2018 FORD F-450 towing

Load Placement
To help minimize how trailer
movement affects your vehicle
when driving:
•
Load the heaviest items closest
to the trailer floor.
• Load the heaviest items
centered between the left and
right side trailer tires.
• Load the heaviest items above
the trailer axles or just slightly
forward toward the trailer
tongue. Do not allow the final
trailer tongue weight to go
above or below 10-15% of the
loaded trailer weight.
• Select a ball mount with the
correct rise or drop. When both
the loaded vehicle and trailer
are connected, the trailer frame
should be level, or slightly
angled down toward your
vehicle, when viewed from the
side. When driving with a trailer or
payload, a slight takeoff vibration
or shudder may be present due to
the increased payload weight.
Additional information regarding
proper trailer loading and setting
your vehicle up for towing is
located in another chapter of this
manual. See Load Limit (page
264).
You can also find information in
the
RV & Trailer Towing Guide
available at your authorized
dealer, or online. RV & Trailer Towing Guide Online
http://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/
Website
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TRAILER REVERSING AIDS
Trailer Reverse Guidance
WARNING
Driving while distracted can result in
loss of vehicle control, crash and
injury. We strongly recommend that
you use extreme caution when using any
device that may take your focus off the
road. Your primary responsibility is the safe
operation of your vehicle. We recommend
against the use of any hand-held device
while driving and encourage the use of
voice-operated systems when possible.
Make sure you are aware of all applicable
local laws that may affect the use of
electronic devices while driving. Note:
You must always be aware of the
vehicle and trailer combination and the
surrounding environment.
Note: The system does not detect or
prevent the vehicle or trailer from making
contact with obstacles in the surrounding
environment.
Note: Keep in mind that the front end of
the vehicle swings out when changing the
direction of the trailer.
Note: The system relies on user
measurements to determine sticker
placement and system limits. It is critical to
take the key measurements correctly.
Incorrect measurements can result in the
improper function of the system up to and
including contact between the vehicle and
trailer.
Note: The system limits vehicle speed when
backing up. The system is not a replacement
for proper use of the throttle and brake
pedals.
Note: Some features associated with this
system do not work until you set it up. Principle of Operation
Trailer reverse guidance is a driver
assistance feature that helps take the
guesswork out of getting your trailer
positioned where you want it, quickly and
easily, when driving in reverse (R).
Each trailer you use with your vehicle has
to be setup once. Sticker placement is
extremely important and there are specific
placement rules.
Setting Up Trailer Reverse
Guidance
Note:
Your vehicle saves the trailer
information when you enter it into the
system. A maximum of 10 trailers can be
added to the system.
Step 1: Position your Vehicle and Trailer
Hitch your trailer to the truck and connect
the electrical wiring harness. Check to
make sure that the wiring is working. See
Essential Towing Checks (page 286).
Park your vehicle and hitched trailer on a
level surface. Make sure that the trailer and truck are in
line with each other. You can do this by
putting the truck in drive (D) and pulling
straight forward.
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Step 2: Follow the Information Display
Prompts
1. Use the steering wheel controls to
navigate to the towing menu.
2. Select Trailer Setup from the available
options.
3. Select Add a Trailer and press OK to confirm.
4. The system asks you to name the trailer. Use the steering wheel controls
to choose from the alphanumeric
characters. Press the right arrow to
advance to the next character. When
you finish naming the trailer, press OK
to confirm.
5. Select the type of brake system for your trailer. Select DEFAULT if your
trailer has electric, surge or no brakes.
Press OK to select and advance to the
next screen
Note: The default option is low. This is
recommended for most trailers. If the
trailer's brakes require more initial voltage,
or if you prefer more aggressive braking, then
select the other options as required.
6. The system asks you to select your trailer type. You can use the system
with conventional, fifth wheel and
goose neck trailers. For fifth wheel and
goose neck trailers, set up and sticker
placement are not required, however
some of the features do not operate
automatically with these trailer types.
