Page 220 of 424

operation may result in starter or battery damage. If
the engine does not start at once, repeat Steps 1
through 4.
•Cold engine speeds higher than necessary for driving
or higher than specified for idling may damage engine
components.
•Before turning off your Diesel engine, always allow
the engine to return to normal idle speed and then run
for several seconds. This assures proper lubrication of
the turbocharger. This is particularly necessary after
periods of high speed driving.
•“Two-footed” driving is not recommended. Inadvert-
ently driving with the brake pedal depressed for more
than a few seconds when the accelerator pedal is held
in place can cause the ETC system to assume that a
stuck accelerator pedal has occurred. This will result in
a loss of power. Returning the brake pedal to its
normal position or moving the accelerator pedal will cancel this condition. If the depressed brake pedal and
the constant accelerator pedal position are maintained
for an extended period of time, the ETC warning light
will begin to flash and continue until the ignition
switch is cycled in the following manner. Cycle the
ignition key when the vehicle is safely and completely
stopped and the gear selector is placed in the P (Park)
position.
Turbocharger “Cool Down”
NOTE:
Letting the engine idle after extended operation
allows the turbine housing to cool to normal operating
temperature.
The following chart should be used as a guide in deter-
mining the amount of engine idle time required to
sufficiently cool down the turbocharger before shut
down, depending upon the type of driving and the
amount of cargo.
220 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 221 of 424
TURBOCHARGERCOOL DOWNCHART
Driving Conditions Load Turbocharger Temperature Idle Time (in minutes) Before Shut Down
Stop & Go Empty Cool Less than 1
Stop & Go Medium Warm 1
Highway Speeds Medium Warm 2 City Traffic Max. GCWR Warm 3
Highway Speeds Max. GCWR Warm 4 Uphill Grade Max. GCWR Hot 5
Diesel Fuel-Water Separator
A diesel fuel-water separator separates the water nor-
mally found in diesel fuel. A manual hand prime pump is
located on the filter head for re-priming the fuel system.
The fuel-water separator is located on the driver side
cowl in the engine compartment. Refer to “2.8L Turbo
Diesel Engine Compartment” in Section 7 for location. NOTE:
If the “Water-In-Fuel Warning Light” (located in
the instrument cluster) comes on, this indicates that
water has collected in the fuel filter and should be
drained immediately. See your authorized dealer for
service.
STARTING AND OPERATING 221
5
Page 224 of 424
TRANSMISSION SHIFTING
6-Speed Manual Transmission
Follow the shift pattern on the gearshift knob.
NOTE: The backup lights will come on when your
vehicle is in R (Reverse) gear and the ignition is in the ON
position.
Manual Shift Controls
224 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 231 of 424

Overdrive can be locked out by pressing the O/D OFF
button located on side of the gearshift lever. The O/D
OFF indicator light will illuminate to show that the
switch has been activated. When the indicator light is on,
Overdrive is locked out. Pressing the switch a second
time restores the Overdrive function. The lockout feature
is useful when towing a trailer or carrying a heavy load.
NOTE: If the vehicle is started in cold outside tempera-
tures, shifts into Overdrive may be delayed. Normal
Overdrive and shifting operation will resume when the
temperature of the transmission reaches the appropriate
temperature. Refer to the “Note” under “Torque Con-
verter Clutch” later in this section.
If the transmission temperature gets too hot, the trans-
mission may downshift out of Overdrive or engage
overdrive at higher vehicle speeds until the transmission
cools down. After cooldown, Overdrive will resume
normal operation. 2 (Second)
For moderate grades and to assist braking on dry pave-
ment or in mud and snow. Begins at a stop in low gear
with automatic upshift to 2nd gear. Will not shift to 3rd.
1 (First)
For hard pulling at low speeds in mud, sand, snow, or on
steep grades. Begins and stays in low gear with no
upshift. Provides engine compression braking at low
speeds.
STARTING AND OPERATING 231
5
Page 232 of 424

