2005 FORD F150 brakes

Seating and Safety Restraints 104
Seating 104
Safety restraints 109
Air bags 128
Child restraints 134
Tires, Wheels and Loading 151
Tire Information 154
Tire Inflation 155
Changing tires 158
Wheel lug nut torque 164
Vehicle loading 174
Trailer towing 179
Recreational towing 188
Driving 190
Starting 190
Brakes 195
Transmission operation 199
Roadside Emergencies 223
Getting roadside assistance 223
Hazard flasher switch 224
Fuel pump shut-off switch 224
Fuses and relays 225
Jump starting 232
Wrecker towing 237
Customer Assistance 238
Reporting safety defects (U.S. only) 246
Cleaning 247
Table of Contents
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SPEED CONTROL (IF EQUIPPED)
With speed control set, you can maintain a speed of 30 mph (48 km/h)
or more without keeping your foot on the accelerator pedal. Speed
control does not work at speeds below 30 mph (48 km/h).
Do not use the speed control in heavy traffic or on roads that
are winding, slippery or unpaved.
Setting speed control
The controls for using your speed
control are located on the steering
wheel for your convenience.
1. Press the ON control and release
it.
2. Accelerate to the desired speed.
3. Press the SET control and release
it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator
pedal.
5. The indicator
light on the
instrument cluster will turn on.
Note:
•Vehicle speed may vary momentarily when driving up and down a
steep hill.
•If the vehicle speed increases above the set speed on a downhill, you
may want to apply the brakes to reduce the speed.
•If the vehicle speed decreases more than 10 mph (16 km/h) below
your set speed on an uphill, your speed control will disengage.
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Driver Controls
68

Energy management retractors
Your vehicle has a seat belt system equipped with energy management
retractors at the driver and front outboard passenger seating positions.
An energy management retractor is a device which pays out webbing in a
controlled manner. This feature is designed to help further reduce the
risk of force-related injuries to the occupant.
Seat belt systems equipped with an energy management retractor must
be replaced if they were in use during a frontal collision which resulted
in deployment of the frontal air bags. Refer to theSafety belt
maintenancesection in this chapter.
Vehicle sensitive mode
The vehicle sensitive mode is the normal retractor mode, allowing free
shoulder belt length adjustment to your movements and locking in
response to vehicle movement. For example, if the driver brakes
suddenly or turns a corner sharply, or the vehicle receives an impact of
approximately 5 mph (8 km/h) or more, the combination safety belts will
lock to help reduce forward movement of the driver and passengers.
The front outboard safety belts can also be made to lock manually by
quickly pulling on the shoulder belt. Rear safety belts (if equipped)
cannot be made to lock up by pulling quickly on the belt.
Automatic locking mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-locked. The belt will
still retract to remove any slack in the shoulder belt.
The automatic locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt, or
the Regular Cab center safety belt.
When to use the automatic locking mode
•Anytimea child safety seat is installed in a front outboard passenger
in a Regular Cab/ SuperCab/ SuperCrew or any rear seating position of
a SuperCab or SuperCrew. The Regular Cab front center seatbelt has a
cinch mechanism. Refer toSafety belt with locking cinch tongue
(Regular Cab center only)earlier in this chapter. Children 12 years
old and under should be properly restrained in a rear seat whenever
possible. Refer toSafety Restraints for ChildrenorSafety Seats for
Childrenlater in this chapter.
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Seating and Safety Restraints
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GCW (Gross Combined Weight)–is the weight of the loaded vehicle
(GVW) plus the weight of the fully loaded trailer.
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)–is the maximum allowable
weight of the vehicle and the loaded trailer–including all cargo and
passengers–that the vehicle can handle without risking damage.
(Important: The towing vehicles’braking system is rated for operation at
GVWR, not at GCWR. Separate functional brakes should be used for safe
control of towed vehicles and for trailers where the GCW of the towing
vehicle plus the trailer exceed the GVWR of the towing vehicle.The
GCW must never exceed the GCWR.
Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight–is the highest possible weight of a
fully loaded trailer the vehicle can tow. It assumes a vehicle with only
mandatory options, no cargo (internal or external), a tongue load of
10–15% (conventional trailer) or king pin weight of 15–25% (fifth wheel
trailer), and driver only (150 lb. [68 kg]).Consult your dealership (or
theRV and Trailer Towing Guideprovided by your dealership) for
more detailed information.
Tongue Load or Fifth Wheel King Pin Weight–refers to the amount
of the weight that a trailer pushes down on a trailer hitch.
Examples:For a 5,000 lb. (2,268 kg) conventional trailer, multiply 5,000
by 0.10 and 0.15 to obtain a proper tongue load range of 500 to 750 lb.
(227 to 340 kg). For an 11,500 lb. (5,216 kg) fifth wheel trailer, multiply
by 0.15 and 0.25 to obtain a proper king pin load range of 1,725 to 2,875
lb. (782 to 1,304 kg)
Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
certification label.
Do not use replacement tires with lower load carrying capacities
than the originals because they may lower the vehicle’s GVWR
and GAWR limitations. Replacement tires with a higher limit than the
originals do not increase the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
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Tires, Wheels and Loading
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Towing a trailer places an additional load on your vehicle’s engine,
transmission, axle, brakes, tires and suspension. Inspect these
components carefully periodically during, and after any towing operation.
Exceeding the maximum GCWR could result in extensive damage
to your vehicle and personal injury.
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.
Regular Cab 4x2 (126”wheelbase)
Engine Rear axle ratio Maximum
GCWR-lb. (kg)Maximum
trailer
weight-lb. (kg)
4.2L (with
manual
transmission)3.31 7200 (3266) 2400 (1089)
3.55 8500 (3856) 3700 (1678)
4.2L (with
automatic
transmission)3.55 10000 (4536) 5100 (2313)
3.73 10500 (4763) 5600 (2540)
4.6L 3.55 11500 (5216) 6500 (2948)
4.6L 3.73 12000 (5443) 7000 (3175)
5.4L 3.31 12000 (5443) 6900 (3130)
5.4L 3.55 13000 (5897) 7900 (3583)
5.4L 3.73 13500 (6123) 8400 (3810)
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Tires, Wheels and Loading
180

