Engine compartment (with engine off)
Inspect for glazing, fraying or cracking. There should be no
more than 5-7 cracks per rib, per 1 in (2.5 cm)
Belts (fan, alternator,
water pump and air
conditioning
compressor)
Inspect for signs of fluid puddles or dripping fluid on the
ground under the engine, or the underside of the engine.
Fluid leaks
Inspect for debris that may have collected on the HVAC air
inlet grille or inside the exterior module as this may reduce
system performance.
HVAC air inlet Engine starting (with parking brake applied)
Before entering the cab, verify that the vehicle is equipped
with spare electrical fuses (if used), three red reflective
triangles, a properly charged and rated fire extinguisher and
wheel chocks.
Safety and emergency
equipment
Walk around the vehicle and verify all steps and grab handles,
inside and out (as well as behind), are tight and clean. Use
extreme caution and a three-point stance at all times.
Inspect door latches for proper closing, latching and locking.
Set the parking brake. Make sure the gearshift lever is in
neutral (N) or park (P) (if equipped with a park position).
Starting the engine
Diesel engine:
Turn the key to the on position. Turn the key
to start when the wait to start indicator light in the instrument
cluster turns off.
Gasoline engine:
Turn the key to start, and then release it
as soon as the engine starts.
Verify pressure builds to normal operating range.
Engine oil pressure
A tone indicating low air pressure should sound immediately
after the engine starts but before the compressor has built-
up pressure. The tone should stop when the air pressure
reaches
70 psi (483 kPa). Let the air pressure build to
governed cutout pressure, which should occur between
115– 130 psi (793–896 kPa)
.
Low air pressure warning
tone (if equipped with an
air compressor)
Press the accelerator and verify that it operates smoothly,
without any binding or irregular feel. Release the pedal and
verify the engine returns to idle speed immediately.
Accelerator
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Front brakes
Inspect for cracked, worn or frayed hoses, and that all coup-
lings are secure.
Hoses
Verify that there are no cracks or dents, and that the cham-
bers are securely mounted.
Brake chambers
Inspect for broken, loose or missing parts.
Slack adjusters
Note: The angle between the push rod and adjuster arm
should be approximately 90 degrees when the brakes are
applied. When pulled by hand, the push rod should not move
more than approximately
1 in (2.5 cm).
Verify that there are no cracks, dents, holes, and no loose or
missing bolts and that the brake linings are not worn,
dangerously thin or contaminated by lubricant.
Drums Front wheels
Inspect for damaged or bent rims. They should not have
welding repairs, and there should be no rust trails, which
indicate it is loose on the wheel.
Rims
Verify all lug nuts are present and not loose (look for rust
trails around the lug nuts). There should be no cracks radiating
from the lug bolt holes or distortion of the bolt holes.
Lug nuts
Inspect wheel hub oil seal for leaks and, if sight glass if
present, verify the oil level is adequate.
Hub oil seals
Inspect for proper lubrication level if the hubcap has a trans-
parent window. If the hubcap does not have a transparent
window, remove the rubber fill-plug and inspect for proper
level.
Oil-lubricated front
wheel bearings Fuel area
Verify the tank(s) and cap(s) are secure and that there are
no leaks from the tank(s).
Fuel tank(s)
Inspect for leaks from the tank(s).
Leaks
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C.
80: Indicates the aspect ratio
which gives the tire's ratio of
height to width. Numbers of 70 or
lower indicate a short sidewall.
D. D:
Indicates a diagonal type tire.
R:
Indicates a radial type tire.
E. 16:
Indicates the wheel or rim
diameter in inches. If you change
your wheel size, you will have to
purchase new tires to match the
new wheel diameter.
Inflating Your Tires
Safe operation of your vehicle
requires that your tires are
properly inflated. Remember that
a tire can lose up to half of its air
pressure without appearing flat.
Every day before you drive, check
your tires. If one looks lower than
the others, use a tire gauge to
check pressure of all tires and
adjust if required.
At least once a month and before
long trips, inspect each tire and
check the tire pressure with a tire
gauge (including spare, if
equipped). Inflate all tires to the
inflation pressure recommended
by Ford Motor Company.
