
GAUGES
Standard measure base cluster with automatic transmission
shown; metric similar and uplevel clusters similar.
1.Engine oil pressure gauge:Indicates engine oil pressure. The
needle should stay in the normal operating range (between L and H). If
the needle falls below the normal range, stop the vehicle, turn off the
engine and check the engine oil level. Add oil if needed. If the oil level is
correct, have your vehicle checked at your authorized dealer.
2.Engine coolant temperature gauge:Indicates engine coolant
temperature. At normal operating temperature, the needle will be in the
normal range (between H and C).If it enters the red section, the
engine is overheating. Stop the vehicle as soon as safely possible,
switch off the engine and let the engine cool.
WARNING:Never remove the coolant reservoir cap while the
engine is running or hot.
65
1234
Instrument Cluster
18
2012 F-150(f12)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

3.Fuel gauge:Indicates approximately how much fuel is left in the fuel
tank (when the ignition is in the on position). The fuel gauge may vary
slightly when the vehicle is in motion or on a grade. The fuel icon and
arrow indicates which side of the vehicle the fuel filler door is located.
Refer toFilling the tankin theMaintenance and Specifications
chapter for more information.
4.Transmission fluid temperature gauge:If the gauge is in the:
Normal areaThe transmission fluid is within the normal operating
temperature (between H and C).
Yellow areaThe transmission fluid is higher than normal operating
temperature. This can be caused by special operation conditions (i.e.
snowplowing, towing or off-road use). Refer toSpecial operating
conditionsin thescheduled maintenance informationfor instructions.
Operating the transmission for extended periods of time with the gauge
in the yellow area may cause internal transmission damage.
Altering the severity of the driving conditions is recommended to lower
the transmission temperature into the normal range.
Red areaThe transmission fluid is overheating. Stop the vehicle to allow
the temperature to return to normal range.
If the gauge is operating in the yellow or red area, stop the vehicle and
verify the airflow is not restricted such as snow or debris blocking airflow
through the grill. If the gauge continues to show high temperatures, see
your authorized dealer.
5.Speedometer:Indicates the current vehicle speed.
6.Tachometer:Indicates the engine speed in revolutions per minute.
Driving with your tachometer pointer continuously at the top of the scale
may damage the engine.
Odometer and trip odometer:The odometer is displayed on the lower
line in the message center and registers the total accumulated distance
the vehicle has traveled. For trip odometer, refer toBase message
centerorUplevel message centerin this chapter.
Instrument Cluster
19
2012 F-150(f12)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

OIL LIFE
This displays the remaining oil life.
An oil change is required whenever indicated by the message center and
according to the recommended maintenance schedule. USE ONLY
RECOMMENDED ENGINE OILS.
To reset the oil monitoring system to 100% after each oil change,
perform the following:
1. Press and release the SETUP button to display “OIL LIFE XXX%
HOLD RESET = NEW”.
2. Press and hold the RESET button for two seconds and release to reset
the oil life to 100%.
Note:To change oil life 100% value (if equipped with this feature) to
another value, proceed to Step 3.
3. Once “OIL LIFE SET TO XXX%” is displayed, release and press the
RESET button to change the Oil Life Start Value. Each release and press
will reduce the value by 10%.
UNITS
Displays the current units in English or Metric.
Press the RESET button to change from English to Metric.
AUTOLAMP (SEC)
This feature keeps your headlights on for up to three minutes after the
ignition is switched off.
Press the RESET button to select the new autolamp delay values of 0,
10, 20, 30, 60, 90, 120 or 180 seconds.
AUTOLOCK
This feature automatically locks all vehicle doors when the vehicle is
shifted into any gear, putting the vehicle in motion.
Press the RESET button to turn autolock on or off.
AUTOUNLOCK
This feature automatically unlocks all vehicle doors when the driver’s
door is opened within 10 minutes of the ignition being turned off.
Press the RESET button to turn autounlock on or off.
COURTESY WIPE
This feature allows for an extra swipe of the wipers after a wipe/wash cycle.
Press the RESET button to turn it on or off.
Instrument Cluster
23
2012 F-150(f12)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

