2008 FORD F150 lights

If the airbag has deployed,the airbag will not function again
and must be replaced immediately.If the airbag is not
replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a
collision.
Determining if the system is operational
The SRS uses readiness lights in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer toAirbag readinessin the
Instrument Clusterchapter. Routine maintenance of the airbag is not
required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness lights will either
flash or stay lit.
•The readiness lights will not
illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at an authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not
function properly in the event of a collision.
Disposal of airbags and airbag equipped vehicles
(including pretensioners)
See your authorized dealer. Airbags MUST BE disposed of by qualified
personnel.
Front passenger sensing system
The front passenger sensing system is designed to meet the regulatory
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208
and is designed to disable (will not inflate) the front passenger’s frontal
airbag under certain conditions.
The front passenger sensing system works with sensors that are part of
the front passenger’s seat and safety belt. The sensors are designed to
detect the presence of a properly seated occupant and determine if the
front passenger’s frontal airbag should be enabled (may inflate) or
disabled (will not inflate).
2008 F-150(f12)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
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Seating and Safety Restraints
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Low Tire Pressure
Warning LightPossible cause Customer Action Required
Flashing Warning
LightSpare tire in use Your temporary spare tire is in
use. Repair the damaged road
wheel and re-mount it on the
vehicle to restore system
functionality. For a description
of how the system functions
under these conditions, refer to
When your temporary spare
tire is installedin this section.
TPMS
malfunctionIf your tires are properly
inflated and your spare tire is
not in use and the TPMS
warning light still flashes, have
the system inspected by your
authorized dealer.
When inflating your tires
When putting air into your tires (such as at a gas station or in your
garage), the Tire Pressure Monitoring System may not respond
immediately to the air added to your tires.
It may take up to two minutes of driving over 20 mph (32 km/h) for the
light to turn OFF after you have filled your tires to the recommended
inflation pressure.
How temperature affects your tire pressure
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) monitors tire pressure in
each pneumatic tire. While driving in a normal manner, a typical
passenger tire inflation pressure may increase approximately 2 to 4 psi
(14 to 28 kPa) from a cold start situation. If the vehicle is stationary
over night with the outside temperature significantly lower than the
daytime temperature, the tire pressure may decrease approximately 3 psi
(20.7 kPa) for a drop of 30° F (16.6°C) in ambient temperature. This
lower pressure value may be detected by the TPMS as being significantly
lower than the recommended inflation pressure and activate the TPMS
warning for low tire pressure. If the low tire pressure warning light is
ON, visually check each tire to verify that no tire is flat. (If one or more
tires are flat, repair as necessary.) Check air pressure in the road tires. If
any tire is under-inflated, carefully drive the vehicle to the nearest
location where air can be added to the tires. Inflate all the tires to the
recommended inflation pressure.
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Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
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Tires, Wheels and Loading
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Trailer lamps
Trailer lamps are required on most towed vehicles. Make sure all running
lights, brake lights, turn signals and hazard lights are working. See your
authorized dealer or trailer rental agency for proper instructions and
equipment for hooking up trailer lamps.
Using a step bumper (if equipped)
The rear bumper is equipped with an integral hitch and only requires a
ball with a one inch (25.4 mm) shank diameter. The bumper has a 5,000 lb.
(2,270 kg) trailer weight and 500 lb. (227 kg) tongue weight capacity.
If it is necessary to relocate the trailer hitch ball position, a
frame-mounted trailer hitch must be installed.
Driving while you tow
When towing a trailer:
•To ensure proper “break-in” of powertrain components, do not trailer
tow during the first 1,000 miles (1600 km) of a new vehicle.
•To ensure proper “break-in” of powertrain components during the first
500 miles (800 km) of trailer towing, drive no faster than 70 mph
(112 km/h) with no full throttle starts.
•Turn off the speed control. The speed control may shut off
automatically when you are towing on long, steep grades.
•Consult your local motor vehicle speed regulations for towing a trailer.
•To eliminate excessive shifting, use a lower gear. This will also assist
in transmission cooling. (For additional information, refer to
Understanding the gearshift positions of the 4–speed automatic
transmissionin theDriving chapter.
•Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
•Do not exceed the GCWR rating or transmission damage may occur.
Servicing after towing
If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more
frequent service intervals. Refer to yourscheduled maintenance
informationfor more information.
2008 F-150(f12)
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Tires, Wheels and Loading
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STARTING
Positions of the ignition
1. OFF/LOCK, locks the steering
wheel, automatic transmission
gearshift lever and allows key
removal.
Note:The ignition key cannot be
removed from the ignition unless
the gearshift lever is securely
latched in P (Park).
