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2. Use Motorcraft Premium Leather and
Vinyl Cleaner or a commercially available
leather cleaning product for automotive
interiors. Test any cleaner or stain
remover on an inconspicuous area.
3. Alternatively, wipe the surface with a clean, soft cloth and a mild soap and
water solution. Dry the area with a clean,
soft cloth.
4. If necessary, apply more soap and water
solution or cleaning product to a clean,
soft cloth and press it onto the soiled
area. Allow this to set at room
temperature for 30 minutes.
5. Remove the soaked cloth, then with a clean, damp cloth, use a rubbing motion
for 60 seconds on the soiled area.
6. Dry the area with a clean, soft cloth.
CLEANING LEATHER SEATS
Note: Follow the same procedure as
cleaning leather seats for cleaning leather
instrument panels and leather interior trim
surfaces. For routine cleaning, wipe the surface with
a soft, damp cloth and a mild soap and water
solution. Dry the area with a clean, soft cloth.
For cleaning and removing stains such as
dye transfer, use Motorcraft Premium Leather
and Vinyl Cleaner or a commercially available
leather cleaning product for automotive
interiors.
Note:
Test any cleaner or stain remover on
an inconspicuous area.
You should:
• Remove dust and loose dirt with a
vacuum cleaner.
• Clean and treat spills and stains as soon
as possible.
Do not use the following products as these
may damage the leather:
• Oil and petroleum or silicone-based
leather conditioners.
• Household cleaners.
• Alcohol solutions.
• Solvents or cleaners intended specifically
for rubber, vinyl and plastics. REPAIRING MINOR PAINT
DAMAGE
Authorized dealers have touch-up paint to
match your vehicle
’s color. Your vehicle color
code is printed on a sticker on the front,
left-hand side door jamb. Take your color
code to your authorized dealer to make sure
you get the correct color.
Before repairing minor paint damage, use a
cleaner such as Motorcraft Bug and Tar
Remover to remove particles such as bird
droppings, tree sap, insect deposits, tar
spots, road salt and industrial fallout.
Always read the instructions before using
cleaning products.
CLEANING THE ALLOY WHEELS
Note: Do not apply a cleaning chemical to
warm or hot wheel rims and covers.
Note: Some automatic car washes may
cause damage to the finish on your wheel
rims and covers.
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Note:
Industrial-strength or heavy-duty
cleaners in combination with brush agitation
to remove brake dust and dirt, could wear
away the clear coat finish over a period time.
Note: Do not use hydrofluoric acid-based or
high caustic-based wheel cleaners, steel
wool, fuels or strong household detergents.
Note: If you intend 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 will reduce the risk of increased
corrosion of the brake discs.
Alloy wheels and wheel covers are coated
with a clear coat paint finish. To maintain
their condition we recommend that you:
• Clean the wheels weekly using
Motorcraft Wheel and Tire Cleaner. Apply
using manufacturer's instructions.
• 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.
VEHICLE STORAGE
If you plan on storing your vehicle for 30
days or more, read the following
maintenance recommendations to make sure
your vehicle stays in good operating
condition.
We engineer and test all motor vehicles and
their components for reliable, regular driving.
Under various conditions, long-term storage
may lead to degraded engine performance
or failure unless you use specific precautions
to preserve engine 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.
Body
• Wash your vehicle thoroughly to remove
dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from exterior
surfaces, rear-wheel housing and the
underside of front fenders.
• Periodically wash your vehicle if it is
stored in exposed locations.
• Touch-up exposed 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
you wash your vehicle.
• Lubricate all hood, door and luggage
compartment hinges and latches with a
light grade oil.
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•
Cover interior trim to prevent fading.
• Keep all rubber parts free from oil and
solvents.
Engine
• Change the engine oil and filter prior to
storage because used engine oil contains
contaminates which may cause engine
damage.
• Start the engine every 15 days for a
minimum of 15 minutes. Run at fast idle
with the climate controls set to defrost
until the engine reaches normal
operating temperature.
• With your foot on the brake, shift through
all the gears while the engine is running.
• We recommend that you change the
engine oil before you use your vehicle
again.
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 your vehicle from
storage, check coolant fluid level.
Confirm that there are no cooling system
leaks and that 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, we
recommend that you disconnect the
battery cables to maintain battery charge
for quick starting.
Note: It is necessary to reset memory
features if battery cables are disconnected.
Brakes
• Make sure the brakes and parking brake
release fully.
