
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck In Mudor Snow
Note:Do not rock the vehicle if the engineis not at normal operating temperature ordamage to the transmission may occur.
Note:Do not rock the vehicle for more thana minute or damage to the transmission andtires may occur, or the engine may overheat.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow,it may be rocked out by shifting betweenforward and reverse gears, stoppingbetween shifts in a steady pattern. Presslightly on the accelerator in each gear.
32Motorhome (), enUSATransmission

GENERAL INFORMATION
Note:Occasional brake noise is normal. Ifa metal-to-metal, continuous grinding orcontinuous squeal sound is present, thebrake linings may be worn-out and shouldbe inspected by an authorized dealer. If thevehicle has continuous vibration or shudderin the steering wheel while braking, thevehicle should be inspected by anauthorized dealer.
Note:Brake dust may accumulate on thewheels, even under normal drivingconditions. Some dust is inevitable as thebrakes wear and does not contribute tobrake noise. See Cleaning the AlloyWheels (page 87).
See the Instrument Clusterchapter for information on thebrake system warning light.
Wet brakes result in reduced brakingefficiency. Gently press the brake pedal afew times when driving from a car wash orstanding water to dry the brakes.
Brake Over Accelerator
In the event the accelerator pedalbecomes stuck or entrapped, apply steadyand firm pressure to the brake pedal toslow the vehicle and reduce engine power.If you experience this condition, apply thebrakes and bring your vehicle to a safestop. Turn the engine off, shift to positionP and apply the parking brake, and theninspect the accelerator pedal for anyinterferences. If none are found and thecondition persists, have your vehicle towedto the nearest authorized dealer.
Hydraulic brake booster system(Hydroboost or Hydromax)
The Hydroboost and Hydromax systemsreceive fluid pressure from the powersteering pump to provide power assistduring braking.
The Hydromax booster receives backuppressure from the reserve system electricpump whenever the fluid in the powersteering system is not flowing. When theengine is off, the pump will turn on if thebrake pedal is applied, or if the ignition isturned to the on position.
The sound of the pump operating may beheard by the driver, but this is a normalcharacteristic of the system.
The reserve system provides reducedbraking power, so the vehicle should beoperated under these conditions withcaution, and only to seek service repair andremove the vehicle from the roadway.
Note:For Hydromax-equipped vehiclesoperating under normal conditions, the noiseof the fluid flowing through the booster maybe heard whenever the brake is applied. Thiscondition is normal. Vehicle service is notrequired.
If braking performance or pedal responsebecomes very poor, even when the pedalis strongly pressed, it may indicate thepresence of air in the hydraulic system orleakage of fluid. Stop the vehicle safely assoon as possible and seek serviceimmediately.
HINTS ON DRIVING WITH
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES
Note:When the system is operating, thebrake pedal will pulse and may travelfurther. Maintain pressure on the brakepedal. You may also hear a noise from thesystem. This is normal.
The anti-lock braking system will noteliminate the risks when:
•You drive too closely to the vehicle infront of you.
•Your vehicle is hydroplaning.
33Motorhome (), enUSABrakesE144522

