
Special Loading Instructions for
Owners of Pick-up Trucks and
Utility-type Vehicles
WARNING
Loaded vehicles may handle
differently than unloaded
vehicles. Extra precautions, such as
slower speeds and increased
stopping distance, should be taken
when driving a heavily loaded
vehicle. Your vehicle can haul more cargo
and people than most passenger
cars. Depending upon the type and
placement of the load, hauling
cargo and people may raise the
center of gravity of the vehicle.
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TOWING A TRAILER
WARNINGS
Do not exceed the GVWR or the
GAWR specified on the
certification label. Towing trailers beyond the
maximum recommended gross
trailer weight exceeds the limit of
your vehicle and could result in
engine damage, transmission
damage, structural damage, loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover and
personal injury. Note:
There may be electrical items
such as fuses or relays that can affect
trailer towing operation. See Fuses
(page 218).
The load capacity of your vehicle is
designated by weight not volume.
You may not necessarily be able to
use all available space when loading
your vehicle or trailer. Towing a trailer places extra load
on the engine, transmission, axle,
brakes, tires, and suspension.
Inspect these components before,
during and after towing.
Load Placement
To help minimize how trailer
movement affects the vehicle when
driving:
•
Load the heaviest items closest
to the trailer floor.
• Load the heaviest items in the
center of the left and right side
trailer tires. •
Load the heaviest items above
the trailer axles or just slightly
forward toward the trailer
tongue. Do not allow the final
trailer tongue weight to go above
or below 10-15% of the loaded
trailer weight.
• Select a tow bar with the correct
rise or drop. When both the
loaded vehicle and trailer are
connected, the trailer frame
should be level, or slightly angled
down toward the vehicle, when
viewed from the side.
When driving with a trailer or
payload, a slight takeoff vibration or
shudder may be present due to the
increased payload weight.
Additional information regarding
proper trailer loading and setting
your vehicle up for towing is located
in the Load Carrying chapter. See
Load Limit (page 187). You can also
find the information in the
RV &
Trailer Towing Guide, available at
an authorized dealer.
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ESSENTIAL TOWING CHECKS
Follow these guidelines for safe towing:
•
Do not tow a trailer until you drive your
vehicle at least 1000 miles (1600
kilometers).
• Consult your local motor vehicle laws for
towing a trailer.
• See the instructions included with towing
accessories for the proper installation
and adjustment specifications.
• Service your vehicle more frequently if
you tow a trailer. See your scheduled
maintenance information.
• If you use a rental trailer, follow the
instructions the rental agency gives you.
You can find information on load
specification terms found on the tire label
and Safety Compliance label as well as
instructions on calculating your vehicle's load
in the Load Carrying chapter. See Load Limit
(page 187).
Remember to account for the trailer tongue
weight as part of your vehicle load when
calculating the total vehicle weight. Hitches
Do not use a hitch that either clamps onto
the bumper or attaches to the axle.
Distribute the trailer load so 10-15% of the
total trailer weight is on the tongue.
Safety Chains
Note:
Never attach safety chains to the
bumper.
Always connect the safety chains to the hook
retainers of your vehicle hitch.
To connect the safety chains, cross them
under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning tight corners. Do not allow
the chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes WARNING
Do not connect a trailer's hydraulic
brake system directly to your vehicle's
brake system. Your vehicle may not
have enough braking power and your chances
of having a collision greatly increase. Electric brakes and manual, automatic or
surge-type trailer brakes are safe if you install
them properly and adjust them to the
manufacturer's specifications. The trailer
brakes must meet local and federal
regulations.
The rating for the tow vehicle's braking
system operation is at the gross vehicle
weight rating, not the gross combined
weight rating.
Trailer Lamps
WARNING
Never connect any trailer lamp wiring
to the vehicle's tail lamp wiring; this
may damage the electrical system
resulting in fire. Contact your authorized
dealer as soon as possible for assistance in
proper trailer tow wiring installation.
Additional electrical equipment may be
required. Trailer lamps are required on most towed
vehicles. Make sure all running lights, brake
lights, turn signals and hazard lights are
working.
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BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for
approximately 300 miles (480 kilometers).
During this time, your vehicle may exhibit
some unusual driving characteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first 1000
miles (1600 kilometers). Vary your speed
frequently and change up through the gears
early. Do not labor the engine.
Do not tow during the first 1000 miles (1600
kilometers).