Use the steering wheel controls to
select your trailer type.
Note: You can still manually control the
camera views on the touchscreen to help
you reverse goose neck and fifth wheel
trailers.
7. If your vehicle includes a blind spot information system, the system
prompts you to setup the trailer blind
spot feature. See Blind Spot
Information System (page 252). 8. A message appears in the information
display asking if you want to add trailer
reverse guidance. Select Yes to
continue.
9. Straighten out the trailer, if necessary.
10. The information display directs you to the quick start guide for how to
proceed. The steps are also shown
here.
Step 3: Placing the Target
Place the entire sticker in the gray zone on
the trailer outlined in the diagram. The
sticker is in the back cover pocket of the
quick start guide.
Note: An assistant can help to carry out the
following procedure.
Note: Make sure nothing obstructs the rear
view cameras view of the sticker. For
example, items such as a jack handle or
wiring.
Note: Position the sticker on a flat, dry and
clean horizontal surface. For best results
apply the sticker when temperatures are
above
32°F (0°C).
Note: Do not move stickers after they are
placed. Do not re-use any stickers if
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Use the supplied measurement card, a
tape measure and pen to carefully mark
the area where to attach the sticker. The
sticker is supplied in the back cover pocket
of your quick start guide. Make sure the
entire sticker is within the gray zone
between the two arcs or distance markers
on the diagram, and is also visible in the
rear view camera display. It should be
between 7
– 20 in (17 –51 cm) from the
trailer ball hitch.
Once you have found the correct location,
place the sticker.
Step 4: Take Measurements
After you place the sticker on the trailer
you must take some measurements.
Note: You must take accurate
measurements for the system to operate
properly.
Note: Round measurement figures to the
nearest half inch.
Note: Round upward if the measured length
is a quarter inch or greater. Round
downward if the measure length is less than
a quarter inch. For example
12.25 in
(31.11 cm) would be rounded up to 12.50 in
(31.75 cm). 12.13 in (30.8 cm) would be
rounded down to 12.00 in (30.48 cm).
Note: Use consistent metric or imperial
units as required by your country or vehicle.
The measurement card requires you to
record four key distances (A, B, C, D).
Record the trailer name for these
measurements. Distance A
The horizontal distance from the license
plate to the center of the ball hitch on the
trailer.
Distance B
The horizontal distance from the center of
the ball hitch to the center of the sticker.
Distance C
The distance from the rear view camera to
the center of the sticker.
Distance D
The distance from the tailgate to the
center of the trailer axle (single axle
trailers), or the center of the axles (trailers
with dual axles or more).
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Step 5: Enter Measurements Using the
Information Display
Using the measurements you recorded,
enter the required data into the system.
Follow the on screen prompts to enter
each of the measurements taken in step
4. Use the up and down arrows to increase
or decrease the numbers as necessary.
Press OK to confirm each measurement.
Once you add the last measurement, the
information display shows all of the
entered measurements. You can choose
to confirm or change the measurements.
Step 6: Confirming the Sticker Location
Check the rear view camera display to see
if the system identifies the sticker. The
system marks the sticker with a red circle.
Confirm that the red circle shows over the
sticker image in the rear view camera
display.
Note:
If the system cannot locate the
sticker, try cleaning the camera lens. Make
sure the sticker is within the zone as
indicated in step 3.
The information display shows a
confirmation message when you
successfully confirm the target.
Calibrating the System
To complete setup, drive your vehicle
straight forward between 4– 24 mph
(6– 39 km/h), as directed by the
information display.
Note: Keep the steering wheel straight
during the calibration process. If the steering
wheel is in a turned position, the calibration
pauses. The information display prompts
you to drive straight forward to complete
the calibration.
The information display shows a message
during calibration and after calibration is
complete Note:
For best results, do not calibrate the
system at night.
