2008 FORD F SERIES MOTORHOME AND COMMERCIAL CHASSIS coolant temperature

Vehicle Symbol Glossary
Power Windows
Front/Rear
Power Window Lockout
Child Safety Door
Lock/UnlockInterior Luggage
Compartment Release
Panic AlarmEngine Oil
Engine CoolantEngine Coolant
Temperature
Do Not Open When HotBattery
Avoid Smoking, Flames,
or SparksBattery Acid
Explosive GasFan Warning
Power Steering FluidMaintain Correct Fluid
LevelMAX
MIN
Service Engine SoonEngine Air Filter
Passenger Compartment
Air FilterJack
Check Fuel CapLow Tire Pressure
Warning
2008 Motorhome(mot)
Supplement
USA(fus)
Introduction
7

Check gauge:Displays when any of
the following conditions has
occurred:
•The engine coolant temperature
is high.
•The engine oil pressure is low.
•The fuel gauge is at or near empty.
Language
The language options are English and French. The feature works as
follows:
1. If present language is English,
press and hold the SELECT/RESET
button for 15 seconds or greater to
convert the language selection to
French. The word
FRENCH
will be
displayed for 4 seconds as a confirmation that language has been
changed.
2. If present language is French,
press and hold the SELECT/RESET
button for 15 seconds or greater to
convert the language selection to
English. The word
ENGLISH
will
be displayed for 4 seconds as a confirmation that language has been
changed.
Parking brake on warning chime:Sounds when the parking brake is
set, the engine is running and the vehicle is driven more than 3 mph
(5 km/h).
MINI message center activation chime:Sounds when some warning
messages appear in the message center display for the first time.
Fail safe cooling warning chime:Sounds when CHECK GAUGES is
displayed in the message center and the coolant gage pointer has moved
to hot. Three one second chimes are level 1 warnings. Five one second
chimes are level 2 warnings.
2008 Motorhome(mot)
Supplement
USA(fus)
Instrument Cluster
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GAUGES
Speedometer:Indicates the
current vehicle speed.Vehicle
speed is limited to 75 mph.
Engine coolant temperature
gauge:Indicates engine coolant
temperature. At normal operating
temperature, the needle will be in
the normal range (between “H” and
“C”).If it enters the red section,
the engine is overheating. Stop
the vehicle as soon as safely
possible, switch off the engine and let the engine cool.
WARNING:Never remove the coolant reservoir cap while the
engine is running or hot.
Odometer:Registers the total miles
(kilometers) of the vehicle.
2008 Motorhome(mot)
Supplement
USA(fus)
Instrument Cluster
13

Your cooling system may have a leak. Operating an engine with a low
level of coolant can result in engine overheating and possible engine
damage.
Recycled engine coolant
Ford Motor Company does NOT recommend the use of recycled engine
coolant in vehicles originally equipped with Motorcraft Premium Gold
Engine Coolant since a Ford-approved recycling process is not yet
available.
Used engine coolant should be disposed of in an appropriate
manner. Follow your community’s regulations and standards for recycling
and disposing of automotive fluids.
Coolant refill capacity
To find out how much fluid your vehicle’s cooling system can hold, refer
toMaintenance product specifications and capacitiesin this chapter.
Fill your engine coolant reservoir as outlined inAdding engine coolant
in this section.
Severe climates
If you drive in extremely cold climates (less than –34°F [–36°C]):
•It may be necessary to increase the coolant concentration
above 50%.
•NEVER increase the coolant concentration above 60%.
•Increased engine coolant concentrations above 60% will
decrease the overheat protection characteristics of the engine
coolant and may cause engine damage.
•Refer to the chart on the coolant container to ensure the
coolant concentration in your vehicle will provide adequate
freeze protection at the temperatures in which you drive in the
winter months.
If you drive in extremely hot climates:
•It is still necessary to maintain the coolant concentration
above 40%.
•NEVER decrease the coolant concentration below 40%.
•Decreased engine coolant concentrations below 40% will
decrease the corrosion protection characteristics of the engine
coolant and may cause engine damage.
2008 Motorhome(mot)
Supplement
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
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•Decreased engine coolant concentrations below 40% will
decrease the freeze protection characteristics of the engine
coolant and may cause engine damage.
•Refer to the chart on the coolant container to ensure the
coolant concentration in your vehicle will provide adequate
protection at the temperatures in which you drive.
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
If the engine coolant supply is depleted, this feature allows the vehicle to
be driven temporarily before incremental component damage is incurred.
The “fail-safe” distance depends on ambient temperatures, vehicle load
and terrain.
How fail-safe cooling works
If the engine begins to overheat:
•The engine coolant temperature
gauge will move to the red (hot)
area.
•CHECK GAUGES will illuminate
in the mini message center.
•TheService engine soon
indicator 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 and the engine
will completely shut down, causing steering and braking effort to
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.
2008 Motorhome(mot)
Supplement
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
100

POWER STEERING FLUID
Check the power steering fluid.
Refer toscheduled maintenance
informationfor the service interval
schedules.
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 on the
dipstick. It should be between the
arrows in the FULL range on the
side of the dipstick with the words
MAX. HOT at the top. Do not add
fluid if the level is within this range.
5. If the fluid is low, add fluid in small amounts, continuously checking
the level until it reaches the FULL range. Be sure to put the dipstick
back in the reservoir.
Refer toMaintenance product specifications and capacitiesin this
chapter for the proper fluid type.
BRAKE FLUID
Brake fluid should be checked and refilled as needed. Seek service from
your authorized dealer. Refer to thescheduled maintenance
informationfor the service interval schedules.
ADD MAX. HOTFULL
2008 Motorhome(mot)
Supplement
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
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cleaning .....................................88
coolant .......................................95
fail-safe cooling .......................100
idle speed control .....................93
lubrication specifications .......121
refill capacities ........................121
service points ............................90
Engine oil ....................................91
checking and adding ................91
dipstick ......................................91
filter, specifications ..........92, 120
recommendations .....................92
refill capacities ........................121
specifications ..........................121
Event data recording ....................5
Exhaust fumes ............................50
F
Fail safe cooling ........................100
Fluid capacities .........................121
Fuel ............................................101
calculating fuel economy .......105
capacity ...................................121
choosing the right fuel ...........104
comparisons with EPA fuel
economy estimates .................108
detergent in fuel .....................105
filling your vehicle with
fuel ...................................101, 106
filter, specifications ........101, 120
improving fuel economy ........105
octane rating ...................104, 124
quality ......................................104
running out of fuel .................105
safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................101
Fuses ............................................62G
Gas mileage (see Fuel
economy) ...................................105
Gauges .........................................13
transmission fluid
temperature gauge ...................16
H
Hazard flashers ...........................61
Headlamps ...................................16
daytime running lights .............16
flash to pass ..............................17
high beam .................................16
turning on and off ....................16
I
Ignition .................................48, 124
Inspection/maintenance (I/M)
testing ........................................110
Instrument panel
cluster ..........................................8
lighting up panel and
interior .......................................17
J
Jump-starting your vehicle ........75
K
Keys
positions of the ignition ...........48
L
Lamps
daytime running light ...............16
headlamps .................................16
2008 Motorhome(mot)
Supplement
USA(fus)
Index
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