
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 toLubricant specificationsin
this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehiclescheduled 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
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] 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
8–10 miles (12–16 km) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
•Four-wheel-drive operation (if equipped) is less fuel efficient than
two-wheel-drive operation.
•Close windows for high speed driving.
EPA window sticker
Every new vehicle should have the EPA window sticker. Contact your
dealer if the window sticker is not supplied with your vehicle. The EPA
window sticker should be your guide for the fuel economy comparisons
with other vehicles.
It is important to note the box in the lower left corner of the window
sticker. These numbers represent the Range of MPG (L/100 km)
expected on the vehicle under optimum conditions. Your fuel economy
may vary depending upon the method of operation and conditions.
2005 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
270

Please consult yourWarranty Guidefor complete emission warranty
information.
On board diagnostics (OBD-II)
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer that monitors the engine’s
emission control system. This system is commonly known as the On
Board Diagnostics System (OBD-II). This OBD-II system protects the
environment by ensuring that your vehicle continues to meet
government emission standards. The OBD-II system also assists the
service technician in properly servicing your vehicle. When theCheck
engine/Service engine soonlight illuminates, the OBD-II system has
detected a malfunction. Temporary malfunctions may cause yourCheck
engine/Service engine soonlight 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, theCheck engine/Service engine soonlight 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 theCheck engine/Service engine soonlight 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 yourCheck engine/Service engine
soonlight is on, refer to the description in theWarning lights and
chimessection of theInstrument Clusterchapter. Your vehicle may not
pass the I/M test with theCheck engine/Service engine soonlight 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
2005 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
272

A
Accessory delay ..........................59
Air bag supplemental restraint
system ................................107–108
and child safety seats ............109
description ..............................108
disposal ....................................111
driver air bag ..........................110
indicator light .........................111
operation .................................110
passenger air bag ...................110
passenger deactivation
switch ......................................112
Air cleaner filter ...............280, 282
Air conditioning ..........................36
Ambulance packages ....................8
Antifreeze
(see Engine coolant) ................257
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ......................183–184
Audio system
(see Radio) ................20, 22, 25, 28
Automatic transmission ............187
driving an automatic
overdrive .................................188
fluid, adding ............................275
fluid, checking ........................275
fluid, refill capacities ..............283
fluid, specification ..................289
Auxiliary power point .................57
Axle
lubricant specifications ..286, 289
refill capacities ........................283
traction lok ..............................186
B
Battery .......................................255acid, treating emergencies .....255
jumping a disabled battery ....224
maintenance-free ....................255
replacement, specifications ...282
servicing ..................................255
BeltMinder .................................103
Brakes ........................................183
anti-lock ...........................183–184
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light ...........................183
fluid, checking and adding ....274
fluid, refill capacities ..............283
fluid, specifications .........286, 289
lubricant specifications ..286, 289
parking ....................................184
shift interlock ..........................187
trailer .......................................171
Break-in period .............................5
Bulbs ............................................45
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....283
Cassette tape player .......20, 22, 25
Cell phone use ............................66
Certification Label ....................296
Child safety restraints ..............117
child safety belts ....................117
Child safety seats ......................119
attaching with tether straps ..123
in front seat ............................121
in rear seat ..............................121
Cleaning your vehicle
engine compartment ..............241
instrument panel ....................243
interior .....................................244
interior trim ............................243
plastic parts ............................242
safety belts ..............................244
2005 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Index
Index
302

Instrument panel
cleaning ...................................243
cluster ........................................12
lighting up panel and
interior .......................................41
J
Jump-starting your vehicle ......224
K
Keyless entry system .................85
Keys
positions of the ignition .........178
L
Lamps
autolamp system .......................39
daytime running light ...............40
fog lamps ...................................40
headlamps .................................39
headlamps, flash to pass ..........41
instrument panel, dimming .....41
interior lamps ...........................45
replacing bulbs ...... 45–46, 48–49,
51–53
Lane change indicator
(see Turn signal) ........................44
Lights, warning and indicator ....12
anti-lock brakes (ABS) ..........183
speed control ............................64
Load limits .................................160
Loading instructions .................167
Locks
childproof ..................................80
Lubricant specifications ...286, 289
Lug nuts ....................................148
Lumbar support, seats ...............94M
Manual transmission .................191
fluid capacities ........................283
lubricant specifications ..........289
reverse .....................................192
Message center ...............66, 68–69
english/metric button ...............73
system check button ................72
warning messages .....................74
Mirrors ...................................55, 59
automatic dimming rearview
mirror ........................................59
fold away ...................................61
heated ........................................60
side view mirrors (power) .......59
signal .........................................60
Moon roof ....................................56
Motorcraft parts ................267, 282
O
Octane rating ............................266
Oil (see Engine oil) ..................251
Overdrive .....................................55
P
Parking brake ............................184
Parts (see Motorcraft parts) ....282
Pedals (see Power adjustable
foot pedals) .................................62
Power adjustable foot pedals .....62
Power distribution box
(see Fuses) ...............................221
Power door locks ........................79
Power mirrors .............................59
Power point .................................57
2005 F250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Index
305