CLEANING THE ALLOY WHEELS
Note:Do not use chrome cleaner, metal cleaner or polish on wheels and
wheel covers.
A clearcoat paint finish coats aluminum wheels and wheel covers. In
order to maintain their condition:
•Clean weekly with Motorcraft Wheel and Tire Cleaner. Use a sponge to
remove heavy deposits of dirt and brake dust accumulation. Rinse
thoroughly with a strong stream of water when you have completed
the cleaning process.
•To remove tar and grease, use Motorcraft Bug and Tar Remover.
•Never apply any cleaning chemical to hot or warm wheel rims or
covers.
•Some automatic car washes may cause damage to the finish on your
wheel rims or covers.
•Industrial-strength (heavy-duty) cleaners, or cleaning chemicals, in
combination with brush agitation to remove brake dust and dirt, could
wear away the clearcoat finish over time.
•Do not use hydrofluoric acid-based or high caustic-based wheel
cleaners, steel wool, fuels or strong household detergent.
•If you intend on parking your vehicle for an extended period after
cleaning the wheels with a wheel cleaner, drive your vehicle for a few
minutes before doing so. This reduces the risk of increased corrosion
of the brake discs.
VEHICLE STORAGE
If you plan on storing your vehicle for an extended period of time
(30 days or more), read the following maintenance recommendations to
make sure your vehicle stays in good operating condition.
All motor vehicles and their components were engineered and tested for
reliable, regular driving. Long-term storage under various conditions may
lead to component degradation or failure unless specific precautions are
taken to preserve the components.
General
•Store all vehicles in a dry, ventilated place.
•Protect from sunlight, if possible.
•If vehicles are stored outside, they require regular maintenance to
protect against rust and damage.
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Body
•Wash vehicle thoroughly to remove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from
exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housing and underside of front fenders.
•Periodically wash vehicles stored in exposed locations.
•Touch up raw or primed metal to prevent rust.
•Cover chrome and stainless steel parts with a thick coat of auto wax
to prevent discoloration. Re-wax as necessary when the vehicle is
washed.
•Lubricate hood latch, all door latches and trunk lid hinges with a light
grade oil.
•Cover interior trim to prevent fading.
•Keep all rubber parts free from oil and solvents.
Engine
•The engine oil and filter should be changed prior to storage, as used
engine oil contains contaminates that may cause engine damage.
•Start the engine every 15 days. Run at fast idle until it reaches normal
operating temperature.
•With your foot on the brake, shift through all the gears while the
engine is running.
Fuel system
•Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel until the first automatic shutoff
of the fuel pump nozzle.
Cooling system
•Protect against freezing temperatures.
•When removing vehicle from storage, check coolant fluid level.
Confirm there are no cooling system leaks, and fluid is at the
recommended level.
Battery
•Check and recharge as necessary. Keep connections clean.
•If storing your vehicle for more than 30 days without recharging the
battery, it may be advisable to disconnect the battery cables to ensure
battery charge is maintained for quick starting.
Note:If battery cables are disconnected, it will be necessary to reset
memory features.
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Brakes
•Make sure brakes and parking brake are fully released.
Tires
•Maintain recommended air pressure.
Miscellaneous
•Make sure all linkages, cables, levers and pins under vehicle are
covered with grease to prevent rust.
•Move vehicles at least 25 feet (8 meters) every 15 days to lubricate
working parts and prevent corrosion.
Removing Vehicle from Storage
When your vehicle is ready to come out of storage, do the following:
•Wash your vehicle to remove any dirt or grease film build-up on
window surfaces.
•Check windshield wipers for any deterioration.
•Check under the hood for any foreign material that may have collected
during storage (mice/squirrel nests).
•Check the exhaust for any foreign material that may have collected
during storage.
•Check tire pressures and set tire inflation per the Tire Label.
•Check brake pedal operation. Drive the vehicle 15 feet (4.5 meters)
back and forth to remove rust build-up.
•Check fluid levels (including coolant, oil and gas) to make sure there
are no leaks and fluids are at recommended levels.
•If the battery was removed, clean the battery cable ends and inspect.
Contact your authorized dealer if you have any concerns or issues.
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Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
•If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
•Use only SAE Class S chains.
•Install chains securely, verifying that the chains do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
•Drive cautiously. If you hear the chains rub or bang against your
vehicle, stop and retighten the chains. If this does not work, remove
the chains to prevent damage to your vehicle.
•Remove the tire chains when they are no longer needed. Do not use
tire chains on dry roads.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM
WARNING:The tire pressure monitoring system is NOT a
substitute for manually checking tire pressure. The tire pressure
should be checked periodically (at least monthly) using a tire gauge.
SeeInflating Your Tiresin this chapter. Failure to properly maintain
your tire pressure could increase the risk of tire failure, loss of control,
vehicle rollover and personal injury.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a
different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces
fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling
and stopping ability.
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10. Turn the ignition off. If two short horn beeps are heard, the reset
procedure was unsuccessful and must be repeated.
If after repeating the procedure and two short beeps are heard when the
ignition is turned to off, seek assistance from your authorized dealer.
