Page 167 of 272

After driving through mud, clean off residue stuck to rotating driveshafts
and tires. Excess mud stuck on tires and rotating driveshafts causes an
imbalance that could damage drive components.
“Tread Lightly” is an educational
program designed to increase public
awareness of land-use regulations
and responsibilities in our nations
wilderness areas. Ford Motor
Company joins the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land
Management in encouraging you to help preserve our national forest and
other public and private lands by “treading lightly.”
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.
2008 Ranger(ran)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
167
Page 169 of 272

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.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
If driving through deep or standing
water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly especially when the depth is
not known. Never drive through
water that is higher than the bottom
of the wheel rims (for cars) or the
bottom of the hubs (for trucks).
When driving through water, traction or brake capability may be limited.
Also, water may enter your engine’s air intake and severely damage your
engine or your vehicle may stall.Driving through deep water where
the transmission vent tube is submerged may allow water into the
transmission and cause internal transmission damage.
Once through the water, always dry the brakes by moving your
vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
Wet brakes do not stop the vehicle as quickly as dry brakes.
2008 Ranger(ran)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
169
Page 269 of 272

Occupant Classification
Sensor ........................................73
safety belt maintenance ...........80
warning light and chime ..........81
Safety seats for children ............98
Safety Compliance
Certification Label ....................261
Satellite Radio Information ........36
Seats ............................................68
child safety seats ......................98
SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ..........................................65
Servicing your vehicle ..............215
Setting the clock
AM/FM stereo ...........................20
AM/FM stereo CD .....................22
Premium AM/FM stereo
CD6/MP3 ...................................28
Snowplowing .................................8
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................253, 259
Special notice
ambulance conversions ..............8
utility-type vehicles ....................7
Specification chart,
lubricants ...................................254
Speed control ..............................57
Starting your
vehicle ........................146–147, 149
jump starting ..........................192
Steering wheel
tilting .........................................54
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................54Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)
Roadside Emergencies ...........183
Tires, Wheels and Loading ....122
Tires ...........................107–109, 183
alignment ................................116
care ..........................................112
changing ..........................183, 189
checking the pressure ............112
inflating ...................................110
label .........................................121
replacing ..................................113
rotating
....................................116
safety practices
.......................115
sidewall information
...............117
snow tires and chains
............126
spare tire
.................................184
terminology
.............................109
tire grades
...............................108
treadwear
........................108, 112
Towing
.......................................133
recreational towing
.................144
trailer towing
..........................133
wrecker
....................................198
Traction-lok rear axle
...............155
Transfer case
fluid checking
.........................251
Transmission
automatic operation
...............155
brake-shift interlock (BSI)
....155
fluid, checking and adding
(manual)
.................................250
fluid, refill capacities
..............254
lubricant specifications
..........254
manual operation
....................159
Turn signal
..................................47
2008 Ranger(ran)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
269