Introduction 9
Child Safety 18
Child seats...........................................20
Child seat positioning...................................20
Booster seats.........................................22
Installing child safety seats...............................25
Child safety locks......................................35
Safety Belts 36
Fastening the safety belts................................38
Safety belt height adjustment.............................42
Safetybeltwarninglightandindicatorchime..................43
Safety belt-minder.....................................43
Child restraint and safety belt maintenance...................45
Supplementary Restraints System 46
Driver and passenger airbags.............................48
Side airbags..........................................56
Safety canopy curtain airbags.............................57
Crash sensors and airbag indicator.........................59
Airbag disposal........................................60
Keys and Remote Control 61
General information on radio frequencies.....................61
Remote control.......................................62
Keys...............................................62
Replacing a lost key or remote control.......................66
MyKey 67
Settings, MyKey.......................................67
Creating.............................................68
Clearing.............................................69
System status.........................................70
Remote start, MyKey...................................70
Troubleshooting, MyKey.................................71
Table of Contents1
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 3rd Printing, December 2012
USA(fus)
SYMBOL GLOSSARY
WARNING:You risk death or serious injury to yourself and
others if you do not follow the instruction highlighted by the
warning symbol.
These are some of the symbols you may see on your vehicle.
Symbol Description Symbol Description Symbol Description
Safety alertSee Owner’s
ManualAnti-lock
braking
system
Avoid
smoking,
flames, or
sparksBatteryBattery acid
Brake fluid –
non
petroleum
baseBrake systemCabin air
filter
Check fuel
capChild Safety
Door Lock
and UnlockChild seat
lower anchor
Child seat
tether anchorCruise
controlDo not open
when hot
Engine air
filterEngine
coolantEngine
coolant
temperature
Engine oilExplosive gasFan warning
Fasten safety
beltFront airbagFront fog
lamps
10Introduction
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 3rd Printing, December 2012
USA(fus)
Symbol Description Symbol Description Symbol Description
Fuel pump
resetFuse
compartmentHazard
warning
flasher
Heated rear
windowInterior
luggage
compartment
releaseJack
Lighting
controlLow tire
pressure
warningMaintain
correct fluid
level
Panic alarmParking aid
systemParking
brake system
Power
steering fluidPower
windows
front and
rearPower
window
lockout
Service
engine soonSide airbagStability
control
Windshield
defrost and
demistWindshield
washer and
wiper
Introduction11
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 3rd Printing, December 2012
USA(fus)
Special Instructions
For your added safety, your vehicle is fitted with sophisticated electronic
controls.
WARNING:Please read theSupplementary Restraints System
chapter. Failure to follow the specific warnings and instructions
could result in personal injury.
WARNING:Front seat mounted rear-facing child or infant seats
shouldNEVERbe placed in front of an active passenger airbag.
Using your vehicle with a snowplow
For more information and guidelines for using your vehicle with a
snowplow, refer to theSnowplowsection in theDriving Hintschapter.
Using your vehicle as an ambulance
If your light truck is equipped with the Ford Ambulance Preparation
Package, it may be utilized as an ambulance. Ford urges ambulance
manufacturers to follow the recommendations of theFord Incomplete
Vehicle Manual, Ford Truck Body Builder’s Layout Bookand the
Qualified Vehicle Modifiers (QVM) Guidelinesas well as pertinent
supplements. For additional information, please contact the Truck Body
Builders Advisory Service at http://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/ and
then by selecting “Contact Us” or by phone at 1–877–840–4338.
Use of your Ford light truck as an ambulance, without the Ford
Ambulance Preparation Package voids the Ford New Vehicle Limited
Warranty and may void the Emissions Warranties. In addition, ambulance
usage without the preparation package could cause high underbody
temperatures, overpressurized fuel and a risk of spraying fuel which
could lead to fires.
If your vehicle is equipped with the Ford Ambulance Preparation
Package, it will be indicated on the Safety Compliance Certification
Label. The label is located on the driver’s side door pillar or on the rear
edge of the driver’s door. You can determine whether the ambulance
manufacturer followed Ford’s recommendations by directly contacting
that manufacturer. Ford Ambulance Preparation Package is only available
on certain Diesel engine equipped vehicles.
16Introduction
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 3rd Printing, December 2012
USA(fus)
This is necessary to remove the remaining slack that will exist once the
extra weight of the child is added to the child restraint. It also helps
to achieve the proper snugness of the child seat to your vehicle.
Sometimes, a slight lean toward the buckle will additionally help to
remove remaining slack from the belt.
9. Attach the tether strap (if the child seat is equipped). SeeUsing
Tether Strapsin this chapter.
10. Before placing the child in the
seat, forcibly move the seat forward
and back to make sure the seat is
securely held in place.
To check this, grab the seat at the belt path and attempt to move it side
to side and forward and back. There should be no more than 1 inch
(2.5 centimeters) of movement for proper installation.
Ford recommends checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger
Safety Technician to make certain the child restraint is properly installed.
