•Anticipate stopping; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop.
• Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel economy.
• Slow down gradually.
• Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 88 km/h [55 mph] uses 15%
less fuel than traveling at 105 km/h [65 mph]).
• 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 to Lubricant 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.
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The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature A B C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, representing the
tire ’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
TIRES
Tires are designed to give many thousands of miles of service, but they
must be maintained in order to get the maximum benefit from them.
Glossary of tire terminology
• Tire label: A label showing the OE (Original Equipment) tire sizes,
recommended inflation pressure and the maximum weight the vehicle
can carry.
• Tire Identification Number (TIN): A number on the sidewall of
each tire providing information about the tire brand and
manufacturing plant, tire size and date of manufacturer.
• Inflation pressure: A measure of the amount of air in a tire.
• Standard load: A class of P-metric or Metric tires designed to carry a
maximum load at 35 psi [37 psi (2.5 bar) for Metric tires]. Increasing
the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not increase the tires
load carrying capability.
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Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.
Note:If your tires show uneven wear ask a qualified technician at a
reputable repair facility to check for and correct any wheel misalignment,
tire imbalance or mechanical problem involved before tire rotation.
Tire wear
Measure and inspect the tire tread on all your tires periodically.
Advanced and unusual tire wear can reduce the ability of tread to grip
the road in adverse (wet, snowy, etc.) conditions. Visually check your
tires for uneven wear, looking for high and low areas or unusually
smooth areas. Also check for signs of tire damage.
When the tread is worn down to 4
mm (1/16th of an inch), tires must
be replaced to prevent your vehicle
from skidding and hydroplaning.
Built-in treadwear indicators, or
“ wear bars ”, which look like narrow
strips of smooth rubber across the
tread will appear on the tire when
the tread is worn down to 4mm (1/16th of an inch). When you see these
“ wear bars ”, the tire is worn out and should be replaced.
Inspect your tires frequently for any of the following conditions and
replace them if one or more of the following conditions exist:
• Fabric showing through the tire rubber
• Bulges in the tread or sidewalls
• Cracks or cuts on the sidewalls
• Cracks in the tread groove
• Impact damage resulting from use
• Separation in the tread
• Separation in the sidewall
• Severe abrasion on the sidewall
If your vehicle has a leak in the exhaust system, a road tire or the spare
tire may be exposed to hot exhaust temperatures requiring the tire to be
replaced.
Safety practices
Driving habits have a great deal to do with your tire mileage and safety.
• Observe posted speed limits
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•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 you 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, or directly ahead or
behind the spinning tire.
Never spin the tires in excess of the 55 km/h (35 mph) point
indicated on the speedometer.
Highway hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there ’s always the possibility that you
may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to the
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.
SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
Driving too fast for conditions creates the possibility of loss of
vehicle control. Driving at very high speeds for extended periods
of time may result in damage to vehicle components.
Snow tires must be the same size and grade as the tires you
currently have on your vehicle.
The tires on your vehicle have all weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, you may need to use snow
tires and chains. If you need to use snow tires and chains, it is
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specifications ..................228, 231
Exhaust fumes ..........................100
F
Fail safe cooling ........................193
Fluid capacities .........................225
Foglamps .....................................36
Four-Wheel Drive vehicles .......109 driving off road .......................110
electronic shift ................109 –110
indicator light .........................109
preparing to drive your
vehicle .....................................103
Fuel ............................................194 calculating fuel economy .......199
cap ...........................................196
capacity ...................................225
choosing the right fuel ...........197
comparisons with EPA fuel
economy estimates .................202
detergent in fuel .....................198
filling your vehicle with
fuel ...........................194, 196, 199
filter, specifications ........199, 224
fuel pump shut-off switch .....133
improving fuel economy ........199
octane rating ...................197, 231
quality ......................................198
running out of fuel .................198
safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................194
Fuel pump shut-off switch .......133
Fuses ..................................134 –135
G
Gas cap (see Fuel cap) ............196 Gas mileage
(see Fuel economy) .................199
Gauges .........................................14
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
Rating)
calculating ...............................121
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) calculating ...............................121
H
Hazard flashers .........................133
Headlamps ...................................36 aiming ........................................37
bulb specifications ....................40
daytime running lights .............36
flash to pass ..............................37
high beam .................................37
replacing bulbs .........................41
turning on and off ....................36
Heating heating and air conditioning
system .................................33 –34
Hood ..........................................175
I
Ignition .................................96, 231
Infant seats
(see Safety seats) .......................87
Inspection/maintenance (I/M)
testing ........................................204
Instrument panel cleaning ...................................171
cluster ........................................10
lighting up panel and
interior .......................................37
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Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English (fus)
Index
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