11. Set all four tires to the recommended air pressure as indicated on
the Safety Compliance Certification Label or Tire Label.
Full-size matching spare tire and wheel information
This spare tire and wheel will match the road tire and wheel. When
driving with the full size matching spare tire and wheel, do not exceed
70 mph (113 km/h). It is intended for temporary use only. This means if
you need to use it, you should replace it as soon as possible.
CHANGING A ROAD WHEEL
WARNING:The use of tire sealants may damage your tire
pressure monitoring system and should not be used. However, if
you must use a sealant, have an authorized dealer install a new tire
pressure monitoring system sensor and valve stem.
WARNING:SeeTire Pressure Monitoring Systemin this
chapter for important information. If the tire pressure monitoring
sensor becomes damaged, it will no longer function.
Note:The tire pressure monitoring system indicator light will illuminate
when the spare tire is in use. To restore the full function of the
monitoring system, all road wheels equipped with tire pressure
monitoring sensors must be mounted on this vehicle.
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not apply the brake heavily.
Instead, gradually decrease your speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly
and slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road.
Have a flat serviced by an authorized dealer in order to prevent damage
to the system sensors. SeeTire Pressure Monitoring Systemearlier in
this chapter. Replace the spare tire with a road tire as soon as possible.
During repairing or replacing of the flat tire, have the authorized dealer
inspect the tire pressure monitoring system sensor for damage.
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Tire Change Procedure
WARNING:When one of the front wheels is off the ground, the
transmission alone will not prevent the vehicle from moving or
slipping off the jack, even if the transmission selector lever is in
positionP.
WARNING:To help prevent the vehicle from moving when you
change a tire, be sure to place the transmission selector lever in
positionP,set the parking brake and block (in both directions) the
wheel that is diagonally opposite (other side and end of the vehicle) to
the tire being changed.
WARNING:Never get underneath a vehicle that is supported
only by a jack. If the vehicle slips off the jack, you or someone
else could be seriously injured.
WARNING:Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull far enough off the road to
avoid the danger of being hit when operating the jack or changing the
wheel.
WARNING:Always use the jack provided as original equipment
with your vehicle. If using a jack other than the one provided as
original equipment with your vehicle, make sure the jack capacity is
adequate for the vehicle weight, including any vehicle cargo or
modifications.
WARNING:Never use wheels or lug nuts different than the
original equipment as this could damage the wheel or mounting
system. This damage could allow the wheels to come off while the
vehicle is being driven.
Note:Passengers should not remain in the vehicle when the vehicle is
being jacked.
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Spare Tire Information
The spare tire for your vehicle is stowed under the rear of your vehicle
(except cutaway and stripped chassis models).
Park on a level surface, activate the warning flashers, and place the
transmission selector lever in positionP.Then, apply the parking brake
and turn the engine off.
To remove the spare tire:
1. Open the rear doors and remove
the thumb screw and anti-theft
bracket. If finger pressure will not
remove the thumb screw, use the
lug wrench to loosen the screw.
2. Remove the access plug under
the left door.
3. Remove the jack handle from the
right side compartment and insert the
tip of the jack handle through the
access hole and into the tube.
4. Turn the jack handle
counterclockwise until the cable is
slack and the tire can be slid from
under the vehicle.
5. Remove the retainer from the spare tire.
To stow the cable retainer with the spare removed, turn the jack handle
clockwise until all slack is removed.
6. Block the wheel that is diagonally opposite the tire you are changing.
On E-450 vehicles, the parking brake is on the transmission. Therefore,
the vehicle will not be prevented from moving when a rear wheel is
lifted, even if the parking brake is applied. Be sure to block both
directions of the wheel that is diagonally opposite to the wheel that is
being lifted.
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4. 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.
5. Repeat this tightness check procedure when servicing the spare tire
pressure (every six months, as per yourscheduled maintenance
information),or at any time that the spare tire is disturbed through
service of other components.
6. If removed, install the spare tire lock into the bumper drive tube with
the spare tire lock key and jack handle.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Wheel Lug Nut Torque Specifications
WARNING:When a wheel is installed, always remove any
corrosion, dirt or foreign materials present on the mounting
surfaces of the wheel or the surface of the wheel hub, brake drum or
brake disc that contacts the wheel. Make sure that any fasteners that
attach the rotor to the hub are secured so they do not interfere with
the mounting surfaces of the wheel. Installing wheels without correct
metal-to-metal contact at the wheel mounting surfaces can cause the
wheel nuts to loosen and the wheel to come off while the vehicle is in
motion, resulting in loss of control.
On vehicles equipped with single rear wheels, retighten the lug nuts to
the specified torque at 100 miles (160 kilometers) after any wheel
disturbance (such as tire rotation, changing a flat tire, wheel removal).
On vehicles equipped with dual rear wheels, retighten the wheel lug nuts
to the specified torque at 100 miles (160 kilometers), and again at
500 miles (800 kilometers) of new vehicle operation and after any wheel
disturbance (such as tire rotation, changing a flat tire, wheel removal).
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