Tires
• Maintain recommended air pressure. Miscellaneous
•
Make sure all linkages, cables, levers and
pins under your vehicle are covered with
grease to prevent rust.
• Move vehicles at least 25 ft (7.5 m) 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 such as mice or 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.
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•
Check brake pedal operation. Drive your
vehicle 15 ft (4.5 m) 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 you remove the battery, clean the
battery cable ends and check for
damage.
Contact an authorized dealer if you have any
concerns or issues.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Use only approved wheel and tire sizes,
using other sizes could damage your vehicle.
If you change the diameter of the tires from
that fitted at the factory, the speedometer
may not display the correct speed. Take your
vehicle to an authorized Ford dealer to have
the system reprogrammed. If you intend to
change the size of the wheels from that fitted
by the manufacturer, you can check the
suitability with an authorized dealer.
Additional information related to the
functionality and maintenance of your tires
can be found later in this chapter. See Tire
Care (page 324).
The Ford recommended tire inflation
pressures can be found on the Tire Label,
which is located on the B-pillar or the edge
of the driver's door. This information can also
be found on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label (affixed to either the door
hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the door edge
that meets the door last post; next to the
driver’ s seating position). Ford strongly recommends maintaining these
tire pressures at all times. Failure to follow
the tire pressure recommendations can
cause uneven treadwear patterns, reduced
fuel economy, and adversely affect the way
your vehicle handles.
Note:
Check and set the tire pressure at the
ambient temperature in which you are
intending to drive your vehicle and when the
tires are cold.
Note: Check your tire pressures at least once
per month.
Set the pressure for your spare tire to the
highest value given for your vehicle and tire
size combination (if equipped). Notice to utility vehicle and truck
owners WARNINGS
Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types of
vehicles. To reduce the risk of serious injury
or death from a rollover or other crash you
must avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers, drive at safe speeds for the
conditions, keep tires inflated to Ford
recommended pressures, never overload or
improperly load your vehicle, and make sure
every passenger is properly restrained. In a rollover crash, an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than
a person wearing a seat belt. All occupants
must wear seat belts and children/infants
must use appropriate restraints to minimize
the risk of injury or ejection. Do not become overconfident in the
ability of four-wheel drive vehicles.
Although a four-wheel drive vehicle may
accelerate better than a two-wheel drive
vehicle in low traction situations, it won't stop
any faster than two-wheel drive vehicles.
Always drive at a safe speed. 322
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Utility vehicles and trucks handle differently
than passenger cars in the various driving
conditions that are encountered on streets,
highways and off-road. Utility vehicles and
trucks are not designed for cornering at
speeds as high as passenger cars any more
than low-slung sports cars are designed to
perform satisfactorily under off-road
conditions.
Study your owner's manual and any
supplements for specific information about
equipment features, instructions for safe
driving and additional precautions to reduce
the risk of an accident or serious injury. How your vehicle differs from other
vehicles
Sport utility vehicles and trucks can differ
from some other vehicles in a few noticeable
ways. Your vehicle may be:
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•
Higher - to allow higher load carrying
capacity and to allow it to travel over
rough terrain without getting hung up or
damaging underbody components.
• Shorter - to give it the capability to
approach inclines and drive over the
crest of a hill without getting hung up or
damaging underbody components. All
other things held equal, a shorter
wheelbase may make your vehicle
quicker to respond to steering inputs
than a vehicle with a longer wheelbase.
• Narrower - to provide greater
maneuverability in tight spaces,
particularly in off-road use. As a result of the above dimensional
differences, Sport utility vehicles and trucks
often will have a higher center of gravity and
a greater difference in center of gravity
between the loaded and unloaded condition.
These differences that make your vehicle so
versatile also make it handle differently than
an ordinary passenger car.
TIRE CARE
Information About Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
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Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires. The
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example: Treadwear 200
Traction AA Temperature A.
These Tire Quality Grades are
determined by standards that the United
States Department of Transportation has
set.
Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires. They do
not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary
use spare tires, light truck or LT type
tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches or limited production tires
as defined in Title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 575.104 (c)(2).
U.S. Department of Transportation Tire
quality grades: The U.S. Department of
Transportation requires Ford Motor
Company to give you the following
information about tire grades exactly as
the government has written it. Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would
wear 1½ times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service
practices, and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics. The traction grades, from highest to
lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The grades
represent the tire
’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Temperature A B C WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire
is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure. The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B and C, representing the tire
’s
resistance to the generation of heat and
its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause
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