ECONOMICAL DRIVING
Fuel economy is affected by several things
such as how you drive, the conditions you
drive under and how you maintain your
vehicle.
There are some things to keep in mind that
may improve your fuel economy:
•
Accelerate and slow down in a smooth,
moderate fashion.
• Drive at steady speeds.
• Anticipate stops; slowing down may
eliminate the need to stop. •
Combine errands and minimize
stop-and-go driving.
•When running errands, go to the
furthest destination first and then
work your way back home.
• Close the windows for high-speed driving.
• Drive at reasonable speeds. (Traveling at
65 mph/105 kph uses about 15% less fuel
than traveling at 75 mph/121 kph).
• Keep the tires properly inflated and use
only the recommended size.
• Use the recommended engine oil.
• Perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance.
There are also some things you may want to
avoid doing because they reduce your fuel
economy:
• Avoid sudden or hard accelerations.
• Avoid revving the engine before turning
off the car.
• Avoid long idle periods.
• Do not warm up your vehicle on cold
mornings.
• Reduce the use of air conditioning and
heat.
• Avoid using speed control in hilly terrain. •
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal
while driving.
• Avoid carrying unnecessary weight
(approximately 1 mpg [0.4
kilometers/liter] is lost for every 400 lbs
[180 kilograms] of weight carried).
• Avoid adding particular accessories to
your vehicle (e.g. bug deflectors,
rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski
racks).
• Avoid driving with the wheels out of
alignment.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER WARNING
Do not drive through flowing or deep
water as you may lose control of your
vehicle.
Note:
Driving through standing water can
cause vehicle damage.
Note: Engine damage can occur if water
enters the air filter.
Before driving through standing water, check
the depth. Never drive through water that is
higher than the bottom of the front rocker
area of your vehicle.
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When driving through standing water, drive
very slowly and do not stop your vehicle. Your
brake performance and traction may be
limited. After driving through water and as
soon as it is safe to do so:
•
Lightly press the brake pedal to dry the
brakes and to check that they work.
• Check that the horn works.
• Check that the exterior lights work.
• Turn the steering wheel to check that the
steering power assist works. FLOOR MATS WARNINGS
Always use floor mats that are
designed to fit the foot well of your
vehicle. Only use floor mats that leave
the pedal area unobstructed. Only use floor
mats that are firmly secured to retention
posts so that they cannot slip out of position
and interfere with the pedals or impair safe
operation of your vehicle in other ways. Pedals that cannot move freely can
cause loss of vehicle control and
increase the risk of serious personal
injury. Always make sure that the floor mats
are properly attached to the retention
posts in the carpet that are supplied
with your vehicle. Floor mats must be
properly secured to both retention posts to
make sure mats do not shift out of position. Never place floor mats or any other
covering in the vehicle foot well that
cannot be properly secured to prevent
them from moving and interfering with the
pedals or the ability to control the vehicle. WARNINGS
Never place floor mats or any other
covering on top of already installed
floor mats. Floor mats should always
rest on top of vehicle carpeting surface and
not another floor mat or other covering.
Additional floor mats or any other covering
will reduce the pedal clearance and
potentially interfere with pedal operation. Check attachment of floor mats on a
regular basis. Always properly reinstall
and secure floor mats that have been
removed for cleaning or replacement. Always make sure that objects cannot
fall into the driver foot well while the
vehicle is moving. Objects that are
loose can become trapped under the pedals
causing a loss of vehicle control. Failure to properly follow floor mat
installation or attachment instructions
can potentially cause interference with
pedal operation causing a loss of vehicle
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driving, logging, autocross and any other form
of off-road use. Well maintained roads and
surfaces help ensure safe travel for the
Supplier, and allow their representatives to
perform service as per the standard operating
procedures.
In Remote Locations
If our supplier cannot take your vehicle by
road to the nearest authorized dealership,
transportation by rail or water may be
necessary. The program covers a tow to the
dock or rail terminal and also to the
dealership at the end of the trip.
For rail or water transportation, however,
contact your authorized dealer to confirm if
you are eligible for additional coverage before
you authorize or pay for the service.
Call the Lincoln Roadside Assistance at
1-800-387-9333 for additional information.
Vehicles Sold In Canada: Using
Roadside Assistance
Canadian Roadside coverage and benefits
may differ from the United States coverage.
Please refer to your warranty information or
visit our website at www.lincolncanada.com
for information on Canadian services and
benefits.
