CONTROL TRAC FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4X4) OPERATION
(IF EQUIPPED)
For important information regarding safe operation of this type
of vehicle, see Preparing to drive your vehicle in this chapter.
If equipped with the Control Trac 4x4 System, and 4L (4x4 LOW)
is selected while the vehicle is moving, the system will not
engage. This is normal and should be no reason for concern.
Before 4L (4x4 LOW) can be engaged, the vehicle must be
brought to a complete stop, the brake pedal depressed and the
transmission placed in N (Neutral).
The vehicle should not be operated in 4H (4x4 HIGH) or 4L (4x4 LOW)
on dry pavement. Doing so could result in difficult disengagement of the
transfer case, increased tire wear, decreased fuel economy and may
damage driveline components.
Your 4x4 features the heavy-duty Control Trac system which includes a
computer-operated transfer case. This unique system is interactive with
the road, continually monitoring and adjusting torque delivery to the
front and rear wheels to optimize vehicle control.
System indicator lights
The Control Trac system indicator lights illuminate only under the
following conditions. If these lights illuminate when driving in 2H or
A4WD, contact your Ford dealer as soon as possible.
• 4X4 HIGH - momentarily
illuminates when the vehicle is
started. Illuminates when 4H is
selected.
• 4X4 LOW – momentarily
illuminates when the vehicle is
started. Illuminates when 4L is
selected. 4x4
HIGH
4x4
LOW
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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 road tires and road wheels on the vehicle are of the same
size, type, tread design and load carrying capacity (for information on
the spare tire, refer to Changing the Tires in the Roadside
emergencies chapter). If you have questions regarding tire replacement,
see an authorized Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer.
If you nevertheless decide to equip your four – wheel drive 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.
Tires can be damaged during off-road use. For your safety, tires that are
damaged should not be used for highway driving because they are more
likely to blow out or fail.
You should carefully observe the recommended tire inflation pressure
found on the safety compliance certification label attached to the left
front door latch post pillar (a label may also be found on the fuel cap
filler door). Failure to follow tire pressure recommendations can
adversely affect the way your vehicle handles. Do not exceed the Ford
Motor Company recommended pressure even if it is less than the
maximum pressure allowed for the tire.
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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.
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 — 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.
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Habits
• Smooth, moderate operation can yield up to 10% savings in fuel.
• Steady speeds without stopping will usually give the best fuel
economy.
• Idling for long periods of time (greater than one minute) may waste
fuel.
• 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 specifications in
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 (as much as
0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
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detected a malfunction. Temporary malfunctions may cause your Check
Engine/Service Engine Soon light to illuminate. Examples are:
1. The vehicle has run out of fuel. (The engine may misfire or run
poorly.)
2. Poor fuel quality or water in the fuel.
3. The fuel cap may not have been securely tightened.
These temporary malfunctions can be corrected by filling the fuel tank
with good quality fuel and/or properly tightening the fuel cap. After three
driving cycles without these or any other temporary malfunctions
present, the Check Engine/Service Engine Soon light should turn off.
(A driving cycle consists of a cold engine startup followed by mixed
city/highway driving.) No additional vehicle service is required.
If the Check Engine/Service Engine Soon light remains on, have your
vehicle serviced at the first available opportunity.
Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) testing
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to pass an I/M test of
the on-board diagnostics system. If your “ Check Engine/Service Engine
Soon ” light is on, refer to the description in the Warning lights and
chimes section of the Instrument cluster chapter. Your vehicle may not
pass the I/M test with the “ Check Engine/Service Engine Soon ” light on.
If the vehicle ’ s powertrain system or its battery has just been serviced,
the on-board diagnostics system is reset to a “ not ready for I/M test ”
condition. To ready the on-board diagnostics system for I/M testing, a
minimum of 30 minutes of city and highway driving is necessary as
described below:
• First, at least 10 minutes of driving on an expressway or highway.
• Next, at least 20 minutes driving in stop-and-go, city-type traffic with
at least four idle periods.
Allow the vehicle to sit for at least eight hours without starting the
engine. Then, start the engine and complete the above driving cycle. The
engine must warm up to its normal operating temperature. Once started,
do not turn off the engine until the above driving cycle is complete.
CHECKING AND ADDING POWER STEERING FLUID
Check the power steering fluid. Refer to the scheduled maintenance
guide for the service interval schedules. If adding fluid is necessary, use
only Ford Premium Power Steering Fluid or MERCON AT F.
