2011 FORD E350 warning light

It is recommended that the negative battery cable terminal be
disconnected from the battery if you plan to store your vehicle for an
extended period of time. This will minimize the discharge of your battery
during storage.
Note: Electrical or electronic accessories or components added to
the vehicle by the dealer or the owner may adversely affect
battery performance and durability.
WARNING:Batteries normally produce explosive gases which
can cause personal injury. Therefore, do not allow flames, sparks
or lighted substances to come near the battery. When working near the
battery, always shield your face and protect your eyes. Always provide
proper ventilation.
WARNING:When lifting a plastic-cased battery, excessive
pressure on the end walls could cause acid to flow through the
vent caps, resulting in personal injury and/or damage to the vehicle or
battery. Lift the battery with a battery carrier or with your hands on
opposite corners.
WARNING:Keep batteries out of reach of children. Batteries
contain sulfuric acid. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing.
Shield your eyes when working near the battery to protect against
possible splashing of acid solution. In case of acid contact with skin or
eyes, flush immediately with water for a minimum of 15 minutes and
get prompt medical attention. If acid is swallowed, call a physician
immediately.
WARNING:Battery posts, terminals and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.Wash hands after handling.
For information on transmission operation after the battery has been
disconnected, refer toAutomatic transmission operationin the
Drivingchapter.
Maintenance and Specifications
266
2011 Econoline(eco)
Owners Guide, 3rd Printing
USA(fus)

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.
•DO NOT MIXdifferent colors or types of coolant in your vehicle.
Make sure the correct coolant is used. Mixing of engine coolants may
harm your engine’s cooling system. The use of an improper coolant
may harm engine and cooling system components and may void the
warranty. Refer toMaintenance product specifications and
capacitiesin this chapter.
•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
distilled water to the FULL COLD 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.
WARNING: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.
Maintenance and Specifications
270
2011 Econoline(eco)
Owners Guide, 3rd Printing
USA(fus)

WARNING:If fail-safe cooling activates, pull off the road as
soon as safely possible, and turn the engine off, because the
engine may automatically shut off while driving without further
indication.
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.
•The engine coolant temperature
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.
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.
2. Arrange for the vehicle to be taken to an authorized dealer.
3. If this is not possible, wait a short period for the engine to cool.
4. Check the coolant level and replenish if low.
Maintenance and Specifications
273
2011 Econoline(eco)
Owners Guide, 3rd Printing
USA(fus)

Refueling
WARNING:Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel fire can cause
severe injuries. To help avoid injuries to you and others:
•Read and follow all the instructions on the pump island;
•Turn off your engine when you are refueling;
•Do not smoke if you are near fuel or refueling your vehicle;
•Keep sparks, flames and smoking materials away from fuel;
•Stay outside your vehicle and do not leave the fuel pump unattended
when refueling your vehicle — this is against the law in some places;
•Keep children away from the fuel pump; never let children pump
fuel.
•Do not use personal electronic devices while refueling.
Use the following guidelines to avoid electrostatic charge build-up when
filling an ungrounded fuel container:
•Place approved fuel container on the ground.
•DO NOT fill a fuel container while it is in the vehicle (including the
cargo area).
•Keep the fuel pump nozzle in contact with the fuel container while
filling.
•DO NOT use a device that would hold the fuel pump handle in the fill
position.
Fuel filler cap
Your fuel tank filler cap has an indexed design with a 1/4 turn on/off
feature.
When fueling your vehicle:
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Carefully turn the filler cap counterclockwise until it spins off.
3. Pull to remove the cap from the fuel filler pipe.
4. To install the cap, align the tabs on the cap with the notches on the
filler pipe.
5. Turn the filler cap clockwise 1/4 of a turn until it clicks at least once.
If the check fuel cap light
or a “check fuel cap” message comes on,
the fuel filler cap may not be properly installed. The light or message can
come on after several driving events after you’ve refueled your vehicle.
Maintenance and Specifications
277
2011 Econoline(eco)
Owners Guide, 3rd Printing
USA(fus)

At the next opportunity, safely pull off of the road, remove the fuel filler
cap, align the cap properly and reinstall it. The check fuel cap
light
or “check fuel cap” message may not reset immediately; it may
take several driving cycles for the check fuel cap light
or “check fuel
cap” message to turn off. A driving cycle consists of an engine start-up
(after four or more hours with the engine off) followed by city and
highway driving.
Continuing to drive with the check fuel cap light
or “check fuel cap”
message on may cause the
light to turn on as well.
If you must replace the fuel filler cap, replace it with a fuel filler
cap that is designed for your vehicle. The customer warranty may
be void for any damage to the fuel tank or fuel system if the
correct genuine Ford, Motorcraft or other certified fuel filler cap
is not used.
WARNING:The fuel system may be under pressure. If the fuel
filler cap is venting vapor or if you hear a hissing sound, wait
until it stops before completely removing the fuel filler cap. Otherwise,
fuel may spray out and injure you or others.
WARNING:If you do not use the proper fuel filler cap,
excessive vacuum in the fuel tank may damage the fuel system
or cause the fuel cap to disengage in a collision, which may result in
personal injury.
FFV (Flex Fuel Vehicle) fuel cap
If your vehicle is FFV capable, it will have a yellow colored fuel cap.
Choosing the right fuel
If your vehicle is a flexible fuel vehicle (FFV), use only UNLEADED
FUEL and FUEL ETHANOL (Ed75–Ed85).
If your vehicle is not a flexible fuel vehicle (FFV), then only use
UNLEADED fuel or UNLEADED fuel blended with a maximum of 10%
ethanol. Do not use fuel ethanol (E85), diesel, methanol, leaded fuel or
any other fuel.
The use of leaded fuel is prohibited by law and could damage your
vehicle.
Your vehicle was not designed to use fuel or fuel additives with metallic
compounds, including manganese-based additives.
Maintenance and Specifications
278
2011 Econoline(eco)
Owners Guide, 3rd Printing
USA(fus)