You are strongly urged to buy a
reliable tire pressure gauge, as
automatic service station gauges
may be inaccurate. Ford
recommends the use of a digital
or dial-type tire pressure gauge
rather than a stick-type tire
pressure gauge. Use the recommended cold
inflation pressure for optimum tire
performance and wear.
Under-inflation or over-inflation
may cause uneven treadwear
patterns
WARNING
Under-inflation is the most
common cause of tire failures
and may result in severe tire
cracking, tread separation or
blowout, with unexpected loss of
vehicle control and increased risk
of injury. Under-inflation increases
sidewall flexing and rolling
resistance, resulting in heat
buildup and internal damage to
the tire. It also may result in
unnecessary tire stress, irregular
wear, loss of vehicle control and
accidents. A tire can lose up to
half of its air pressure and not
appear to be flat! Always inflate your tires to the
Ford recommended inflation
pressure even if it is less than the
maximum inflation pressure
information found on the tire. The
Ford recommended tire inflation
pressure is found on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label or
Tire Label. Failure to follow the tire
pressure recommendations can
cause uneven treadwear patterns
and adversely affect the way your
vehicle handles
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Maximum Inflation Pressure is
the tire manufacturer's maximum
permissible pressure and the
pressure at which the maximum
load can be carried by the tire. This
pressure is normally higher than
the manufacturer ’s recommended
cold inflation pressure which can
be found on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label or
Tire Label. The cold inflation
pressure should never be set lower
than the recommended pressure
on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label or Tire Label.
When weather temperature
changes occur, tire inflation
pressures also change. A 10°F
(6°C) temperature drop can
cause a corresponding drop of 1
psi (7 kPa) in inflation pressure.
Check your tire pressures
frequently and adjust them to the
proper pressure which can be
found on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label or Tire Label.
To check the pressure in your
tire(s):
1. Make sure the tires are cool, meaning they are not hot from
driving even a mile. Note:
If you are checking tire
pressure when the tire is hot, (for
example, driven more than 1 mile
[1.6 kilometers]), never bleed or
reduce air pressure. The tires are
hot from driving and it is normal for
pressures to increase above
recommended cold pressures. A
hot tire at or below recommended
cold inflation pressure could be
significantly under-inflated.
Note: If you have to drive a
distance to get air for your tire(s),
check and record the tire pressure
first and add the appropriate air
pressure when you get to the
pump. It is normal for tires to heat
up and the air pressure inside to go
up as you drive.
2. Remove the cap from the valve
on one tire, then firmly press
the tire gauge onto the valve
and measure the pressure.
3. Add enough air to reach the
recommended air pressure.
Note: If you overfill the tire, release
air by pressing on the metal stem
in the center of the valve. Then
recheck the pressure with your tire
gauge.
4. Replace the valve cap.
5. Repeat this procedure for each
tire, including the spare.
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Note:
Some spare tires operate at
a higher inflation pressure than the
other tires. For T type mini-spare
tires, see the Dissimilar spare wheel
and tire assembly information for
a description. Store and maintain
at 60 psi (4.15 bar). For full-size
and dissimilar spare tires, see the
Dissimilar spare wheel and tire
assembly information for a
description. Store and maintain at
the higher of the front and rear
inflation pressure as shown on the
Safety Compliance Certification
Label or Tire Label.
6. Visually inspect the tires to
make sure there are no nails or
other objects embedded that
could poke a hole in the tire
and cause an air leak.
7. Check the sidewalls to make sure there are no gouges, cuts
or bulges. Tire Inflation Information WARNING
An inflated tire and rim can
be very dangerous if
improperly used, serviced or
maintained. To reduce the risk of
serious injury, never attempt to
re-inflate a tire which has been run
flat or seriously under-inflated
without first removing the tire
from the wheel assembly for
inspection. Do not attempt to add
air to tires or replace tires or
wheels without first taking
precautions to protect persons
and property. All tires with Steel Carcass Plies
(if equipped):
This type of tire utilizes steel cords
in the sidewalls. As such, they
cannot be treated like normal light
truck tires. Tire service, including
adjusting tire pressure, must be
performed by personnel trained,
supervised and equipped
according to Federal Occupational
Safety and Health Administration
regulations. For example, during
any procedure involving tire
inflation, the technician or
individual must utilize a remote
inflation device, and ensure that
all persons are clear of the
trajectory area.