CAUTION!
•Never press on the accelerator pedal with the
engine running, vehicle in gear, and the brakes
applied. Always apply the brakes when stopped
on a incline. Failure to follow these instructions
can cause overheating and damage to the trans-
mission.
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving be-
tween “First” and R (Reverse), do not spin the
wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain
damage may result.
Over Temperature Mode
The transmission electronics constantly monitor the
transmission oil temperature. If the transmission gets too
hot, the transmission will change the way it shifts to help
control the condition. This may result in a slightly different feeling or response during normal operation in
D (Drive) position. If the transmission becomes hot
enough the TRANS TEMP warning light in the instru-
ment cluster will come on. After the transmission cools
down, it will return to normal operation.
Torque Converter Clutch
A feature designed to improve fuel economy has been
added to the automatic transmission of this vehicle. A
clutch within the torque converter engages automatically
at calibrated speeds. This may result in a slightly differ-
ent feeling or response during normal operation in high
gear. When the vehicle speed drops or during accelera-
tion, the clutch automatically and smoothly disengages.
NOTE:
•The torque converter clutch (TCC) will not engage
until the transmission fluid and engine coolant are
warm (usually after 1–3 miles (1.6–4.8 km) of driving)
and the vehicle speed is above approximately 30 mph
232 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 233 of 424

(48 km/h). To understand the difference in operation,
drive the vehicle so that TCC engagement conditions
are correct, and then press and release the “O/D OFF”
button once to disengage the TCC. Wait a few seconds,
and then press and release the “O/D OFF” button
again to engage the TCC. You will notice that the
engine runs at a higher RPM when driving at vehicle
speeds above approximately 30 mph (48 km/h) with
the TCC not engaged. This is a normal condition.
•If the vehicle has not been driven for several days, the
first few seconds of operation after shifting the trans-
mission into gear may seem sluggish. This is due to the
transmission fluid partially draining from the torque
converter into the transmission. This is considered a
normal condition and will not cause damage to the
transmission. The torque converter will refill within 5
seconds of shifting from P (Park) into any other gear
position.
Rocking the Vehicle
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, sand, or mud, it can
often be moved by a rocking motion. Move the gear
selector rhythmically between “First” and R (Reverse),
while applying slight pressure to the accelerator.
The least amount of accelerator pedal pressure to main-
tain the rocking motion without spinning the wheels or
racing the engine is most effective. Racing the engine or
spinning the wheels, due to the frustration of not freeing
the vehicle, may lead to transmission overheating and
failure. Allow the engine to idle with the transmission
selector in N (Neutral) for at least one minute after every
five rocking-motion cycles. This will minimize overheat-
ing and reduce the risk of transmission failure during
prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle.
STARTING AND OPERATING 233
5
Page 234 of 424

CAUTION!
When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving between
“First” and R (Reverse), do not spin the wheels faster
than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may
result.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION
Command-Trac \bOperating
Information/Precautions
The Command-Trac transfer case provides 4 mode
positions - 2 (rear) wheel drive high range, 4-wheel drive
high range, neutral, and 4-wheel drive low range.
This transfer case is intended to be driven in the 2-wheel
drive position (2H) for normal street and highway con-
ditions such as dry hard surfaced roads. When additional traction is required the transfer case 4H
and 4L positions can be used to lock the front and rear
driveshafts together and force the front and rear wheels
to rotate at the same speed. This is accomplished by
simply moving the shift lever to these positions. The 4H
and 4L positions are intended for loose, slippery road
surfaces only. Driving in the 4H and 4L positions on dry
hard surfaced roads may cause increased tire wear and
damage to the driveline components.
The PART TIME indicator light, located in the instrument
cluster, illuminates when the transfer case is shifted to the
4H position.
The 4 LO MODE indicator light, located in the instru-
ment cluster, illuminates when the transfer case is shifted
to the 4L position. There is no light for the 2H or N
(Neutral) positions.
234 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 239 of 424

The PART TIME indicator light, located on the instru-
ment cluster, illuminates when the transfer case is shifted
to the 4 PART TIME position.
The FULL TIME indicator light, located on the instru-
ment cluster, illuminates when the transfer case is shifted
to the 4 FULL TIME position.
The 4LO MODE indicator light, located on the instru-
ment cluster, illuminates when the transfer case is shifted
to the 4LO position. There is no light for the 2WD, or N
(Neutral) positions.CAUTION!
•Do not attempt to make a shift while only the
front or rear wheels are spinning. The Selec-Trac
transfer case is not equipped with a synchronizer
and therefore the front and rear driveshaft speeds
must be equal for the shift to take place. Shifting
while only the front or rear wheels are spinning
can cause damage to the transfer case.
•When operating your vehicle in 4LO, the engine
speed is approximately three times that of the
2WD, 4 PART TIME, or 4 FULL TIME positions at
a given road speed. Take care not to overspeed the
engine and do not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h).
STARTING AND OPERATING 239
5