
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing up to
get the feel of your vehicle-trailer
combination before starting on a trip. When
turning, make wider turns so the trailer
wheels clear curbs and other obstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
• Do not drive faster than 70 mph (113km/h) during the first 500 miles (800
kilometers).
• Do not make full-throttle starts.
• Check your hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly after
you have traveled 50 miles (80
kilometers).
• When stopped in congested or heavy traffic during hot weather, place the
gearshift in position P to aid engine and
transmission cooling and to help A/C
performance.
• Turn off the speed control with heavy loads or in hilly terrain. The speed control
may turn off automatically when you are
towing on long, steep grades. • Shift to a lower gear when driving down
a long or steep hill. Do not apply the
brakes continuously, as they may
overheat and become less effective.
• If your transmission is equipped with a Grade Assist or Tow/Haul feature, use
this feature when towing. This provides
engine braking and helps eliminate
excessive transmission shifting for
optimum fuel economy and transmission
cooling.
• Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached. Anticipate stops and
brake gradually.
• Avoid parking on a grade. However, if you must park on a grade:
1. Turn the steering wheel to point your vehicle tires away from traffic flow.
2. Set your vehicle parking brake.
3. Place the automatic transmission in position P.
4. Place wheel chocks in front and back of the trailer wheels. (Chocks not included
with vehicle.)
Launching or Retrieving a Boat or
Personal Watercraft (PWC)
Note: Disconnect the wiring to the trailer
before backing the trailer into the water.
Note: Reconnect the wiring to the trailer
after removing the trailer from the water.
When backing down a ramp during boat
launching or retrieval:
• Do not allow the static water level to rise above the bottom edge of the rear
bumper.
• Do not allow waves to break higher than 6 inches (15 centimeters) above the
bottom edge of the rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allow water to
enter vehicle components:
• Causing internal damage to the components.
• Affecting driveability, emissions, and reliability.
244
Towing

Do not mix different colors or types of
coolant in your vehicle. Mixing of engine
coolants may harm your engine’s cooling
system. The use of an improper coolant may
harm engine and cooling system
components and may void the warranty. Use
prediluted engine coolant meeting the Ford
specification. See Capacities and
Specifications (page 353).
In case of emergency, you can add a large
amount of water without engine coolant in
order to reach a vehicle service location. In
this instance, qualified personnel:
1. Must drain the cooling system.
2. Chemically clean the coolant system withMotorcraft Premium Cooling System
Flush.
3. Refill with engine coolant as soon as possible.
Water alone, without engine coolant, can
cause engine damage from corrosion,
overheating or freezing. Do not use the following as a coolant
substitute:
• Alcohol.
• Methanol.
• Brine.
• Any engine coolant mixed with alcohol
or methanol antifreeze or coolant.
Alcohol and other liquids can cause engine
damage from overheating or freezing.
Do not add extra inhibitors or additives to
the coolant. These can be harmful and
compromise the corrosion protection of the
engine coolant.
When adding coolant:
1. Unscrew the cap slowly. Pressure escapes as you unscrew the cap.
2. Add prediluted engine coolant meeting the Ford specification. See Capacities
and Specifications (page 353).
3. Check the coolant level in the coolant reservoir the next few times you drive
your vehicle. 4. If necessary, add enough prediluted
engine coolant to bring the coolant level
to the proper level.
Recycled Engine Coolant
Ford Motor Company does not recommend
the use of recycled engine coolant since a
Ford-approved recycling process is not yet
available.
Used engine coolant should be disposed of
in an appropriate manner. Follow your
community’s regulations and standards for
recycling and disposing of automotive fluids.
Severe Climates
If you drive in extremely cold climates:
• It may be necessary to have anauthorized dealer increase the coolant
concentration above 50%.
• A coolant concentration of 60% provides improved freeze point protection. Engine
coolant concentrations above 60%
decrease the overheat protection
characteristics of the engine coolant and
may cause engine damage.
290
Maintenance

