Avoid sudden braking as well. Although a 4WD vehicle may accelerate
better than a two-wheel drive vehicle in snow and ice, it won’t stop any
faster, because as in other vehicles, braking occurs at all four wheels. Do
not become overconfident as to road conditions.
Make sure you allow sufficient distance between you and other vehicles
for stopping. Drive slower than usual and consider using one of the lower
gears. In emergency stopping situations, avoid locking of the wheels. Use
a“squeeze”technique, push on the brake pedal with a steadily increasing
force which allows the wheels to brake yet continue to roll so that you
may steer in the direction you want to travel. If you lock the wheels,
release the brake pedal and repeat the squeeze technique. If your vehicle
is equipped with a Four Wheel Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), apply the
brake steadily. Do not“pump”the brakes. Refer to theBrakessection of
this chapter for additional information on the operation of the anti-lock
brake system.
Never drive with chains on the front tires of 4WD vehicles without also
putting them on the rear tires. This could cause the rear to slide and
swing around during braking.
Tires, Replacement Requirements
Do not use a size and type of tire and wheel other than that
originally provided by Ford Motor Company because it can affect
the safety and performance of your vehicle, which could result in an
increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover and/or serious
personal injury or death.
Make sure all tires and wheels on the vehicle are of the same size, type,
tread design and load-carrying capacity. If you have questions regarding
tire replacement, see an authorized Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer.
If you nevertheless decide to equip your 4WD for off-road use with tires
larger than what Ford Motor Company recommends, you should not use
these tires for highway driving.
If you use any tire/wheel combination not recommended by Ford Motor
Company, it may adversely affect vehicle handling and could cause
steering, suspension, axle or transfer case failure as well as the increased
risk of loss of vehicle control.
Do not use“aftermarket lift kits”or other suspension modifications,
whether or not they are used with larger tires and wheels.
These“aftermarket lift kits”could adversely affect the vehicle’s handling
characteristics, which could lead to loss of vehicle control or rollover and
serious injury.
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Your vehicle’s load capacity is designated by weight, not by volume, so
you cannot necessarily use all available space when loading a vehicle.
Towing a trailer places an additional load on your vehicle’s engine,
transmission, axle, brakes, tires and suspension. Inspect these
components carefully prior to and after any towing operation. The
following trailer towing charts apply to vehicles equipped with gasoline
engines; for Diesel engines, refer to your6.0 Liter Power Stroke Direct
Injection Turbo Diesel Owner’s Guide Supplement.
Note:Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
certification label.
Towing trailers beyond the maximum recommended gross trailer
weight exceeds the limit of the vehicle and could result in
engine damage, transmission damage, structural damage, loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover and personal injury.
Your vehicle may be equipped with a temporary or conventional spare
tire. If the spare tire is different in size (diameter and/or width), tread
type (All-Season or All-Terrain) or is from a different manufacturer other
than the road tires on your vehicle, your spare tire is considered
“temporary”. Consult information on the spare tire label for limitations
when using.
Refer toTransmission temperature gaugein theInstrument Cluster
chapter for transmission fluid temperature information.
F-250 Regular Cab Pickup
Engine Rear axle
ratioMaximum GCWR -
lbs. (kg)Maximum
trailer weight -
lbs. (kg)
4x2 with manual transmission
5.4L 3.73 13500 (6123) 7800 (3537)
5.4L 4.10 15000 (6804) 9300 (4217)
6.8L 3.73 16500 (7484) 10600 (4807)
6.8L
(without
fifth wheel)4.30 20000 (9072) 12500 (5670)
6.8L (with
fifth wheel)4.30 20000 (9072) 14100 (6394)
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•The Total Accessory Reserve Capacity (TARC) is shown on the lower
right side of the vehicle’s Safety Certification Label. This applies to
Ford-completed vehicles of 10,000 lb. GVWR or less. This is the
weight of permanently-attached auxiliary equipment, such as
snowplow frame-mounting hardware, that can be added to the vehicle
and satisfy Ford compliance certification to FMVSS. Exceeding this
weight may require the auxiliary equipment installer additional safety
certification responsibility. The Front Accessory Reserve Capacity
(FARC) is added for customer convenience.
•Rear ballast weight behind the rear axle may be required to prevent
exceeding the FGAWR, and provide front-to-rear weight balance for
proper braking and steering.
•Front wheel toe may require re-adjustment to prevent premature
uneven tire wear. Specifications are found in the FordWorkshop
Manual.
•Headlight aim may require re-adjustment.
•The tire air pressures recommended for general driving are found on
the vehicle’s Safety Certification Label. The maximum cold inflation
pressure for the tire and associated load rating is imprinted on the tire
sidewall. Tire air pressure may require re-adjustment within these
pressure limits to accommodate the additional weight of the snowplow
installation.
