in loss of vehicle control. Apply smooth
pressure to the accelerator pedal or brake
pedal when changes in vehicle speed are
required. Avoid abrupt steering, acceleration
and braking. This could result in an increased
risk of vehicle roll over, loss of vehicle control
and personal injury. Use all available road
surface to bring your vehicle to a safe
direction of travel.
In the event of an emergency stop, avoid
skidding the tires and do not attempt any
sharp steering wheel movements.
If your vehicle goes from one type of surface
to another (i.e. from concrete to gravel) there
will be a change in the way your vehicle
responds to a maneuver (i.e. steering,
acceleration or braking).
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all four
wheels on the most solid area of the trail.
Avoid reducing the tire pressures but shift
to a lower gear and drive steadily through
the terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly and
avoid excessive wheel slip.
Avoid driving at excessive speeds, this
causes vehicle momentum to work against
you and your vehicle could become stuck to
the point that assistance may be required
from another vehicle. Remember, you may
be able to back out the way you came if you
proceed with caution.
Mud and Water
Note:
Driving through deep water may
damage the vehicle.
If you must drive through high water, drive
slowly. Traction or brake capability may be
limited.
When driving through water, determine the
depth and avoid water higher than the
bottom of the hubs. If the ignition system
gets wet, your vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes.
Wet brakes do not stop your vehicle as
effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be
improved by applying light pressure to the
brake pedal while moving slowly. Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle
speed or direction when you are driving in
mud. Even 4WD vehicles can lose traction in
slick mud. As when you are driving over
sand, apply the accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning your wheels. If the vehicle does
slide, steer in the direction of the slide until
you regain control of the vehicle.
If the transmission, transfer case or front axle
are submerged in water, their fluids should
be checked and changed, if necessary.
If the front or rear axle is submerged in water,
the axle lubricant should be replaced.
After driving through mud, clean off residue
stuck to rotating driveshafts and tires. Excess
mud stuck on tires and rotating driveshafts
causes an imbalance that could damage
drive components.
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“Tread Lightly” is an educational program
designed to increase public awareness of
land-use regulations and responsibilities in
our nations wilderness areas. Ford Motor
Company joins the U.S. Forest Service and
the Bureau of Land Management in
encouraging you to help preserve our
national forest and other public and private
lands by “treading lightly”
.
Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Note: Avoid driving crosswise or turning on
steep slopes or hills.
Note: Avoid turning on steep slopes or hills.
A danger lies in losing traction, slipping
sideways and possible vehicle roll over.
Whenever driving on a hill, determine
beforehand the route you will use. Do not
drive over the crest of a hill without seeing
what conditions are on the other side. Do
not drive in reverse over a hill without the
aid of an observer.
Although natural obstacles may make it
necessary to travel diagonally up or down a
hill or steep incline, you should always try to
drive straight up or straight down. When climbing a steep slope or hill, start in
a lower gear rather than downshifting to a
lower gear from a higher gear once the
ascent has started. This reduces strain on
the engine and the possibility of stalling.
If your vehicle stalls, do not try to turn around
because this could cause vehicle roll over.
It is better to reverse back to a safe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels to
climb the hill. Too much power will cause the
tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting in
loss of vehicle control. Descend a hill in the same gear you would
use to climb up the hill to avoid excessive
brake application and brake overheating. Do
not descend in neutral. Disengage overdrive
or move the transmission selector lever to a
lower gear. When descending a steep hill,
avoid sudden hard braking as you could lose
control. The front wheels have to be turning
in order to steer your vehicle.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, apply the
brakes steadily. Do not pump the brakes.
Driving on Snow and Ice
WARNING
If you are driving in slippery conditions
that require tire chains or cables, then
it is critical that you drive cautiously. Keep
speeds down, allow for longer stopping
distances and avoid aggressive steering to
reduce the chances of a loss of vehicle
control which can lead to serious injury or
death. If the rear end of your vehicle slides
while cornering, steer in the direction of the
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PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
The traction control system helps avoid drive
wheel spin and loss of traction.
If your vehicle begins to slide, the system
applies the brakes to individual wheels and,
when needed, reduces engine power at the
same time. If the wheels spin when
accelerating on slippery or loose surfaces,
the system reduces engine power in order
to increase traction.
USING TRACTION CONTROL WARNING
The stability and traction control light
illuminates steadily if the system
detects a failure. Make sure you did not
manually disable the traction control system
using the switch. If the stability control and
traction control light is still illuminating
steadily, have the system serviced by an
authorized dealer immediately. Operating
your vehicle with traction control disabled
could lead to an increased risk of loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death. The system automatically turns on each time
you switch the ignition on.
If your vehicle is stuck in mud or snow,
switching traction control off may be
beneficial as this allows the wheels to spin.