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SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
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.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
• Use only cable type chains or chains offered by Ford as an accessory
or equivalent. Other conventional link type chains may contact and
cause damage to the vehicle ’ s wheel house and/or body.
• Do not install chains on the front wheels. Chains on the front wheels
may interfere with suspension components.
• Chains are not recommended for use on the optional P275/65R18 tire.
• Install chains securely, verifying that the chains do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
• Drive cautiously. If you hear the chains rub or bang against your
vehicle, stop and re-tighten the chains. If this does not work, remove
the chains to prevent damage to your vehicle.
• If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
• Remove the tire chains when they are no longer needed. Do not use
tire chains on dry roads.
• The suspension insulation and bumpers will help prevent vehicle
damage. Do not remove these components from your vehicle when
using snow tires and chains.
• Do not exceed 48 km/h (30 mph) with tire chains on your vehicle.
MOTORCRAFT PART NUMBERS
Component 5.4L 4V V8 engine
Air filter element FA-1634
Battery (standard) BXT-65-650/BXT-65 – 750
Fuel filter FG-986B
Oil filter FL-820-S
PCV valve EV-248
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Fluid Ford Part
Name Application Capacity
Front axle
lubricant Motorcraft SAE
75W-90 Fuel
Efficient High
Performance
Synthetic Rear
Axle Lubricant 4 x 4 vehicles 1.8-2.0L (3.5-3.7
pints)
Rear axle
lubricant 4
Motorcraft SAE
75W-90 Fuel
Efficient High
Performance
Synthetic Rear
Axle Lubricant Conventional
differential
(9.75 inch axle) 2.13L (4.5 pints)
Motorcraft SAE
75W-140 High
Performance
Synthetic Rear
Axle Lubricant Limited-slip
differential
(9.75 inch axle) 5
2.01L (4.25
pints) 5
Windshield
washer fluid Motorcraft
Premium
Windshield
Washer
Concentrate All 4.1L (4.5
quarts)1
Ensure the correct automatic transmission fluid is used. Transmission
fluid requirements are indicated on the dipstick or on the dipstick
handle. Check the container to verify the fluid being added is of the
correct type. Refer to your scheduled maintenance guide to determine
the correct service interval.
Some transmission fluids may be labeled as dual usage, such as
MERCON and MERCON V. These dual usage fluids are not to be used
in an automatic transmission that requires use of the MERCON type
fluid. However, these dual usage fluids may be used in transmissions that
require the MERCON V type fluid.
MERCON and MERCON V type fluids are not interchangeable.
DO NOT mix MERCON and MERCON V. Use of a transmission
fluid that indicates dual usage (MERCON and MERCON V) in
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an automatic transmission application requiring MERCON may
cause transmission damage. Use of any fluid other than the
recommended fluid may cause transmission damage. 2
Indicates only approximate dry-fill capacity. Some applications may vary
based on cooler size and if equipped with an in-tank cooler. The amount
of transmission fluid and fluid level should be set by the indication on
the dipstick ’ s normal operating range.3
Add the coolant type originally equipped in your vehicle. 4
Your vehicle ’ s rear axle is filled with a synthetic rear axle lubricant and
is considered lubricated for life. These lubricants are not to be checked
or changed unless a leak is suspected, service is required or the axle has
been submerged in water. The axle lubricant should be changed any time
the axle has been submerged in water.
Service refill capacities are determined by filling the rear axle 23mm (0.9
inch) below the bottom of the filler hole. 5
Add 118 ml (4 oz.) of Additive Friction Modifier XL-3 or equivalent
meeting Ford specification EST-M2C118 – A for complete refill of Limited
Slip axles. For complete refills, fill using the Additive Friction Modifier
first. 6
Use of synthetic or synthetic blend motor oil is not mandatory. Engine
oil need only meet the requirements of Ford specification
WSS-M2C153 – H and the API Certification mark.
LUBRICANT SPECIFICATIONS
Item Ford part
name Ford part
number Ford
specification
Hinges, latches,
striker plates
and rotors, seat
tracks, fuel filler
door hinge and
spring Multi-Purpose
Grease XG-4 or XL-5 ESR-M1C159-A
or ESB-M1C93-B
Lock cylinders Penetrating and
Lock Lubricant Motorcraft XL-1 ESB-M2C75-B
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