•Federal and some local regulations require additional exterior lamps
for snowplow-equipped vehicles. Consult your dealer for additional
information.
Operating the vehicle with the snowplow attached
Do not use your vehicle for snow removal until it has been driven at
least 500 miles (800 km).
The attached snowplow blade restricts airflow to the radiator, and may
cause the engine to run at a higher temperature:
•If you are driving more than 15 miles (24 km) where outside air
temperatures are above freezing, then angle the plow blade to full left
or right to maximize airflow to the radiator.
•If you are driving less than 15 miles (24 km) at speeds up to 40 mph
(64 km/h) in cold weather you will not need to adjust blade position
Follow the severe duty schedule in yourScheduled Maintenance Guide
for engine oil and transmission fluid change intervals.
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
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•Front passenger side (4x4)
•Rear
14. Insert the jack handle into the
pump linkage.
15. Use an up-and-down motion
with the jack handle to raise the
wheel completely off the ground.
Hydraulic jacks are equipped
with a pressure release valve
that prevents lifting loads which
exceed the jack’s rated capacity.
16. Remove the lug nuts with the lug wrench.
17. Replace the flat tire with the spare tire, making sure the valve stem
is facing outward on all front an inboard rear wheels. If replacing the
outboard wheel, the valve stem must be facing inward. Reinstall the lug
nuts until the wheel is snug against the hub. Do not fully tighten the lug
nuts until the wheel has been lowered.
18. Lower the wheel by slowly turning the release valve
counterclockwise. Opening the release valve slowly will provide a more
controlled rate of descent.
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Coolant refill capacity
To find out how much fluid your vehicle’s cooling system can hold, refer
toRefill capacitiesin this section.
Fill your engine coolant reservoir as outlined inAdding engine coolant
in this section.
Severe climates
If you drive in extremely cold climates (less than–36°C[–34°F]):
•It may be necessary to increase the coolant concentration
above 50%.
•NEVER increase the coolant concentration above 60%.
•Increased engine coolant concentrations above 60% will
decrease the overheat protection characteristics of the engine
coolant and may cause engine damage.
•Refer to the chart on the coolant container to ensure the
coolant concentration in your vehicle will provide adequate
freeze protection at the temperatures in which you drive in the
winter months.
If you drive in extremely hot climates:
•It is still necessary to maintain the coolant concentration
above 40%.
•NEVER decrease the coolant concentration below 40%.
•Decreased engine coolant concentrations below 40% will
decrease the corrosion protection characteristics of the engine
coolant and may cause engine damage.
•Decreased engine coolant concentrations below 40% will
decrease the freeze protection characteristics of the engine
coolant and may cause engine damage.
•Refer to the chart on the coolant container to ensure the
coolant concentration in your vehicle will provide adequate
protection at the temperatures in which you drive.
Vehicles driven year-round in non-extreme climates should use a 50/50
mixture of engine coolant and distilled water for optimum cooling system
and engine protection.
What you should know about fail-safe cooling (if equipped)
If the engine coolant supply is depleted, this feature allows the vehicle to
be driven temporarily before incremental component damage is incurred.
The“fail-safe”distance depends on ambient temperatures, vehicle load
and terrain.
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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.
4. Subtract your initial odometer reading from the current odometer
reading.
5. Follow one of the simple calculations in order to determine fuel
economy:
Calculation 1:Multiply liters used by 100, then divide by total
kilometers traveled.
Calculation 2:Divide total miles traveled by total gallons used.
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Tire Replacement Requirements
Your vehicle is equipped with tires designed to provide safe ride and
handling capability.
Only use replacement tires and wheels that are the same size
and type (such as P-metric versus LT-metric or all-season versus
all-terrain) as those originally provided by Ford. Use of any tire or
wheel not recommended by Ford can affect the safety and
performance of your vehicle, which could result in an increased risk of
loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
Additionally the use of non-recommended tires and wheels could cause
steering, suspension, axle or transfer case/power transfer unit failure. If
you have questions regarding tire replacement, see an authorized Ford
or Lincoln/Mercury dealer.
Make sure all tires and wheels on the vehicle are of the same size, type,
tread design, brand, load-carrying capacity and speed rating because it
can affect the safety and performance of your vehicle, which could result
in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death.
You should replace the spare tire when you replace the other road tires
due to the aging of the spare tire.
Safety practices
Driving habits have a great deal to do with your tire mileage and safety.
•Observe posted speed limits
•Avoid fast starts, stops and turns
•Avoid potholes and objects on the road
•Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking
If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc.,do notrapidly spin the
tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire and cause an explosion. A tire
can explode in as little as three to five seconds.
Tire explosions can cause death, personal injury or property
damage. Do not allow anyone to stand near, directly ahead or
behind the spinning tire.
Never spin the tires in excess of the 35 mph (55 km/h) point
indicated on the speedometer.
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