2008 FORD F350 engine overheat

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.
Never remove the coolant reservoir cap while the engine is
running or hot.
Odometer:Registers the total miles
(kilometers) of the vehicle. Refer to
Standard message centeror
Optional message centerin the
Driver Controlschapter on how to
switch the display from Metric to
English.
Trip odometer:Registers the miles
(kilometers) of individual journeys.
If equipped with a one button
message center (Select/Reset),
press and release the
SELECT/RESET button on the
cluster to toggle between odometer and trip odometer display. To reset,
press and hold for less than 2 seconds.
If equipped with a three button message center,press and release
the message center INFO button until TRIP A or TRIP B appears in the
display. Press the RESET button to reset.
Tachometer:Indicates the engine speed in revolutions per minute.
Driving with your tachometer pointer continuously at the top of the scale
may damage the engine.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Instrument Cluster
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Using the manual lumbar support
The lumbar support control is
located on the outboard side of the
seat
Turn the lumbar support clockwise
for more support.
Turn the lumbar support
counterclockwise for less support.
Heated seats (if equipped)
The heated seat control is located on the climate control panel.
Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin because of
advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes, spinal cord injury,
medication, alcohol use, exhaustion, or other physical conditions, must
exercise care when using the seat heater. The seat heater may cause
burns even at low temperatures, especially if used for long periods of
time. Do not place anything on the seat that insulates against heat,
such as a blanket or cushion, because this may cause the seat heater
to overheat. Do not puncture the seat with pins, needles, or other
pointed objects because this may damage the heating element which
may cause the seat heater to overheat. An overheated seat may cause
serious personal injury.
Note:Do not do the following:
•Place heavy objects on the seat.
•Operate the seat heater if water or any other liquid is spilled on the
seat. Allow the seat to dry thoroughly.
To operate the heated seats, do the following (engine must be running):
Push
to activate; pushagain to deactivate.
The indicator light on the control will illuminate when activated.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
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3 (Third)
Transmission starts and operates in third gear only.
Used for improved traction on slippery roads. Selecting 3 (Third)
provides engine braking.
2 (Second)
Use 2 (Second) to start-up on slippery roads or to provide additional
engine braking on downgrades.
1 (First)
•Provides maximum engine braking.
•Allows upshifts by moving gearshift lever.
•The transmission will not downshift into 1 (First) at high speeds; it
will downshift to a lower gear and then shift into 1 (First) when the
vehicle reaches slower speeds.
Forced downshifts
•Allowed in D (Overdrive) or D (Drive).
•Depress the accelerator to the floor.
•Allows transmission to select an appropriate gear.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow, it may be rocked out by
shifting between forward and reverse gears, stopping between shifts in a
steady pattern. Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature or damage to the transmission may occur.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a minute or damage to the
transmission and tires may occur, or the engine may overheat.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION OPERATION (IF EQUIPPED)
Using the clutch
The manual transmission has a starter interlock that prevents cranking
the engine unless the clutch pedal is fully depressed.
1
24 R
L3D
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USA(fus)
Driving
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Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few minutes or damage to
the transmission and tires may occur or the engine may overheat.
Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Refer toTransmission fluid temperature gaugein theInstrument
Clusterchapter for transmission fluid temperature information.
Emergency maneuvers
•In an unavoidable emergency situation where a sudden sharp turn
must be made, remember to avoid “over-driving” your vehicle, i.e.,
turn the steering wheel only as rapidly and as far as required to avoid
the emergency. Excessive steering will result in less vehicle control,
not more. Additionally, smooth variations of the accelerator and/or
brake pedal pressure should be utilized if changes in vehicle speed are
called for. Avoid abrupt steering, acceleration or braking which could
result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover
and/or personal injury. Use all available road surface to return the
vehicle to a safe direction of travel.
•In the event of an emergency stop, avoid skidding the tires and do not
attempt any sharp steering wheel movements.
Vehicles with a higher center of gravity such as utility and
four-wheel drive vehicles handle differently than vehicles with a
lower center of gravity. Utility and four-wheel drive vehicles arenot
designed for cornering at speeds as high as passenger cars any more
than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under
off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns, excessive speed and abrupt
maneuvers in these vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously could result in
an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death.
•If the vehicle goes from one type of surface to another (i.e., from
concrete to gravel) there will be a change in the way the vehicle
responds to a maneuver (steering, acceleration or braking). Again,
avoid these abrupt inputs.
Parking
On some 4WD vehicles, when the transfer case is in the N (Neutral)
position, the engine and transmission are disconnected from the rest of
the driveline. Therefore, the vehicle is free to roll even if the automatic
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USA(fus)
Driving
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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,
manually shift to a lower gear. Your
vehicle has anti-lock brakes, apply
the brakes steadily. Do not “pump”
the brakes.