Types of messages and warnings:
•Some messages will appear briefly to inform you of something you
may need to take action on or be informed of.
•Some messages will appear once and then again when the vehicle is
restarted.
•Some messages will reappear after clearing or being reset if a problem
or condition is still present and needs your attention.
•Some messages can be acknowledged and reset by pressing RESET.
This allows you to use the full message center functionality by clearing
the message.
DRIVER DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the driver door is not
completely closed.
PASSENGER DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the passenger door is
not completely closed.
REAR LEFT DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the rear left door is not
completely closed.
REAR RIGHT DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the rear right door is
not completely closed.
FUEL LEVEL LOW— Displayed as an early reminder of a low fuel
condition.
PARK BRAKE ENGAGED— Displayed when the parking brake is set,
the engine is running and the vehicle is driven more than 3 mph
(5 km/h). If the warning stays on after the parking brake is released,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM— Displayed when a fault has been detected
by the ABS module.
CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM— Displayed when the electrical system
is not maintaining proper voltage. If you are operating electrical
accessories when the engine is idling at a low speed, turn off as many of
the electrical loads as soon as possible. If the warning stays on or comes
on when the engine is operating at normal speeds, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
TURN POWER OFF TO SAVE BATT (if equipped)— Displayed
when the battery management system determines that:
•the battery is at a low state of charge or,
•the ignition has been in accessory position or on position with the
engine off for approximately 45 minutes.
Instrument Cluster
25
2012 F-150(f12)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

CHECK 4X4 (if equipped)— Displayed when a 4X4 system fault is
present. For more information, refer toFour-wheel drive (4WD)
operationin theDrivingchapter.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR FAULT— Displayed when the tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is malfunctioning. If the warning
stays on or continues to come on, contact your authorized dealer as soon
as possible.
BRAKE FLUID LEVEL LOW— Indicates the brake fluid level is low
and the brake system should be inspected immediately. Refer toBrake
fluidin theMaintenance and Specificationschapter.
OIL CHANGE REQUIRED— Displayed when an oil change is
required.
XX%ENGINE OIL CHANGE SOON—Displayed when an oil change
will soon be required and shows the percentage of oil life left.
TRAILER BRAKE MODULE FAULT (if equipped)— Displayed and
accompanied by a single chime, in response to faults sensed by the TBC.
Refer toTrailer towingin theTires, Wheels and Loadingchapter for
more information.
WIRING FAULT ON TRAILER (if equipped)— Displayed if there
are certain faults in the vehicle wiring and trailer wiring/brake system.
Refer toTrailer towingin theTires, Wheels and Loadingchapter for
more information.
TRAILER SWAY REDUCE SPEED (if equipped)— Displayed when
the trailer sway control has detected trailer sway. For more information,
refer to theDrivingchapter for more information.
4X4 SHIFT IN PROGRESS— Displayed when the 4X4 system is
making a shift. For further information, refer toFour-wheel drive
(4WD) operationin theDrivingchapter.
FOR 4X4 LOW SLOW TO 3 MPH (if equipped)— Displayed when
4X4 LOW is selected while the vehicle is moving. For more information,
refer toFour-wheel drive (4WD) operationin theDrivingchapter.
FOR 4X4 LOW SHIFT TO N (if equipped)— Displayed when 4X4
LOW is selected and the vehicle is stopped. For more information, refer
toFour-wheel drive (4WD) operationin theDrivingchapter.
TO EXIT 4X4 LOW SLOW TO 3 MPH (if equipped)— Displayed
when 2WD is selected while the vehicle is operating in 4X4 LOW. For
more information, refer toFour-wheel drive (4WD) operationin the
Drivingchapter.
Instrument Cluster
27
2012 F-150(f12)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

System warnings and status messages
System warnings alert you to possible problems or malfunctions in your
vehicle’s operating systems.
In the event of a multiple warning situation, the message center will
cycle the display to show all warnings by displaying each one for four
seconds.
The message center will display the last selected feature if there are no
more warning messages.
Types of messages and warnings:
•Some messages will appear briefly to inform you of something you
may need to take action on or be informed of.
•Some messages will appear once and then again when the vehicle is
restarted.
•Some messages will reappear after clearing or being reset if a problem
or condition is still present and needs your attention.
•Some messages can be acknowledged and reset by pressing OK. This
allows you to use the full message center functionality by clearing the
message.
DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the door is not completely closed.
DRIVER DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the driver door is not
completely closed.
LEFT REAR DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the rear left door is not
completely closed.
PASSENGER DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the passenger door is
not completely closed.
RIGHT REAR DOOR AJAR— Displayed when the rear right door is
not completely closed.
CHECK FUEL FILL INLET— Displayed when the fuel fill inlet may
not be properly closed. Refer toEasy Fuel“no cap” fuel systemin the
Maintenance and Specificationschapter.
FUEL LEVEL LOW— Displayed as an early reminder of a low fuel
condition.
CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM— Displayed when the electrical system
is not maintaining proper voltage. If you are operating electrical
accessories when the engine is idling at a low speed, turn off as many of
the electrical loads as soon as possible. If the warning stays on or comes
on when the engine is operating at normal speeds, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
Instrument Cluster
39
2012 F-150(f12)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

