Descend a hill in the same gear you
would use to climb up the hill to
avoid excessive brake application
and brake overheating. Do not
descend in neutral; instead,
disengage overdrive or manually
shift to a lower gear. When
descending a steep hill, avoid
sudden hard braking as you could
lose control. When you brake hard,
the front wheels can't turn and if
they aren't turning, you won't be
able to steer. The front wheels have to be turning in order to steer the
vehicle.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, apply the brakes steadily. Do not
ªpumpº the brakes.
Driving on snow and ice
AWD vehicles have advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but
can skid like any other vehicle.
Should you start to slide while driving on snowy or icy roads, turn the
steering wheel in the direction of the slide until you regain control.
Avoid sudden applications of power and quick changes of direction on
snow and ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and steadily when starting
from a full stop.
Avoid sudden braking as well. Although an AWD 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, apply the brake steadily. Since
your vehicle is equipped with a four wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS),
do not ªpumpº 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 AWD vehicles without also
putting them on the rear tires. This could cause the rear to slide and
swing around during braking.
Driving
218
Launching or retrieving a boat
Disconnect the wiring to the trailer before backing the trailer
into the water. Reconnect the wiring to the trailer after the
trailer is removed from the water.
When backing down a ramp during boat launching or retrieval:
²do not allow the static water level to rise above the bottom edge of
the rear bumper.
²do not allow waves to break higher than 15 cm (6 inches) above the
bottom edge of the rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allow water to enter vehicle components:
²causing internal damage to the components.
²affecting driveability, emissions and reliability.
Replace the rear axle lubricant any time the axle has been submerged in
water. Rear axle lubricant quantities are not to be checked or changed
unless a leak is suspected or repair required.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (ALL WHEELS ON THE GROUND)
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.
Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) 4x2 vehicles:
This applies to all 4x2 trucks/sport utilities with rear wheel drive capability.
²Place the transmission in N (Neutral).
²Maximum speed is 56 km/h (35 mph).
²Maximum distance is 80 km (50 miles).
If a distance of 80 km (50 miles) or a speed of 56 km/h (35 mph) must
be exceeded, you must disconnect the driveshaft. Ford recommends the
driveshaft be removed/installed only by a qualified technician. See your
local dealer for driveshaft removal/installation.
Improper removal/installation of the driveshaft can cause
transmission fluid loss, damage to the driveshaft and internal
transmission components.
AWD vehicles:
Vehicles equipped with AWD cannot be towed with any wheels on the
ground as vehicle damage may occur.
Driving
230
3. Turn the wrench
counterclockwise until the tire is
lowered to the ground and the cable
has slack. When turning the wrench,
make sure that it does not scuff the
kick plate.
4. Slide the tire rearward, lift one
side and remove the retainer from
the spare tire.
Changing the spare tire
To prevent the vehicle from moving when you change a tire, be
sure the parking brake is set, then block the wheel that is
diagonally opposite (other end of the vehicle) to the tire being
changed.
If the vehicle slips off the jack, you or someone else could be
seriously injured.
1. Use the tip of the lug wrench to
remove the beauty cap by twisting
the tip under the cap. The carpeted
floor lid can be used as a kneeling
pad.
2. Loosen each wheel lug nut by half
a turn, but do not remove them
until the wheel is raised off the
ground.
Roadside Emergencies
247
Keep a record for at least one month and record the type of driving (city
or highway). This will provide an accurate estimate of the vehicle's fuel
economy under current driving conditions. Additionally, keeping records
during summer and winter will show how temperature impacts fuel
economy. In general, lower temperatures give lower fuel economy.
Driving style Ð good driving and fuel economy habits
Give consideration to the lists that follow and you may be able to change
a number of variables and improve your fuel economy.
Habits
²Smooth, moderate operation can yield up to 10% savings in fuel.
²Steady speeds without stopping will usually give the best fuel
economy.
²Idling for long periods of time (greater than one minute) may waste
fuel.
²Anticipate stopping; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop.
²Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel economy.
²Slow down gradually.
²Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 88 km/h [55 mph] uses 15%
less fuel than traveling at 105 km/h [65 mph]).
²Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
²Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
²You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if
unnecessary shifting between gears occurs. Unnecessary shifting of
this type could result in reduced fuel economy.
²Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
²Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
²Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
²Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
²Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
²Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant specificationsin
this chapter.
Maintenance and Specifications
291
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules and with RS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device
must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
The tire pressure monitoring system is NOT a substitute for
manually checking tire pressure. The tire pressure should be
checked periodically (at least monthly) using a tire gauge, see
Checking the tire pressurein this chapter. Failure to properly
maintain your tire pressure could increase the risk of tire failure, loss
of control, vehicle rollover and personal injury.
Changing tires with TPMS
It is recommended that you always
have your tires serviced by a dealer
or qualified technician.Each road
tire is equipped with a tire
pressure sensor mounted on the
wheel inside the tire connected
to the valve stem. The tire
pressure sensor must be unbolted from the wheel prior to tire
removal. The sensor can be removed by loosening the nut at the
valve stem. Failure to remove the sensor may damage it.The
rubber grommet (washer) between the wheel and the tire pressure
sensor needs to be replaced when any tire is changed to minimize air
leaks.
