2015 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY four wheel drive

If SHIFT DELAYED PULL FORWARD isdisplayed in the information display,transfer case gear tooth blockage ispresent. To alleviate this condition, placethe transmission in a forward gear, movethe vehicle forward approximately 5 feet(1.5 meters), and shift the transmissionback to neutral to allow the transfer caseto complete the range shift.
How Your Vehicle Differs FromOther Vehicles
WARNING
Vehicles with a higher center ofgravity such as utility and four-wheeldrive vehicles handle differently thanvehicles with a lower center of gravity.Utility and four-wheel drive vehicles arenot designed for cornering at speeds ashigh as passenger cars any more thanlow-slung sports cars are designed toperform satisfactorily under off-roadconditions. Avoid sharp turns, excessivespeed and abrupt maneuvers in thesevehicles. Failure to drive cautiously couldresult in an increased risk of loss of vehiclecontrol, vehicle rollover, personal injury anddeath.
Truck and utility vehicles can differ fromsome other vehicles. Your vehicle may behigher to allow it to travel over roughterrain without getting hung up ordamaging underbody components.
The differences that make your vehicle soversatile also make it handle differentlythan an ordinary passenger car.
Maintain steering wheel control at alltimes, especially in rough terrain. Sincesudden changes in terrain can result inabrupt steering wheel motion, make sureyou grip the steering wheel from theoutside. Do not grip the spokes.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle damagefrom concealed objects such as rocks andstumps.
You should either know the terrain orexamine maps of the area before driving.Map out your route before driving in thearea. To maintain steering and brakingcontrol of your vehicle, you must have allfour wheels on the ground and they mustbe rolling, not sliding or spinning.
Driving Off-Road With Truck andUtility Vehicles
Note:On some models, the initial shift fromtwo-wheel drive to four-wheel drive whilethe vehicle is moving can cause somemomentary clunk and ratcheting sounds.This is the front drivetrain coming up tospeed and the automatic locking hubsengaging and is not cause for concern.
Note:Your vehicle may be equipped witha front air dam that can become damaged(due to reduced ground clearance) whentaking your vehicle off-road. This air damcan be taken off by removing two bolts.
Four-wheel drive vehicles are speciallyequipped for driving on sand, snow, mudand rough terrain and have operatingcharacteristics that are somewhatdifferent from conventional vehicles, bothon and off the road.
Power is supplied to all four wheelsthrough a transfer case. On Four-wheeldrive vehicles, the transfer case allows youto select 4WD when necessary.Information on transfer case operation andshifting procedures can be found in thischapter. Information on transfer casemaintenance can be found in theMaintenance chapter. You should becomethoroughly familiar with this informationbefore you operate your vehicle.
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Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

