•Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking
WARNING:If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc.,do
notrapidly spin the tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire and
cause an explosion. A tire can explode in as little as three to five
seconds.
WARNING:Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h).
The tires may fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Highway hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there’s always the possibility that you
may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving, or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tires for damage. If a tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and replace it with your spare tire and wheel. If
you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest repair
facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
Tire and wheel alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or cause damage to your tires. If your
vehicle seems to pull to one side when you’re driving, the wheels may be
out of alignment. Have an authorized dealer check the wheel alignment
periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by an authorized dealer.
Front-wheel drive (FWD) vehicles and those with an independent rear
suspension (if equipped) may require alignment of all four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular tire wear.
Tires, Wheels and Loading
224
2011 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Tire rotation
Rotating your tires at the recommended interval (as indicated in the
Scheduled Maintenance Guidechapter) will help your tires wear more
evenly, providing better tire performance and longer tire life.
•Rear-wheel drive (RWD)
vehicles/Four-wheel drive
(4WD)/All-wheel drive (AWD)
vehicles (front tires at top of
diagram)
Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.
Note:If your tires show uneven wear ask an authorized dealer to check
for and correct any wheel misalignment, tire imbalance or mechanical
problem involved before tire rotation.
Note:Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire/wheel. A
dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that is
different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels. If
you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel it is intended for temporary use
only and should not be used in a tire rotation.
Note:After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
Tires, Wheels and Loading
225
2011 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
WARNING:If the tire label shows different tire pressures for
the front and rear tires and the vehicle is equipped with TPMS
(tire pressure monitoring system), then the settings for the TPMS
sensors need to be updated. Always perform the TPMS reset procedure
after tire rotation. If the system is not reset, it may not provide a low
tire pressure warning when necessary. See the TPMS reset procedure
in this chapter.
•DRW – Six tire rotation
If your vehicle is equipped with dual
rear wheels it is recommended that
the front and rear tires (in pairs) be
rotated only side to side. We do not
recommend splitting up the dual
rear wheels. Rotate them side to
side as a set/pair. After tire rotation,
inflation pressures must be adjusted
for the tires new positions in
accordance with vehicle
requirements.
Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.
Note:If your tires show uneven wear ask your authorized dealer to
check for and correct any wheel misalignment, tire imbalance or
mechanical problem involved before tire rotation.
Note:Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire/wheel. A
dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that is
different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels. If
you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel it is intended for temporary use
only and should not be used in a tire rotation.
Note:After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
Tires, Wheels and Loading
226
2011 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
•loose or worn steering components
•improper steering alignment
If any steering components are serviced or replaced, install new
fasteners (many are coated with thread adhesive or have prevailing
torque features which may not be re-used). Never re-use a bolt or nut.
Torque fasteners to specifications inWorkshop Manual.
A high crown in the road or high crosswinds may also make the steering
seem to wander/pull.
ELECTRONIC LOCKING DIFFERENTIAL (ELD) (IF EQUIPPED)
The electronic locking differential (ELD) is a device housed in the rear
axle which allows both rear wheels to turn at the same speed. It provides
added traction on slippery and/or off road surfaces, particularly when
one wheel is on a poor traction surface. The ELD may be locked or
unlocked by the vehicle operator and can be engaged or disengaged on
the fly. When the axle is unlocked it will function like a standard rear
axle. When the axle is locked it will not allow the rear wheels to rotate
at different speeds when turning. It is not recommended for use on good
traction surfaces such as dry pavement. Doing so may result in abnormal
driving behavior and noise while cornering and excessive tire wear.
The ELD is affected by the following conditions of your vehicle:
•On 2WD vehicles and 4WD vehicles in 2H (4X2) or 4H (4X4 High),
the ELD will not engage if the vehicle speed is above 25 mph
(40 km/h).
•On 2WD vehicles and 4WD vehicles in 2H (4X2) or 4H (4X4 High),
the ELD will automatically disengage at speeds above 25 mph
(40 km/h) and will automatically reengage at speeds below 19 mph
(30 km/h).
•On 4WD vehicles in 4L (4X4 Low), the ELD can be engaged at any
speed and will not automatically disengage.
Activating the electronic locking differential (ELD)
For vehicles equipped with an
electronic shift 4WD system:
Pull the knob on the 4WD control
toward you. The
indicator light
will display in the instrument
cluster.
Driving
277
2011 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer toMaintenance product
specifications and capacitiesin this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found inscheduled maintenance information.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] of weight carried).
•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
•To maximize the fuel economy, drive with the tonneau cover installed
(if equipped).
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
8–10 miles (12–16 km) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
•Four-wheel-drive operation (if equipped) is less fuel efficient than
two-wheel-drive operation.
•Close windows for high speed driving.
Maintenance and Specifications
386
2011 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
SecuriCode keyless entry
system ........................................145
SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ................................146–147
Servicing your vehicle ..............361
Setting the clock
AM/FM/CD .................................64
Snowplowing .................7, 307–309
SOS Post Crash Alert ...............185
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................399, 404
Special notice ................................7
ambulance conversions ..............7
diesel-powered vehicles .............6
four-wheel drive vehicles .......309
utility-type vehicles ....................7
Speed control ............................109
Starting a flex fuel vehicle .......262
Starting your vehicle ........259–262
jump starting ..........................340
Steering wheel
controls ....................................111
tilting .........................................98
SYNC..........................................77
T
Tailgate ......................................121
Tilt steering wheel ......................98
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)
Tires, Wheels and Loading ....232
Tires ...........................214–216, 323
alignment ................................224
care ..........................................220
changing ..................323, 326, 329
checking the pressure ............219inflating ...................................217
label .........................................231
replacing ..................................222
rotating ....................................225
safety practices .......................223
sidewall information ...............227
snow tires and chains ............238
spare tire .................................324
terminology
.............................216
tire grades
...............................215
treadwear
........................215, 221
Towing
.......................................247
recreational towing
.................258
Trailer Brake
Controller-Integrated
..............251
trailer towing
..........................247
wrecker
....................................343
Traction control
........................267
Trailer Brake
Controller-Integrated
................251
Trailer sway control
..................275
Transfer case
fluid checking
.........................394
Transmission
.............................281
brake-shift interlock (BSI)
....279
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic)
.............................391
fluid, refill capacities
..............400
Turn signal
..................................90
U
Universal garage door opener
..115
Upfitter controls
.......................112
USB port
......................................71
Index
440
2011 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)