Note:
When you switch traction control off,
stability control remains fully active. Switching the System Off
The switch for the stability and traction
control system is on the instrument panel.
When you switch the system off, a message
and an illuminated icon appear on the
instrument cluster.
Use the switch again to return the traction
control system to normal operation.
Your vehicle may have MyKey restrictions
regarding this feature. See Principle of
Operation (page 54).
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System Indicator Lights and Messages
The stability and traction control
light temporarily illuminates on
engine start-up and flashes when
a driving condition activates either of the
systems. The stability and traction control
off light temporarily illuminates on
engine start-up and stays on:
• When you switch the traction control
system off.
• If a problem occurs in either of the
systems.
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PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNINGS
Vehicle modifications involving braking
system, aftermarket roof racks,
suspension, steering system, tire
construction and wheel and tire size may
change the handling characteristics of your
vehicle and may adversely affect the
performance of the electronic stability control
system. In addition, installing any stereo
loudspeakers may interfere with and
adversely affect the electronic stability
control system. Install any aftermarket stereo
loudspeaker as far as possible from the front
center console, the tunnel, and the front
seats in order to minimize the risk of
interfering with the electronic stability control
sensors. Reducing the effectiveness of the
electronic stability control system could lead
to an increased risk of loss of vehicle control,
vehicle rollover, personal injury and death. WARNINGS
Remember that even advanced
technology cannot defy the laws of
physics. It’ s always possible to lose control
of a vehicle due to inappropriate driver input
for the conditions. Aggressive driving on any
road condition can cause you to lose control
of your vehicle increasing the risk of personal
injury or property damage. Activation of the
electronic stability control system is an
indication that at least some of the tires have
exceeded their ability to grip the road; this
could reduce the operator’ s ability to control
the vehicle potentially resulting in a loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death. If your electronic stability
control system activates, SLOW DOWN. The system automatically turns on each time
you switch the ignition on.
If a driving condition activates either the
stability control or the traction control system
you may experience the following conditions:
•
The stability and traction control light
flashes.
• Your vehicle slows down. •
Reduced engine power.
• A vibration in the brake pedal.
• The brake pedal is stiffer than usual.
• If the driving condition is severe and your
foot is not on the brake, the brake pedal
may move as the systems applies higher
brake forces.
The stability control system has several
features built into it to help you maintain
control of your vehicle:
Electronic Stability Control
The system enhances your vehicle ’s ability
to prevent skids or lateral slides by applying
brakes to one or more of the wheels
individually and, if necessary, reducing
engine power.
Roll Stability Control
The system enhances your vehicle ’s ability
to prevent rollovers by detecting your
vehicle ’s roll motion and the rate at which it
changes by applying the brakes to one or
more wheels individually.
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Traction Control
The system enhances your vehicle
’s ability
to maintain traction of the wheels by
detecting and controlling wheel spin. See
Using Traction Control (page 187). Vehicle without stability control
skidding off its intended route.
A
Vehicle with stability control
maintaining control on a slippery
surface.
B USING STABILITY CONTROL
Stability Control and Traction Control
with Roll Stability Control™ (RSC™)
The system automatically activates when you
start your engine. You can switch off the
electronic stability control and roll stability
control portions of the system below 35 mph
(56 km/h). When the transmission is in
reverse (R), they are disabled. You can switch
off the traction control portion of the system
independently.
See Using Traction Control
(page 187).
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AA
B
BB
B
Stability Control and Traction Control with RSC Features
Traction control system
Electronic stability control
Roll stability control
Stability control OFF light
Button functions
Enabled
Enabled
Enabled
Illuminated during bulb
check
Default at start-up
Disabled 1
Enabled 1
Enabled
Illuminated
Button pressed moment-
arily
Disabled 4
Disabled
Disabled
Flashes then illuminated
solid 2
Button pressed and held
for more than 5 seconds at vehicle speed under 35 mph (56 km/h)
Disabled1
Enabled 1
Enabled
Illuminated
Vehicle speed exceeds 35
mph (56 km/h) after button
is pressed and held formore than 5 seconds
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Stability Control and Traction Control with RSC Features
Enabled
Enabled
Enabled
Not illuminated
Button pressed again after
deactivation
Disabled 4
Disabled
Disabled
Illuminated
Button not pressed and the
transfer case is switched
to 4WD Low 3
1 The traction control system may still be enabled but with higher entry t\
hresholds compared to the full system. The electronic stability control
entry thresholds are higher compared to the full system.
2 When you press and hold the button for more than 5 seconds the indicator\
lamp blinks for three seconds.
3 Your vehicle may or may not have this feature available. When you select 4WD low the stability control light illuminates and al\
l stability control
with RSC features are disabled.
4 Engine traction control and two-wheel spin brake traction control functions are disabled. Single wheel spin traction co\
ntrol is always enabled.
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