3. Attach the trailer to the vehicle and adjust the hitch equalizers so that
the front bumper height is within12”(13 mm) of the reference point.
After proper adjustment, the rear bumper should be no higher than in
Step 2.
Note:Adjusting an equalizing hitch so the rear bumper of the vehicle is
higher than it was unloaded will defeat the function of the load
equalizing hitch and may cause unpredictable handling.
Safety chains
Always connect the trailer’s safety chains to the frame or hook retainers
of the vehicle hitch. To connect the trailer’s safety chains, cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow slack for turning corners.
If you use a rental trailer, follow the instructions that the rental agency
gives to you.
Do not attach safety chains to the bumper.
Trailer brakes
Electric brakes and manual, automatic or surge-type trailer brakes are
safe if installed properly and adjusted to the manufacturer’s
specifications. The trailer brakes must meet local and Federal
regulations.
Do not connect a trailer’s hydraulic brake system directly to your
vehicle’s brake system. Your vehicle may not have enough
braking power and your chances of having a collision greatly increase.
The braking system of the tow vehicle is rated for operation at the
GVWR not GCWR.
Trailer lamps
Trailer lamps are required on most towed vehicles. Make sure all running
lights, brake lights, turn signals and hazard lights are working. See your
dealer or trailer rental agency for proper instructions and equipment for
hooking up trailer lamps.
Using a step bumper (if equipped)
The rear bumper is equipped with an integral hitch and only requires a
ball with a one inch (25.4 mm) shank diameter. The bumper has a 5,000
lb. (2,270 kg) trailer weight and 500 lb. (227 kg) tongue weight capacity.
If it is necessary to relocate the trailer hitch ball position, a
frame-mounted trailer hitch must be installed.
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Tires, Wheels and Loading
186

Note:If the engine does not start within five seconds on the first try,
turn the key to OFF, wait 10 seconds and try again. If the engine still
fails to start, press and hold the accelerator to the floor and try again;
this will allow the engine to crank with the fuel shut off in case the
engine is flooded with fuel.
Using the engine block heater (if equipped)
An engine block heater warms the engine coolant which aids in starting
and heater/defroster performance. Use of an engine block heater is
strongly recommended if you live in a region where temperatures reach
-10°F (-23°C) or below. For best results, plug the heater in at least three
hours before starting the vehicle. The heater can be plugged in the night
before starting the vehicle.
To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use your heater
with ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged (cheater)
adapters.
Guarding against exhaust fumes
Carbon monoxide is present in exhaust fumes. Take precautions to avoid
its dangerous effects.
If you smell exhaust fumes inside your vehicle, have your dealer
inspect your vehicle immediately. Do not drive if you smell
exhaust fumes.
Important ventilating information
If the engine is idling while the vehicle is stopped for a long period of
time, open the windows at least one inch (2.5 cm) or adjust the heating
or air conditioning to bring in fresh air.
BRAKES
Occasional brake noise is normal. If a metal-to-metal, continuous grinding
or continuous squeal sound is present, the brake linings may be worn-out
and should be inspected by a qualified service technician. If the vehicle
has continuous vibration or shudder in the steering wheel while braking,
the vehicle should be inspected by a qualified service technician.
Refer toBrake system warning lightin theInstrument Cluster
chapter for information on the brake system warning light.
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Driving
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Base instrument cluster with
and without tachometer
Mid and Luxury instrument
cluster
Four-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS)
Your vehicle is equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). This
system helps you maintain steering control during emergency stops by
keeping the brakes from locking. Noise from the ABS pump motor and
brake pedal pulsation may be observed during ABS braking and the
brake pedal may suddenly travel a little farther as soon as ABS braking is
done and normal brake operation resumes. These are normal
characteristics of the ABS and should be no reason for concern.
Using ABS
When hard braking is required, apply continuous force on the brake
pedal; do not pump the brake pedal since this will reduce the
effectiveness of the ABS and will increase your vehicle’s stopping
distance. The ABS will be activated immediately, allowing you to retain
full steering control during hard braking and on slippery surfaces.
However, the ABS does not decrease stopping distance.
ABS warning lamp
The ABS lamp in the instrument
cluster momentarily illuminates
when the ignition is turned on. If
the light does not illuminate during
start up, remains on or flashes, the
ABS may be disabled and may need to be serviced.
Even when the ABS is disabled, normal braking is still effective. (If your
BRAKE warning lamp illuminates with the parking brake released, have
your brake system serviced immediately.)
!
BRAKE
P!
BRAKE
ABS
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Driving
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