2008 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC wheel

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
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.
ABS
P!
BRAKE
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ADVANCETRACWITH ROLL STABILITY CONTROL™ (RSC)
STABILITY ENHANCEMENT SYSTEM
The AdvanceTrac
with RSC system provides stability enhancement
features such as Roll Stability Control™ (RSC), Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) and Traction Control (TCS) for certain driving situations.
The system includes an AdvanceTrac
with RSC on/off button, and a
“sliding car” icon
in the instrument cluster.
Some drivers may notice a slight movement of the brake pedal when the
AdvanceTrac
with RSC performs a system self-check. During
AdvanceTrac
with RSC operation you may experience the following:
•A rumble, grunting, or grinding noise after startup and when driving
off
•A slight deceleration of the vehicle
•The AdvanceTrac
with RSC indicator light will flash when the system
is activated.
•
If your foot is on the brake pedal, you will feel a vibration in the pedal.
•If the driving condition is severe and your foot is not on the brake, the
brake pedal will move to apply higher brake forces. You may also hear
a whoosh of air from under the instrument panel during this severe
condition.
Traction Control
Traction Control helps your vehicle maintain traction, when driving on
slippery and/or hilly road surfaces, by detecting and controlling wheel
spin. Excessive wheel spin is controlled by momentarily reducing engine
power and/or applying the anti-lock brakes. Traction Control is a driver
aid that helps your vehicle.
If your vehicle should become stuck in deep snow or mud, try switching
the AdvanceTrac
with RSC system off by pressing the AdvanceTrac

with RSC button momentarily. This will allow your tires to “dig” for
traction. Remember to switch the AdvanceTrac
with RSC system back
on once the vehicle is no longer stuck.
If the AdvanceTrac
with RSC system is activated excessively in a short
period of time, the brake portion of the system will disable to allow the
brakes to cool down. In this situation, Traction Control will use only
engine power reduction to help control the wheels from over-spinning.
When the brakes have cooled down, the system will again function
normally. Anti-lock braking, RSC and ESC are not affected by this
condition and will function normally during the cool-down period.
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If the vehicle is stuck in snow or mud or when driving in deep sand,
switching off the AdvanceTrac with RSC system may be beneficial so the
wheels are allowed to spin. If your vehicle seems to lose engine power
while driving in deep sand or very deep snow, switching off the
AdvanceTrac with RSC stability enhancement feature will restore full
engine power and will enhance momentum through the obstacle.
Remember to switch the AdvanceTrac
with RSC system back on once
the vehicle is no longer stuck.
During Traction Control events the “sliding car” icon
in the
instrument cluster will flash momentarily.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with RSC system may enhance
your vehicle’s stability during adverse maneuvers.
The AdvanceTrac
with RSC system helps the driver maintain steering
control. AdvanceTrac
with RSC will attempt to correct the vehicle
motion by applying brake force at individual tires and, if necessary, by
reducing engine power.
During Electronic Stability Control events the “sliding car” icon
in the
instrument cluster will flash momentarily.
Driving maneuvers which may activate AdvanceTrac
with RSC system
include:
•Taking a turn too fast.
•Maneuvering quickly to avoid an accident, pedestrian or obstacle.
•Driving over a patch of ice.
•Changing lanes on a snow-rutted road.
•Entering a snow-free road from a snow-covered side street, or vice
versa.
•Entering a paved road from a gravel road, or vice versa.
•Driving on slick surfaces.
•Cornering while towing a heavily loaded trailer (refer toTrailer
towingin theTires, Wheels and Loadingchapter.)
Roll Stability Control™ (RSC)
The RSC system works in conjunction with the AdvanceTrac
system to
help maintain roll stability of the vehicle during aggressive maneuvers by
applying brake force to one or more wheels.
During Roll Stability Control™ (RSC) events the “sliding car” icon
in
the instrument cluster will flash momentarily.
2008 07+ Explorer Sport Trac(esp)
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STEERING
To help prevent damage to the power steering system:
•Never hold the steering wheel at its furthest turning points (until it
stops) for more than a few seconds when the engine is running
•Do not operate the vehicle with a low power steering pump fluid level
(below the MIN mark on the reservoir).
•Some noise is normal during operation. If the noise is excessive, check
for low power steering pump fluid level before seeking service by your
authorized dealer.
•Heavy or uneven steering efforts may be caused by low power steering
pump fluid level. Check for low power steering pump fluid level before
seeking service by your authorized dealer.
•Do not fill the power steering pump reservoir above the MAX mark on
the reservoir, as this may result in leaks from the reservoir.
If the power steering system breaks down (or if the engine is turned
off), you can steer the vehicle manually, but it takes more effort. If the
steering wanders or pulls, check for:
•an improperly inflated tire
•uneven tire wear
•loose or worn suspension components
•loose or worn steering components
•improper steering alignment
A high crown in the road or high crosswinds may also make the steering
seem to wander/pull.
PREPARING TO DRIVE
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than
other types of vehicles.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
Utility vehicles and trucks have larger tires and increased ground
clearance, giving the vehicle a higher center of gravity than a passenger
car.
