2006 FORD EXPLORER power steering

Driving on hilly or sloping terrain
Although natural obstacles may make it necessary to travel diagonally up
or down a hill or steep incline, you should always try to drive straight up
or straight down.Avoid driving crosswise or turning on steep
slopes or hills.A danger lies in losing traction, slipping sideways and
possibly rolling over. Whenever driving on a hill, determine beforehand
the route you will use. Do not drive over the crest of a hill without
seeing what conditions are on the other side. Do not drive in reverse
over a hill without the aid of an observer.
When climbing a steep slope or hill,
start in a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from a
higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the
engine and the possibility of stalling.
If you do stall out, do not try to
turn around because you might roll
over. It is better to back down to a
safe location.
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. Rapid pumping of the brake pedal will help you slow the vehicle
and still maintain steering control.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, apply the brakes steadily. Do not
ªpumpº the brakes.
Driving
232

Driving on snow and ice
4WD 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 a 4WD 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 ªsqueezeº 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
brake steadily. 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 4WD 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).
Driving
233

Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPower Distribution Box
Description
42 15A* Redundant brake switch, EVMV,
MAFS, HEGO, EVR, VCT1, VCT2,
CMCV, CMS
43 15A* Coil on plug (4.6L engine only),
Coil tower (4.0L engine only)
44 15A* Injectors
45A Ð Not used
45B Ð GCC fan relay
46A Ð Not used
46B Ð Not used
47 Ð Front wiper
48 Ð PCM relay
49 Ð Fuel pump
50A Ð Fog lamps
50B Ð AC clutch
51 Ð Not used
52 Ð A/C clutch (diode)
53 Ð Not used
54 Ð Trailer battery charger
55 Ð Starter
56 Ð Blower
* Mini Fuses ** Cartridge Fuses
CHANGING THE TIRES
If you get a flat tire while driving:
²do not brake heavily.
²gradually decrease the vehicle's speed.
²hold the steering wheel firmly.
²slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road.
Note:The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) indicator light will
illuminate when the spare is in use. To restore the full functionality of
the monitoring system, all road wheels equipped with tire pressure
monitoring sensors must be mounted on the vehicle.
Roadside Emergencies
246

IDENTIFYING COMPONENTS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
4.0L SOHC V6 engine
1. Engine oil filler cap
2. Engine oil dipstick (out of view)
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Power distribution box
5. Battery
6. Power steering fluid reservoir
7. Radiator cap
8. Engine coolant reservoir
9. Air filter assembly
10. Washer fluid reservoir
Maintenance and Specifications
278

4.6L V8 engine
1. Air filter assembly
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Engine oil dipstick
4. Brake fluid reservoir
5. Power distribution box
6. Battery
7. Power steering fluid reservoir
8. Radiator cap
9. Engine coolant reservoir
10. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
Maintenance and Specifications
279

Vehicles driven year-round in non-extreme climates should use a 50/50
mixture of engine coolant and distilled water for optimum cooling system
and engine protection.
What you should know about fail-safe cooling (4.6L V8 engine only)
If the engine coolant supply is depleted, this feature allows the vehicle to
be driven temporarily before incremental component damage is incurred.
The ªfail-safeº distance depends on ambient temperatures, vehicle load
and terrain.
Fail-safe cooling and engine oil temperature sensor (4.6L V8 only)
If the engine coolant and/or engine oil overheat, the vehicle limits engine
power before engine damage can occur. The instrument cluster can
provide up to four indicators to warn of coolant and/or oil overheat.
Warning lights/indicators Fail Safe cooling Oil Overheat Only*
(Engine oil pressure)OnOffÐwith normal
oil pressure
(Service engine soon)On Off
(Engine coolant temperature)On On
Engine coolant temperature gage Hot (H) area Hot (H) area
*Oil overheat warnings can be triggered in severe driving conditions, such as
towing heavy loads over mountainous terrain in extreme hot temperatures.
If the engine fluids reach even hotter temperatures, fail-safe cooling
protects the engine by limiting engine power further and may disable the
air conditioning system. The engine will automatically switch to
alternating cylinder operation. Each disabled cylinder acts as an air
pump and cools the engine. During this mode, the engine will run rough.
If continued operation increases the engine temperature to a critical
range, the engine will shut down. Steering and braking effort will
increase. Once engine temperature cools, the engine can be restarted.
When fail-safe mode is activated
You have limited engine power when in the fail-safe mode, so drive the vehicle
with caution. The vehicle will not be able to maintain high speed operation and
the engine will run rough. Remember that the engine is capable of completely
shutting down automatically to prevent engine damage, therefore:
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely possible and turn off the engine.
2. Arrange for the vehicle to be taken to an authorized dealer.
Maintenance and Specifications
293

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
indicator is on, refer to
the description in theWarning lights and chimessection of the
Instrument Clusterchapter. Your vehicle may not pass the I/M test with
the
indicator on.
If the vehicle's powertrain system or its battery has just been serviced,
the on-board diagnostics system is reset to a ªnot ready for I/M testº
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:
²First, at least 10 minutes of driving on an expressway or highway.
²Next, 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.
POWER STEERING FLUID
Check the power steering fluid. Refer to thescheduled maintenance
guidefor the service interval schedules. If adding fluid is necessary, use
only MERCONtAT F.
1. Start the engine and let it run
until it reaches normal operating
temperature (the engine coolant
temperature gauge indicator will be
near the center of the normal area
between H and C).
2. While the engine idles, turn the
steering wheel left and right several
times.
3. Turn the engine off.
4. Check the fluid level in the reservoir.
5. The fluid level should be between the MIN and MAX lines. Do not add
fluid if the level is in this range.
6. If the fluid is low, add fluid in small amounts, continuously checking
the level until it reaches the correct operating range. Be sure to put the
cap back on the reservoir.
Maintenance and Specifications
304

Replace the spark plugs with ones that meet Ford material and
design specifications for your vehicle, such as Motorcraft or
equivalent replacement parts. The customer warranty may be void
for any damage to the engine if such spark plugs are not used.
REFILL CAPACITIES
Fluid Ford Part
NameApplication Capacity
Brake fluid Motorcraft High
Performance
DOT 3 Motor
Vehicle Brake
FluidAll Fill to line on
reservoir
Engine oil
(including filter
change)
5
Motorcraft SAE
5W-30 Premium
Synthetic Blend
Motor Oil (US)
Motorcraft SAE
5W-30 Super
Premium Motor
Oil (Canada)4.0L engine 5.0 quarts
(4.7L)
Motorcraft SAE
5W-20 Premium
Synthetic Blend
Motor Oil (US)
Motorcraft SAE
5W-20 Super
Premium Motor
Oil (Canada)4.6L engine 6.0 quarts
(5.7L)
Fuel tank N/A All 22.5 gallons
(85.2L)
Power steering
fluidMotorcraft
MERCONtAT FAll Fill between the
MIN and MAX
lines on
reservoir
Transmission
fluid
1Motorcraft
MERCONtV
AT FAutomatic
transmission
(5R55S)13.0 quarts
(12.3L)2
Maintenance and Specifications
308