2020 FORD F-150 warning

Note:
For vehicle speed limiting or idle-only
condition, normal vehicle operation resumes
when you repair the contaminated system.
To service a contaminated or inoperative
system, see an authorized dealer.
DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER
The filter forms part of the emissions
reduction system on your vehicle. It filters
harmful diesel particulates (soot) from the
exhaust gas.
Regeneration WARNING: Do not park or idle your
vehicle over dry leaves, dry grass or other
combustible materials. The regeneration
process creates very high exhaust gas
temperatures and the exhaust will
radiate a considerable amount of heat
during and after regeneration and after
you have switched the engine off. This is
a potential fire hazard.
Note: Avoid running out of fuel.
Note: During regeneration at low speed or
engine idle, you may smell a hot metallic
odor and could notice a clicking metallic
sound. This is due to high temperatures
reached during regeneration and is normal.
Note: Changes in the engine or exhaust
sound may be heard during the regeneration
process.
The diesel particulate filter on your vehicle
requires periodic regeneration to maintain
its correct function. Your vehicle will carry
out this process automatically. If your journeys meet one of the following
conditions:
•
You drive only short distances.
• You frequently switch the ignition on
and off.
• Your journeys contain a high level of
acceleration and deceleration.
You must carry out occasional trips with
the following conditions to assist the
regeneration process:
• Drive your vehicle in more favorable
conditions, which you will find at higher
vehicle speeds in normal driving, on a
main road or freeway for a minimum
of 20 minutes. This drive may include
short stops that will not affect the
regeneration process.
• Avoid prolonged idling and always
observe speed limits and road
conditions.
• Do not switch the ignition off.
• Select a suitable gear to ideally
maintain engine speed between 1500
and 3000 RPM.
Oxidation Catalytic Converter and
Diesel Particulate Filter System
(If
Equipped) WARNING:
The normal operating
temperature of the exhaust system is
very high. Never work around or attempt
to repair any part of the exhaust system
until it has cooled. Use special care when
working around the diesel oxidation
catalytic converter or the diesel
particulate filter. The diesel oxidation
catalytic converter and the diesel
particulate filter heat up to very high
temperatures after only a short period
of engine operation and remain hot after
you switch the engine off.
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shows a cleaning exhaust filter message,
which is the normal regeneration process.
You can also choose operator commanded
regeneration to clean the exhaust system
at this point. See Information Messages
(page 132).
If you are not able to drive in a manner that
allows effective automatic active
regeneration or you choose to perform
regeneration of the diesel particulate filter
while at idle, then operator commanded
regeneration would need to be performed.
Operator Commanded Regeneration
(If Equipped)
If your vehicle is operated with significant
stationary operation, low speed drive
cycles less than
25 mph (40 km/h), short
drive cycles, a drive time is less than 10 -
15 minutes or the vehicle does not fully
warm up, passive and active regeneration
may not sufficiently clean the diesel
particulate filter system. Operator
commanded regeneration allows you to
manually start regeneration of the diesel
particulate filter at idle to clean the filter.
If you are not sure whether your vehicle has
this feature, contact an authorized dealer.
When to Carry Out Operator Commanded
Regeneration
You can use the operator commanded
regeneration feature when a message
appears in the information display and you
are not able to drive in a manner that
allows effective automatic active
regeneration or if you choose to manually
start the regeneration of the diesel
particulate filter manually while the vehicle
is idle. See
Information Messages (page
132). Operator Commanded Regeneration
Precautions and Safe Exhaust Position WARNING:
Do not park or idle your
vehicle over dry leaves, dry grass or other
combustible materials. The regeneration
process creates very high exhaust gas
temperatures and the exhaust will
radiate a considerable amount of heat
during and after regeneration and after
you have switched the engine off. This is
a potential fire hazard. WARNING:
Stay clear of the
exhaust tailpipe during regeneration. Hot
exhaust gases can burn you badly.
Make sure that the louvers located at the
tip of the exhaust are clear of any
obstructions as they are used to introduce
fresh air into the tailpipe to cool the
exhaust gases as they leave the exhaust
system.
Before you start operator commanded
regeneration, do the following:
• Shift into park (P) and apply the
parking brake, on stable, level ground.
• Park your vehicle outside of any
structure.
• Park your vehicle
10– 15 ft (3–5 m)
away from any obstructions and away
from materials that can easily combust
or melt, for example paper, leaves,
petroleum products, fuels, plastics and
other dry organic material.
• Make sure there is a minimum of 1/8
tank of fuel.
• Make sure all fluids are at proper levels.
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How to Start Operator Commanded
Regeneration
WARNING: Stay clear of the
exhaust tailpipe during regeneration. Hot
exhaust gases can burn you badly.
Note: You cannot use the operator
commanded regeneration until the diesel
particulate filter load percentage has
reached 100%. The diesel particulate filter
load percentage fluctuates up and down
when driving your vehicle due to active and
passive regenerations.
Note: During the use of operator
commanded regeneration, you may observe
a light amount of white smoke. This is
normal. You may not be able to use
operator commanded
regeneration if the service engine
soon warning lamp appears in the
information display
Information Display Procedure
Start with your vehicle engine and when it
has reached the normal operating
temperature, press the information display
control button on the steering wheel. See
Information Display Control
(page 91).
If a message advising that the exhaust
filter is full appears in the information
display, press the OK button as instructed.
Answer yes to this prompt and then follow
the next prompts regarding the exhaust
position required to initiate operator
commanded regeneration. Be sure to
understand each prompt. If you are not
sure what is being asked by each prompt,
contact an authorized dealer. The display
confirms the operation has started and
when it has finished. If the diesel particulate filter is near or at
saturation, a message requesting
permission to initiate filter cleaning
appears in the information display. See
Information Messages
(page 132).
