Page 340 of 448

7. Turn the jack handle clockwise
until the wheel is completely off the
ground and high enough to install
the spare tire.
8. Remove the lug nuts with the lug
wrench.
9. Replace the flat tire with the
spare tire, making sure the valve
stem is facing outward for all front wheels and single rear wheel vehicles.
If replacing an inboard rear tire on dual rear wheel vehicles, the valve
stem must be facing outward. If replacing the outboard wheel, the valve
stem must be facing inward. Reinstall the lug nuts until the wheel is
snug against the hub. Do not fully tighten the lug nuts until the wheel
has been lowered.
10. Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
Go to Step 19.
The following steps apply to F–350 Dual Rear Wheel (DRW) and
F–450/F–550 vehicles only:
11. Slide the notched end of the
jack handle over the release valve
and use the handle to slide the jack
under the vehicle. Make sure the
valve is closed by turning it
clockwise.
12. Position the jack according to
the following guides:
• Front (4x2): F–350 DRW
Note: Place jack directly under
I-beam.Roadside Emergencies
340
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)
Page 342 of 448
• Rear: F-450/F-550
13. Insert the jack handle into the
pump linkage.
14. Use an up-and-down motion
with the jack handle to raise the
wheel completely off the ground.
Hydraulic jacks are equipped
with a pressure release valve
that prevents lifting loads which
exceed the jack’s rated capacity.
15. Remove the lug nuts with the lug wrench.
16. Replace the flat tire with the spare tire, making sure the valve stem
is facing outward on all front an inboard rear wheels. If replacing the
outboard wheel, the valve stem must be facing inward. Reinstall the lug
nuts until the wheel is snug against the hub. Do not fully tighten the lug
nuts until the wheel has been lowered.
17. Lower the wheel by slowly turning the release valve
counterclockwise. Opening the release valve slowly will provide a more
controlled rate of descent.Roadside Emergencies
342
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)
Page 343 of 448
The following steps apply to all vehicles:
18. Remove the jack and fully
tighten the lug nuts in the order
shown. Refer to Wheel lug nut
torque specifications later in this
chapter for the proper lug nut
torque specification.
8–lug nut torque sequence
10–lug nut torque sequence
19. Stow the flat tire. Refer to Stowing the flat/spare tire if the vehicle
is equipped with a spare tire carrier.
20. Stow the jack, jack handle and lug wrench. Make sure the jack is
securely fastened so it does not rattle when driving.
21. Unblock the wheels. Roadside Emergencies
343
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)
Page 346 of 448

Stowing the flat/spare tire
Note: Failure to follow spare tire stowage instructions may result in
failure of cable or loss of spare tire.
If you are stowing a tire that requires reattaching it to the
vehicle with a tether, perform these steps first, then proceed with
the steps following.
1. Place the tire on end with the
valve stem facing toward the front
of the vehicle.
2. Place the tether into the bolt
holes in the wheel and attach the
lug nut using the lug winch.
3. Lay the tire on the ground with the valve stem facing up.
4. Slide the wheel partially under the vehicle and install the retainer
through the wheel center. Pull on the cable to align the components at
the end of the cable.
5. Turn the jack handle clockwise until the tire is raised to its stowed
position underneath the vehicle. The effort to turn the jack handle
increases significantly and the spare tire carrier ratchets or slips when
the tire is raised to the maximum tightness. Tighten to the best of your
ability, to the point where the ratchet/slip occurs, if possible. The spare
tire carrier will not allow you to overtighten. If the spare tire carrier
ratchets or slips with little effort, take the vehicle to your authorized
dealer for assistance at your earliest convenience.
6. Check that the tire lies flat against the frame and is properly
tightened. Try to push or pull, then turn the tire to be sure it will not
move. Loosen and retighten, if necessary. Failure to properly stow the
spare tire may result in failure of the winch cable and loss of the tire.
7. Repeat this tightness check procedure when servicing the spare tire
pressure (every six months, per scheduled maintenance information),
or at any time that the spare tire is disturbed through service of other
components.
8. If removed, install the spare tire lock (if equipped) into the bumper
drive tube with the spare tire lock key (if equipped) and jack handle.Roadside Emergencies
346
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)
Page 351 of 448