Four-wheel drive (when you select a 4WDmode) uses all four wheels to power thevehicle. This increases traction, enablingyou to drive over terrain and roadconditions that a conventional two-wheeldrive vehicle cannot.
Basic Operating Principles
•Drive slower in strong crosswinds whichcan affect the normal steeringcharacteristics of your vehicle.
•When driving your vehicle on surfacesmade slippery by loose sand, water,gravel, snow or ice proceed with care.
•Do not use Four-wheel drive on dry,hard surfaced roads. Doing so willproduce excessive noise, increase tirewear and may damage drivecomponents. Four-wheel drive modesare only intended for consistentlyslippery or loose surfaces.
If Your Vehicle leaves the Road
If your vehicle leaves the road, reduce yourvehicle speed and avoid severe braking.When your vehicle speed has been reducedease your vehicle back onto the road. Donot turn the steering wheel sharply whilereturning your vehicle to the road.
It may be safer to stay on the shoulder ofthe road and slow down gradually beforereturning to the road. You may lose controlif you do not slow down or if you turn thesteering wheel too sharply or abruptly.
It may be less risky to strike small objects,such as freeway reflectors, with minordamage to your vehicle rather thanattempt a sudden return to the road whichcould cause your vehicle to slide sidewaysout of control or roll over. Remember, yoursafety and the safety of others should beyour primary concern.
Emergency Maneuvers
In an unavoidable emergency situationwhere a sudden sharp turn must be made,remember to avoid over-driving yourvehicle (i.e. turn the steering wheel only asrapidly and as far as required to avoid theemergency). Excessive steering can resultin loss of vehicle control. Apply smoothpressure to the accelerator pedal or brakepedal when changes in vehicle speed arerequired. Avoid abrupt steering,acceleration and braking. This could resultin an increased risk of vehicle roll over, lossof vehicle control and personal injury. Useall available road surface to bring yourvehicle to a safe direction of travel.
In the event of an emergency stop, avoidskidding the tires and do not attempt anysharp steering wheel movements.
If your vehicle goes from one type ofsurface to another (i.e. from concrete togravel) there will be a change in the wayyour vehicle responds to a maneuver (i.e.steering, acceleration or braking).
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all fourwheels on the most solid area of the trail.Avoid reducing the tire pressures but shiftto a lower gear and drive steadily throughthe terrain. Apply the accelerator slowlyand avoid excessive wheel slip.
When driving at slow speeds in deep sandunder high outside temperatures, use a lowgear when possible. Low gear operationwill maximize the engine and transmissioncooling capability.
Avoid driving at excessive speeds, thiscauses vehicle momentum to work againstyou and your vehicle could become stuckto the point that assistance may berequired from another vehicle. Remember,you may be able to back out the way youcame if you proceed with caution.
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Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

Mud and Water
Mud
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehiclespeed or direction when you are driving inmud. Even four-wheel drive vehicles canlose traction in slick mud. If your vehicledoes slide, steer in the direction of the slideuntil you regain control of your vehicle.
After driving through mud, clean off residuestuck to rotating driveshafts and tires.Excess mud stuck on tires and rotatingdriveshafts can cause an imbalance thatcould damage drive components.
Water
If you must drive through high water, driveslowly. Traction or brake capability maybe limited.
When driving through water, determine thedepth and avoid water higher than thebottom of the hubs. If the ignition systemgets wet, your vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes.Wet brakes do not stop your vehicle aseffectively as dry brakes. Drying can beimproved by applying light pressure to thebrake pedal while moving slowly.
Note:Driving through deep water maydamage the transmission. If the front or rearaxle is submerged in water, the axlelubricant and power transfer unit lubricantshould be checked and changed ifnecessary.
Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Although natural obstacles may make itnecessary to travel diagonally up or downa hill or steep incline, you should alwaystry to drive straight up or straight down.
Note:Avoid turning on steep slopes or hills.A danger lies in losing traction, slippingsideways and possible vehicle roll over.Whenever driving on a hill, determinebeforehand the route you will use. Do notdrive over the crest of a hill without seeingwhat conditions are on the other side. Donot drive in reverse over a hill without theaid of an observer.
When climbing a steep slope or hill, startin a lower gear rather than downshifting toa lower gear from a higher gear once theascent has started. This reduces strain onthe engine and the possibility of stalling.
If your vehicle stalls, do not try to turnaround because this could cause vehicleroll over. It is better to reverse back to asafe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels toclimb the hill. Too much power will causethe tires to slip, spin or lose traction,resulting in loss of vehicle control.
Descend a hill in the same gear you woulduse to climb up the hill to avoid excessivebrake application and brake overheating.Do not descend in neutral. Disengageoverdrive or move the transmissionselector lever to a lower gear. Whendescending a steep hill, avoid sudden hardbraking as you could lose control. The frontwheels have to be turning in order to steeryour vehicle.
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Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)E143949

