2017 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY warning light

Setting up a Blind Spot Trailer
Trailer lengthA
Trailer widthB
Trailer hitch ballC
You can set-up any trailer to work with theBlind Spot Information System with TrailerTow through the instrument cluster menu.See General Information (page 111).While setting up a trailer, a sequence ofscreens appear asking for trailerinformation. The Blind Spot InformationSystem with Trailer Tow specific screensare described below:
•Select type of trailer screen -Conventional, fifth wheel or gooseneck.
The Blind Spot Information System withTrailer Tow only supports conventionaltrailers. If fifth wheel or gooseneck isselected, the system automatically turnsoff.
•Do you want to set up BLIS with trailerscreen?
If no, the Blind Spot Information Systemturns off.
If yes, the menu goes to the next screen.
•Is the width less than 9 ft (2.7 m) andlength less than 30 ft (9 m)?
If no, the Blind Spot Information Systemturns off.
If yes, the menu goes to the next screen.
•Trailer width measurement:
The width of the trailer is measured at thefront of the trailer. It is not measured at thewidest point of the trailer. The maximumwidth at the front of the trailer that theBlind Spot Information System with TrailerTow can support is 8.5 ft (2.6 m).
Note:You do not need to enter an exacttrailer width measurement; just measurethat it is 8.5 ft (2.6 m) or less.
•Trailer length measurement:
The trailer length is the distance betweenthe trailer hitch ball and the rear of thetrailer. The maximum length that the BlindSpot Information System with Trailer Towcan support is 30 ft (9 m).
•Enter length of trailer:
The default setting is 18 ft (5.5 m).Toggling up or down using the menubuttons will increase/decrease themeasurement by 3 ft (1 m). Select thelength so that the value is equal to orwithin 3 ft (1 m) of the actual measuredlength. For example, if the actual measuredlength is 25 ft (7.6 m), then toggle thelength in the menu to 27 ft (8.2 m). Whenthe length has been entered, the Blind SpotInformation System with Trailer Tow setupis saved.
If you do not set up a Blind Spot Trailer, awarning appears in the instrument clusterwhen a trailer is connected stating that thesystem has been turned off due to a trailerconnect.
Note:If the trailer is actually a bike rack orcargo rack with electrical lighting, then thelength will be 3 ft (1 m). Cross Traffic Alertwill remain on for trailers 3 ft (1 m) or less.
Note:Proper measurement andmeasurement entry is required for BlindSpot Information System with Trailer Towto function as designed.
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Driving AidsE225008

COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM
(If Equipped)
Principle Of Operation (If Equipped)
WARNINGS
This system is an extra driving aid. Itdoes not replace your attention andjudgment, or the need to apply thebrakes. This system does NOTautomatically brake your vehicle. If you failto press the brake pedal when necessary,you may collide with another vehicle.
The collision warning system withbrake support cannot help preventall collisions. Do not rely on thissystem to replace your judgment and theneed to maintain correct distance andspeed.
Note:The system does not detect, warn orrespond to potential collisions with vehiclesto the rear or sides of your vehicle.
Note:The collision warning system is activeat speeds above approximately 5 mph(8 km/h).
Note:The collision warning system will beunavailable if you disable the electronicstability control. See Using StabilityControl (page 227).
The system alerts you of certain collisionrisks. The system's sensor detects yourvehicle's rapid approach to other vehiclestraveling in the same direction as yourvehicle.
When your vehicle rapidly approachesanother vehicle, a red warning light flashesand a tone sounds.
The brake support system assists you inreducing any collision speed bypre-charging the brakes. If the risk ofcollision continues to increases after theaudio-visual warning, the brake supportprepares the brake system for rapidbraking. The system does notautomatically activate the brakes, but ifthe brake pedal is pressed even lightly, thebrakes apply full stopping power.
Using the Collision Warning System
WARNING
The collision warning system’s brakesupport reduces collision speed onlyif you brake your vehicle before anycollision. As in any typical braking situation,you must press your brake pedal.
You can use your information displaycontrol to adjust the collision warningsystem's sensitivity or to turn the systemOn or Off. Your vehicle will rememberthese settings across key cycles. You maychange the collision warning systemsensitivity to any one of three possiblesettings. See General Information (page111).
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Driving AidsE156130 E156131

TOWING A TRAILER
WARNINGS
Towing trailers beyond themaximum recommendedgross trailer weight exceeds thelimit of your vehicle and couldresult in engine damage,transmission damage, structuraldamage, loss of vehicle control,vehicle rollover and personalinjury.
