
After all occupants have adjusted their seatsand put on seatbelts, it is very important thatthey continue to sit properly. A properlyseated occupant sits upright, leaning againstthe seat back, and centered on the seatcushion, with their feet comfortably extendedon the floor. Sitting improperly can increasethe chance of injury in a crash event. Forexample, if an occupant slouches, lies down,turns sideways, sits forward, leans forwardor sideways, or puts one or both feet up, thechance of injury during a crash is greatlyincreased.
The conditions listed above may cause theweight of a properly seated occupant to beincorrectly interpreted by the front passengersensing system. The person in the frontpassenger seat may appear heavier or lighterdue to the conditions described in the listabove.
To know if the front passengersensing system is operatingproperly, See Crash Sensors andAirbag Indicator (page 55).
Do not attempt to repair or service thesystem. Take your vehicle immediately to anauthorized dealer.
If it is necessary to modify an advanced frontairbag system to accommodate a personwith disabilities, contact the Ford CustomerRelationship Center. See Getting theServices You Need (page 274).
SIDE AIRBAGS
WARNINGS
Do not place objects or mountequipment on or near the airbag cover,on the side of the seatbacks (of the frontseats), or in front seat areas that may comeinto contact with a deploying airbag. Failureto follow these instructions may increase therisk of personal injury in the event of a crash.
Do not use accessory seat covers. Theuse of accessory seat covers mayprevent the deployment of the side airbagsand increase the risk of injury in an accident.
Do not lean your head on the door. Theside airbag could injure you as itdeploys from the side of the seatback.
WARNINGS
Do not attempt to service, repair, ormodify the seat airbag supplementalrestraint systems, its fuses or the seat coveron a vehicle containing seat airbags as youcould be seriously injured or killed. Contactyour authorized dealer as soon as possible.
If the side airbag has deployed, theairbag will not function again. The sideairbag system (including the seat) must beinspected as soon as possible. If the airbagis not replaced, the unrepaired area willincrease the risk of injury in a crash.
The side airbags are on the outboard sideof the seatbacks of the front seats. In certainsideways crashes, the side airbags will beinflated. The airbag was designed to inflatebetween the door panel and occupant tofurther enhance the protection providedoccupants in side impact crashes.
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Supplementary Restraints SystemE67017

SITTING IN THE CORRECT
POSITION
WARNINGS
Sitting improperly, out of position orwith the seatback reclined too far cantake weight off the seat cushion and affectthe decision of the passenger sensingsystem, resulting in serious injury or deathin the event of a crash. Always sit uprightagainst your seat back, with your feet on thefloor.
Do not recline the seatback as this cancause the occupant to slide under thesafety belt, resulting in serious injury in theevent of a crash.
Do not place objects higher than theseatback to reduce the risk of seriousinjury in the event of a crash or during heavybraking.
When you use them properly, the seat, headrestraint, safety belt and airbags will provideoptimum protection in the event of a crash.
We recommend that you follow theseguidelines:
•Sit in an upright position with the base ofyour spine as far back as possible.
•Do not recline the seatback more than30 degrees.
•Adjust the head restraint so that the topof it is level with the top of your head andas far forward as possible. Make sure thatyou remain comfortable.
•Keep sufficient distance betweenyourself and the steering wheel. Werecommend a minimum of 10 in (25 cm)between your breastbone and the airbagcover.
•Hold the steering wheel with your armsslightly bent.
•Bend your legs slightly so that you canpress the pedals fully.
•Position the shoulder strap of the safetybelt over the center of your shoulder andposition the lap strap tightly across yourhips.
Make sure that your driving position iscomfortable and that you can maintain fullcontrol of your vehicle.
HEAD RESTRAINTS
WARNINGS
Fully adjust the head restraint beforeyou sit in or operate your vehicle. Thiswill help minimize the risk of neck injury inthe event of a crash. Do not adjust the headrestraint when your vehicle is moving.
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SeatsE68595

REAR SEAT ARMREST
Fold the armrest down to use the armrestand cupholder. To open the storage lid, pullup on the latch located between thecupholders.
Armrest pass-through
Note:Do not exceed 80 pounds (36kilograms) of weight on the pass-throughdoor.Release the latch, then pull down on the doorlocated in the back of the armrest. You canstore cargo of a longer length such as skisor lumber.
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SeatsE144635 E152622

WARNINGS
Do not use your heater withungrounded electrical systems ortwo-pronged adapters. There is a risk ofelectrical shock.
Do not fully close the hood, or allow itto drop under its own weight whenusing the engine block heater. This coulddamage the power cable and may cause anelectrical short resulting in fire, injury andproperty damage.
Note:The heater is most effective whenoutdoor temperatures are below 0°F (-18°C).
The heater acts as a starting aid by warmingthe engine coolant. This allows the climatecontrol system to respond quickly. Theequipment includes a heater element(installed in the engine block) and a wireharness. You can connect the system to agrounded 120-volt AC electrical source.
We recommend that you do the following fora safe and correct operation:
•Use a 16-gauge outdoor extension cordthat is product certified by Underwriter’sLaboratory (UL) or Canadian StandardsAssociation (CSA). This extension cordmust be suitable for use outdoors, in coldtemperatures, and be clearly markedSuitable for Use with OutdoorAppliances. Do not use an indoorextension cord outdoors. This couldresult in an electric shock or become afire hazard.
•Use as short an extension cord aspossible.
•Do not use multiple extension cords.
•Make sure that when in operation, theextension cord plug and heater cord plugconnections are free and clear of water.This could cause an electric shock or fire.
•Make sure your vehicle is parked in aclean area, clear of combustibles.
•Make sure the heater, heater cord andextension cord are firmly connected.
•Check for heat anywhere in the electricalhookup once the system has beenoperating for approximately 30 minutes.
•Make sure the system is unplugged andproperly stowed before starting anddriving your vehicle. Make sure theprotective cover seals the prongs of theblock heater cord plug when not in use.
•Make sure the heater system is checkedfor proper operation before winter.
Using the Engine Block Heater
Make sure the receptacle terminals are cleanand dry prior to use. Clean them with a drycloth if necessary.
The heater uses 0.4 to 1.0 kilowatt-hours ofenergy per hour of use. The system does nothave a thermostat. It achieves maximumtemperature after approximately three hoursof operation. Using the heater longer thanthree hours does not improve systemperformance and unnecessarily useselectricity.
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Starting and Stopping the Engine

