2013 FORD SUPER DUTY four wheel drive

Apply just enough power to the wheels to climb the hill. Too much
power will cause the tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting in loss of
vehicle control.
Descend a hill in the same gear you
would use to climb up the hill to
avoid excessive brake application
and brake overheating. Do not
descend in neutral; instead,
disengage overdrive or manually
shift to a lower gear. When
descending a steep hill, avoid
sudden hard braking as you could
lose control. When you brake hard,
the front wheels can’t turn and if
they aren’t turning, you won’t be able to steer. The front wheels have to
be turning in order to steer the vehicle.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, apply the brakes steadily. Do not
pump the brakes.
Driving on snow and ice
WARNING:If you are driving in slippery conditions that require
tire chains or cables, then it is critical that you drive cautiously.
Keep speeds down, allow for longer stopping distances and avoid
aggressive steering to reduce the chances of a loss of vehicle control
which can lead to serious injury or death. If the rear end of the vehicle
slides while cornering, steer in the direction of the slide until you
regain control of the vehicle.
4WD vehicles have advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but
can skid like any other vehicle.
Should you start to slide while driving on snowy or icy roads, turn the
steering wheel in the direction of the slide until you regain control.
Avoid sudden applications of power and quick changes of direction on
snow and ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and steadily when starting
from a full stop.
Avoid sudden braking as well. Although a 4WD vehicle may accelerate
better than a two-wheel drive vehicle in snow and ice, it won’t stop any
faster, because as in other vehicles, braking occurs at all four wheels. Do
not become overconfident as to road conditions.
218Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

Make sure you allow sufficient distance between you and other vehicles for
stopping. Drive slower than usual and consider using one of the lower
gears. In emergency stopping situations, apply the brake steadily. Do not
pump the brakes. Refer to theBrakessection of this chapter for additional
information on the operation of the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS).
Parking
WARNING:If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake
warning lamp remains illuminated, the brakes may not be
working properly. See your authorized dealer.
WARNING:Always set the parking brake fully and make sure
the gearshift is latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition to the off
position and remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
On some 4WD vehicles, when the transfer case is in the N (Neutral)
position, the engine and transmission are disconnected from the rest of
the driveline. Therefore, the vehicle is free to roll even if the automatic
transmission is in P (Park) or the manual transmission is in gear. Do not
leave the vehicle unattended with the transfer case in the N (Neutral)
position. Always set the parking brake fully and turn off the ignition
when leaving the vehicle.
Maintenance and modifications
The suspension and steering systems on your vehicle have been designed
and tested to provide predictable performance whether loaded or empty
and durable load carrying capability. For this reason, Ford Motor
Company strongly recommends that you do not make modifications such
as adding or removing parts (such as lift kits or stabilizer bars) or by
using replacement parts not equivalent to the original factory equipment.
Any modifications to a vehicle that raise the center of gravity can make
it more likely the vehicle will roll over as a result of a loss of control.
Ford Motor Company recommends that caution be used with any vehicle
equipped with a high load or device (such as ladder racks or pickup box
cover).
Failure to maintain your vehicle properly may void the warranty, increase
your repair cost, reduce vehicle performance and operational capabilities
and adversely affect driver and passenger safety. Frequent inspection of
vehicle chassis components is recommended if the vehicle is subjected to
heavy off-road usage.
Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)219
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
The traction control system helps avoid drive wheel spin and loss of
traction.
If your vehicle begins to slide, the system applies the brakes to individual
wheels and, when needed, reduces engine power at the same time. If the
wheels spin when accelerating on slippery or loose surfaces, the system
reduces engine power in order to increase traction.
USING TRACTION CONTROL
(Dual rear wheel vehicles only)
In certain situations (for example, stuck in snow or mud), turning the
traction control off may be beneficial as this allows the wheels to spin
with full engine power.
Turn off the traction control system by pressing the
stability control button located on the instrument
panel.
If the system cannot be turned off, see theMyKey®chapter for more
information.
If traction control is on when your vehicle is put into four-wheel drive
mode (if equipped), the traction control system will be automatically
disabled. Traction control operation will resume when your vehicle is
placed back into two-wheel drive mode.
Engine Only Traction Control
(Dual rear wheel vehicles only)
Button functions TCS OFF indicator TCS
Default at start-up Not illuminated Enabled
Button pressed
momentarilyIlluminated Disabled
Button pressed again
after deactivationNot illuminated Enabled
Transfer case switched to
4WD
1Illuminated Disabled
1Engaging 4WD automatically disables TCS.
222Traction Control
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