Using Trailer Reverse Guidance
1. Shift into reverse (R). Press the rear camera button to expand the menu.
2. Press the trailer icon.
3. Select the applicable trailer in the information display.
4. When in trailer reverse guidance mode,
you can see the camera view on the
side your trailer is moving, or both sides
when the trailer is straight behind you.
When the views change with the trailer
direction, it is called auto mode. For
example, if you turn the trailer to the
right, you see the right side of your
vehicle and trailer. You can switch this
view manually at any time by using the
arrow keys. To return to auto mode,
press the auto button.
Note: Auto mode is the default setting.
Use the view that helps you the most when
reversing your vehicle and trailer. Normal rear view camera view.
Use this feature when you want
to see your trailer hitch or what
is directly behind your vehicle. Straight back-up mode. Use this
feature when you want to keep
your trailer completely in line
with your truck. In this mode, a steering
wheel graphic shows you which way to turn
your steering wheel to keep your trailer
straight.
Note: It may be helpful to shift your vehicle
into drive (D), pull forward and straighten
out the vehicle and trailer before engaging
straight back-up mode.
Left and right arrows let you see other
views regardless of your trailer angle. Use
them to switch views manually.
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Note:
If you're using a fifth wheel or goose
neck trailer, or if you have not set up the
trailer reverse guidance system, auto view
is not available.
To change your view, use the arrows. You
can see the following views:
• Full driver.
• Partial driver.
• 50/50.
• Partial passenger.
• Full passenger. Zoom. Use this feature to zoom
in the camera view.
Return. Ths feature takes you
back to the 360-degree camera
system and out of the trailer
reverse guidance feature. Auto. Ths feature returns you to
auto view.
In addition to multiple view options, your
touchscreen adds some features to give
you more information. For example, after
setting up a conventional trailer, the
display shows a small top-view
representation of your truck and trailer.
This representation shows two,
different-colored lines: A black line shows
you where your trailer is in relation to your
vehicle. A white line gives you a projection
of where your trailer may go based on your
current steering wheel position
Note: When you move the steering wheel,
the white line indicates where the trailer
may go based on your steering wheel input.
When you turn your steering wheel to the
left, the trailer moves to the right. When you
turn your steering wheel to the right, the
trailer moves to the left. When you turn the steering wheel, a small
representation shows you two zones to
warn you of a possible jackknife condition.
The view shows your truck and trailer
position and provides visual feedback to
help avoid a jackknife condition entirely.
The yellow zone warns you of a potential
jackknife position. When you enter into this
zone, it is recommended to put your vehicle
back into drive (D) and pull forward.
Moving forward helps put the truck and
trailer back into an in-line position.
The red zone indicates that you need to
put the truck into drive (D) and pull
forward immediately.
Troubleshooting
Note:
The system requires a clear view of
the sticker placed on the trailer. You must
keep the camera lens and sticker clean for
the system to operate correctly.
Setup
The system is designed to be used with a
wide variety of trailers. However, there are
some trailers that do not have a proper
surface and location to mount the sticker.
These trailers are not supported. Attempts
to place the sticker on a surface that does
not meet the sticker placement
requirement listed in Step 3 of the setup
instruction, or entering inaccurate
measurements to proceed through setup
can result in improper system function.
Accurate measurements are critical to
correct system function. If you need to
check measurements or change them, you
can access them through the trailer menus
in the information display. Choose the
option to change the sticker from the
change trailer settings menu. It is not
necessary to remove the sticker if you are
just reviewing or changing measurements.
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The following menu warnings or difficulties
may occur during setup. Tips to resolve
them are listed below.
Measurement A has reached maximum or
minimum value:
•
The system is designed to work with
drawbars that have a license plate to
hitch ball center measurement of
9–16 in (229–406 mm) when installed.
Do not attempt to use drawbars that
have a length outside this range as
system performance degrades and
could cause improper system function.