Canadian clients who need to obtain roadside
information, call 1-800-387-9333 or visit our
website at www.lincolncanada.com.
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
Note:
If used when the vehicle is not running,
the battery will lose charge. There may be
insufficient power to restart your vehicle. The hazard warning button is
located on the instrument panel.
Use it when your vehicle is creating
a safety hazard for other motorists.
• Press the button to turn on the hazard
warning function, and the front and rear
direction indicators will flash.
• Press the button again to turn them off.
FUEL SHUTOFF WARNING
Failure to inspect and, if necessary,
repair fuel leaks after a collision may
increase the risk of fire and serious
injury. Ford Motor Company recommends
that the fuel system be inspected by an
authorized dealer after any collision. In the event of a moderate to severe collision,
this vehicle includes a fuel pump shutoff
feature that stops the flow of fuel to the
engine. Not every impact will cause a shutoff.
Should your vehicle shut off after a collision,
you may restart your vehicle. For vehicles
equipped with a key system:
1. Switch off the ignition.
2. Switch on the ignition.
3.
Repeat Steps 1 and 2 to re-enable the fuel
pump.
For vehicles equipped with a push button
start system:
1. Press the START/STOP button to
switch off the ignition.
2. Press the brake pedal and press the START/STOP
button to start the
vehicle.
3. Remove your foot from the brake pedal and press the
START/STOP button to
switch off the ignition.
4. You can either attempt to start the engine
by pressing the brake pedal and the
START/STOP
button, or switch on the
ignition only by pressing the
START/STOP
button without pressing
the brake pedal. Both ways re-enable the
fuel system.
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Note:
When you try to restart your vehicle
after a fuel shutoff, the vehicle makes sure
that various systems are safe to restart. Once
your vehicle determines that the systems are
safe, then the vehicle will allow you to restart.
Note: In the event that your vehicle does not
restart after your third attempt, contact an
authorized dealer.
JUMP STARTING THE VEHICLE WARNINGS
The gases around the battery can
explode if exposed to flames, sparks,
or lit cigarettes. An explosion could
result in personal injury or vehicle damage. Batteries contain sulfuric acid which
can burn skin, eyes and clothing, if
contacted.
Use only an adequate-sized cable with
insulated clamps. Preparing Your Vehicle
Note:
Do not attempt to push-start your
automatic transmission vehicle. Automatic
transmissions do not have push-start
capability. Attempting to push-start a vehicle
with an automatic transmission may cause
transmission damage.
Note: Use only a 12-volt supply to start your
vehicle.
Note: Do not disconnect the battery of the
disabled vehicle as this could damage the
vehicle's electrical system.
Park the booster vehicle close to the hood of
the disabled vehicle, making sure the two
vehicles do not touch. Turn all accessories
off.
Connecting the Jumper Cables WARNING
Do not attach the cables to fuel lines,
engine rocker covers, the intake
manifold or electrical components as
grounding points. Stay clear of moving parts.
To avoid reverse polarity connections, make
sure that you correctly identify the positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on both the
disabled and booster vehicles before
connecting the cables. Note:
In the illustration, the bottom vehicle
represents the booster vehicle. 1.
Connect the positive (+) jumper cable to
the positive (+) terminal of the
discharged battery.
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2.
Connect the other end of the positive (+)
cable to the positive (+) terminal of the
assisting battery.
3. Connect the negative (-) cable to the negative (-) terminal of the assisting
battery.
4. Make the final connection of the negative
(-) cable to an exposed metal part of the
stalled vehicle's engine, or connect the
negative (-) cable to a ground connection
point if available. WARNING
Do not connect the end of the second
cable to the negative (-) terminal of
the battery to be jumped. A spark may
cause an explosion of the gases that
surround the battery. Jump Starting
1. Start the engine of the booster vehicle
and rev the engine moderately, or press
the accelerator gently to keep your engine
speed between 2000 and 3000 rpms, as
shown in your tachometer.
2. Start the engine of the disabled vehicle. 3. Once the disabled vehicle has been
started, run both vehicle engines for an
additional three minutes before
disconnecting the jumper cables.
Removing the Jumper Cables
Remove the jumper cables in the reverse
order that they were connected. 1. Remove the jumper cable from the
ground metal surface or connecting point,
if available.
2. Remove the jumper cable on the negative
(-) terminal of the booster vehicle's
battery.
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