If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, applythe brakes steadily. Do not pump thebrakes.
Driving on Snow and Ice
WARNING
If you are driving in slipperyconditions that require tire chains orcables, then it is critical that you drivecautiously. Keep speeds down, allow forlonger stopping distances and avoidaggressive steering to reduce the chancesof a loss of vehicle control which can leadto serious injury or death. If the rear end ofyour vehicle slides while cornering, steer inthe direction of the slide until you regaincontrol of your vehicle.
Note:Excessive tire slippage can causetransmission damage.
Four-wheel drive vehicles have advantagesover two-wheel drive vehicles in snow andice but can skid like any other vehicle.Should you start to slide while driving onsnowy or icy roads, turn the steering wheelin the direction of the slide until you regaincontrol.
Avoid sudden applications of power andquick changes of direction on snow andice. Apply the accelerator slowly andsteadily when starting from a full stop.
Avoid sudden braking. Although afour-wheel drive vehicle may acceleratebetter than a two-wheel drive vehicle insnow and ice, it will not stop any faster asbraking occurs at all four wheels. Do notbecome overconfident as to roadconditions.
Make sure you allow sufficient distancebetween you and other vehicles forstopping. Drive slower than usual andconsider using one of the lower gears. Inemergency stopping situations, apply thebrake steadily. Do not pump the brakepedal. See Hints on Driving WithAnti-Lock Brakes (page 162).
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck In Mud orSnow
WARNING
Do not spin the wheels at over 35mph (56 km/h). The tires may failand injure a passenger or bystander.
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.
Note:Do not rock your vehicle if the engineis not at normal operating temperature,damage to the transmission may occur.
Note:Do not rock your vehicle for morethan a minute, damage to the transmissionand tires may occur or the engine mayoverheat.
Parking
WARNINGS
If the parking brake is fully released,but the brake warning lamp remainsilluminated, the brakes may not beworking properly. See your authorizeddealer.
Always set the parking brake fullyand make sure the gearshift islatched in P (Park). Turn the ignitionto the off position and remove the keywhenever you leave your vehicle.
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Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

On some Four-wheel drive vehicles, whenthe transfer case is in the N (Neutral)position, the engine and transmission aredisconnected from the rest of the driveline.Therefore, the vehicle is free to roll even ifthe automatic transmission is in P (Park)or the manual transmission is in gear. Donot leave the vehicle unattended with thetransfer case in the N (Neutral) position.Always set the parking brake fully and turnoff the ignition when leaving the vehicle.
Maintenance and Modifications
The suspension and steering systems onyour vehicle have been designed andtested to provide predictable performancewhether loaded or empty. For this reason,we strongly recommend that you do notmake modifications such as adding orremoving parts (i.e. lift kits or stabilizerbars) or by using replacement parts notequivalent to the original factoryequipment.
We recommend that you use caution whenyour vehicle has either a high load or device(i.e. ladder or luggage racks). Anymodifications to your vehicle that raise thecenter of gravity may cause your vehicleto roll over when there is a loss of vehiclecontrol.
Failure to maintain your vehicle correctlymay void the warranty, increase your repaircost, reduce vehicle performance andoperational capabilities and adverselyaffect you and your passenger's safety. Werecommend you frequently inspect yourvehicle's chassis components when yourvehicle is subject to off road usage.
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Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
The traction control system helps avoiddrive wheel spin and loss of traction.
If your vehicle begins to slide, the systemapplies the brakes to individual wheelsand, when needed, reduces engine powerat the same time. If the wheels spin whenaccelerating on slippery or loose surfaces,the system reduces engine power in orderto increase traction.
USING TRACTION CONTROL
(Dual rear wheel vehicles only)
In certain situations (for example, stuck insnow or mud), it may be beneficial to turnthe traction control system off. This allowsthe wheels to spin with full engine power.
Turn the traction control system off bypressing the stability control buttonlocated on the instrument panel.
If you cannot turn the system off, see theMyKey chapter for more information.
Placing your vehicle into four-wheel drivemode automatically disables tractioncontrol. Traction control operation willresume when you place your vehicle backinto two-wheel drive mode.
Engine only traction control(Dual rear wheel vehicles only)
Traction control systemStability control OFFindicatorButton functions
EnabledNot illuminatedDefault at start-up
DisabledIlluminatedButton pressed momentarily
EnabledNot illuminatedButton pressed again afterdeactivation
DisabledIlluminatedTransfer case switched to4WD*
*Engaging 4WD automatically disables the traction control system.
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Traction ControlE162724