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WARNING
Stay out of the trajectory (1)
as indicated in the illustration.
Inspecting Your Tires and
Wheel Valve Stems
Periodically inspect the tire treads
for uneven or excessive wear and
remove objects such as stones,
nails or glass that may be wedged
in the tread grooves. Check the tire
and valve stems for holes, cracks,
or cuts that may permit air
leakage and repair or replace the
tire and replace the valve stem.
Inspect the tire sidewalls for
cracking, cuts, bruises and other signs of damage or excessive
wear. If internal damage to the tire
is suspected, have the tire
demounted and inspected in case
it needs to be repaired or replaced.
For your safety, tires that are
damaged or show signs of
excessive wear should not be used
because they are more likely to
blow out or fail.
Improper or inadequate vehicle
maintenance can cause tires to
wear abnormally. Inspect all your
tires, including the spare,
frequently, and replace them if
one or more of the following
conditions exist:
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1
Tire Wear
When the tread is worn down to
one sixteenth of an inch (2
millimeters), tires must be
replaced to help prevent your
vehicle from skidding and
hydroplaning. Built-in treadwear
indicators, or wear bars, which
look like narrow strips of smooth
rubber across the tread will
appear on the tire when the tread
is worn down to one sixteenth of
an inch (2 millimeters).
When the tire tread wears down
to the same height as these wear
bars, the tire is worn out and must
be replaced.
Damage
Periodically inspect the tire treads
and sidewalls for damage (such
as bulges in the tread or sidewalls,
cracks in the tread groove and
separation in the tread or
sidewall). If damage is observed or suspected have the tire
inspected by a tire professional.
Tires can be damaged during
off-road use, so inspection after
off-road use is also
recommended.
Age WARNING
Tires degrade over time
depending on many factors
such as weather, storage
conditions, and conditions of use
(load, speed, inflation pressure)
the tires experience throughout
their lives.
In general, tires should be
replaced after six years regardless
of tread wear. However, heat
caused by hot climates or
frequent high loading conditions
can accelerate the aging process
and may require tires to be
replaced more frequently.
You should replace your spare tire
when you replace the road tires or
after six years due to aging even if
it has not been used. U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number
Both United States and Canada
Federal regulations require tire
manufacturers to place
standardized information on the
sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and
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*Do not run over curbs or hit the
tire against a curb when parking
Highway Hazards
No matter how carefully you drive
there
’s always the possibility that
you may eventually have a flat tire
on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic.
This may further damage the flat
tire, but your safety is more
important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or
ride disturbance while driving, or
you suspect your tire or vehicle
has been damaged, immediately
reduce your speed. Drive with
caution until you can safely pull
off the road. Stop and inspect the
tires for damage. If a tire is
under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and
replace it with your spare tire and
wheel. If you cannot detect a
cause, have the vehicle towed to
the nearest repair facility or tire
dealer to have the vehicle
inspected.
Tire and Wheel Alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or
pothole can cause the front end
of your vehicle to become
misaligned or cause damage to
your tires. If your vehicle seems to
pull to one side when you’re
driving, the wheels may be out of
alignment. Have an authorized
dealer check the wheel alignment
periodically. Wheel misalignment in the front
or the rear can cause uneven and
rapid treadwear of your tires and
should be corrected by an
authorized dealer. Front-wheel
drive vehicles and those with an
independent rear suspension may
require alignment of all four
wheels.
The tires should also be balanced
periodically. An unbalanced tire
and wheel assembly may result in
irregular tire wear.
Tire Rotation
Note:
If your tires show uneven
wear ask an authorized dealer to
check for and correct any wheel
misalignment, tire imbalance or
mechanical problem involved
before tire rotation.
Note: Your vehicle may be
equipped with a dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly. A
dissimilar spare wheel and tire
assembly is defined as a spare
wheel and tire assembly that is
different in brand, size or
appearance from the road tires and
wheels. If you have a dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly it is
intended for temporary use only
and should not be used in a tire
rotation.
Rotating your tires at the
recommended interval will help
your tires wear more evenly,
providing better tire performance
and longer tire life.
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