The tire pressure should be checked periodically (at least monthly) using
a tire gauge, refer toChecking the tire pressurein this chapter.
INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE TIRE SIDEWALL
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized
information on the sidewall of all tires. This information identifies and
describes the fundamental characteristics of the tire and also provides a
tire identification number for safety standard certification and in case of
a recall.
Maintenance and Specifications
300
Information on ªPº type tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example of a
tire size, load index and speed
rating. The definitions of these
items are listed below. (Note that
the tire size, load index and speed
rating for your vehicle may be
different than this example.)
1.P:Indicates a tire, designated by
the Tire and Rim Association
(T&RA), that maybe used for
service on cars, SUVs, minivans and
light trucks.
Note:If your tire size does not
begin with a letter this may mean it
is designated by either ETRTO
(European Tire and Rim Technical Organization) or JATMA (Japan Tire
Manufacturing Association).
2.215:Indicates the nominal width of the tire in millimeters from
sidewall edge to sidewall edge. In general, the larger the number, the
wider the tire.
3.65:Indicates the aspect ratio which gives the tire's ratio of height to
width.
4.R:Indicates a ªradialº type tire.
5.15:Indicates the wheel or rim diameter in inches. If you change your
wheel size, you will have to purchase new tires to match the new wheel
diameter.
6.95:Indicates the tire's load index. It is an index that relates to how
much weight a tire can carry. You may find this information in your
owner's guide. If not, contact a local tire dealer.
Note:You may not find this information on all tires because it is not
required by federal law.
7.H:Indicates the tire's speed rating. The speed rating denotes the
speed at which a tire is designed to be driven for extended periods of
time under a standard condition of load and inflation pressure. The tires
on your vehicle may operate at different conditions for load and inflation
pressure. These speed ratings may need to be adjusted for the difference
in conditions. The ratings range from 159 km/h (99 mph) to 299 km/h
(186 mph). These ratings are listed in the following chart.
Maintenance and Specifications
301
Information on ªTº type tires
T145/80D16 is an example of a tire
size.
Note:The temporary tire size for
your vehicle may be different than
this example.
1.T:Indicates a type of tire,
designated by the Tire and Rim
Association (T&RA), that is
intended for temporary service on
cars, SUVs, minivans and light
trucks.
2.145:Indicates the nominal width
of the tire in millimeters from
sidewall edge to sidewall edge. In
general, the larger the number, the
wider the tire.
3.80:Indicates the aspect ratio
which gives the tires ratio of height to width. Numbers of 70 or lower
indicate a short sidewall.
4.D:Indicates a ªdiagonalº type tire.
R:Indicates a ªradialº type tire.
5.16:Indicates the wheel or rim diameter in inches. If you change your
wheel size, you will have to purchase new tires to match the new wheel
diameter.
Location of the tire label
You will find a tire label containing tire inflation pressure by tire size and
other important information located on the B-Pillar or the driver's door.
TIRE CARE
Improper or inadequate vehicle maintenance can also cause tires to wear
abnormally. Here are some of the important maintenance items
SPARETIRE
TEMPORARYUSEONLY
INFLATETO60P.S.I.T
T145/80D16105M
Maintenance and Specifications
305
change oil soon warning,
message center .......................276
checking and adding ..............276
dipstick ....................................276
filter, specifications ........278, 311
recommendations ...................278
refill capacities ........................312
specifications ..................314, 316
Exhaust fumes ..........................196
F
Fail safe cooling ........................284
Floor mats .................................133
Fluid capacities .........................312
Foglamps .....................................82
Four-Wheel Drive vehicles
driving off road .......................213
preparing to drive your
vehicle .....................................203
Fuel ............................................285
calculating fuel
economy ..........................121, 289
cap ...........................................287
capacity ...................................312
choosing the right fuel ...........288
comparisons with EPA fuel
economy estimates .................292
detergent in fuel .....................289
filling your vehicle with
fuel ...........................285, 287, 289
filter, specifications ........289, 311
fuel pump shut-off switch .....232
improving fuel economy ........289
octane rating ...................288, 316
quality ......................................288
running out of fuel .................289
safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................285
Fuses ..................................233±234G
Garage Door Opener (see
Homelink wireless control
system) ......................................114
Gas cap (see Fuel cap) ............287
Gas mileage
(see Fuel economy) .................289
Gauges .........................................14
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
Rating)
calculating ...............................224
GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
calculating ...............................224
H
Hazard flashers .........................232
Head restraints .........................153
Headlamps ...................................82
aiming ........................................85
autolamp system .......................82
bulb specifications ....................88
daytime running lights .............84
flash to pass ..............................85
high beam .................................84
replacing bulbs .........................90
turning on and off ....................82
HomeLink universal
transceiver
(see Garage door opener) .......118
Homelink wireless control
system ........................................114
I
Ignition ...............................193, 316
Index
326