•Use a damper device such as a tarp,heavy blanket or piece of carpetdraped over the recovery strap to helpabsorb the energy in the event thestrap breaks.
•Make sure the stuck vehicle is notloaded heavier than its gross vehicleweight rating specified on thecertification label.
•Always align the tow vehicle and stuckvehicle in a straight line (within 10degrees).
•Keep bystanders to the sides of thevehicle, at a distance of at least twicethe length of the recovery strap. Thishelps avoid injury from the hazard of arecovery hook or strap breaking, or avehicle lurching into their path.
TRANSPORTING THE VEHICLE
If you need to have your vehicle towed,contact a professional towing service or,if you are a member of a roadsideassistance program, your roadsideassistance service provider.
We recommend the use of a wheel lift anddollies or flatbed equipment to tow yourvehicle. Do not tow with a slingbelt. FordMotor Company has not approved aslingbelt towing procedure. Vehicledamage may occur if towed incorrectly, orby any other means.
Ford Motor Company produces a towingmanual for all authorized tow truckoperators. Have your tow truck operatorrefer to this manual for proper hook-upand towing procedures for your vehicle.
It is acceptable to have your two-wheeldrive vehicle towed with the front wheelson the ground (without dollies) and therear wheels off the ground.
We recommend towing a four-wheel drivevehicle with all wheels off the ground, suchas using a wheel lift and dollies or flatbedequipment. However, it is acceptable touse a wheel lift to raise the rear of yourvehicle so long as, depending on vehicleconfiguration, you perform the followingbefore towing:
•If your vehicle is equipped with amanual-shift transfer case, make surethe front wheel hub locks are in theFREE position before towing.
•If your vehicle is equipped with anelectronic shift-on-the-fly transfercase, make sure you turn thefour-wheel drive control to the 2Hposition before towing.
Note:Towing an electronic shift-on-the-flyfour-wheel drive vehicle with the frontwheels on the ground without disengagingthe front hubs may cause damage to theautomatic transmission.
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TowingE143886

Note:Towing a two-wheel drive vehicle oran electronic shift-on-the-fly four-wheeldrive vehicle with the rear wheels on theground for more than 50 miles (80 km) orfaster than 35 mph (56 km/h) may causedamage to the automatic transmission.
Note:Using wheel lift equipment to tow adual rear wheel vehicle requires removingan outer rear wheel before towing.
TOWING THE VEHICLE ON
FOUR WHEELS
Emergency Towing
If your vehicle becomes inoperable(without access to wheel dollies,car-hauling trailer, or flatbed transportvehicle), it can be flat-towed (all wheelson the ground, regardless of the powertrainand transmission configuration) under thefollowing conditions:
•Your vehicle is facing forward fortowing in a forward direction.
•Place the transmission in position N. Ifyou cannot move the transmission intoN, you may need to override it. SeeTransmission (page 144).
•Maximum speed is 35 mph (56 km/h).
•Maximum distance is 50 miles (80kilometers).
Recreational Towing
Note:Put your climate control system inrecirculated air mode to prevent exhaustfumes from entering your vehicle. SeeClimate Control (page 103).
Follow these guidelines if you have a needfor recreational towing, such as towingyour vehicle behind a motorhome. Wedesigned these guidelines to preventdamage to your transmission.
Two-wheel Drive Vehicles andFour-wheel Drive Vehicles Equippedwith an Electronic-shift Transfer Case
Do not tow your vehicle with any wheelson the ground, as vehicle or transmissiondamage may occur. It is recommended totow your vehicle with all four (4) wheelsoff the ground, such as when using acar-hauling trailer. Otherwise, you cannottow your vehicle.
Four-wheel Drive Vehicles Equippedwith a Manual-shift Transfer Case
1. Put the transmission in position N.
2. Put the transfer case in position N.
3.Put the hub locks in the FREE position.Always make sure that both hub locksare set to the same position.
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Towing