• Make sure that the measurement being
made is the horizontal distance only
from license plate and the hitch ball
center. A straight line distance that
includes any vertical rise or drop
increases the measurement and makes
it inaccurate. Inaccurate
measurements degrade system
performance and could cause improper
system function. See step 4 of the
setup instruction to review the
measurement instructions.
Measurement B has reached maximum or
minimum value:
• Make sure you follow the sticker
placement instruction in step 3 of the
setup. Stickers placed outside the
allowed zone adversely affect the
system performance and could cause
improper feature function.
• Make sure that the measurement being
made is the horizontal distance only
from center of sticker to the hitch ball
center. A straight line distance that
includes any vertical rise or drop
increases the measurement and
causes an inaccurate value to be
entered into the system. See step 4 of
the setup for additional measurement
instructions. Measurement C has reached maximum or
minimum value:
•
Make sure you follow the sticker
placement instructions in step 3 of the
setup. Stickers placed outside the
allowed zone adversely affect the
system performance and could cause
improper feature function. If you have
met all the criteria for sticker
placement and you see this message,
the sticker is either too far below or too
close to the camera to properly
recognize the sticker. In order for the
system to correctly operate, the sticker
height must be lowered if you receive
the minimum warning or the sticker
height must be raised if you receive the
maximum warning.
•Only one sticker can be placed on
the trailer for correct system
function. The previous sticker must
be removed or covered so only one
sticker is visible to the camera.
• Measurement B and C must be
measured again if a new sticker is
placed on the trailer.
Measurement D has reached maximum or
minimum value:
• Make sure that the measurement being
made is the horizontal distance only
from tailgate to the center of the single
axle or the center of all the axles on the
trailer. See step 4 of the setup for
additional measurement instructions.
The system does not support trailer
lengths outside the range allowed by
the information display.
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System is circling something beside the
sticker or system cannot find the sticker:
•
Make sure the rear camera is clean and
the sticker is clearly visible in the
camera image. Clean the camera and
sticker if necessary.
• The camera system uses the entered
measurements to help locate the
sticker. Inaccurate sticker
measurements degrade the system's
ability to locate the sticker. Verify the
measurements entered into the system
are accurate.
• Remove the incorrectly circled label or
decal if possible.
• If you cannot resolve the issue, a new
sticker location should be tried. The
new sticker location must meet the
requirements noted in step 3 of the
setup instructions. Only one sticker can
be placed on the trailer for correct
system function. The previous sticker
must be removed or covered so only
one sticker is visible to the camera.
Calibration
The system monitors various vehicle
parameters to ensure your vehicle is being
driven straight and the trailer straight
behind your vehicle. Any steering input or
trailer movement pauses the calibration.
For best results:
• Use a long, straight and smooth road
when attempting to calibrate.
• Drive straight forward.
• Drive between 4–24 mph
(6– 39 km/h).
System Operation
The following warnings or difficulties may
occur during feature operation. Tips to
resolve them are listed below. The system is not available:
•
The system relies on many
sub-systems in your vehicle to correctly
operate. If those sub-systems are not
correctly operating, the system may
not be available.
•Low battery voltage is one
condition which prevents the
system from operating. Please
make sure the battery is correctly
charged if the system is not
available.
• You may need to drive your vehicle
straight forward above
25 mph
(40 km/h) before the system is
available again.
• If the message still displays, take your
vehicle to an authorized dealer for
service.
Sticker lost:
• Check for the following if you receive
the lost sticker message when using
the system.
•Stop your vehicle as soon as the
message displays.
• Make sure the sticker is visible in
the rear view camera image.
• Clean the sticker and camera to
make sure they are unobstructed.
• Remove any items that may be
blocking the view of the sticker.
Depending on your trailer
configuration and any equipment
mounted to your trailer, it is
possible for the sticker to be
blocked from the view of the
camera as it rotates on the hitch
ball, but not be blocked during
setup. Remove the obstruction if
possible. It may be necessary to
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