuel - flex fuel vehicle
(FFV) .................................205, 209
Fuses ..................................148–149
G
Gas cap (see Fuel cap) ............208Gas mileage
(see Fuel economy) .................211
Gauges .........................................13
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
Rating) .......................................132
calculating ...............................134
definition .................................132
driving with a heavy load ......132
location ....................................132
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) .......................................132
calculating .......................132, 134
definition .................................132
driving with a heavy load ......132
location ....................................132
H
Headlamps ...................................41
aiming ........................................42
bulb specifications ....................44
daytime running lights .............41
flash to pass ..............................42
high beam .................................42
replacing bulbs .........................46
turning on and off ....................41
Heating
heating and air
conditioning system ...........38–39
Hood ..........................................188
I
Ignition ...............................108, 236
Infant seats
(see Safety seats) .......................98
Inspection/maintenance (I/M)
testing ........................................216
Instrument panel
cleaning ...................................185
Index
245

cluster ........................................10
lighting up panel and
interior .......................................42
J
Jack ............................................158
positioning .......................158, 161
storage .............................158–160
Jump-starting your vehicle ......165
K
Keys
positions of the ignition .........108
L
Lamps
bulb replacement
specifications chart ..................44
cargo lamps ...............................42
daytime running light ...............41
fog lamps ...................................41
headlamps .................................41
headlamps, flash to pass ..........42
instrument panel, dimming .....42
interior lamps .....................44–45
replacing bulbs .............44, 46–49
Lane change indicator
(see Turn signal) ........................44
Lights, warning and indicator ....10
anti-lock brakes (ABS) ..........113
Load limits .................................132
GAWR ......................................132
GVWR ......................................132
trailer towing ..........................132
Loading instructions .................133
Lubricant specifications ...233, 236
Lumbar support, seats ...............72M
Manual transmission .................118
fluid capacities ........................229
lubricant specifications ..........236
reverse .....................................119
Mirrors
side view mirrors (power) .......52
Motorcraft parts ................211, 229
O
Octane rating ............................209
Oil (see Engine oil) ..................192
P
Parking brake ............................113
Parts (see Motorcraft parts) ....229
Power distribution box
(see Fuses) ...............................152
Power door locks ........................62
Power mirrors .............................52
Power point .................................51
Power steering ..........................114
fluid, checking and adding ....217
fluid, refill capacity ................229
fluid, specifications .........233, 236
Power Windows ...........................52
Preparing to drive your
vehicle ........................................114
R
Radio ..............16–17, 20, 23, 29, 33
Relays ........................................148
Remote entry system .................64
illuminated entry ......................67
Index
246