Driving on snow and ice
4WD vehicles have advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but
can skid like any other vehicle.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
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USA(fus)
Driving
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•Snowplowing with vehicles equipped with a diesel engine may result in
engine overheating in highway driving with snowplow blade raised
unless equipped with the special engine cooling fan clutch that is
included with a snow plow package option.
Operating the vehicle with the snowplow attached
Do not use your vehicle for snow removal until it has been driven at
least 500 miles (800 km).
The attached snowplow blade restricts airflow to the radiator, and may
cause the engine to run at a higher temperature: Attention to engine
temperature is especially important when outside temperatures are
above freezing. Angle the blade to maximize airflow to the radiator and
monitor engine temperature to determine whether a left or right angle
provides the best performance.
Follow the severe duty schedule in yourscheduled maintenance
informationfor engine oil and transmission fluid change intervals.
Snowplowing with your airbag-equipped vehicle
Your vehicle is equipped with a driver and passenger airbag
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) The SRS is designed to activate in
certain frontal and offset frontal collisions when the vehicle sustains
sufficient longitudinal deceleration.
Careless or high speed driving while plowing snow which results in
sufficient vehicle decelerations can deploy the airbag. Such driving also
increases the risk of accidents.
All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag
supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.
Never remove or defeat the “tripping mechanisms” designed into the
snow removal equipment by its manufacturer. Doing so may cause
damage to the vehicle and the snow removal equipment as well as
possible airbag deployment.
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the air bag
supplemental restraint system (SRS) or its fuses. See your Ford
or Lincoln Mercury dealer.
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Additional equipment such as snowplow equipment may effect
the performance of the airbag sensors increasing the risk of
injury. Please refer to theFord Truck Body Builders Layout Bookfor
instructions about the appropriate installation of additional equipment.
Transmission operation while plowing
Operate the vehicle with the automatic transmission gearshift lever in
the D (Overdrive) position and Tow/Haul off.
•Shift transfer case to 4x4 LOW when plowing in small areas at speeds
below 5 mph (8 km/h).
•Shift transfer case to 4x4 HIGH when plowing larger areas or light
snow at higher speeds. Do not exceed 15 mph (24 km/h).
•Do not shift the transmission from a forward gear to R (Reverse) until
the engine is at idle and the wheels are stopped.
•If the vehicle is stuck, shift the transmission in a steady motion
between forward and reverse gears. Do not rock the vehicle for more
than a few minutes. The transmission and tires may be damaged or
the engine can overheat.
Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature. Do not rock the vehicle for more than a minute. The
transmission and tires may be damaged or the engine may
overheat.
Refer toTransmission fluid temperature gaugein theInstrument
Clusterchapter for transmission fluid temperature information.
Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander
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USA(fus)
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Note:Use of Motorcraft Cooling System Stop Leak Pellets may darken
the color of Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant from yellow to
golden tan.
•Do not add/mix an orange-colored, extended life coolant such
as Motorcraft Specialty Orange Engine Coolant meeting Ford
specification WSS-M97B44–D, or DEX-COOL
brand with the
factory-filled coolant.Mixing Motorcraft Specialty Orange Engine
Coolant or any orange-colored extended life product such as
DEX-COOL
brand with your factory filled coolant can result in
degraded corrosion protection.
•A large amount of water without engine coolant may be added, in case
of emergency, to reach a vehicle service location. In this instance, the
cooling system must be drained and refilled with a 50/50 mixture of
engine coolant and distilled water as soon as possible. Water alone
(without engine coolant) can cause engine damage from corrosion,
overheating or freezing.
•Do not use alcohol, methanol, brine or any engine coolants
mixed with alcohol or methanol antifreeze (coolant).Alcohol
and other liquids can cause engine damage from overheating or
freezing.
•Do not add extra inhibitors or additives to the coolant.These
can be harmful and compromise the corrosion protection of the engine
coolant.
For vehicles with overflow coolant systems with a non-pressurized cap
on the coolant recovery system, add coolant to the coolant recovery
reservoir when the engine is cool. Add the proper mixture of coolant and
water to the “COLD FILL RANGE” level. For all other vehicles which
have a coolant degas system with a pressurized cap, or if it is necessary
to remove the coolant pressure relief cap on the radiator of a vehicle
with an overflow system, follow these steps to add engine coolant.
To reduce the risk of personal injury, make sure the engine is
cool before unscrewing the coolant pressure relief cap. The
cooling system is under pressure; steam and hot liquid can come out
forcefully when the cap is loosened slightly.
1. Before you begin, turn the engine off and let it cool.
2. When the engine is cool, wrap a thick cloth around the coolant
pressure relief cap on the coolant reservoir (a translucent plastic bottle).
Slowly turn cap counterclockwise (left) until pressure begins to release.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
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