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.
Two-wheel drive (2WD) vehicles can be towed with the front wheels on
the ground and the rear wheels off the ground.
It is recommended that four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles are to be towed
with a wheel lift and dollies or 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 manual-shift transfer case vehicles, the front wheel hub locks are
in the FREE position prior to towing.
•On Electronic Shift-On-the-Fly (ESOF) vehicles, the 4WD control is
turned to the 2WD position prior to towing.
Note:Towing an ESOF 4WD vehicle with the front wheels on the ground
without disengaging the front hubs may cause damage to the automatic
transmission.
Note:Towing a 2WD or an ESOF 4WD 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.
TOWING THE VEHICLE ON FOUR WHEELS
Emergency Towing
In the event your vehicle becomes disabled (without access to wheel
dollies, car-hauling trailer, or flatbed transport vehicle), it can be
flat-towed (all wheels on the ground, regardless of the
powertrain/transmission configuration) under the following conditions:
•The vehicle is facing forward so that it is towed in a forward
direction.
•The transmission is placed in positionN.SeeAutomatic
transmissionin theTransmissionchapter if you cannot move the
transmission intoN.
•Maximum speed is 35 mph (56 km/h).
•Maximum distance is 50 miles (80 kilometers).
262Towing
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

Recreational Towing
Note:Put your climate control system in recirculated air mode to
prevent exhaust fumes from entering the vehicle. See theClimate
Controlchapter.
Follow these guidelines if you have a need for recreational (RV) towing.
An example of recreational towing would be towing your vehicle behind
a motorhome. These guidelines are designed to ensure that your
transmission is not damaged.
Drivetrain
configurationRequirements for neutral towing
4WD with manual-shift
transfer caseTransmission in N (Neutral); transfer case in N
(Neutral); hublocks set to FREE.
*
2WD or 4WD with
electronic-shift
transfer case (ESOF)Do not tow your vehicle with any wheels on
the ground, as vehicle or transmission damage
may occur. It is recommended to tow your
vehicle with all four (4) wheels off the ground,
such as when using a car-hauling trailer.
Otherwise, no recreational towing is permitted.
*Always make sure that both hub locks are set to the same position.
Towing263
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

•Add particular accessories to your vehicle (e.g.; bug deflectors,
rollbars or light bars, running boards, ski racks).
•Drive with the wheels out of alignment.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] of weight carried).
•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
•To maximize the fuel economy, drive with the tonneau cover installed
(if equipped).
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
8–10 miles (12–16 km) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
•Four-wheel-drive operation (if equipped) is less fuel efficient than
two-wheel-drive operation.
•Close windows for high speed driving.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Note:Driving through deep water may allow water into the transmission
and engine causing internal damage. Have the fluid checked and, if water
is found, replace the fluid.
Do not drive quickly through standing water, especially if the depth is
unknown. Traction or brake capability may be limited and if the ignition
system gets wet, your engine may stall. Water may also enter your
engine’s air intake and severely damage your engine.
Driving Hints265
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

Four-Wheel Drive System (If Equipped)
WARNING:Do not become overconfident in the ability of
four-wheel drive vehicles. Although a four-wheel drive vehicle
may accelerate better than two-wheel drive vehicle in low traction
situations, it will not stop any faster than two-wheel drive vehicles.
Always drive at a safe speed.
A vehicle equipped with four-wheel drive (when selected) has the ability
to use all four wheels to power itself. This increases traction which may
enable you to safely drive over terrain and road conditions that a
conventional two-wheel drive vehicle cannot.
Power is supplied to all four wheels through a transfer case or power
transfer unit. Four-wheel drive vehicles allow you to select different drive
modes as necessary. You can find information on transfer case operation
and shifting procedures in theTransmissionchapter. You can find
information on transfer case maintenance in theMaintenancechapter.
You should become thoroughly familiar with this information before you
operate your vehicle.
On some four-wheel drive models, the initial shift from two-wheel drive
to four-wheel drive while the vehicle is moving can cause a momentary
clunk and ratcheting sound. These sounds are normal as the front
drivetrain comes up to speed and is not cause for concern.
Wheels and Tires339
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

H.U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN):This begins with the
letters DOT and indicates that the tire meets all federal standards. The
next two numbers or letters are the plant code designating where it was
manufactured, the next two are the tire size code and the last four
numbers represent the week and year the tire was built. For example,
the numbers 317 mean the 31st week of 1997. After 2000 the numbers
go to four digits. For example, 2501 means the 25th week of 2001. The
numbers in between are identification codes used for traceability. This
information is used to contact customers if a tire defect requires a recall.
I.M+S or M/S:Mud and Snow, or
AT:All Terrain, or
AS:All Season.
J.Tire Ply Composition and Material Used:Indicates the number of
plies or the number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire tread and
sidewall. Tire manufacturers also must indicate the ply materials in the
tire and the sidewall, which include steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
K.Maximum Load:Indicates the maximum load in kilograms and
pounds that can be carried by the tire. See the Safety Compliance
Certification Label (affixed to either the door hinge pillar, door-latch
post, or the door edge that meets the door-latch post, next to the
driver’s seating position), for the correct tire pressure for your vehicle.
L.Treadwear, Traction and Temperature Grades
•Treadwear:The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For example, a tire graded 150
would wear one and one-half (1
12) times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100.
•Traction: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: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.
346Wheels and Tires
2013 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing
USA(fus)