2012 FORD F550 oil level

Vehicle Symbol Glossary
Power Windows
Front/Rear Power Window Lockout
Child Safety Door
Lock/Unlock Interior Luggage
Compartment Release
Panic Alarm Engine Oil
Engine Coolant Engine Coolant
Temperature
Do Not Open When Hot Battery
Avoid Smoking, Flames,
or Sparks Battery Acid
Explosive Gas Fan Warning
Power Steering Fluid Maintain Correct Fluid
Level MAX
MIN
Service Engine Soon Engine Air Filter
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter Jack
Check Fuel Cap Low Tire Pressure
WarningIntroduction
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2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

GAUGES
Base cluster with automatic transmission shown. Metric 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.
3. Transmission fluid temperature gauge: If the gauge is in the:
Normal area The transmission fluid is within the normal operating
temperature (between H and C). 1 2 3 4
6 5Instrument Cluster
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2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

System check and vehicle feature customization
Press the SETUP button repeatedly
to cycle the message center through
the following features:
Note: Some items are optional and
will not appear.
Note: When returning to the
SETUP menu and a non-English
language has been selected, HOLD
RESET FOR ENGLISH will be displayed to change back to English. Press
and hold the RESET button to change back to English.
RESET FOR SYSTEM CHECK
When this message appears, press the RESET button and the message
center will begin to cycle through the following systems and provide a
status of the item if needed.
1. OIL LIFE
2. EXHAUST FLUID LEVEL (Diesel only)
3. ENGINE HOURS
4. ENGINE IDLE HOURS
5. CHARGING SYSTEM
6. DOOR
7. BRAKE SYSTEM
8. TBC GAIN = XX.X (if equipped)
9. FUEL LEVEL
10. MYKEY DISTANCE (if MyKey  is programmed)
11. MYKEY(S) PROGRAMMED
12. ADMIN KEYS PROGRAMMED
Note: Some systems show a message only if a condition is present.
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.
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”. Instrument Cluster
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2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

Vehicle* (cont’d)
Menu Control Standard: with standard set, pressing the up/down
arrows from a lower level menu will escape to the
main menu.
Memory On: with memory on set, pressing the
up/down arrows will navigate to the previous lower
level menu.
Oil Life Reset (if
equipped) Set to XXX% (Press and hold OK to set).
Remote Start Duration 5, 10 or 15 minutes
System Enable/Disable
Wiper Control On/Off
* If equipped—your vehicle may be equipped with some or all of these
options.
MyKey
Create MyKey Hold OK to create MyKey
*AdvanceTrac Always on or Selectable
*MAX Speed 80 MPH (120 km/h) or Off
*Speed Warning 45, 55 or 65 MPH (75, 90 or 105 km/h), Off
*Volume Limiter On/Off
*Clear MyKeys Hold OK to Clear MyKeys
*Only displays if MyKey is programmed.
Language
English, Español, Français
Units
Units English or Metric
System Reset
Hold OK to Reset System to Factory DefaultInstrument Cluster
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2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

Information
In this mode, you can view different vehicle system information and
perform a system check.
When “Press OK for info” is displayed, pressing OK will give you
information on the currently selected/displayed options. Information is
only available when traveling less than 3 mph (5 km/h).
MyKey
Admin Keys (Number of admin keys)
MyKeys (Number of MyKeys programmed)
MyKey Miles (km) (Distance traveled using a programmed MyKey)
System Check*
Oil Life
Engine Hours
Engine Idle Hours
Doors
Exhaust Fluid Level (diesel only)
Brakes
Trailer Brake
Ctrl. Gain and Output (when trailer is connected)
No trailer (when no trailer is connected)
Trailer Sway
Park Aid Check Rear Park Aid
Fuel Level (distance to empty)
* If equipped—your vehicle may be equipped with some or all of these
options.
Some items will only display during a system check if a problem has
been detected. If an issue exists on one of the monitored systems, the
message center will display the number of warnings that need immediate
attention in red and the number of informational warnings will be listed
in amber. Use the up/down arrow buttons to scroll through the list; press
the right arrow button to display specific information on the highlighted
warning. Instrument Cluster
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2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