Example only:
WARNING
Exceeding the SafetyCompliance CertificationLabel vehicle weight rating limitscould result in substandardvehicle handling or performance,engine, transmission or structuraldamage, serious damage to thevehicle, loss of control andpersonal injury.
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TOWING A TRAILER
WARNINGS
Do not exceed the GVWR orthe GAWR specified on thecertification label.
Towing trailers beyond themaximum recommendedgross trailer weight exceeds thelimit of the vehicle and couldresult in engine damage,transmission damage, structuraldamage, loss of vehicle control,vehicle rollover and personalinjury.
Your vehicle may have electricalitems, such as fuses or relays,related to towing. See the Fuseschapter.
Your vehicle's load capacitydesignation is by weight, not byvolume, so you cannot necessarilyuse all available space whenloading a vehicle.
Towing a trailer places an extraload on your vehicle's engine,transmission, axle, brakes, tiresand suspension. Inspect thesecomponents periodically during,and after, any towing operation.
Load Placement
To help minimize how trailermovement affects your vehiclewhen driving:
•Load the heaviest items closestto the trailer floor.
•Load the heaviest itemscentered between the left andright side trailer tires.
•Load the heaviest items abovethe trailer axles or just slightlyforward toward the trailertongue. Do not allow the finaltrailer tongue weight to goabove or below 10-15% of theloaded trailer weight.
•Select a tow bar with thecorrect rise or drop. When boththe loaded vehicle and trailerare connected, the trailer frameshould be level, or slightlyangled down toward yourvehicle, when viewed from theside.
When driving with a trailer orpayload, a slight takeoff vibrationor shudder may be present due tothe increased payload weight.Additional information regardingproper trailer loading and settingyour vehicle up for towing islocated in another chapter of thismanual. See Load Limit (page36). You can also find theinformation in the RV & TrailerTowing Guide, available at anauthorized dealer.
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Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping andbacking up to get the feel of yourvehicle-trailer combination beforestarting on a trip. When turning,make wider turns so the trailerwheels clear curbs and otherobstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
•Do not drive faster than70 mph (113 km/h) during thefirst 500 mi (800 km).
•Do not make full-throttlestarts.
•Check your hitch, electricalconnections and trailer wheellug nuts thoroughly after youhave traveled 50 mi (80 km).
•When stopped in congested orheavy traffic during hotweather, place the gearshift inpark (P) to aid engine andtransmission cooling and tohelp air conditioningperformance.
•Switch off the speed controlwith heavy loads or in hillyterrain. The speed control mayturn off automatically whenyou are towing on long, steep
grades.
•Shift to a lower gear whendriving down a long or steephill. Do not apply the brakescontinuously, as they mayoverheat and become lesseffective.
•If your transmission is equippedwith a Grade Assist orTow/Haul feature, use thisfeature when towing. Thisprovides engine braking andhelps eliminate excessivetransmission shifting foroptimum fuel economy andtransmission cooling.
•Allow more distance forstopping with a trailerattached. Anticipate stops andbrake gradually.
•Avoid parking on a grade.However, if you must park on agrade:
1.Turn the steering wheel topoint your vehicle tires awayfrom traffic flow.
2.Set your vehicle parking brake.
3.Place the automatictransmission in park (P).
4.Place wheel chocks in the frontand back of the trailer wheels.(Chocks not included withvehicle.)
Launching or Retrieving a Boator Personal Watercraft (PWC)
Note:Disconnect the wiring to thetrailer before backing the trailerinto the water.
Note:Reconnect the wiring to thetrailer after removing the trailerfrom the water.
46Motorhome (), enUSATowing

BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires forapproximately 300 miles (480kilometers). During this time, your vehiclemay exhibit some unusual drivingcharacteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first 1000miles (1600 kilometers). Vary your speedfrequently and change up through thegears early. Do not labor the engine.
Do not tow during the first 1000 miles(1600 kilometers).
ECONOMICAL DRIVING
Your fuel economy is affected by severalthings, such as how you drive, theconditions you drive under, and how youmaintain your vehicle.
You may improve your fuel economy bykeeping these things in mind:
•Accelerate and slow down in a smooth,moderate fashion.
•Drive at steady speeds withoutstopping.
•Anticipate stops; slowing down mayeliminate the need to stop.
•Combine errands and minimizestop-and-go driving.
•Close the windows for high-speeddriving.
•Drive at reasonable speeds (travelingat 55 mph [88 km/h] uses 15% lessfuel than traveling at 65 mph [105km/h]).
•Keep the tires properly inflated and useonly the recommended size.
•Use the recommended engine oil.
•Perform all regularly scheduledmaintenance.
Avoid these actions; they reduce your fueleconomy:
•Sudden accelerations or hardaccelerations.
•Revving the engine before turning it off.
•Idle for periods longer than one minute.
•Warm up your vehicle on coldmornings.
•Use the air conditioner or frontdefroster.
•Use the speed control in hilly terrain.
•Rest your foot on the brake pedal whiledriving.
•Drive a heavily loaded vehicle or tow atrailer.
•Carry unnecessary weight(approximately 1 mpg [0.4 km/L] islost for every 400 lb [180 kilogram] ofweight carried).
•Driving with the wheels out ofalignment.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing atrailer may reduce fuel economy at anyspeed.
•Adding certain accessories to yourvehicle (for example bug deflectors,rollbars, light bars, running boards, skiracks or luggage racks) may reducefuel economy.
•To maximize the fuel economy, drivewith the tonneau cover installed (ifequipped).
•Using fuel blended with alcohol maylower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lowertemperatures during the first 8–10miles (12–16 kilometers) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improvedfuel economy as compared to drivingon hilly terrain.
49Motorhome (), enUSADriving Hints

