Always set the parking brake fully and make sure the gearshift is
latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition to the LOCK position and
remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake warning lamp
remains illuminated, the brakes may not be working properly.
See your dealer or a qualified service technician.
Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Emergency maneuvers
•In an unavoidable emergency situation where a sudden sharp turn
must be made, remember to avoid “over-driving” your vehicle (i.e.,
turn the steering wheel only as rapidly and as far as required to avoid
the emergency). Excessive steering will result in less vehicle control,
not more. Additionally, smooth variations of the accelerator and/or
brake pedal pressure should be utilized if changes in vehicle speed are
called for. Avoid abrupt steering, acceleration or braking which could
result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover
and/or personal injury. Use all available road surface to return the
vehicle to a safe direction of travel.
•In the event of an emergency stop, avoid skidding the tires and do not
attempt any sharp steering wheel movements.
Vehicles with a higher center of gravity such as utility and
four-wheel drive vehicles handle differently than vehicles with a
lower center of gravity. Utility and four-wheel drive vehicles arenot
designed for cornering at speeds as high as passenger cars any more
than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under
off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns, excessive speed and abrupt
maneuvers in these vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously could result in
an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death.
•If the vehicle goes from one type of surface to another (i.e., from
concrete to gravel) there will be a change in the way the vehicle
responds to a maneuver (steering, acceleration or braking). Again,
avoid these abrupt inputs.
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AWD Systems (if equipped)
AWD uses all four wheels to power
the vehicle. This increases traction,
enabling you to drive over terrain
and road conditions that a
conventional two-wheel drive vehicle
cannot.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all four wheels on the most solid
area of the trail. Avoid reducing the tire pressures but shift to a lower
gear and drive steadily through the terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly
and avoid spinning the wheels.
If you must reduce the tire pressure for whatever reason in sand, make
sure you re-inflate the tires as soon as possible.
Note:If your vehicle is equipped with the Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS), the system indicator light may illuminate depending on
how much air is released from your tires and/or how long you drive the
vehicle under these conditions.
Avoid excessive speed because vehicle momentum can work against you
and cause the vehicle to become stuck to the point that assistance may
be required from another vehicle. Remember, you may be able to back
out the way you came if you proceed with caution.
Mud and water
If you must drive through high
water, drive slowly. Traction or
brake capability may be limited.
When driving through water,
determine the depth; avoid water
higher than the bottom of the hubs
(if possible) and proceed slowly. If
the ignition system gets wet, the vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes. Wet brakes do not stop the
vehicle as effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be improved by moving
your vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle speed or direction when you
are driving in mud. Even AWD vehicles can lose traction in slick mud. As
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Apply just enough power to the wheels to climb the hill. Too much
power will cause the tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting in loss of
vehicle control.
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
“pump” 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, 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
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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 AWD vehicles without also
putting them on the rear tires. This could cause the rear to slide and
swing around during braking.
Maintenance and Modifications
The suspension and steering systems on your vehicle have been designed
and tested to provide predictable performance whether loaded or empty
and durable load carrying capability. For this reason, Ford Motor
Company strongly recommends that you do not make modifications such
as adding or removing parts (such as lift kits or stabilizer bars) or by
using replacement parts not equivalent to the original factory equipment.
Any modifications to a vehicle that raise the center of gravity can make
it more likely the vehicle will roll over as a result of a loss of control.
Ford Motor Company recommends that caution be used with any vehicle
equipped with a high load or device (such as ladder racks or pickup box
cover).
Failure to maintain your vehicle properly may void the warranty, increase
your repair cost, reduce vehicle performance and operational capabilities
and adversely affect driver and passenger safety. Frequent inspection of
vehicle chassis components is recommended if the vehicle is subjected to
heavy off-road usage.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
If driving through deep or standing water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly especially when the depth is not known. Never drive through
water that is higher than the bottom of the hubs (for trucks) or the
bottom of the wheel rims (for cars). When driving through water,
traction or brake capability may be limited. Also, water may enter your
engine’s air intake and severely damage your engine or your vehicle may
stall.Driving through deep water where the transmission vent
tube is submerged may allow water into the transmission and
cause internal transmission damage.
Once through the water, always dry the brakes by moving your
vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
Wet brakes do not stop the vehicle as quickly as dry brakes.
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Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPassenger Compartment Fuse
Panel Description
23 15A Not used
24 15A Cigar lighter, OBD II, Neutral tow
25 5A Mode-Temperature actuator for
auxiliary climate control, Trailer
tow battery charge relay coil,
TPMS
26 7.5A Reverse park aid, Brake shift
interlock, IVD switch
27 7.5A Automatic dimming mirror, Digital
transmission range sensor, Backup
lamps
28 5A Radio (Start)
29 10A Digital transmission range sensor,
PWR feed to fuse #28 (Start feed)
30 5A Daytime Running Lamps (DRL),
DEATC climate controller, Manual
climate control, Manual climate
control temp blend actuator
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The high-current fuses are coded as follows:
Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPower Distribution Box
Description
1 60A** PJB #1
2 30A** BSM
3 — Not used
4 30A** Rear defrost
5 40A** Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
pump
6 60A** Delayed accessory, Power
windows, Audio
7 20A** Power point #2
8 30A** 4x4 shift motor
9 20A** Power point #1
10 30A** ABS module (valves)
11 40A** Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
12 50A** Ignition relay, Starter relay
13 40A** Trailer tow battery charge, Trailer
tow turn signals
14 10A* Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
(Canada)
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Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPower Distribution Box
Description
15 15A* Memory (PCM/DEATC/Cluster),
Courtesy lamps
16 15A* Park lamps, Autolamp parklamps,
Front foglamps relay coil
17 5A* Two-speed 4x4 (relay coils)
18 20A* PCM with two-speed 4x4 clutch
19 20A** High beam relay
20 30A** Trailer electric brake module
21 30A** Front wiper motor
22 20A** Low beam, Autolamp
23 30A** Ignition switch, PCM diode
24 — Not used
25 15A* Brake on-off
26 20A* Fuel pump
27 20A* Trailer tow park lamps, Trailer
tow back-up
28 20A* Horn relay
29 60A** PJB #2
30 20A** Rear wiper motor
31 — Not used
32 — Not used
33 30A** Auxiliary blower motor
34 30A** Passenger power seat, Adjustable
pedals (non-memory)
35 — Not used
36 40A** Blower motor
37 15A* A/C clutch relay, Transmission
38 15A* HEGO, VMV, CMS, ESM, CVS
39 15A* Injectors, Fuel pump relay coil
40 15A* PCM power
41 15A* Coil on plug (4.6L engine only),
Ignition coil (4.0L engine only)
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Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPower Distribution Box
Description
42 10A* Right low beam
43 10A* Left low beam
44 15A* Front foglamps
45 2A* Brake pressure switch
(non-AdvanceTrac vehicles)
46 20A* High beams
47 — Horn relay
48 — Fuel pump relay
49 — High beam relay
50 — Front foglamps relay
51 — DRL relay (Canada)
52 — A/C clutch relay
53 — Trailer tow right turn relay
54 — Trailer tow left turn relay
55 — Blower motor relay
56 — Starter relay
57 — PCM relay
58 — Ignition relay
59 — Not used
60 — PCM diode
61 — A/C clutch diode
62 30A CB Power windows circuit breaker
* Mini Fuses ** Cartridge Fuses
Rear relay box
The relay box is located on the rear passenger side quarter trim panel.
See your dealer or a certified technician for service of this relay box.
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