Poor wiper quality can be improved by cleaning the wiper blades and the
windshield. Refer to Windows and wiper blades in the Cleaning chapter.
To prolong the life of the wiper blades, it is highly recommended to
scrape off the ice on the windshield before turning on the wipers. The
layer of ice has many sharp edges and can damage the micro edge of the
wiper rubber element.
ENGINE OIL
Checking the engine oil
Refer to the scheduled maintenance information for the appropriate
intervals for checking the engine oil.
1. Make sure the vehicle is on level ground.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 minutes for the oil to drain into the
oil pan.
3. Set the parking brake and ensure the gearshift is securely latched in P
(Park).
4. Open the hood. Protect yourself from engine heat.
5. Locate and carefully remove the engine oil dipstick.
• 6.2L/6.8L gasoline engines only;
for diesel engine information,
refer to the diesel supplement.
6. Wipe the dipstick clean. Insert the dipstick fully, then remove it again.
• If the oil level is between the two holes, the oil level is acceptable.
DO NOT ADD OIL.
• If the oil level is at or below the lower hole, add enough oil to raise
the level to within the two holes. Maintenance and Specifications
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Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

• Oil levels above the upper hole may cause engine damage. Some oil
must be removed from the engine by a service technician.
7. Put the dipstick back in and ensure it is fully seated.
Adding engine oil
1. Check the engine oil. For instructions, refer to Checking the engine
oil in this chapter.
2. If the engine oil level is not within the normal range, add only certified
engine oil of the recommended viscosity. Remove the engine oil filler cap
and use a funnel to pour the engine oil into the opening.
3. Recheck the engine oil level. Make sure the oil level is not above the
normal operating range on the engine oil level dipstick.
4. Install the dipstick and ensure it is fully seated.
5. Fully install the engine oil filler cap by turning the filler cap clockwise
1/4 of a turn until three clicks are heard or until the cap is fully seated.
To avoid possible oil loss, DO NOT operate the vehicle with the
engine oil level dipstick and/or the engine oil filler cap removed.
Engine oil and filter recommendations
Look for this certification
trademark.
(6.2L/6.8L gasoline engines only. For
diesel engine information, refer to
the diesel supplement).
Use SAE 5W-20 engine oil
Only use oils certified for gasoline engines by the American Petroleum
Institute (API). An oil with this trademark symbol conforms to the
current engine and emission system protection standards and fuel
economy requirements of the International Lubricant Standardization and
Approval Committee (ILSAC), comprised of U.S. and Japanese
automobile manufacturers.Maintenance and Specifications
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2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

Octane recommendations
“Regular” unleaded gasoline with a pump (R+M)/2 octane rating of 87 is
recommended. Some stations offer fuels posted as “Regular” with an
octane rating below 87, particularly in high altitude areas. Fuels with
octane levels below 87 are not recommended.
Do not be concerned if your engine
sometimes knocks lightly. However,
if it knocks heavily under most
driving conditions while you are
using fuel with the recommended
octane rating, see your authorized dealer to prevent any engine damage.
FFV engine (if equipped)
If your vehicle is flex fuel capable, it is designed to use Fuel Ethanol
(Ed75–Ed85), “Regular” unleaded gasoline or any mixture of the two
fuels.
Use of other fuels such as Fuel Methanol may cause powertrain
damage, a loss of vehicle performance, and your warranty may be
invalidated.
It is best not to alternate repeatedly between gasoline and E85. If you do
switch fuels, it is recommended that you add as much fuel as
possible—at least half a tank. Do not add less than five gallons (18.9L)
when refueling. You should drive the vehicle immediately after refueling
for at least 5 miles (8 km) to allow the vehicle to adapt to the change in
ethanol concentration.
If you exclusively use E85 fuel, it is recommended to fill the fuel tank
with regular unleaded gasoline at each scheduled oil change.
Fuel quality
Unleaded gasoline engines
If you experience starting, rough idle or hesitation driveability problems
during a cold start, try a different brand of “Regular” unleaded gasoline.
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.
87 (R+M)/2 METHOD
Maintenance and Specifications
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2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)