•Transmissions give their best fueleconomy when operated in the topcruise gear and with steady pressureon the gas pedal.
•Four-wheel-drive operation (ifequipped) is less fuel efficient thantwo-wheel-drive operation.
•Close the windows for high-speeddriving.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
WARNING
Do not drive through flowing or deepwater as you may lose control of yourvehicle.
Note:Driving through standing water cancause vehicle damage.
Note:Engine damage can occur if waterenters the air filter.
Before driving through standing water,check the depth. Never drive through waterthat is higher than the bottom of the wheelhubs.
When driving through standing water, drivevery slowly and do not stop your vehicle.Your brake performance and traction maybe limited. After driving through water andas soon as it is safe to do so:
•Lightly press the brake pedal to dry thebrakes and to check that they work.
•Check that the horn works.
•Check that the exterior lights work.
•Turn the steering wheel to check thatthe steering power assist works.
50Motorhome (), enUSADriving HintsE176913

Canadian roadside coverage and benefitsmay differ from the U.S. coverage. If yourequire more information, please refer tothe coverage section of your warrantyguide, call us in Canada at1-800-665-2006, or visit our website atwww.ford.ca.
Sykes Assistance Services Corporationadministers the Roadside Assistanceprogram. You must receive coveredservices in Canada or the continentalUnited States. Coverage extends tovehicles that use public, non-seasonal,annually traveled roadways. RoadsideAssistance coverage does not extend tovehicles involved in cross-country driving,logging, autocross and any other form ofoff-road use. Well maintained roads andsurfaces help ensure safe travel for thesupplier, and allow their representativesto perform service as per the standardoperating procedures.
In Remote Locations
If our supplier cannot take your vehicle byroad to the nearest authorized dealership,transportation by rail or water may benecessary. The program covers a tow tothe dock or rail terminal and also to thedealership at the end of the trip.
For rail or water transportation, however,contact your authorized dealer to confirmif you are eligible for additional coveragebefore you authorize or pay for the service.
Call the Ford Roadside Assistance at1-800-665-2006 for additionalinformation.
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
Note:The hazard warning flashers willoperate when the ignition is in any positionor if the key is not in the ignition. If usedwhen the engine is not running, the batterywill lose charge. As a result, there may beinsufficient power to restart your engine.
The hazard flasher control is located onthe steering column, just behind thesteering wheel. Use it when your vehicle iscreating a safety hazard for othermotorists.
•Press the flasher control and all frontand rear direction indicators flash.
•Press the flasher control again to turnthem off.
JUMP STARTING THE VEHICLE
WARNINGS
The gases around the battery canexplode if exposed to flames, sparks,or lit cigarettes. An explosion couldresult in personal injury or vehicle damage.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid whichcan burn skin, eyes and clothing, ifcontacted.
Use only an adequate-sized cablewith insulated clamps.
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