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P (Park)
This position locks the transmission
and prevents the rear wheels from
turning.
To put your vehicle in gear:
•Start the engine
•Depress the brake pedal
•Press the gearshift release button
on the front of the lever and
move the gearshift lever into the
desired gear
To put your vehicle in P (Park):
•Come to a complete stop
•Move the gearshift lever and
securely latch it in P (Park)
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure the gearshift is
latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition to the LOCK position and
remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
R (Reverse)
With the gearshift lever in R (Reverse), the vehicle will move backward.
Always come to a complete stop before shifting into and out of R
(Reverse).
N (Neutral)
With the gearshift lever in N (Neutral), the vehicle can be started and is
free to roll. Hold the brake pedal down while in this position.
D (Drive) with Overdrive
The normal driving position for the best fuel economy. Transmission
operates in gears one through five.
2008 07+ Explorer Sport Trac(esp)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
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P (Park)
This position locks the transmission
and prevents the rear wheels from
turning.
To put your vehicle in gear:
•Depress the brake pedal
•Start the engine
•Press the gearshift lever release
button (on the front of the lever)
and shift into the desired gear
To put your vehicle in P (Park):
•Come to a complete stop
•Move the gearshift lever and
securely latch it in P (Park)
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure the gearshift is
latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition to the LOCK position and
remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
R (Reverse)
With the gearshift lever in R (Reverse), the vehicle will move backward.
Always come to a complete stop before shifting into and out of R
(Reverse).
N (Neutral)
With the gearshift lever in N (Neutral), the vehicle can be started and is
free to roll. Hold the brake pedal down while in this position.
D (Drive) with Overdrive
The normal driving position for the best fuel economy. Transmission
operates in gears one through six except in 4WD Low where
transmission operates in gears two through six.
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Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
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Keep the RSS sensors (located on the rear bumper/fascia) free
from snow, ice and large accumulations of dirt (do not clean the
sensors with sharp objects). If the sensors are covered, it will
affect the accuracy of the RSS.
If your vehicle sustains damage to the rear bumper/fascia, leaving
it misaligned or bent, the sensing zone may be altered causing
inaccurate measurement of obstacles or false alarms.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) OPERATION (IF EQUIPPED)
For important information regarding safe operation of this type
of vehicle, seePreparing to drive your vehiclein this chapter.
Four–wheel drive (4WD) supplies power to all four wheels. Do not use
4X4 High or 4X4 Low on dry, hard surfaced roads. Doing so will produce
excessive noise, increase tire wear and may damage drive components.
4X4 High and 4X4 Low are only intended for consistently slippery or
loose surfaces. The use of 4X4 High or 4X4 Low on these surfaces may
produce some noise, such as occasional clunks, but will not damage the
drive system.
If equipped with the Electronic Shift 4WD System, and 4WD Low
is selected while the vehicle is moving above 3 mph (5 km/h), the
4WD system will not engage. This is normal and should be no
reason for concern.Refer toShifting to/from 4WD Lowfor proper
operation.
System indicator lights
•4X4- momentarily illuminates
when the vehicle is started.
Illuminates when 4X4 HIGH
(4WD High) is selected.
•4X4 LOW– momentarily
illuminates when the vehicle is
started. Illuminates when 4X4
LOW (4WD Low) is selected.
4x4
4x4
LOW
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Using the Control Trac 4WD system
4X4 AUTO- Provides electronically-controlled four-wheel drive with
power delivered to all four wheels as required for traction. This mode is
appropriate for all on-road driving conditions, including dry road
surfaces, wet pavement, snow and gravel.
4X4 HIGH (4WD High)- Provides locked four-wheel drive power to all
four wheels. This mode is not intended for use on dry pavement. This
mode is appropriate for severe winter and off-road conditions, such as
deep snow, ice or shallow sand.
4X4 LOW (4WD Low)- Provides locked four-wheel drive power when
extra power at reduced speeds is required. This mode is not recommended
for use on dry pavement. Use this mode for off-road, low-speed operation
or when extra power is required, such as climbing steep grades, going
through deep sand, or pulling a boat out of the water.
Shifting between 4X4 AUTO (4WD Auto) and 4X4 HIGH (4WD High)
•Select 4X4 AUTO (4WD Auto) or 4X4 HIGH (4WD High) at any
forward speed.
Note:Do not perform this operation if the rear wheels are slipping.
Shifting to/from 4X4 LOW (4WD Low)
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop
2. Place the transmission in N (Neutral).
3. Press the desired 4WD position.
•If shifting into 4x4 LOW (4WD Low), wait for the 4X4 LOW light in
the instrument cluster to turnonindicating the shift is complete.
•If shifting out of 4X4 LOW (4WD Low), wait for the 4X4 LOW light in
the instrument cluster to turnoffindicating the shift is complete.
If any of the above shift conditions are not met, the shift will not occur
and the message center will display the appropriate information.
Driving off-road with truck and utility vehicles
4WD vehicles are specially equipped for driving on sand, snow, mud and
rough terrain and have operating characteristics that are somewhat
different from conventional vehicles, both on and off the road.
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