Conditions
•Heavily loading your vehicle reduces fueleconomy.
•Carrying unnecessary weight in yourvehicle may reduce fuel economy.
•Adding certain accessories to yourvehicle such as bug deflectors, rollbarsor light bars, running boards and skiracks may reduce fuel economy.
•Using fuel blended with alcohol maylower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lowertemperatures.
•Fuel economy may decrease whendriving short distances.
•You will get better fuel economy whendriving on flat terrain than when drivingon hilly terrain.
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Fuel and Refueling

•An open or pinched sensor hose.
•Incorrect engine oil level.
•Incorrect fuel for climatic conditions.
•Incorrect engine oil viscosity for climacticconditions.
Note:Some vehicles have a lifetime fuel filterthat is integrated with the fuel tank. Regularmaintenance or replacement is not needed.
Note:If these checks do not help you correctthe concern, have your vehicle checked assoon as possible.
Noise Emissions Warranty, ProhibitedTampering Acts and Maintenance
On January 1, 1978, Federal regulationbecame effective governing the noiseemission on trucks over 10,000 lb (4,536 kg)Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). Thepreceding statements concerning prohibitedtampering acts and maintenance, and thenoise warranty found in the Warranty Guide,are applicable to complete chassis cabs over10,000 lb (4,536 kg) GVWR.
CATALYTIC CONVERTER
WARNINGS
Do not park, idle or drive your vehicleon dry grass or other dry ground cover.The emission system heats up the enginecompartment and exhaust system, creatingthe risk of fire.
The normal operating temperature ofthe exhaust system is very high. Neverwork around or attempt to repair any part ofthe exhaust system until it has cooled. Usespecial care when working around thecatalytic converter. The catalytic converterheats up to a very high temperature afteronly a short period of engine operation andstays hot after the engine is switched off.
Exhaust leaks may result in entry ofharmful and potentially lethal fumesinto the passenger compartment. If you smellexhaust fumes inside your vehicle, have yourvehicle inspected immediately. Do not driveif you smell exhaust fumes.
Your vehicle has various emission controlcomponents and a catalytic converter thatenables it to comply with applicable exhaustemission standards.
To make sure that the catalytic converter andother emission control components continueto work properly:
•Do not crank the engine for more than10 seconds at a time.
•Do not run the engine with a spark pluglead disconnected.
•Do not push-start or tow-start yourvehicle. Use booster cables. See JumpStarting the Vehicle (page 268).
•Use only the specified fuel listed.
•Do not switch the ignition off when yourvehicle is moving.
•Avoid running out of fuel.
•Have the items listed in scheduledmaintenance information performedaccording to the specified schedule.
Note:Resulting component damage maynot be covered by the vehicle Warranty.
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Engine Emission Control

You can manually release the electric parkingbrake by:
1. Switching the ignition on.
2. Pressing the brake pedal.
3. Pressing the electric parking brakeswitch.
When you release the electric parking brake,the brake system warning lamp turns off.
Driving with a Trailer
Depending on the grade and the weight ofthe trailer, your vehicle and trailer may rollbackwards slightly when you start on a slope.
To prevent this from happening, do thefollowing:
1.Pull the switch and hold it in this position.
2. Drive your vehicle, then release theswitch when you notice that the enginehas developed sufficient driving force.
Automatic release - drive away release
Your vehicle automatically releases theparking brake if:
•The driver door is closed.
•The vehicle is accelerated.
•There are no faults detected in theparking brake system.
Note:If the electric parking brake warninglamp stays illuminated, the electric parkingbrake will not automatically release. Youmust release the electric parking brake usingthe electric parking brake switch.
The brake system warning lamp will go offto confirm that you have released the electricparking brake.
Note:The electric parking brake drive awayrelease makes starting on a hill easier. Thisfeature releases the parking brakeautomatically when the vehicle has sufficientdrive force to move up the hill. To assuredrive away release when starting uphill,press the accelerator pedal quickly.
Battery With No Charge
WARNING
You will not be able to apply or releasethe electric parking brake if the batteryis low or has no charge.
If the battery is low or has no charge, usejumper cables and a booster battery.
AUTO HOLD
WARNINGS
The system does not replace theparking brake. When you leave yourvehicle, always apply the parking brake.
You must remain in your vehicle whenthe system turns on. At all times, youare responsible for controlling your vehicle,supervising the system and intervening, ifrequired. Failure to take care may result inthe loss of control of your vehicle, seriouspersonal injury or death.
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Brakes

LOAD LIMIT
Vehicle Loading - with and without aTrailer
This section guides you in the properloading of your vehicle, trailer, or both.Keep your loaded vehicle weight withinits design rating capability, with orwithout a trailer. Properly loading yourvehicle provides maximum return ofvehicle design performance. Before youload your vehicle, become familiar withthe following terms for determining yourvehicle’s weight rating, with or withouta trailer, from the vehicle’s Tire andLoading Information label or SafetyCompliance Certification label.
Tire and Loading Label InformationExample:
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Load CarryingE198719