Do not exceed the GVWR orthe GAWR specified on thecertification label.
Note: See RecommendedTowing Weights (page 277).
Your vehicle may have electricalitems, such as fuses or relays,related to towing. See Fuses(page 312).
Your vehicle's load capacitydesignation is by weight, not byvolume, so you cannot necessarilyuse all available space whenloading a vehicle or trailer.
Towing a trailer places an extraload on your vehicle's engine,transmission, axle, brakes, tiresand suspension. Inspect thesecomponents periodically during,and after, any towing operation.
Load Placement
To help minimize how trailermovement affects your vehiclewhen driving:
•Load the heaviest items closestto the trailer floor.
•Load the heaviest itemscentered between the left andright side trailer tires.
•Load the heaviest items abovethe trailer axles or just slightlyforward toward the trailertongue. Do not allow the finaltrailer tongue weight to goabove or below 10-15% of theloaded trailer weight.
•Select a ball mount with thecorrect rise or drop and loadcapacity. When both theloaded vehicle and trailer areconnected, the trailer frameshould be level, or slightlyangled down toward yourvehicle, when viewed from theside.
When driving with a trailer orpayload, a slight takeoff vibrationor shudder may be present due tothe increased payload weight.Additional information regardingproper trailer loading and settingyour vehicle up for towing islocated in another chapter of thismanual. See Load Limit (page261).
You can also find information inthe RV & Trailer Towing Guideavailable at your authorizeddealer, or online.
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Towing

slowly turning the wheel until the traileris following your desired path and thenholding the wheel in that position. Ifyou would like to recalibrate thesystem for straight backing, you can doso with the following procedure.
•Go into the trailer menu, selecttrailer options, select change trailersetting and then select the changesticker option. Your savedmeasurements will be displayed.Do not change them but continueto confirm measurements. Onceyou confirm the measurements, thesystem will then prompt you toperform the calibration procedure.
Note:The system is designed to be usedwith the same trailer connection every timethe trailer is chosen from the selectionmenu. Using a different drawbar or adifferent pin hole (on drawbars with morethan one) when connecting the drawbar toyour vehicle will affect the trailermeasurements. Take the measurementsagain and update if required.
TRAILER SWAY CONTROL (If
Equipped)
WARNING
Turning off trailer sway controlincreases the risk of loss of vehiclecontrol, serious injury or death. Forddoes not recommend disabling this featureexcept in situations where speed reductionmay be detrimental (such as hill climbing),the driver has significant trailer towingexperience, and can control trailer swayand maintain safe operation.
Note:This feature does not prevent trailersway, but reduces it once it begins.
Note:This feature cannot stop all trailersfrom swaying.
Note:In some cases, if vehicle speed is toohigh, the system may activate multipletimes, gradually reducing vehicle speed.
This feature applies your vehicle brakes atindividual wheels and, if necessary, reducesengine power. If the trailer begins to sway,the stability control light flashes and themessage TRAILER SWAY REDUCESPEED appears in the information display.The first thing to do is slow your vehicledown, then pull safely to the side of theroad and check for proper tongue load andtrailer load distribution. See LoadCarrying (page 261).
RECOMMENDED TOWING
WEIGHTS
WARNING
You must use the heavy-dutydrawbar pin supplied with
your vehicle when using theheavy-duty hitch. Failure to followthis instruction could result in theloss of control of your vehicle,personal injury or death.
Note:Vehicles with a heavy-dutyhitch must use the drawbar pinstamped 21,000 LBS. You canobtain a replacement drawbar pinat your Ford dealer.
Note:Make sure to take intoconsideration trailer frontal area.Do not exceed 60 feet2 (5.6
meters2) trailer frontal area for
conventional trailers. Do notexceed 75 feet2 (6.9 meters2) trailer
frontal area for 5th wheel andgooseneck trailers.
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The active guidelines fade in and outdepending on the steering wheel position.The active guidelines are not shown whenthe steering wheel position is straight.
Always use caution while reversing.Objects in the red zone are closest to yourvehicle and objects in the green zone arefarther away. Objects are getting closer toyour vehicle as they move from the greenzone to the yellow or red zones. Use theside view mirrors and rear view mirror toget better coverage on both sides and rearof your vehicle.
Refer to the Rear View Camera section foradditional information. See Rear ViewCamera (page 232).
