2018 FORD F-53 check transmission fluid

Driving Hints
Breaking-In
......................................................54
Reduced Engine Performance .................
54
Economical Driving .......................................
54
Driving Through Water ................................
55
Roadside Emergencies
Roadside Assistance ...................................
56
Hazard Flashers ..............................................
57
Jump Starting the Vehicle ..........................
57
Transporting the Vehicle ............................
59
Customer Assistance
Getting the Services You Need .................
61
In California (U.S. Only) ..............................
62
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Auto Line Program (U.S. Only) .......................
63
Utilizing the Mediation/Arbitration Program (Canada Only) ........................
64
Getting Assistance Outside the U.S. and Canada .........................................................
64
Ordering Additional Owner's Literature ........................................................................\
..
65
Reporting Safety Defects (U.S. Only) ........................................................................\
..
66
Reporting Safety Defects (Canada Only) ........................................................................\
..
66
Fuses
Fuse Specification Chart ...........................
68
Changing a Fuse ............................................
87
Maintenance
General Information ....................................
89
Under Hood Overview - Commercial Chassis .........................................................
89
Under Hood Overview - Motorhome Chassis .........................................................
90
Engine Oil Dipstick .........................................
91
Engine Oil Check ............................................
91
Oil Change Indicator Reset ........................
93Engine Coolant Check
.................................
93
Automatic Transmission Fluid Check ........................................................................\
...
97
Brake Fluid Check .........................................
99
Power Steering Fluid Check ....................
100
Fuel Filter .........................................................
101
Changing the 12V Battery ..........................
101
Changing the Engine Air Filter ................
103
Vehicle Care
General Information ...................................
105
Cleaning the Exterior ..................................
105
Cleaning the Engine ...................................
106
Cleaning the Wheels ..................................
106
Vehicle Storage ............................................
106
Wheels and Tires
Tire Care .........................................................
109
Using Snow Chains .....................................
124
Changing a Road Wheel ...........................
125
Technical Specifications ...........................
128
Capacities and Specifications
Engine Specifications ................................
129
Motorcraft Parts ...........................................
129
Vehicle Identification Number .................
131
Vehicle Certification Label .......................
132
Transmission Code Designation ............
132
Capacities and Specifications ................
133
Ford Protect
Ford Protect ...................................................
138
Scheduled Maintenance
General Maintenance Information .......
140
Normal Scheduled Maintenance ..........
143
Special Operating Conditions Scheduled Maintenance .............................................
145
Scheduled Maintenance Record ............
147
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GAUGES
Engine oil pressure gauge.
A
Tachometer.
B
Information display.
C
Speedometer.
D
Transmission fluid temperature
gauge.
E
Engine coolant temperature
gauge.
F
Fuel gauge.
G Engine Oil Pressure Gauge
Indicates engine oil pressure. The needle
should stay in the normal operating range
(between L and H). If the needle falls
below the normal range, stop the vehicle,
turn off the engine and check the engine
oil level. Add oil if needed. If the oil level is
correct, have your vehicle checked by your
authorized dealer.
Speedometer
Indicates vehicle speed. Vehicle speed is
limited to either 65 mph (105 km/h) or
75 mph (120 km/h).
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Transmission Fluid Temperature
Gauge
Normal area
The transmission fluid is within the normal
operating temperature (between H and
C).
Yellow area
The transmission fluid is higher than
normal operating temperature. This can
be caused by special operation conditions
(i.e. snowplowing, towing or off-road use).
Operating the transmission for extended
periods of time with the gauge in the
yellow area may cause internal
transmission damage. Altering the severity
of the driving conditions is recommended
to lower the transmission temperature into
the normal range.
Red area
The transmission fluid is overheating. Stop
the vehicle to allow the temperature to
return to normal range.
If the gauge is operating in the yellow or
red area, stop the vehicle and verify the
airflow is not restricted such as snow or
debris blocking airflow through the grille.
If the gauge continues to show high
temperatures, see your authorized dealer.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge
WARNING
Do not remove the coolant reservoir
cap when the cooling system is hot.
Wait 10 minutes for the cooling
system to cool down. Cover the coolant
reservoir cap with a thick cloth to prevent
the possibility of scalding and slowly
remove the cap. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in personal injury. At normal operating temperature, the
needle remains in the center section.
Note:
Do not restart the engine until the
cause of overheating has been resolved.
If the needle enters the red section, the
engine is overheating. Stop the engine,
switch the ignition off and determine the
cause once the engine has cooled down.
Fuel Gauge
Note: The fuel gauge may vary slightly
when your vehicle is moving or on a slope.
Switch the ignition on. The fuel gauge
indicates approximately how much fuel
you have left in the fuel tank. The arrow
adjacent to the fuel pump symbol
indicates on which side of your vehicle the
fuel filler door is located.
The needle should move toward F when
you refuel your vehicle. If the needle points
to E after adding fuel, have an authorized
dealer check the system soon.
After refueling, some variability in the
position of the needle is normal:
• It may take a short time for the needle
to reach F after leaving the gas station.
This is normal and depends upon the
slope of the pavement at the gas
station.
• The fuel amount dispensed into the
tank is a little less or more than the
gauge indicated. This is normal and
depends upon the slope of the
pavement at the gas station.
• If the gas station nozzle shuts off
before the tank is full, try a different
gas pump nozzle.
• There is a small reserve left in the tank
when the fuel gauge reaches empty.
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Transmission
Action
Message
The transmission fluid is overheating. This warning
may appear when towing heavy loads or when driving in a low gear at a high speed for an extended period
of time. Stop your vehicle as soon as safely possible, turn off the engine and let the transmission cool.