If you drive in extremely hot climates:
• It may be necessary to have anauthorized dealer decrease the coolant
concentration to 40%.
• A coolant concentration of 40% provides improved overheat protection. Engine
coolant concentrations below 40%
decrease the freeze and corrosion
protection characteristics of the engine
coolant and may cause engine damage.
Vehicles driven year-round in non-extreme
climates should use prediluted engine
coolant for optimum cooling system and
engine protection.
What You Should Know About Fail-Safe
Cooling
If the engine coolant supply is depleted, this
feature allows the vehicle to be driven
temporarily before incremental component
damage is incurred. The fail-safe distance
depends on outside temperatures, vehicle
load and terrain. How Fail-Safe Cooling Works
If the engine begins to overheat, the engine
coolant temperature gauge moves to the red
(hot) area and:
A high engine temperature
message appears in the
information display.
The service engine soon indicator
appears in the information display.
If the engine reaches a preset
over-temperature condition, the engine
automatically switches to alternating cylinder
operation. Each disabled cylinder acts as an
air pump and cools the engine.
If this occurs, your vehicle still operates.
However:
• The engine power becomes limited.
• The air conditioning system becomes disabled.
Continued operation increases the engine
temperature and the engine completely
shuts down, causing steering and braking
effort to increase. Once the engine temperature cools, the
engine can be re-started. Take your vehicle
to an authorized dealer as soon as possible
to minimize engine damage.
When Fail-Safe Mode Is Activated
WARNINGS
Fail-safe mode is for use during
emergencies only. Operate your
vehicle in fail-safe mode only as long as
necessary to bring your vehicle to rest in a
safe location and seek immediate repairs.
When in fail-safe mode, your vehicle will have
limited power, will not be able to maintain
high-speed operation, and may completely
shut down without warning, potentially losing
engine power, power steering assist, and
power brake assist, which may increase the
possibility of a crash resulting in serious
injury.
Never remove the coolant reservoir
cap while the engine is running or hot.
291
Maintenance

Do not attempt to repair punctures larger
than 0.24 in (6 mm) or damage to the tire's
sidewall. The tire may not completely seal.
Loss of air pressure may adversely affect tire
performance. For this reason:
Note:Do not drive the vehicle above 50 mph
(80 km/h).
Note: Do not drive further than 120 mi
(200 km). Drive only to the closest authorized
Ford dealer or tire repair shop to have your
tire inspected.
• Drive carefully and avoid abrupt steering maneuvers.
• Periodically monitor tire inflation pressure in the affected tire. If the tire is losing
pressure, have the vehicle towed.
• Read the information in the Tips for Use of the Kit section to make sure safe
operation of the kit and your vehicle.
Tips for Use of the Kit
To ensure safe operation of the kit: • Read all instructions and cautions fully.
• Before operating the kit, make sure your
vehicle is safely off the road and away
from moving traffic. Turn on the hazard
lights.
• Always set the parking brake to ensure the vehicle does not move unexpectedly.
• Do not remove any foreign objects, such as nails or screws, from the tire.
• When using the kit, leave the engine running (only if the vehicle is outdoors or
in a well-ventilated area) so the
compressor does not drain the vehicle
battery.
• Do not allow the compressor to operate continuously for more than 15 minutes.
This will help prevent the compressor
from overheating.
• Never leave the kit unattended when it is operating.
• Sealant compound contains latex. Make sure that you use the non-latex gloves
provided to avoid an allergic reaction.
• Keep the kit away from children. • Only use the kit when the ambient
temperature is between -22°F (-30°C) and
158°F (70°C).
• Only use the sealing compound before the use by date. The use by date is on
the lower right hand corner of the label
located on the sealant canister (bottle).
Check the use by date regularly and
replace the canister after four years.
• Do not store the kit unsecured inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle
as it may cause injury during a sudden
stop or crash. Always store the kit in its
original location.
• After sealant use, the tire pressure monitoring system sensor and valve stem
on the wheel must be replaced by an
authorized Ford dealer.
• When inflating a tire or other objects, use the black air hose only. Do not use the
transparent hose which is designed for
sealant application only.
• Operating the kit could cause an electrical disturbance in radio, CD, and
DVD player operation.
315
Wheels and Tires

