2003 FORD WINDSTAR trailer

Servicing after towing
If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more
frequent service intervals. Refer to your scheduled maintenance guide for
more information.
Trailer towing tips
•Practice turning, stopping and backing up before starting on a trip to
get the feel of the vehicle trailer combination. When turning, make
wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles.
•Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached.
•If you are driving down a long or steep hill, shift to a lower gear. Do
not apply the brakes continuously, as they may overheat and become
less effective.
•
The trailer tongue weight should be 10–15% of the loaded trailer weight.
•After you have traveled 80 km (50 miles), thoroughly check your
hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts.
•To aid in engine/transmission cooling and A/C efficiency during hot
weather while stopped in traffic, place the gearshift lever in P (Park).
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. If you must
park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer’s wheels.
RECREATIONAL TOWING
Follow these guidelines for your specific powertrain combination to tow
your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground (such as behind a
recreational vehicle).
These guidelines are designed to ensure that your transmission is not
damaged due to insufficient lubrication.
All Front Wheel Drive (FWD) vehicles:
It is not recommended to tow front wheel drive vehicles with the front
drive wheels on the ground. It is recommended to tow your vehicle with
the drive wheels on a dolly or two wheel car hauling trailer.
In case of a roadside emergency with a disabled vehicle (without access
to wheel dollies, car hauling trailer or flatbed transport vehicle) your
vehicle can be flat towed (all wheels on the ground) under the following
conditions:
•Place the transmission in N (Neutral).
•Maximum speed is 56 km/h (35 mph).
•Maximum distance is 80 km (50 miles).
Driving
149

The high-current fuses are coded as follows:
Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPower Distribution Box Description
1 30A* Powertrain Control Module (PCM) relay
2 10A* PCM, Front electronic module (FEM)
3 10A* A/C compressor clutch
4 25A* Horns, Horn relay (coil)
5 15A* Fuel pump motor, PCM
6 30A* Front wiper motor, Front wiper relay, Front
washer pump, FEM
7 25A* Rear wiper motor, Rear washer pump, Rear
wiper relay (coil)
8—Not used
9 15A* Right headlamp
10 15A* Right front park lamp, Right front turn lamp,
Right front cornering lamp, Right front
auxiliary driving lamp
11 15A* Left front park lamp, Left front turn lamp,
Left front cornering lamp, Left front auxiliary
driving lamp
12 15A* Left headlamp (low and high beam)
13 10A* Alternator field sense
14 10A* FEM (left door lock motor)
15 20A* Trailer tow park lamps
16 20A* Trailer tow turn lamps
17—Not used
18—Not used
19 15A* AX4S transaxle, Vapor Management Valve
(VMV), A/C clutch relay coil, EGR control
solenoid, Engine fuel control HO2S #11
sensor, Engine fuel control HO2S #21 sensor,
Catalyst monitor HO2S #12 sensor, Catalyst
monitor HO2S #22 Sensor, Canister vent
solenoid, Intake manifold runner control
Roadside Emergencies
158

Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPower Distribution Box Description
20 15A* Ignition coil, Intake Air Control (IAC) valve,
Fuel injectors, Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor,
Fuel pump relay coil, Intake manifold runner
control, High-speed cooling fan relay coil,
Low-speed cooling fan relay coil, PCM,
Passive anti-theft receiver
21—Not used
22—Not used
23—Not used
24—Not used
101 40A** Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) module or IVD
Module
102 40A** ABS module or IVD module
103 40A** SSP4 Relay, SSP4 Relay (coil)
104 30A** Left-hand power seat motors, Left-hand
power lumbar motor, Driver seat memory
module
105 30A** Starter motor solenoid, Ignition switch
106 30A** Delayed accessory relay, Delayed accessory
relay coil, FEM- right-hand front window
motor
107 50A** Engine cooling fan motors, Cooling fan
dropping resistor
108—Not used
109 30A** Heated seat modules
110 50A** Right-hand Power Sliding Door (PSD) module
111 40A** Fuse junction box
112 30A** Trailer tow, Electric brake controller
113 30A** FEM - left-hand window motor
114 40A** SSP3 relay, SSP3 relay coil
115 50A** Fuse junction box bus #2
116 30A** Heated backlight relay
Roadside Emergencies
159

•If your low tire warning light is on, refer toLow tire warningin the
Maintenance and specificationschapter.
The use of tire sealants is not recommended and may
compromise the integrity of your tires. The use of tire sealants
may also affect your tire pressure monitoring system (if equipped).
Temporary spare tire information
Your vehicle may have a temporary spare tire. The temporary spare tire
for your vehicle is labeled as such. It is smaller than a regular tire and is
designed for emergency use only. Replace this tire with a full-size tire as
soon as possible.
Note:The Low Tire Warning system
will detect the temporary spare tire
and illuminate the low tire warning
light until the spare tire is replaced
with a proper full-size tire.
If you use the temporary spare tire continuously or do not follow
these precautions, the tire could fail, causing you to lose control
of the vehicle, possibly injuring yourself or others.
When driving with the temporary spare tiredo not:
•use more than one temporary spare tire at a time
•exceed 80 km/h (50 mph) or drive further than 3,200 km (2,000
miles) total under any circumstances
•load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load rating listed on the
Safety Compliance Label
•tow a trailer
•use tire chains
•drive through an automatic car wash, because of the vehicle’s reduced
ground clearance
•try to repair the temporary spare tire or remove it from its wheel
•use the wheel for any other type of vehicle
Roadside Emergencies
161

•Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
•Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
•You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if
unnecessary shifting between third and fourth gear occurs.
Unnecessary shifting of this type could result in reduced fuel
economy.
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant specificationsin
this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle scheduled maintenance guide.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
12–16 km (8–10 miles) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
Maintenance and Specifications
208

TRANSMISSION FLUID
Checking automatic transmission fluid
Refer to your scheduled maintenance guide for scheduled intervals for
fluid checks and changes. Your transaxle does not consume fluid.
However, the fluid level should be checked if the transaxle is not working
properly, i.e., if the transaxle slips or shifts slowly or if you notice some
sign of fluid leakage.
Automatic transmission fluid expands when warmed. To obtain an
accurate fluid check, drive the vehicle until it is warmed up
(approximately 30 km [20 miles]). If your vehicle has been
operated for an extended period at high speeds, in city traffic
during hot weather or pulling a trailer, the vehicle should be
turned off for about 30 minutes to allow fluid to cool before
checking.
1. Drive the vehicle 30 km (20 miles) or until it reaches normal operating
temperature.
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface and engage the parking brake.
3. With the parking brake engaged and your foot on the brake pedal,
start the engine and move the gearshift lever through all of the gear
ranges. Allow sufficient time for each gear to engage.
4. Latch the gearshift lever in P (Park) and leave the engine running.
5. Remove the dipstick, wiping it clean with a clean, dry lint free rag. If
necessary, refer toIdentifying components in the engine compartment
in this chapter for the location of the dipstick.
6. Install the dipstick making sure it is fully seated in the filler tube.
7. Remove the dipstick and inspect the fluid level. The fluid should be in
the designated areas for normal operating temperature.
Low fluid level
Do not drive the vehicle if the fluid
level is at the bottom of the dipstick
and the outside temperatures are
above 10°C (50°F).
Correct fluid level
The transmission fluid should be checked at normal operating
temperatures 66°C-77°C (150°F-170°F) on a level surface. The normal
operating temperature can be reached after approximately 30 km
(20 miles) of driving.
DON’T ADD IF IN CROSSHATCH AREA--CHECH WHEN HOT-IDLING
Maintenance and Specifications
212

•Two or more under inflated tires.
•Sudden loss of tire pressure.
•Vehicle speeds less than 30 km/h (20 mph), greater than 120 km/h
(70 mph) or driving duration less than 10 miles.
•Transporting a heavy load or towing a trailer.
•A different tire was replaced and was not the same brand, type, size,
speed rating, load carrying capacity and DOT code as the other tire on
the same axle.
•System was not reset after tire rotation, air pressure adjustment, a tire
change, wheel alignment or tire balancing.
•System was not reset after the ABS warning lamp illuminates.
The low tire warning feature can be turned off by your dealer.
Checking the tire pressure
•Use an accurate tire pressure gauge.
•Check the tire pressure when tires are cold, after the vehicle has been
parked for at least one hour or has been driven less than 5 km
(3 miles).
•Adjust tire pressure to recommended specifications found on the
Certification Label.
•Reset low tire warning system
Improperly inflated tires can affect vehicle handling and can fail
suddenly, possibly resulting in loss of vehicle control.
Tire rotation
Because your vehicle’s tires perform different jobs, they often wear
differently. To make sure your tires wear evenly and last longer, rotate
them as indicated in the scheduled maintenance guide. If you notice that
the tires wear unevenly, have them checked.
Maintenance and Specifications
217

Tire step
Travel equipment
All weather floor mats
Cargo organizer
Cargo logic—premium cargo organizer
Cellular phone holder
Cellular phone hands free ssytem with voice recognition
Console
Factory luggage rack adaptors (Bike, ski, etc.)
First aid kit
Framed luggage covers
Highway safety kit
Inside rear view mirror with compass (with and without temperature
display)
Luggage/cargo basket
Navigation system
Raised cross bars (roof rack)
Rear seat entertainment system (DVD)
Soft luggage cover
Trailer hitch (Class II)
Trailer hitch bars and balls
Trailer hitch mount bike carrier
Trailer hitch receiver cover
Trailer hitch wiring adaptor
Trailgate table/ adapter.
Protection and appearance equipment
Cargo liners, interior
Carpet floor mats
Door edge guards
Flat splash guards
Front end covers (full and mini)
Accessories
228