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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
“pump” the brakes.
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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, apply the 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
(ABS).
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).
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.
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IDENTIFYING COMPONENTS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
4.2L V6 engine
1. Battery
2. Clutch fluid reservoir (manual transmission)
3. Power steering fluid reservoir
4. Brake fluid reservoir
5. Engine coolant reservoir
6. Air filter assembly
7. Engine oil filler cap
8. Engine oil dipstick
9. Transmission fluid dipstick (automatic transmission)
10. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
54321
791068
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4.6L V8
1. Battery
2. Transmission fluid dipstick (automatic transmission)
3. Engine oil filler cap
4. Power steering fluid reservoir
5. Brake fluid reservoir
6. Engine coolant reservoir
7. Air filter assembly
8. Engine oil dipstick
9. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
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5.4L V8
1. Battery
2. Transmission fluid dipstick (automatic transmission)
3. Air filter assembly
4. Power steering fluid reservoir
5. Engine oil dipstick
6. Brake fluid reservoir
7. Engine coolant reservoir
8. Engine oil filler cap
9. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
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How fail-safe cooling works
If the engine begins to overheat:
•The engine coolant temperature
gauge will move to the red (hot)
area.
•The mini message center (if
equipped) will indicate “Check
Gauges”, refer toWarning Lights
and Chimesin theInstrument Clusterchapter.
•The message center (if equipped) will indicate a system warning, refer
toMessage Centerin theDriver Controlschapter.
•The
light will illuminate.
If the engine reaches a preset over-temperature condition, the engine
will automatically switch to alternating cylinder operation. Each disabled
cylinder acts as an air pump and cools the engine.
When this occurs the vehicle will still operate. However:
•The engine power will be limited.
•The air conditioning system will be disabled.
Continued operation will increase the engine temperature:
•The engine will completely shut down.
•Steering and braking effort will increase.
Once the engine temperature cools, the engine can be re-started. Take
your vehicle to an authorized dealer as soon as possible to minimize
engine damage.
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.
3. If this is not possible, wait a short period for the engine to cool.
4. Check the coolant level and replenish if low.
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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. If
the vehicle is still not ready for I/M testing, the above driving cycle will
have to be repeated.
POWER STEERING FLUID
Check the power steering fluid. Refer to thescheduled maintenance
informationfor the service interval schedules. If adding fluid is
necessary, use MERCONAT 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. It should be between the MIN
and MAX lines. Do not add fluid if the level is in this range.
5. If the fluid is low, add fluid in small amounts, continuously checking
the level until it reaches the range between the MIN and MAX lines. Be
sure to put the cap back on the reservoir.
BRAKE FLUID
The fluid level will drop slowly as
the brakes wear, and will rise when
the brake components are replaced.
Fluid levels between the “MIN” and
“MAX” lines are within the normal
operating range; there is no need to
add fluid. If the fluid levels are
outside of the normal operating
range the performance of the
system could be compromised; seek
service from your authorized dealer
immediately.
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Item CapacityFord part name or
equivalentFord part number /
Ford specification
Rear 8.8/9.75 inch axle
fluid5.5 pints (2.6L)
3
Motorcraft SAE 75W-140
Rear Synthetic Axle
Lubricant
5
XY-75W140-QL /
WSL-M2C192-A
Rear 10.25 inch axle
fluid6.9 pints (3.3L)
4
Seat tracks — Multi-Purpose GreaseXG-4 or XL-5 /
ESB-M1C93-B
Transmission
/steering/parking brake
linkages and pivots,
brake and clutch pedal
shaft (if equipped)—Premium Long-Life
GreaseXG-1-C /
ESA-M1C75-B
Hinges, latches, striker
plates, fuel filler door
hinge and door check
arm—Hinges, latches, striker
plates, fuel filler door
hinge and door check
armXG-3-A /
ESE-M1C171-A
Power steering fluidFill to between
MIN and MAX
lines on reservoir
Motorcraft MERCON
AT FXT-2-QDX /
MERCON Manual transmission
fluid3.75 quarts (3.5L)
Transfer case fluid
(4X4)2.0 quarts (1.9L)
6
Automatic transmission
fluid (4R75E)13.9 quarts
(13.2L)
7
Motorcraft MERCONV
AT F
8
XT-5-QM /
MERCONV
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