Air pressure gauge
D
Sealant bottle and canister
E
Dual purpose hose: air and repair
F
Tire valve connector
G
Accessory power plug
H
Casing/housing
I
Bike/raft/sports ball adapters
J
General Information
WARNING
Failure to follow these guidelines could
result in an increased risk of loss of
vehicle control, injury or death.
Note: Do not use the kit if a tire has become
severely damaged. Only punctures located
within the tire tread can be sealed with the
kit.
Do not attempt to repair punctures larger
than ¼ inch (6 millimeters) or damage to the
tire's sidewall. The tire may not completely
seal. Loss of air pressure may adversely affect tire
performance. For this reason:
Note:
Do not drive the vehicle above 50 mph
(80 km/h).
Note: Do not drive further than 120 mi
(200 km). Drive only to the closest authorized
Ford dealer or tire repair shop to have your
tire inspected.
• Drive carefully and avoid abrupt steering maneuvers.
• Periodically monitor tire inflation pressure in the affected tire; if the tire is losing
pressure, have the vehicle towed.
• Read the information in the Tips for Use of the Kit section to make sure safe
operation of the kit and your vehicle.Tips for Use of the Kit
To ensure safe operation of the kit:
• Read all instructions and cautions fully.
• Before operating the kit, make sure yourvehicle is safely off the road and away
from moving traffic. Turn on the hazard
lights. • Always set the parking brake to ensure
the vehicle doesn't move unexpectedly.
• Do not remove any foreign objects, such as nails or screws, from the tire.
• When using the kit, leave the engine running (only if the vehicle is outdoors or
in a well-ventilated area) so the
compressor does not drain the vehicle's
battery.
• Do not allow the compressor to operate continuously for more than 15 minutes.
This will help prevent the compressor
from overheating.
• Never leave the kit unattended during operation.
• Sealant compound contains latex. Those with latex sensitivities should use
appropriate precautions to avoid an
allergic reaction.
• Keep the kit away from children.
• Only use the kit when the ambient temperature is between -22°F (-30°C) and
158°F (70°C).
321
Wheels and Tires

Your vehicle is equipped with the Intelligent
Oil-Life Monitor system, which displays a
message in the information display at the
proper oil change interval. This interval may
be up to one year or 10000 miles (16000
kilometers).
When the oil change message appears in
the information display, it is time for an oil
change. Make sure you perform the oil
change within two weeks or 500 miles (800
kilometers) of the message appearing. Make
sure you reset the Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor
after each oil change. See Information
Messages (page 115).
If your information display resets prematurely
or becomes inoperative, you should perform
the oil change interval at six months or 5000
miles (8000 kilometers) from your last oil
change. Never exceed one year or 10000
miles (16000 kilometers) between oil change
intervals.Your vehicle is very sophisticated and built
with multiple, complex, performance systems.
Every manufacturer develops these systems
using different specifications and
performance features. That is why it is
important to rely upon your dealership to
properly diagnose and repair your vehicle.
Ford Motor Company has recommended
maintenance intervals for various parts and
component systems based upon engineering
testing. Ford Motor Company relies upon this
testing to determine the most appropriate
mileage for replacement of oils and fluids to
protect your vehicle at the lowest overall cost
to you and recommends against
maintenance schedules that deviate from
the scheduled maintenance information.
We strongly recommend the use of only
genuine Ford, Motorcraft or Ford-authorized
re-manufactured replacement parts
engineered for your vehicle.Additives and Chemicals
This owner's manual and the Ford Workshop
Manual list the recommended additives and
chemicals for your vehicle. We do not
recommend using chemicals or additives not
approved by us as part of your vehicle’s
normal maintenance. Please consult your
warranty information.
Oils, Fluids and Flushing
In many cases, fluid discoloration is a normal
operating characteristic and, by itself, does
not necessarily indicate a concern or that the
fluid needs to be changed. However, a
qualified expert, such as the factory-trained
technicians at your dealership, should
inspect discolored fluids that also show signs
of overheating or foreign material
contamination immediately.
481
Scheduled Maintenance