2. ACCESSORY, allows the electrical
accessories such as the radio to
operate while the engine is not running.
3. ON, all electrical circuits operational. Warning lights illuminated. Key
position when driving.
4. START, cranks the engine. Release the key as soon as the engine
starts.
Preparing to start your vehicle
Engine starting is controlled by the powertrain control system. This
system meets all Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment standard
requirements regulating the impulse electrical field strength of radio
noise.
When starting a fuel-injected engine, don’t press the accelerator before
or during starting. Only use the accelerator when you have difficulty
starting the engine. For more information on starting the vehicle, refer to
Starting the enginein this chapter.
Extended idling at high engine speeds can produce very high
temperatures in the engine and exhaust system, creating the risk
of fire or other damage.
Do not park, idle, or drive your vehicle in dry grass or other dry
ground cover. The emission system heats up the engine
compartment and exhaust system, which can start a fire.
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Driving
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•Make sure the parking brake is
set.
If starting a vehicle with a manual transmission:
•Make sure the parking brake is
set.
•Push the clutch pedal to the floor
3. Turn the key to 3 (ON) without
turning the key to 4 (START).
Some warning lights will briefly illuminate. SeeWarning lights and
chimesin theInstrument Clusterchapter for more information
regarding the warning lights.
BRAKE
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Driving
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dark. If either of the lamps are not operating, stop using the reverse
camera system, at least in the dark, until the lamp(s) are replaced and
functioning.
Servicing
•If the vehicle is in R (Reverse) and the screen in the rear view mirror
appears blue for three seconds and turns blank afterwards, the camera
is not working properly; have the system inspected by your authorized
dealer.
•If the image comes on while the vehicle is not in R (Reverse), have
the system inspected by your authorized dealer.
•If the vehicle is in R (Reverse) and the screen is blank and no blue
screen is observed, the mirror is not working properly; have the
system inspected by your authorized dealer.
•If the image is not clear, then check if there is anything covering the
lens such as dirt, mud, ice, snow, etc. If the image is still not clear
after cleaning, have your system inspected by your authorized dealer.
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. 4WD should
not be operated on dry pavement; driveline damage may occur.
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 past 4WD High. This is normal and
should be no reason for concern.Refer toShifting to/from 4L (4WD
Low)for proper operation.
System indicator lights
•4X4 HI- Momentarily illuminates
when the engine is started.
Illuminates when 4H is selected.
•4X4 LOW– Momentarily
illuminates when the engine is
started. Illuminates when 4L is
selected.
4x4 HI
4x4
LOW
2008 F-150(f12)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
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Driving
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What you should know about fail-safe cooling (if equipped)
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.
•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.
2008 F-150(f12)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
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Maintenance and Specifications
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Unleaded Gasoline engines
If you are experiencing starting, rough idle or hesitation driveability
problems during a cold start, try a different brand of “Regular” unleaded
gasoline. “Premium” unleaded gasoline is not recommended because it
may cause these problems to become more pronounced. If the problems
persist, see your authorized dealer.
FFV engine (if equipped)
To identify if your vehicle is an FFV, it may be equipped with a yellow
fuel cap with the writing “E85/Gasoline”, or check if there is a label on
the fuel filler door, or check your VIN. When checking the VIN, look for
the engine type identifier (8th character). If your vehicle is an FFV, then
the character will be labeled as a “V”.
It is best not to alternate repeatedly between gasoline and E
85. If you do
switch fuels, it is recommended that you add as much fuel as
possible—at least half a tank. Do not add less than five gallons (18.9 L)
when refueling. You should drive the vehicle immediately after refueling
for at least five miles (8 km) to allow the vehicle to adapt to the change
in ethanol concentration.
If you operate your vehicle 50% or more of the time on ethanol, you
should follow a different maintenance schedule. In addition to this it is
also recommended to fill the fuel tank with regular unleaded gasoline
once every 3,000 miles (4,828 km). Seescheduled maintenance
informationfor more information.
Running out of fuel
Avoid running out of fuel because this situation may have an adverse
effect on powertrain components.
If you have run out of fuel:
•You may need to cycle the ignition from OFF to ON several times after
refueling to allow the fuel system to pump the fuel from the tank to
the engine. On restarting, cranking time will take a few seconds longer
than normal.
•Normally, adding 1 gallon (3.8L) of fuel is enough to restart the
engine. If the vehicle is out of fuel and on a steep grade, more than
1 gallon (3.8L) may be required.
•TheService engine soon
indicator may come on. For more
information on theService engine soon
indicator, refer to
Warning lights and chimesin theInstrument Clusterchapter.
2008 F-150(f12)
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Maintenance and Specifications
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