Hitches
Note:On pick-up trucks, the trailer hitchprovided on this vehicle enhances crashprotection for the fuel system. Do notremove!
Note:Do not cut, drill, weld or modify trailerhitches. Modifying trailer hitches can reducehitch rating.
Do not use a hitch that either clamps ontothe bumper or attaches to the axle. Youmust distribute the load in your trailer sothat 10-15% for conventional towing or15-25% for fifth wheel towing of the totalweight of the trailer is on the tongue.
Hitch components (If Equipped)
The following components will be includedin certain vehicles.
•A 5/8 inch hitch pin rated to tow up to21,000 lbs.
•A 3 inch drawbar.
•A hitch pin sleeve to be used whenmounting the 3 inch drawbar.
•A clevis pin to help keep the hitch pinin place.
Weight-distributing Hitches
WARNING
Do not adjust the spring bars so thatyour vehicle's rear bumper is higherthan before attaching the trailer.Doing so will defeat the function of theweight-distributing hitch, which may causeunpredictable handling, and could resultin serious personal injury.
When hooking-up a trailer using aweight-distributing hitch, always use thefollowing procedure:
1. Park the loaded vehicle, without thetrailer, on a level surface.
2. Measure the height to the top of yourvehicle's front wheel opening on thefender. This is H1.
3.Attach the loaded trailer to your vehiclewithout the weight-distributing barsconnected.
4. Measure the height to the top of yourvehicle's front wheel opening on thefender a second time. This is H2.
5. Install and adjust the tension in theweight-distributing bars so that theheight of your vehicle's front wheelopening on the fender is approximatelyhalfway between H1 and H2.
6.Check that the trailer is level or slightlynose down toward your vehicle. If not,adjust the ball height accordingly andrepeat Steps 2-6.
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Once the trailer is level or slightly nosedown toward the vehicle:
•Lock the bar tension adjuster in place.
•Check that the trailer tongue securelyattaches and locks onto the hitch.
•Install safety chains, lighting, and trailerbrake controls as required by law or thetrailer manufacturer.
Fifth-wheel Trailer Hitch (If Equipped)
Note:The mounting pads in the bed arespecifically designed for certain fifth-wheeltrailer hitches and gooseneck ball hitches.Do not use these mounting pads for otherpurposes.
Note:Contact an authorized dealer topurchase gooseneck and fifth-wheel hitchesthat are compatible with your vehicle.
Your vehicle may be equipped with afifth-wheel prep package. This packageenables your vehicle to accept certainfifth-wheel trailer hitches and gooseneckball hitches. The fifth-wheel trailer hitchattaches to the four mounting pads in thepick-up bed. An optional 7-pin trailer wiringconnector may be in the bed as well. Thegooseneck ball hitch is a separatemounting pad from the fifth-wheel hitch,located in the center of the bed.
Shorter pick-up boxes, such as the 6½-footbox on the F-250 and F-350, provide lessclearance between the cab and thefifth-wheel and gooseneck trailercompared to longer box pick-ups, such asan 8-foot box on the F-250 or F-350. Whenselecting a trailer and tow vehicle, it iscritical to check that this combinationprovides clearance between the front ofthe trailer and tow vehicle for turns up to90 degrees. Failure to follow this
recommendation could result in the trailercontacting the cab of the tow vehicleduring tight turns that are typical duringlow-speed parking and turning maneuvers.This contact could result in damage to thetrailer and tow vehicle.
Safety Chains
Note:Do not attach safety chains to thebumper.
Always connect the safety chains to theframe or hook retainers of your vehiclehitch.
To connect the safety chains, cross thechains under the trailer tongue and allowenough slack for turning tight corners. Donot allow the chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
WARNING
Do not connect a trailer's hydraulicbrake system directly to yourvehicle's brake system. Your vehiclemay not have enough braking power andyour chances of having a collision greatlyincrease.
Electric brakes and manual, automatic orsurge-type trailer brakes are safe if youinstall them properly and adjust them tothe manufacturer's specifications. Thetrailer brakes must meet local and federalregulations.
The rating for the tow vehicle's brakingsystem operation is at the gross vehicleweight rating, not the gross combinedweight rating.
Separate functioning brake systemsare required for safe control of towedvehicles and trailers weighing morethan 1500 pounds (680 kilograms)when loaded.
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Towing

Integrated Trailer Brake Controller
(If Equipped)
WARNINGS
The anti-lock brake system does notcontrol the trailer brakes.