WRECKER TOWING
If you need to have your vehicle towed, contact a professional towing
service or, if you are a member of a roadside assistance program, your
roadside assistance service provider.
It is recommended that the vehicle be towed with a wheel lift or flatbed
equipment. Do not tow with a slingbelt. Ford Motor Company has not
approved a slingbelt towing procedure.
On 4x2 vehicles, it is acceptable to tow the vehicle with the front wheels
on the ground and the rear wheels off the ground using a wheel lift
On 4x4 vehicles, it is recommended that your vehicle be towed using
flatbed equipment with all the wheels off the ground. However, a wheel
lift may be used to lift the rear of the vehicle so long as, depending on
vehicle configurations, the following preparations are met:
• On Electronic Shift-On-the-Fly (ESOF) vehicles, the 4x4 control is
turned to the 2WD position prior to towing.
• On manual-shift transfer case vehicles, the front wheel hub locks are
in the FREE position prior to towing. Roadside Emergencies
351
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)
Page 352 of 448

Note: Towing an ESOF 4x4 vehicle with the front wheels on the ground
without disengaging the front hubs may cause damage to the automatic
transmission.
Note: Towing a 4x2 or an ESOF 4x4 vehicle with the rear wheels on the
ground for more than 50 miles (80 km) and/or in excess of 35 mph
(56 km/h) may cause damage to the automatic transmission.
Note: On Dual Rear Wheel (DRW) vehicles, an outer rear wheel must be
removed prior to using a wheel lift wrecker.
Ford Motor Company produces a towing manual for all authorized tow
truck operators. Have your tow truck operator refer to this manual for
proper hook-up and towing procedures for your vehicle.
If the vehicle is towed by other means or incorrectly, vehicle
damage may occur.
Emergency Towing
In case of a roadside emergency with a disabled vehicle (without access
to wheel dollies, car hauling trailer, or flatbed transport vehicle) your
vehicle (regardless of transmission powertrain configuration) can be flat
towed (all wheels on the ground) under the following conditions:
• Vehicle is facing forward so that it is being towed in a forward
direction.
• Place the transmission in N (Neutral). Refer to Brake-shift interlock
in the Driving chapter for specific instructions if you cannot move the
gear shift lever into N (Neutral).
• Maximum speed is not to exceed 35 mph (56 km/h).
• Maximum distance is 50 miles (80 km).Roadside Emergencies
352
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)
Page 363 of 448
ENGINE
Engines are more efficient when they are clean because grease and dirt
buildup keep the engine warmer than normal. When washing:
• Take care when using a power washer to clean the engine. The
high-pressure fluid could penetrate the sealed parts and cause
damage.
• Do not spray a hot engine with cold water to avoid cracking the
engine block or other engine components.
• Spray Motorcraft Engine Shampoo and Degreaser (ZC-20) on all
parts that require cleaning and pressure rinse clean.
• Never wash or rinse the engine while it is hot or running; water in the
running engine may cause internal damage.
• Never wash or rinse any ignition coil, spark plug wire or spark plug
well, or the area in and around these locations.
• Cover the highlighted areas to prevent water damage when cleaning
the engine.
• 6.2L V8 gasoline engine Cleaning
363
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)
Page 370 of 448

SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS
To help you service your vehicle, we provide scheduled maintenance
information which makes tracking routine service easy.
If your vehicle requires professional service, your authorized dealer can
provide the necessary parts and service. Check your Warranty Guide to
find out which parts and services are covered.
Use only recommended fuels, lubricants, fluids and service parts
conforming to specifications. Motorcraft parts are designed and built to
provide the best performance in your vehicle.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN SERVICING YOUR VEHICLE
• Do not work on a hot engine.
• Make sure that nothing gets caught in moving parts.
• Do not work on a vehicle with the engine running in an enclosed
space, unless you are sure you have enough ventilation.
• Keep all open flames and other burning material (such as cigarettes)
away from the battery and all fuel related parts.
Working with the engine off
1. Set the parking brake and ensure the gearshift is securely latched in P
(Park).
2. Turn off the engine and remove the key.
3. Block the wheels to prevent the vehicle from moving unexpectedly.
Working with the engine on
WARNING: To reduce the risk of vehicle damage and/or
personal burn injuries, do not start your engine with the air
cleaner removed and do not remove it while the engine is running.
1. Set the parking brake and shift to P (Park).
2. Block the wheels.Maintenance and Specifications
370
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)