2009 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC heating

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,
disengage overdrive or manually
shift to a lower gear. When
descending a steep hill, avoid
sudden hard braking as you could
lose control. When you brake hard,
the front wheels can’t turn and if
they aren’t turning, you won’t be
able to steer. The front wheels have to be turning in order to steer the
vehicle. Rapid pumping of the brake pedal will help you slow the vehicle
and still maintain steering control.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, apply the brakes steadily. Do not
“pump” the brakes.
2009 07+ Explorer Sport Trac(esp)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Driving
259

Adding engine coolant
When adding coolant, make sure it is a 50/50 mixture of engine coolant
and distilled water.When the engine is cool,add the mixture to the
coolant reservoir until the appropriate fill level is obtained.
WARNING:Do not add engine coolant when the engine is hot.
Steam and scalding liquids released from a hot cooling system
can burn you badly. Also, you can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts.
WARNING:Do not put engine coolant in the windshield washer
fluid container. If sprayed on the windshield, engine coolant
could make it difficult to see through the windshield.
•Add Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant or equivalent
meeting Ford specification WSS-M97B51-A1.Refer to
Maintenance product specifications and capacitiesin this chapter.
Note:Use of Motorcraft Cooling System Stop Leak Pellets or an
equivalent product meeting Ford specification WSS-M99B37-B6, 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-COOLbrand with the
factory-filled coolant.Mixing Motorcraft Specialty Orange Engine
Coolant or any orange-colored extended life product such as
DEX-COOLbrand 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.
2009 07+ Explorer Sport Trac(esp)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
317

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.
2009 07+ Explorer Sport Trac(esp)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
319

Child safety seats - booster
seats ...........................................188
Cleaning your vehicle
engine compartment ..............297
instrument panel ....................299
interior .....................................300
plastic parts ............................298
washing ....................................295
waxing .....................................296
wheels ......................................296
wiper blades ............................298
Climate control (see Air
conditioning or Heating) ............52
Clock adjust
6-CD in dash .............................35
AM/FM/CD .................................27
Compass, electronic ....................91
calibration .................................92
set zone adjustment .........91, 104
Console ........................................71
overhead ..............................68, 73
Controls
power seat ...............................137
steering column ........................81
Coolant
checking and adding ..............315
refill capacities ................319, 337
specifications ..........................337
Cruise control
(see Speed control) ....................78
Customer Assistance ................262
Ford Extended Service
Plan ..........................................292
Getting assistance outside
the U.S. and Canada ..............292
Getting roadside assistance ...262
Getting the service you
need .........................................288Ordering additional owner’s
literature .................................293
Utilizing the
Mediation/Arbitration
Program ...................................291
D
Daytime running lamps
(see Lamps) ................................57
Dipstick
automatic transmission
fluid ..........................................333
engine oil .................................308
Driveline universal joint and
slip yoke ....................................334
Driving under special
conditions ..................249, 255, 259
sand .........................................257
snow and ice ...........................260
through water .................258, 261
Dual automatic temperature
control (DATC) ...........................52
E
Electronic message center ...84, 96
Emergencies, roadside
jump-starting ..........................281
Emergency Flashers .................263
Emission control system ..........330
Engine ........................................341
cleaning ...................................297
coolant .....................................315
fail-safe cooling .......................320
idle speed control ...................313
lubrication specifications .......337
refill capacities ........................337
service points ..................305–306
starting after a collision .........264
2009 07+ Explorer Sport Trac(esp)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Index
347

Engine block heater .................231
Engine oil ..................................308
checking and adding ..............308
dipstick ....................................308
filter, specifications ........311, 336
recommendations ...................311
refill capacities ........................337
specifications ..........................337
Event data recording ....................7
Exhaust fumes ..........................230
F
Fail safe cooling ........................320
Floor mats .................................109
Fluid capacities .........................337
Fog lamps ....................................57
Four-Wheel Drive vehicles .......251
driving off road .......................254
indicator light .........................251
preparing to drive your
vehicle .....................................241
Fuel ............................................322
calculating fuel
economy ......................85, 98, 327
cap ...........................................324
capacity ...................................337
choosing the right fuel ...........325
comparisons with EPA fuel
economy estimates .................330
detergent in fuel .....................326
filling your vehicle
with fuel ..................322, 324, 327
filter, specifications ........321, 336
fuel pump shut-off switch .....264
improving fuel economy ........327
octane rating ...................325, 341
quality ......................................326
running out of fuel .................326safety information relating
to automotive fuels ................322
Fuses ..................................265–266
G
Garage door opener ....................69
Gas cap (see Fuel cap) ............324
Gas mileage
(see Fuel economy) .................327
Gauges .........................................18
GAWR
(Gross Axle Weight Rating)
calculating ...............................219
GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
calculating ...............................219
H
Hazard flashers .........................263
Headlamps ...................................56
aiming ........................................58
bulb specifications ....................61
daytime running lights .............57
flash to pass ..............................58
high beam .................................57
turning on and off ....................56
Heating
heating and air conditioning
system .................................50, 52
Hood ..........................................304
How to get going ........................21
I
Ignition ...............................227, 341
Illuminated visor mirror .............67
2009 07+ Explorer Sport Trac(esp)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Index
348