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TOWING A TRAILER
WARNING:Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on
the certification label.
WARNING:Towing trailers beyond the maximum recommended
gross trailer weight exceeds the limit of the vehicle and could
result in engine damage, transmission damage, structural damage, loss
of vehicle control, vehicle rollover and personal injury.
Your vehicle’s load capacity is designated by weight, not by volume, so
you cannot necessarily use all available space when loading a vehicle.
Towing a trailer places an additional load on your vehicle’s engine,
transmission, axle, brakes, tires and suspension. Inspect these
components periodically during, and after, any towing operation.
TRAILER SWAY CONTROL (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING:Turning off the trailer sway control increases the risk
of loss of vehicle control, serious injury or death. Ford does not
recommend turning off this feature except in situations where reducing
vehicle speed may be dangerous (e.g. driving uphill) or the driver has
significant trailer towing experience and can control trailer sway and
maintain safe operation.
Note:This feature does not prevent trailer sway, but reduces it once it
begins.
Note:This feature cannot stop all trailers from swaying.
Note:In some cases, if vehicle speed is too high, the system may
activate multiple times, gradually reducing vehicle speed.
This feature applies the vehicle brakes at individual wheels and, if
necessary, reduces engine power. If the trailer begins to sway, the
traction control system light flashes andTRAILER SWAY REDUCE
SPEEDappears in the information display. The first thing to do is slow
the vehicle down, then pull safely to the side of the road and check for
proper tongue load and trailer load distribution. Refer toLoad Carrying
chapter for specific loading information.
Trailer sway control can be turned off by using the information display
control; refer to theInformation Displayschapter. The system turns
back on whenever the ignition is turned on.
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RECOMMENDED TOWING WEIGHTS
PowertrainMaximum GCWR - lb
(kg)Maximum Trailer
Weight - lb (kg)
3.5L FWD Class I 6900 (3131) 2000 (907)
3.5L AWD Class I 7050 (3199) 2000 (907)
EcoBoost™ Class I 7072 (3209) 2000 (907)
3.5L FWD Class III 9357 (4245) 4500 (2042)
1
3.5L AWD Class III 9521 (4320) 4500 (2042)2
EcoBoost™ Class III 9622 (4366) 4500 (2042)2
1
For towing trailers up to 3500 lb (1588 kg), use a weight-carrying
hitch and ball which uniformly spreads the trailer tongue loads through
the vehicle’s underbody structure. For towing trailers over 3500 lb
(1588 kg), up to 4500 lb (2042 kg), it is recommended to use a
weight-distributing hitch to increase front axle load while towing.
2For towing trailers up to 4500 lb (2042 kg), use a weight-carrying
hitch and ball which uniformly spreads the trailer tongue loads through
the vehicle’s underbody structure.
ESSENTIAL TOWING CHECKS
Follow these guidelines to ensure safe towing:
•Do not tow a trailer until your vehicle has been driven at least
1000 miles (1600 kilometers).
•Consult your local motor vehicle laws for towing a trailer.
•Refer to the instructions included with towing accessories for the
proper installation and adjustment specifications.
•Service your vehicle more frequently if you tow a trailer. Refer to your
scheduled maintenance information.
For load specification terms found on the label and instructions on
calculating your vehicle’s load, refer to theLoad Carryingchapter.
Remember to account for the trailer tongue weight as part of the vehicle
load when calculating the total vehicle weight.
Hitches
Do not use hitches that clamp onto the vehicle bumper; use a
load-carrying hitch. You must distribute the load in your trailer so that
10–15% of the total weight of the trailer is on the tongue, not to exceed
the maximum tongue load of 500 lb (227 kg) on a Class III receiver.
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Weight-Distributing Hitch
When hooking-up a trailer using a weight-distributing hitch, always use
the following procedure:
1. Park the vehicle (without the trailer) on a level surface.
2. Measure the height of the top of the front wheel opening on the
fender, this is H1.
3. Attach the trailer to the vehicle without the weight distributing bars
connected.
4. Measure the height of the top of the front wheel opening on the
fender a second time, this is H2.
5. Install and adjust the tension in the weight distributing bars so that
the height of the front fender is approximately halfway between H1 and
H2.
6. Check that the trailer is level. If not level, adjust the ball height
accordingly and repeat Steps 3–6.
WARNING:Do not adjust a weight-distributing hitch to any
position where the rear bumper of the vehicle is higher than it
was before attaching the trailer. Doing so will defeat the function of the
weight-distributing hitch, which may cause unpredictable handling, and
could result in serious personal injury.
Safety Chains
Always connect the safety chains to the vehicle’s hook retainers. To
connect the safety chains, cross them under the trailer tongue and allow
slack for turning corners.
If you use a rental trailer, follow the rental agency’s instructions.
Note:Never attach safety chains to the bumper.
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•Drive a heavily loaded vehicle or tow a trailer.
•Carry unnecessary weight (approximately 1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for
every 400 lb [180 kg] of weight carried).
