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Avoid excessive speed because vehicle momentum can work against you
and cause the vehicle to become stuck to the point that assistance may
be required from another vehicle. Remember, you may be able to back
out the way you came if you proceed with caution.
Mud and water
Note:Driving through deep water may damage your vehicle.
If you must drive through high water, drive slowly. Traction or brake
capability may be limited.
When driving through water, determine the depth; avoid water higher
than the bottom of the hubs (if possible) and proceed slowly. If the
ignition system gets wet, the vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes. Wet brakes do not stop the
vehicle as effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be improved by moving
your vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle speed or direction when you
are driving in mud. Even 4WD vehicles can lose traction in slick mud. As
when you are driving over sand, apply the accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning your wheels. If the vehicle does slide, steer in the direction of
the slide until you regain control of the vehicle.
If the transmission, transfer case or front axle are submerged in water,
their fluids should be checked and changed, if necessary.
If the front or rear axle is submerged in water, the axle lubricant should
be replaced.
After driving through mud, clean off residue stuck to rotating driveshafts
and tires. Excess mud stuck on tires and rotating driveshafts causes an
imbalance that could damage drive components.
“Tread Lightly” is an educational
program designed to increase public
awareness of land-use regulations
and responsibilities in our nations
wilderness areas. Ford Motor
Company joins the U.S. Forest
Service and the Bureau of Land Management in encouraging you to help
preserve our national forest and other public and private lands by
“treading lightly.”
Driving on hilly or sloping terrain
Note:Avoid driving crosswise or turning on steep slopes or hills. A
danger lies in losing traction, slipping sideways and possibly rolling over.
216Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)
Page 381 of 596
4. Small arrow-shaped marks on the sills show the location of the jacking
points.
5. Remove the lug nuts with the lug wrench.
6. Replace the flat tire with the spare tire, making sure the valve stem is
facing outward. Reinstall the lug nuts until the wheel is snug against the
hub. Do not fully tighten the lug nuts until the wheel has been lowered.
7. Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
8. Remove the jack and fully tighten the lug
nuts in the order shown. SeeWheel Lug
Nut Torque Specificationslater in this
chapter for the proper lug nut torque
specification.
380Wheels and Tires
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)
Page 383 of 596
3. Stand the flat tire vertically in
the mini-spare tub with the tire’s
valve stem facing rearward toward
the rear liftgate back panel.
4. Fasten the flat tire to the rear
liftgate back panel by inserting the
L-shaped bolt through one of the
lug bolt holes in the wheel.
5. Turn the L-shaped bolt clockwise into the threaded hole in the rear
liftgate back panel until the tire is secured.
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 your vehicle is in
motion, resulting in loss of control.
Retighten the lug nuts to the specified torque within 100 miles
(160 kilometers) after any wheel disturbance (such as rotation, flat tire,
wheel removal).
382Wheels and Tires
2015 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, September 2014
USA(fus)