TURN POWER OFF TO SAVE BATTERY (if equipped)— Displayed
when the battery management system determines that:
•the battery is at a low state of charge or,
•the ignition has been in accessory position or on position with the
engine off for approximately 45 minutes.
Turn the ignition off as soon as possible to protect the battery. This
message will clear once the vehicle has been started and the battery
state of charge has recovered. Turning off unnecessary electrical loads
while driving will allow faster battery state-of-charge recovery. See
Battery management systemin theMaintenance and Specifications
chapter for more information.
LOW BATTERY FEATURES TEMPORARILY TURNED OFF (if
equipped)— Displayed when the battery management system detects
an extended low-voltage condition. Various vehicle features will be
disabled to help preserve the battery. Turn off as many of the electrical
loads as soon as possible to improve system voltage. If the system
voltage has recovered, the disabled features will operate again as normal.
BRAKE FLUID LEVEL LOW— Indicates the brake fluid level is low
and the brake system should be inspected immediately. Refer toBrake
fluidin theMaintenance and Specificationschapter.
CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM— Displayed when the brake system needs
servicing. If the warning stays on or continues to come on, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
PARK BRAKE ENGAGED— Displayed when the parking brake is set,
the engine is running and the vehicle is driven more than 3 mph
(5 km/h). If the warning stays on after the parking brake is released,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
ADVANCETRAC OFF (if equipped)— Displayed when the
AdvanceTracsystem has been disabled by the driver.
ADVANCETRAC ON (if equipped)— Displayed when the
AdvanceTracsystem has been enabled by the driver.
SERVICE ADVANCETRAC (if equipped)— Displayed when the
AdvanceTracsystem has detected a condition that requires service.
Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
POWER REDUCED TO LOWER ENGINE TEMP— Displayed when
the engine temperature gauge needle moves to H. You may notice
reduced engine power. Refer toEngine coolantin theMaintenance
and Specificationschapter for more information.
Instrument Cluster
40
2012 F-150(f12)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

ENGINE OIL CHANGE SOON— Displayed when the engine oil life
remaining is 5% to 1%.
OIL CHANGE REQUIRED— Displayed when the oil life left reaches
0%.
LOW TIRE PRESSURE— Displayed when one or more tires on your
vehicle have low tire pressure. Refer toInflating Your Tiresin the
Tires, Wheels and Loadingchapter.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR FAULT— Displayed when the tire
pressure monitoring system is malfunctioning. If the warning stays on or
continues to come on, have the system inspected by your authorized
dealer.
TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR FAULT— Displayed when a tire pressure
sensor is malfunctioning, or your spare tire is in use. For more
information on how the system operates under these conditions, refer to
Understanding your Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)in the
Tires, Wheels and Loadingchapter. If the warning stays on or
continues to come on, contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible.
TIRES NOT TRAINED - REPEAT— Displayed when an error occurs
while training the TPMS. Refer toTPMS reset procedurein theTires,
Wheels and Loadingchapter for more information.
TRAIN LEFT FRONT TIRE— Displayed when training the TPMS
system. Refer toTPMS reset procedurein theTires, Wheels and
Loadingchapter for more information.
TRAIN LEFT REAR TIRE— Displayed when training the TPMS
system. Refer toTPMS reset procedurein theTires, Wheels and
Loadingchapter for more information.
TRAIN RIGHT FRONT TIRE— Displayed when training the TPMS
system. Refer toTPMS reset procedurein theTires, Wheels and
Loadingchapter for more information.
TRAIN RIGHT REAR TIRE— Displayed when training the TPMS
system. Refer toTPMS reset procedurein theTires, Wheels and
Loadingchapter for more information.
TRAINING COMPLETE— Displayed when training of the TPMS
system is complete. Refer toTPMS reset procedurein theTires, Wheels
and Loadingchapter for more information.
POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT— The power steering system
has disabled power steering assist due to a system error; service is
required.
Instrument Cluster
41
2012 F-150(f12)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)