Use the integrated trailer brakecontroller to properly adjust thetrailer brakes and check allconnections before towing a trailer. Failureto follow this instruction could result in theloss of control of your vehicle, personalinjury or death.
Note:The integrated Ford brake controlleris compatible with trailers equipped withelectric-actuated drum brakes andelectric-over hydraulic brake systems.
Note:The integrated Ford brake controllerdoes not control hydraulic surge-stylebrakes.
When used properly, the trailer brakecontroller assists in smooth and effectivetrailer braking by powering the trailer’selectric or electric-over-hydraulic brakeswith a proportional output based on thetowing vehicle’s brake pressure.
You can adjust the amount of initial trailerbrake output by selecting one of threesettings through the message center.
Ford has tested the trailer brake controllerto be compatible with several majorbrands of electric-over-hydraulic trailerbrakes. Contact an authorized dealer forinformation on which brands you can use.
The controller user interface consists ofthe following:
A: + and - (Gain adjustment buttons):Pressing these buttons adjusts thecontroller's power output to the trailerbrakes in 0.5 increments. You can increasethe gain setting to 10.0 (maximum trailerbraking) or decrease it to 0 (no trailerbraking). Pressing and holding a buttonraises or lowers the setting continuously.The gain setting displays in the messagecenter as follows: TBC GAIN = XX.X.
B: Manual control lever: Slide the controllever to the left to switch on the trailer'selectric brakes independent of the towvehicle's. See the following Procedure foradjusting gain section for instructions onproper use of this feature. If you use themanual control while the brake is alsoapplied, the greater of the two inputsdetermines the power sent to the trailerbrakes.
•Stop lamps: Using the manual controllever lights both the trailer brake lampsand your vehicle brake lamps.
Trailer brake control messages appear inthe information display as follows:
•TBC GAIN = XX.X NO TRAILER:Shows the current gain setting.
•TBC GAIN = XX.X OUTPUT=/ / / // /: Displays when braking. The barsindicate the amount of power going tothe trailer brakes.
•TRAILER CONNECTED: Displayswhen the system senses a correcttrailer wiring connection.
•TRAILER DISCONNECTED: Displayswhen the system senses a trailerdisconnection.
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TowingE183395

If this message displays, with no trailerconnected, the problem is with your vehiclewiring or trailer brake controller. Contactan authorized dealer.
If the message only displays with a trailerconnected, the problem is with the trailerwiring. Consult your trailer dealer forassistance. This can be a short to ground(such as a chaffed wire), short to voltage(such as a pulled pin on trailer emergencybreakaway battery) or the trailer brakesmay be drawing too much current.
Points to Remember
Note:Do not attempt removal of the trailerbrake controller without consulting theWorkshop Manual. Damage to the unit mayresult.
•Adjust gain setting before using thetrailer brake controller.
•Adjust gain setting, using the procedureabove, whenever road, weather, traileror vehicle loading conditions changefrom when the gain was initially set.
•Only use the manual control lever forproper adjustment of the gain duringtrailer setup. Misuse, such asapplication during trailer sway, couldcause instability of trailer or towvehicle.
•Avoid towing in adverse weatherconditions. The trailer brake controllerdoes not provide anti-lock control ofthe trailer wheels. Trailer wheels canlock up on slippery surfaces, resultingin reduced stability of trailer and towvehicle.
•The trailer brake controller is equippedwith a feature that reduces output atvehicle speeds below 11 mph (18 km/h)so trailer and vehicle braking is not jerkyor harsh. This feature is only activewhen applying the brakes using yourvehicle's brake pedal, not thecontroller.
•The controller interacts with the brakecontrol system and powertrain controlsystem of your vehicle to provide thebest performance on different roadconditions.
•Your vehicle's brake system and thetrailer brake system workindependently of each other. Changingthe gain setting on the controller doesnot affect the operation of yourvehicle's brakes.
•When you switch the engine off, thecontroller output is disabled and thedisplay and module shut down.
Trailer Lamps
WARNING
Never connect any trailer lamp wiringto the vehicle's tail lamp wiring; thismay damage the electrical systemresulting in fire. Contact your authorizeddealer as soon as possible for assistancein proper trailer tow wiring installation.Additional electrical equipment may berequired.
Trailer lamps are required on most towedvehicles. Make sure all running lights, brakelights, turn signals and hazard lights areworking.
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing upto get the feel of your vehicle-trailercombination before starting on a trip.When turning, make wider turns so thetrailer wheels clear curbs and otherobstacles.
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