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
turnaround 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.
Since your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, apply the brakes steadily. Do not
“pump” the brakes.
Driving
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Driving on snow and ice
4WD vehicles have advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but
can skid like any other vehicle.
Should you start to slide while driving on snowy or icy roads, turn the
steering wheel in the direction of the slide until you regain control.
Avoid sudden applications of power and quick changes of direction on
snow and ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and steadily when starting
from a full stop.
Avoid sudden braking as well. Although a 4WD vehicle may accelerate
better than a two-wheel drive vehicle in snow and ice, it won’t stop any
faster, because as in other vehicles, braking occurs at all four wheels. Do
not become overconfident as to road conditions.
Make sure you allow sufficient distance between you and other vehicles
for stopping. Drive slower than usual and consider using one of the lower
gears. In emergency stopping situations, avoid locking of the wheels. Use
a “squeeze” technique, push on the brake pedal with a steadily increasing
force which allows the wheels to brake yet continue to roll so that you
may steer in the direction you want to travel. If you lock the wheels,
release the brake pedal and repeat the squeeze technique. Since your
vehicle is equipped with a Four Wheel Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS),
apply the brake steadily. Do not “pump” the brakes. Refer to theBrakes
section of this chapter for additional information on the operation of the
anti-lock brake system.
WARNING:If you are driving in slippery conditions that require
tire chains or cables, then it is critical that you drive cautiously.
Keep speeds down, allow for longer stopping distances and avoid
aggressive steering to reduce the chances of a loss of vehicle control
which can lead to serious injury or death. If the rear end of the vehicle
slides while cornering, steer in the direction of the slide until you
regain control of the vehicle.
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.
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Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingProtected Circuits
15 10A Climate control
16 15A Not used (spare)
17 20A All lock motor feeds, Liftgate
release, Liftglass release
18 20A Heated seat
19 25A Rear wiper
20 15A Datalink
21 15A Fog lamps
22 15A Park lamps
23 15A High beam headlamps
24 20A Horn relay
25 10A Demand lamps
26 10A Instrument panel cluster
27 20A Ignition switch
28 5A Radio
29 5A Instrument panel cluster
30 5A Not used (spare)
31 10A Restraints control module
32 10A Rear video camera module
33 10A Not used (spare)
34 5A Not used (spare)
35 10A Four wheel drive, Electric power
assist steering (EPAS), Park aid
module, Active park assist module
36 5A Passive anti-theft system (PATS)
transceiver
37 10A Climate control
38 20A Subwoofer/Amp (premium radio)
39 20A Radio, Radio amplifier (navigation
only)
40 20A Front power point
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WARNING:To reduce risk of electrical shock, always replace
the cover to the Power Distribution Box before reconnecting the
battery or refilling fluid reservoirs.
If the battery has been disconnected and reconnected, refer to the
Batterysection of theMaintenance and Specificationschapter.
The high-current fuses are coded as follows.
Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingProtected Circuits
A 80A Midi Electronic power steering module
(EPAS)
B 125A Midi Passenger compartment fuse
panel
1 15A* Heated mirror
2 30A** Rear defroster
3 20A** Rear power point (center console)
4 — Not used
5 10A* Powertrain control module (PCM)
– keep alive power, PCM relay,
Canister vent
6 15A* Alternator
7 15A* Liftgate latch
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•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.
•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.
•The service 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.
Maintenance and Specifications
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Child safety seats ......................157
attaching with tether straps ..164
in front seat ............................158
in rear seat ..............................158
LATCH .....................................161
recommendations ...................155
Child safety seats - booster
seats ...........................................166
Cleaning your vehicle
engine compartment ..............284
instrument panel ....................286
interior .....................................287
plastic parts ............................285
washing ....................................282
waxing .....................................283
wheels ......................................283
wiper blades ............................285
Climate control (see Air
conditioning or Heating) ......46, 49
Clock ............................................28
Clock adjust
AM/FM/CD .................................28
Clutch
fluid ..........................................321
operation while driving ..........227
recommended shift speeds ....228
Compass, electronic ....................67
calibration .................................69
set zone adjustment .................68
Console ........................................69
overhead ....................................67
Controls
power seat ...............................114
steering column ........................77
Coolant
checking and adding ..............302
refill capacities ................305, 328
specifications ..........................328Cruise control
(see Speed control) ....................74
Customer Assistance ................246
Ford Extended Service
Plan ..........................................336
Getting assistance outside the
U.S. and Canada .....................279
Getting roadside assistance ...246
Getting the service
you need .................................275
Ordering additional owner’s
literature .................................280
Utilizing the
Mediation/Arbitration
Program ...................................279
D
Daytime running lamps
(see Lamps) ................................55
Dipstick
automatic transmission
fluid ..........................................321
engine oil .................................296
Driving under special
conditions ..................227, 240, 243
sand .........................................241
snow and ice ...........................244
through water .................242, 245
E
Electronic message center .........19
Emergencies, roadside
jump-starting ..........................267
running out of fuel .........267, 313
Emergency Flashers .................247
Emission control system ..........318
Engine ........................................331
cleaning ...................................284
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O
Octane rating ............................312
Oil (see Engine oil) ..................296
Overdrive ...................................224
P
Parental MyKey
programming .............................105
Park Assist ................................233
Parking brake ............................215
Parts (see Motorcraft
parts) .........................................327
Passenger Occupant
Classification Sensor .................124
Power distribution box
(see Fuses) ...............................252
Power door locks ........................92
Power mirrors .............................73
Power point .................................70
Power steering ..........................222
fluid, refill capacity ................328
fluid, specifications .................328
Power Windows ...........................71
Preparing to drive your
vehicle ........................................222
R
Radio ............................................28
Rear-view camera system .........231
Recommendations for
attaching safety restraints for
children ......................................155
Relays ........................................248
Remote entry system ...........96–97illuminated entry ....................100
locking/unlocking doors .....97–98
opening the trunk .....................98
panic alarm ...............................98
replacement/additional
transmitters ...............................99
replacing the batteries .............98
Reverse sensing system ...........229
Roadside assistance ..................246
Roof rack ...............................88–89
S
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ..........123, 126, 128–130
Safety Canopy ...........146–147, 149
Safety defects, reporting ..........281
Safety restraints ...............123, 126,
128–131
Belt-Minder...........................132
extension assembly ................131
for adults .........................128–130
for children .............................153
Occupant Classification
Sensor ......................................124
warning light and
chime ...............................131–132
Safety restraints - LATCH
anchors ......................................161
Safety seats for children ..........157
Safety Compliance
Certification Label ....................332
Satellite Radio (if equipped) .....28
Satellite Radio Information ........42
Seats ..........................................111
child safety seats ....................157
heated ......................................116
Index
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