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Make sure that you allow sufficient distancebetween your vehicle and other vehicles forstopping. On ice and snow, you should drivemore slowly than usual, and consider usingone of the lower gears. In emergencystopping situations, steadily apply the brake.Your vehicle has a four wheel anti-lock brakesystem, do not pump the brake pedal. SeeHints on Driving With Anti-Lock Brakes(page 187).
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck In Mud or Snow
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud orsnow, shift between forward and reversegears, and, in a steady pattern, stop betweenshifts. Press lightly on the accelerator witheach shift. Rocking your vehicle this way maydislodge your vehicle.
Note:Do not rock your vehicle if the engineis not at normal operating temperature,damage to the transmission may occur.
Note:Do not rock your vehicle for more thana minute, damage to the transmission andtires may occur or the engine may overheat.
Maintenance and Modifications
The suspension and steering systems onyour vehicle provides predictableperformance whether your vehicle is loadedor empty. For this reason, we recommendthat you do not make modifications to yourvehicle (lift kits or stabilizer bars) or usereplacement parts not equivalent to theoriginal factory equipment.
We recommend that you use caution whenyour vehicle has either a high load or device(ladder or luggage racks). Modifications toyour vehicle that raise the center of gravitymay cause your vehicle to tip if you shouldlose vehicle control.
Failure to maintain your vehicle correctly mayvoid the warranty, increase your repair cost,reduce vehicle performance and operationalcapabilities, and adversely affect you andyour passenger's safety. We recommend thatyou frequently inspect your vehicle's chassiscomponents if your vehicle is subject tooff-road use.
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All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
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WARNINGS
The use of non-recommended tiresand wheels could cause steering,suspension, axle, transfer case or powertransfer unit failure. If you havequestions regarding tire replacement,contact your authorized dealer as soonas possible.
To reduce the risk of serious injury,when mounting replacement tiresand wheels, you should not exceed themaximum pressure indicated on thesidewall of the tire to set the beadswithout additional precautions listedbelow. If the beads do not seat at themaximum pressure indicated,re-lubricate and try again.
When inflating the tire for mounting
pressures up to 20 psi (1.38 bar)greater than the maximum pressure onthe tire sidewall, the followingprecautions must be taken to protectthe person mounting the tire:
•Make sure that you have the correcttire and wheel size.
•Lubricate the tire bead and wheelbead seat area again.
•Stand at a minimum of 12 feet (3.66meters) away from the wheel and tire
assembly.
•Use both eye and ear protection.
WARNING
Always inflate steel carcass tireswith a remote air fill with the personinflating standing at a minimum of 12 ft(3.66 m) away from the wheel and tireassembly.
Important: Remember to replace thewheel valve stems when the road tires
are replaced on your vehicle.
It is recommended that the two fronttires or two rear tires generally bereplaced as a pair.
The tire pressure sensors mounted inthe wheels (originally installed on yourvehicle) are not designed to be used inaftermarket wheels.
The use of wheels or tires notrecommended by Ford Motor Companymay affect the operation of your tirepressure monitoring system.
If the tire pressure monitoring systemindicator is flashing, your system ismalfunctioning. Your replacement tiremight be incompatible with your tirepressure monitoring system, or somecomponent of the system may bedamaged.
Safety Practices
WARNINGS
If your vehicle is stuck in snow,mud or sand, do not rapidly spinthe tires; spinning the tires can tear thetire and cause an explosion. A tire canexplode in as little as three to fiveseconds.
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Wheels and Tires
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WARNINGS
Do not spin the wheels at over34 mph (55 km/h). The tires mayfail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Driving habits have a great deal to dowith your tire mileage and safety.
*Observe posted speed limits
*Avoid fast starts, stops and turns
*Avoid potholes and objects on the road
*Do not run over curbs or hit the tireagainst a curb when parking
Highway Hazards
No matter how carefully you drive, there
is always the possibility that you mayeventually have a flat tire on thehighway. Drive slowly to the closest safearea out of traffic. This may furtherdamage the flat tire, but your safety ismore important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ridedisturbance while driving, or you suspectyour tire or vehicle has been damaged,immediately reduce your speed. Drivewith caution until you can safely pull offthe road. Stop and inspect the tires fordamage. If a tire is under-inflated ordamaged, deflate it, remove wheel andreplace it with your spare tire and wheel.If you cannot detect a cause, have thevehicle towed to the nearest repairfacility or tire dealer to have the vehicleinspected.
Tire and Wheel Alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or potholecan cause the front end of your vehicleto become misaligned or cause damageto your tires. If your vehicle seems to
pull to one side when you are driving,the wheels may be out of alignment.Have an authorized dealer check thewheel alignment periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or therear can cause uneven and rapidtreadwear of your tires and should becorrected by an authorized dealer.Front-wheel drive vehicles and thosewith an independent rear suspension (ifequipped) may require alignment of allfour wheels.
The tires should also be balancedperiodically. An unbalanced tire andwheel assembly may result in irregulartire wear.
Tire Rotation
Note:If your tires show uneven wear,ask an authorized dealer to check forand correct any wheel misalignment,tire imbalance or mechanical problem
involved before tire rotation.
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Wheels and Tires
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Check Every Six Months
Safety belts and seat latches for wear and function.
Safety warning lamps (brake, ABS, airbag and safety belt) for operation.
Washer spray and wiper operation. Clean or replace blades as necessary.
Multi-Point Inspection
In order to keep your vehicle running right,it is important to have the systems on yourvehicle checked regularly. This can helpidentify potential issues and prevent majorproblems. We recommend having thefollowing multi-point inspection performedat every scheduled maintenance interval tohelp make sure your vehicle keeps runninggreat.
Multi-Point Inspection
Hazard warning system operationAccessory drive belt(s)
Horn operationBattery performance
Radiator, cooler, heater and air conditioning hosesEngine air filter
Suspension components for leaks or damageExhaust system
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Scheduled Maintenance