“Premium” unleaded gasoline is not recommended for vehicles designed
to use “Regular” unleaded gasoline because it may cause these problems
to become more pronounced. If the problems persist, see your
authorized dealer.
FFV engines
If you experience starting, rough idle or hesitation driveability problems
during a cold start, try a different brand of E85 fuel. If the driveability
problems continue, fill the vehicle with regular unleaded gasoline and
drive vehicle normally until gasoline is used. See your authorized dealer
if the problem persists.
Do not add aftermarket fuel additive products to your fuel tank. It
should not be necessary to add any aftermarket products to your fuel
tank if you continue to use high quality fuel of the recommended octane
rating. These products have not been approved for your engine and
could cause damage to the fuel system. Repairs to correct the effects of
using an aftermarket product in your fuel may not be covered by your
warranty.
Many of the world’s automakers approved the World-Wide Fuel Charter
that recommends gasoline specifications to provide improved
performance and emission control system protection for your vehicle.
Gasolines that meet the World-Wide Fuel Charter should be used when
available. Ask your fuel supplier about gasolines that meet the
World-Wide Fuel Charter.
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.
•The service engine soon
indicator may come on. For more
information on the service engine soon
indicator, refer to
Warning lights and chimesin theInstrument Clusterchapter.
Maintenance and Specifications
280
2011 Econoline(eco)
Owners Guide, 3rd Printing
USA(fus)

EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with various emission control components and a
catalytic converter which will enable your vehicle to comply with
applicable exhaust emission standards. To make sure that the catalytic
converter and other emission control components continue to work
properly:
•Use only the specified fuel listed.
•Avoid running out of fuel.
•Do not turn off the ignition while your vehicle is moving, especially at
high speeds.
•Have the items listed inscheduled maintenance information
performed according to the specified schedule.
The scheduled maintenance items listed inscheduled maintenance
informationare essential to the life and performance of your vehicle
and to its emissions system.
If other than Ford, Motorcraftor Ford-authorized parts are used for
maintenance replacements or for service of components affecting
emission control, such non-Ford parts should be equivalent to genuine
Ford Motor Company parts in performance and durability.
WARNING: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.
Illumination of the service engine soon
indicator, charging system
warning light or the temperature warning light, fluid leaks, strange odors,
smoke or loss of engine power could indicate that the emission control
system is not working properly.
An improperly operating or damaged exhaust system may allow exhaust
to enter the vehicle. Have a damaged or improperly operating exhaust
system inspected and repaired immediately.
WARNING:Exhaust leaks may result in entry of harmful and
potentially lethal fumes into the passenger compartment.
Maintenance and Specifications
284
2011 Econoline(eco)
Owners Guide, 3rd Printing
USA(fus)

A
Accessory delay ..........................66
AdvanceTrac ..............................194
Airbag supplemental restraint
system ........................................104
and child safety seats ............106
description ..............................104
disposal ....................................108
driver airbag ............................106
indicator light .........................108
operation .................................106
passenger airbag .....................106
passenger deactivation
switch ......................................109
Air cleaner filter .......294–295, 298
Ambulance packages ....................7
Antifreeze
(see Engine coolant) ................268
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ......................191–192
Anti-theft system ........................83
arming the system ....................84
Audio system (see Radio) ...29, 31
Automatic transmission
driving an automatic
overdrive .........................203, 205
fluid, adding ............................288
fluid, checking ........................288
fluid, refill capacities ..............299
fluid, specification ..................299
Auxiliary Input Jack ...................38
Auxiliary power point .................64
Axle
lubricant specifications ..........299
refill capacities ........................299
traction lok ..............................199
B
Battery .......................................265acid, treating emergencies .....265
jumping a disabled battery ....236
maintenance-free ....................265
replacement, specifications ...298
servicing ..................................265
Belt-Minder.............................100
Blind spot mirror ......................213
Booster seats .............................132
Brakes ........................................191
anti-lock ...........................191–192
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light ...........................192
fluid, checking and adding ....287
fluid, refill capacities ..............299
fluid, specifications .................299
lubricant specifications ..........299
parking ....................................192
shift interlock ..........................201
trailer .......................................179
Bulbs ............................................57
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....299
Cell phone use ............................10
Changing a tire .........................226
Child safety seats ......................118
in front seat ............................118
in rear seat ..............................118
LATCH .....................................122
recommendations ...................116
tether anchorage hardware ...129
Child safety seats - booster
seats ...........................................132
Cleaning your vehicle
engine compartment ..............253
exterior ....................................257
instrument panel ....................254
interior .....................................255
Index
334
2011 Econoline(eco)
Owners Guide, 3rd Printing
USA(fus)