In Canada, check with your local St. John Ambulance office for referral
to a Child Passenger Safety Technician.
Using Cinch Tongue Lap and Shoulder Belts (All Front Center and
Super/Crew Cab Rear Center Positions)
WARNING:Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat,
move seat all the way back.
WARNING:Rear facing child seats should never be placed in
front of an active airbag.
WARNING:Always use both lap and shoulder safety belt in the
Regular Cab center seating position if applicable.
28Child Safety
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 3rd Printing, December 2012
USA(fus)
WARNING:When possible, all children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in a rear seating position. Failure
to follow this could seriously increase the risk of injury or death.
WARNING:Safety belts and seats can become hot in a vehicle
that has been closed up in sunny weather; they could burn a
small child. Check seat covers and buckles before you place a child
anywhere near them.
WARNING:Front and rear seat occupants, including pregnant
women, should wear safety belts for optimum protection in an
accident.
All seating positions in this vehicle have lap and shoulder safety belts.
All occupants of the vehicle should always properly wear their safety
belts, even when an airbag supplemental restraint system is provided.
The safety belt system consists of:
•lap and shoulder safety belts.
•shoulder safety belt with automatic locking mode, (except driver
safety belt).
•height adjuster at the front outboard seating positions
•safety belt pretensioner at the front outboard seating positions.
•Safety belt warning light and chime. SeeSafety Belt
Warning Light and Indicator Chimelater in this chapter.
•Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness
indicator. SeeCrash Sensors and Airbag Indicatorin the
Supplemental Restraints Systemchapter.
The safety belt pretensioners are designed to activate in frontal,
near-frontal and side crashes, and in rollovers. The safety belt
pretensioners at the front seating positions are designed to tighten the
safety belts firmly against the occupant’s body when activated. This helps
increase the effectiveness of the safety belts. In frontal crashes, the safety
belt pretensioners can be activated alone or, if the crash is of sufficient
severity, together with the front airbags.
Safety Belts37
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 3rd Printing, December 2012
USA(fus)
SAFETY BELT WARNING LIGHT AND INDICATOR CHIME
This lamp illuminates and an audible warning will sound if the
driver’s safety belt has not been fastened when the vehicle’s
ignition is turned on.
Conditions of Operation
If... Then...
The driver’s safety belt is not
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the on
position...The safety belt warning light illuminates
1-2 minutes and the warning chime
sounds 4-8 seconds.
The driver’s safety belt is
buckled while the indicator light
is illuminated and the warning
chime is sounding...The safety belt warning light and
warning chime turn off.
The driver’s safety belt is
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the on
position...The safety belt warning light and
indicator chime remain off.
SAFETY BELT-MINDER®
This feature supplements the safety belt warning function by providing
additional reminders by intermittently sounding a chime and illuminating
the safety belt warning light when the driver’s seat is occupied and the
safety belt is unbuckled.
If... Then...
The driver’s safety belt is
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the on
position or less than 1-2 minutes
have elapsed since the ignition
switch has been turned to on...The Belt-Minder feature will not
activate.
The driver’s safety belt is not
buckled when the vehicle
has reached at least 6 mph
(9.7 km/h) and 1-2 minutes have
elapsed since the ignition switch
has been turned to on...The Belt-Minder feature is activated -
the safety belt warning light illuminates
and the warning chime sounds for six
seconds every 25 seconds, repeating for
about five minutes or until the safety
belts are buckled.
Safety Belts43
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 3rd Printing, December 2012
USA(fus)
If... Then...
The driver’s safety belt becomes
unbuckled for about one minute
while the vehicle is traveling at
least 6 mph (9.7 km/h) and more
than 1-2 minutes have elapsed
since the ignition switch has
been turned to on...The Belt-Minder feature is activated -
the safety belt warning light illuminates
and the warning chime sounds for six
seconds every 25 seconds, repeating for
about five minutes or until the safety
belts are buckled.
Deactivating and Activating the Belt-Minder® Feature (Driver Only)
WARNING:While the design allows you to deactivate your
Belt-Minder, this system is designed to improve your chances of
being safely belted and surviving an accident. We recommend you leave
the Belt-Minder system activated for yourself and others who may use
the vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do not deactivate or activate
the Belt-Minder feature while driving the vehicle.
Note:If you are using MyKey®, the Belt-Minder cannot be disabled.
Also, if the Belt-Minder has been previously disabled, it will be
re-enabled during the use of MyKey®. See theMyKey®chapter.
Read Steps1-4thoroughly before proceeding with the programming
procedure.
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
•the parking brake is set
•the transmission selector lever is in positionP
•the ignition is off
•all vehicle doors are closed
•the driver’s safety belt is unbuckled
•the parking lamps and headlamps are off.
1. Turn the ignition on. DO NOT START THE ENGINE.
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off (about one minute).
•Step 3 must be completed within 30 seconds after the safety belt
warning light turns off.
44Safety Belts
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 3rd Printing, December 2012
USA(fus)