CHECK TRANS TEMPERATURE
A reminder to apply the brakes, then shift to park.
SHIFT TO PARK
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Engine coolant reservoir. See
Engine Coolant Check (page
93).
A
Engine oil filler cap. See Engine
Oil Check
(page 91).
B
Automatic transmission fluid
dipstick. See
Automatic
Transmission Fluid Check
(page
97).
C
Engine compartment fuse box.
See
Fuses (page 68).
D Engine oil dipstick. See
Engine
Oil Dipstick (page 91).
E
Air filter assembly. See
Changing the Engine Air Filter
(page
103).
F
Power steering fluid reservoir.
See
Power Steering Fluid
Check (page 100).
G
Brake fluid reservoir. See
Brake
Fluid Check (page 99).
H
UNDER HOOD OVERVIEW - MOTORHOME CHASSIS
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Engine coolant reservoir. See
Engine Coolant Check (page
93).
A
Engine oil filler cap. See Engine
Oil Check
(page 91).
B
Automatic transmission fluid
dipstick. See
Automatic
Transmission Fluid Check
(page
97).
C
Engine compartment fuse box.
See
Fuses (page 68).
D
Air filter assembly. See
Changing the Engine Air Filter
(page
103).
E
Engine oil dipstick. See
Engine
Oil Dipstick (page 91).
F
Power steering fluid reservoir.
See
Power Steering Fluid
Check (page 100).
G
Brake fluid reservoir. See
Brake
Fluid Check (page 99).
H ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK
MINA
MAX
B
ENGINE OIL CHECK
To check the engine oil level consistently
and accurately, do the following:
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AB

You may notice a reduction in vehicle
speed caused by reduced engine power in
order to manage the engine coolant
temperature. Your vehicle may enter this
mode if certain high-temperature and
high-load conditions take place. The
amount of speed reduction depends on
vehicle loading, grade and ambient
temperature. If this occurs, there is no
need to pull off the road. You can continue
to drive your vehicle.
The air conditioning may automatically
turn on and off during severe operating
conditions to protect the engine from
overheating. When the coolant
temperature decreases to the normal
operating temperature, the air conditioning
turns on.
If the coolant temperature gauge moves
fully into the red zone, or if the coolant
temperature warning or service engine
soon messages appear in your information
display, do the following:
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely
possible and shift the transmission into
park (P).
2. Leave the engine running until the coolant temperature gauge needle
returns to the normal position. After
several minutes, if the temperature
does not drop, follow the remaining
steps.
3. Switch the engine off and wait for it to
cool. Check the coolant level.
4. If the coolant level is at or below the minimum mark, add prediluted coolant
immediately.
5. If the coolant level is normal, restart the engine and continue. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FLUID CHECK WARNING
The dipstick cap and surrounding
components may be hot; gloves are
recommended.
Note:
Automatic transmission fluid
expands when warmed. To obtain an
accurate fluid check, drive the vehicle until
it is at normal operating temperature
(approximately 20 miles [30 km]). If your
vehicle has been operated for an extended
period at high speeds, in city traffic during
hot weather or pulling a trailer, the vehicle
should be turned off for about 30 minutes
to allow fluid to cool to normal operating
temperature 196°F - 215°F (91°C - 102°C)
before checking.
Refer to your scheduled maintenance
information for scheduled intervals for fluid
checks and changes.
Your transmission does not consume fluid.
However, the fluid level should be checked
if the transmission is not working properly,
(i.e., if the transmission slips or shifts
slowly) or if you notice some sign of fluid
leakage. To check the fluid level:
1. Drive the vehicle 20 miles (30 km) or until it reaches normal operating
temperature
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
engage the parking brake
3. With the engine running, parking brake
engaged and your foot on the brake
pedal, move the gearshift lever through
all of the gear ranges. Allow sufficient
time for each gear to engage
4. Latch the gearshift lever in P (Park) and leave the engine running.
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5. Remove the dipstick, wiping it clean
with a clean, dry lint free rag. If
necessary, refer to Under Hood
Overview in this chapter for the
location of the dipstick.
6. Install the dipstick making sure it is fully
seated in the filler tube.
7. Remove the dipstick and inspect the fluid level. The fluid should be in the
designated area for normal operating
temperature or ambient temperature.
Do not use supplemental transmission
fluid additives, treatments or cleaning
agents. The use of these materials may
affect transmission operation and result
in damage to internal transmission
components.
Low fluid level Do not drive the vehicle if there is no
indication of fluid on the dipstick and the
ambient temperature is above 50°F
(10°C).
Correct fluid level The transmission fluid should be in this
range if at normal operating temperature
196°F - 215°F (91°C - 102°C).
The transmission fluid should be checked
at normal operating temperature 196°F -
215°F (91°C - 102°C) on a level surface.
The normal operating temperature can be
reached after approximately 20 miles (30
km) of driving. You can check the fluid
without driving if the ambient temperature
is above 50°F (10°C). However, if fluid is
added at this time, an overfill condition
could result when the vehicle reaches
normal operating temperature
High fluid level
Fluid levels above the safe range may
result in transmission failure. An overfill
condition of transmission fluid may cause
shift and/or engagement concerns and/or
possible damage. High fluid levels can be
caused by an overheating condition.
Adjusting automatic transmission
fluid levels
Note:
Use of a non-approved automatic
transmission fluid may cause internal
transmission damage. Before adding any
fluid, make sure the correct type is used. The
type of fluid used is normally indicated on
the transmission dipstick and also in the
See Capacities and Specifications (page
129).
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