2004 FORD EXPLORER fuel pressure

For longer, trouble-free operation, keep the top of the battery clean and
dry. Also, make certain the battery cables are always tightly fastened to
the battery terminals.
If you see any corrosion on the battery or terminals, remove the cables
from the terminals and clean with a wire brush. You can neutralize the
acid with a solution of baking soda and water.
Batteries normally produce explosive gases which can cause
personal injury. Therefore, do not allow flames, sparks or lighted
substances to come near the battery. When working near the battery,
always shield your face and protect your eyes. Always provide proper
ventilation.
When lifting a plastic-cased battery, excessive pressure on the
end walls could cause acid to flow through the vent caps,
resulting in personal injury and/or damage to the vehicle or battery.
Lift the battery with a battery carrier or with your hands on opposite
corners.
Keep batteries out of reach of children. Batteries contain sulfuric
acid. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Shield your eyes
when working near the battery to protect against possible splashing of
acid solution. In case of acid contact with skin or eyes, flush
immediately with water for a minimum of 15 minutes and get prompt
medical attention. If acid is swallowed, call a physician immediately.
Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and
lead compounds.Wash hands after handling.
Because your vehicle’s engine is electronically controlled by a computer,
some control conditions are maintained by power from the battery. When
the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the engine must
relearn its idle and fuel trim strategy for optimum driveability and
performance. To begin this process:
1. With the vehicle at a complete stop, set the parking brake.
2. Put the gearshift lever in P (Park), turn off all accessories and start
the engine.
3. Run the engine until it reaches normal operating temperature.
4. Allow the engine to idle for at least one minute.
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5. Restart the engine and take your vehicle to a service facility.
Driving the vehicle without repairing the engine problem
increases the chance of engine damage. Take your vehicle to a
service facility as soon as possible.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
Important safety precautions
Do not overfill the fuel tank. The pressure in an overfilled tank
may cause leakage and lead to fuel spray and fire.
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.
Automotive fuels can cause serious injury or death if misused or
mishandled.
Fuel ethanol and gasoline may contain benzene, which is a
cancer-causing agent.
Observe the following guidelines when handling automotive fuel:
•Extinguish all smoking materials
and any open flames before
fueling your vehicle.
•Always turn off the vehicle before
fueling.
•Automotive fuels can be harmful
or fatal if swallowed. Fuels such as gasoline and ethanol are highly
toxic and if swallowed can cause death or permanent injury. If fuel is
swallowed, call a physician immediately, even if no symptoms are
immediately apparent. The toxic effects of fuel may not be visible for
hours.
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•If the fuel cap assembly is all one color (all black), it is a 1/8 turn cap.
•If the fuel cap assembly is two color (black and white), it is a 1/4 turn
cap.
When fueling your vehicle:
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Carefully turn the filler cap counterclockwise 1/8 or 1/4 of a turn until
it stops.
3. Pull to remove the cap from the fuel filler pipe.
4. To install the cap, align the tabs on the cap with the notches on the
filler pipe.
5.1/8 turn cap— Turn the filler cap clockwise 1/8 of a turn until it
stops.
5.1/4 turn cap— Turn the filler cap clockwise 1/4 of a turn until 3
clicks are heard.
If the “Check Fuel Cap” indicator comes on and stays on after you start
the engine, the fuel filler cap may not be properly installed. Turn off the
engine, remove the fuel filler cap, align the cap properly and reinstall it.
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.
Fuel Filter
For fuel filter replacement, see your dealer or a qualified service
technician. Refer to the scheduled maintenance guide for the appropriate
intervals for changing the fuel filter.
Replace the fuel filter with an authorized Motorcraft part. The
customer warranty may be void for any damage to the fuel system
if an authorized Motorcraft fuel filter is not used.
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•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.
•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.
•Four-wheel-drive operation (if equipped) is less fuel efficient than
two-wheel-drive operation.
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closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tire for damage. If the tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and replace it with your spare tire and wheel. If
you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest repair
facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)(if equipped)
When the tire pressure monitoring
system warning light is lit, one or
more of your tires is significantly
under-inflated. you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to the proper pressure as indicated in the vehicle’s tire
information placard. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s
handling and stopping ability. Each tire should be checked monthly, the
spare tire every six months. Tire pressure should be set when cold to the
recommended inflation pressure as specified in the vehicle placard and
owner’s manual.
Note:This vehicle is equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) which monitors tire pressure in each pneumatic tire. The
pressure in each tire is dependent upon several factors, one of them
being the contained air temperature (temperature of the air inside the
tire). As the contained air temperature increases, the tire pressure also
increases. While driving in a normal manner, a typical passenger tire
inflation pressure may increase approximately 14 to 28 kPa (2 to 4 psi)
from a cold start situation. This increase in tire pressure is due to an
increase in the contained air temperature. Contained air temperature is
dependent upon several factors such as rate of tire rotation, tire
deflection, amount of braking, etc. In similar manner, the tire pressure
will decrease if the contained air temperature decreases. For example, if
the vehicle is stationary over night with the outside temperature
significantly lower than the daytime temperature, the tire pressure may
decrease approximately 20.7 kPa (3 psi) for a drop of 16.6° C (30° F) in
ambient temperature. This lower pressure value may be detected by the
TPMS as being significantly lower than the cold placard pressure, and
activate the TPMS warning for low tire pressure. If the low warning light
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Speed control ..............................54
Starting a flex fuel vehicle .......139
Starting your vehicle ........137, 139
jump starting ..........................203
Steering wheel
controls ......................................57
tilting .........................................47
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................47
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)
Driving .....................................158
Roadside Emergencies ...........194
Warning Displays ......................15
Tires ...................................194, 257
changing ..................194, 199, 202
replacing ..................................199
snow tires and chains ............271
spare tire .................195, 197–198
tire grades ...............................258
treadwear ................................257
Towing .......................................175
recreational towing .................180
trailer towing ..........................175
wrecker ....................................209
Transfer case
fluid checking .........................256
Transmission .............................147brake-shift interlock (BSI) ....147
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................255
fluid, refill capacities ..............272
lubricant
specifications ..................274, 276
Trunk ...........................................83
Turn signal ..................................40
V
Vehicle dimensions ...................277
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ..........................................279
Vehicle loading ..........................171
Ventilating your vehicle ...........140
W
Warning lights (see Lights) .......10
Washer fluid ..............................229
Water, Driving through .............171
Windows
power .........................................52
rear wiper/washer .....................47
Windshield washer fluid and
wipers ..........................................46
checking and adding fluid .....229
liftgate reservoir .....................229
replacing wiper blades .............47
Wrecker towing .........................209
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Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
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