•Add particular accessories to your vehicle (e.g. bug deflectors,
rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski racks).
•Drive with the wheels out of alignment.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
WARNING:Drive through water in an emergency only, and not
as part of normal driving.
WARNING:Engine damage can occur if water enters the air
filter.
Note:Driving through deep water may allow water into the transmission
or air intake and can cause internal vehicle damage or cause it to stall.
Note:Once through the water, always dry the brakes by moving your
vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
If driving through deep or standing water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly. Never drive through water that is higher than the bottom of the
wheel rims (for cars) or the bottom
of the hubs (for trucks).
When driving through water,
traction or brake capability may be
limited. Also, water may enter your
engine’s air intake and severely
damage your engine or your vehicle
may stall.
Wet brakes do not stop the vehicle
as quickly as dry brakes.
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Traction AA A B C
WARNING:The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction characteristics.
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Temperature A B C
WARNING:The temperature grade for this tire is established for
a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 139. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
•Tire label:A label showing the OE (Original Equipment) tire sizes,
recommended inflation pressure and the maximum weight the vehicle
can carry.
•Tire Identification Number (TIN):A number on the sidewall of
each tire providing information about the tire brand and manufacturing
plant, tire size and date of manufacture. Also referred to as DOT code.
•Inflation pressure:A measure of the amount of air in a tire.
•Standard load:A class of P-metric or Metric tires designed to carry a
maximum load at 35 psi [37 psi (2.5 bar) for Metric tires]. Increasing
the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not increase the tire’s
load carrying capability.
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Information on “P” Type Tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example of a
tire size, load index and speed
rating. The definitions of these
items are listed below. (Note that
the tire size, load index and speed
rating for your vehicle may be
different from this example.)
A.P:Indicates a tire, designated by the Tire and Rim Association
(T&RA), that may be used for service on cars, SUVs, minivans and light
trucks.
Note:If your tire size does not begin with a letter this may mean it is
designated by either ETRTO (European Tire and Rim Technical
Organization) or JATMA (Japan Tire Manufacturing Association).
B.215:Indicates the nominal width of the tire in millimeters from
sidewall edge to sidewall edge. In general, the larger the number, the
wider the tire.
C.65:Indicates the aspect ratio which gives the tire’s ratio of height to
width.
D.R:Indicates a “radial” type tire.
E.15:Indicates the wheel or rim diameter in inches. If you change your
wheel size, you will have to purchase new tires to match the new wheel
diameter.
F.95:Indicates the tire’s load index. It is an index that relates to how
much weight a tire can carry. You may find this information in your
owner’s manual. If not, contact a local tire dealer.
Note:You may not find this information on all tires because it is not
required by federal law.
H
I
J
KL
M
A
B
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The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) contains the following
information:
A. World manufacturer identifier
B. Brake system / Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) / Restraint
Devices and their location
C. Make, vehicle line, series, body
type
D. Engine type
E. Check digit
F. Model year
G. Assembly plant
H. Production sequence number
VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration Regulations require
that a Safety Compliance Certification
Label be affixed to a vehicle and
prescribe where the Safety
Compliance Certification Label may be
located. The Safety Compliance
Certification Label shall be affixed to
either the door hinge pillar, the door
latch post, or the edge of the door
near the door latch, next to the
driver’s seating position.
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Peace of mind
•Remote start•Wheel locks
•Locking fuel plug for capless fuel
systems•Vehicle security
•Full vehicle covers
•Bumper and hitch mounted parking sensors*
*Ford Licensed Accessories (FLA) are warranted by the accessory
manufacturer’s warranty. Ford Licensed Accessories are fully designed
and developed by the accessory manufacturer and have not been
designed or tested to Ford Motor Company engineering requirements.
Contact your Ford dealer for details regarding the manufacturer’s limited
warranty and/or a copy of the FLA product limited warranty offered by
the accessory manufacturer.
For maximum vehicle performance, keep the following information in
mind when adding accessories or equipment to your vehicle:
•When adding accessories, equipment, passengers and luggage to your
vehicle, do not exceed the total weight capacity of the vehicle or of
the front or rear axle (GVWR or GAWR as indicated on the Safety
Compliance Certification label). Consult your authorized dealer for
specific weight information.
•The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Canadian Radio
Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regulate the use of mobile
communications systems — such as two-way radios, telephones and
theft alarms - that are equipped with radio transmitters. Any such
equipment installed in your vehicle should comply with FCC or CRTC
regulations and should be installed only by a qualified service
technician.
•Mobile communications systems may harm the operation of your
vehicle, particularly if they are not properly designed for automotive
use.
•To avoid interference with other vehicle functions, such as anti-lock
braking systems, amateur radio users who install radios and antennas
onto their vehicle should not locate the amateur radio antennas in the
area of the driver’s side hood.
•Any non-Ford custom electrical or electronic accessories or
components that are added to the vehicle by the authorized dealer or
the owner, may adversely affect battery performance and durability,
and may also adversely affect the performance of other electrical
systems in the vehicle.
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