Answer yes to this prompt and then follow
the next prompts regarding exhaust
position required to initiate operator
commanded regeneration. Be sure to
understand each prompt. If you are not
sure what is being asked by each prompt,
contact an authorized dealer. The display
confirms the operation has started and
when it has finished. You can also drive to
clean the filter. When the system is at the point
of oversaturation, the service
engine warning lamp illuminates
and a message appears in the information
display. You cannot initiate filter cleaning.
You must have your vehicle checked as
soon as possible.
Once operator commanded regeneration
starts, engine speed increases to
approximately 2000 rpm and the cooling
fan speed increases. You will hear a
change in audible sound due to engine
speed and cooling fan speed increases.
It is not necessary to open the hood on the
engine compartment. Once operator
commanded regeneration completes, the
engine speed returns to normal idling. The
exhaust system remains very hot for
several minutes even after regeneration is
complete. Do not reposition the vehicle
over materials that could burn until the
exhaust system has had sufficient time to
cool. Depending on the amount of soot
collected by the diesel particulate filter,
ambient temperature and altitude,
operator commanded regeneration lasts
approximately 30 minutes.
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Operator Commanded Regeneration
with Automatic Regeneration Control
(If Equipped)
If your vehicle is operated with significant
stationary operation, low speed drive
cycles less than 25 mph (40 km/h), short
drive cycles, drive time less than 15 minutes
or the vehicle does not fully warm up,
passive and active regeneration may not
sufficiently clean the diesel particulate
filter system. You can switch off automatic
regeneration until better driving conditions
are available, for example steady high
speed driving. You can then switch
automatic regeneration back on to clean
the diesel particulate filter.
Switching Automatic Regeneration
Control On and Off
To switch operator commanded
regeneration on and off, use the
information display control on the steering
wheel. See Information Display Control
(page
91). Scroll to the exhaust cleaning
message, a check in the box indicates the
feature is enabled, and unchecked
indicates the feature is disabled.
How to Interrupt or Cancel Operator
Commanded Regeneration
If you need to cancel the operator
commanded regeneration, pressing the
brake, accelerator or switching the engine
off stops the procedure. Depending on the
amount of time you allowed the operator
commanded regeneration to operate, soot
may not have had sufficient time to be fully
eliminated, but the exhaust system and
exhaust gas may still be hot. If you shut
your vehicle off during operator
commanded regeneration, you may notice
turbo flutter. This is a normal consequence
caused by shutting off a diesel engine
during boosted operation and is considered
normal. Filter Service and Maintenance
Over time, a slight amount of ash builds
up in the diesel particulate filter, which is
not removed during the regeneration
process. The filter may need to be replaced
with a new or remanufactured part at
approximately 250,000 mi (400,000 km).
Actual mileage varies depending on engine
and vehicle operating conditions.
If filter service is required, the
engine control system warning
lamp illuminates in the
information display. If there are any issues with the
diesel particulate filter system,
the engine control system
warning lamp and a service
engine soon warning lamp
illuminate to inform you that
your vehicle requires service. Have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible.
Resonator and Tailpipe Assembly
Maintenance
Aftermarket devices or modifications to
the exhaust system may reduce the
effectiveness of the exhaust system as
well as cause damage to the exhaust
system or engine. This may also degrade
vehicle performance and could lead to
engine damage that may not be covered
by the vehicle Warranty.
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNING: Always fully apply the
parking brake and make sure you shift
into park (P). Failure to follow this
instruction could result in personal injury
or death. WARNING:
Do not use tow/haul
when the road surface is slippery. Failure
to follow this instruction could result in
the loss of control of your vehicle. WARNING:
When your vehicle is
stationary, keep the brake pedal fully
pressed when shifting gears. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in
personal injury, death or property
damage.
Note: Under certain conditions, you will not
be able to shift out of park (P) unless the
intelligent access key is inside the vehicle.
Understanding the Shift Positions
of your Automatic Transmission
Putting your vehicle in or out of gear:
1. Fully press down on the brake pedal.
2. Move the gearshift lever into the desired gear.
3. When you are finished driving, come to
a complete stop.
4. Move the gearshift lever and securely latch it in park (P).
The instrument cluster displays the current
gear.
Park (P)
This position locks the transmission and
prevents the wheels from turning. Reverse (R)
With the gearshift lever in reverse (R), your
vehicle moves backward. Always come to
a complete stop before shifting into and
out of reverse (R).
Neutral (N)
With the gearshift lever in neutral (N), you
can start your vehicle, which is free to roll.
Hold the brake pedal down when in this
position.
Drive (D)
Drive (D) is the normal driving position for
the best fuel economy, and allows
automatic upshifts and downshifts through
all available gears.
Manual (M) with Floor-shifter
With the gearshift lever in manual (M), the
driver can change gears up or down as
desired. By moving the gearshift lever from
drive position drive (D) to manual (M) you
now have control of selecting the gear you
desire using buttons on the shift lever. See
Understanding your SelectShift
Automatic
™ transmission
later in this
section.
To return to normal drive (D) position,
move the gearshift lever back to drive (D).
The transmission operates in all available
gears.
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Manual (M) with Floor-shifter
Moving the gearshift lever to the manual
(M) position allows you to manually select
the gear you desire. Only the current gear
displays. Use the buttons on the gearshift
lever or steering wheel to manually select
gears. Press the + button to upshift or the
– button to downshift. Return the
transmission to a different gearshift
position to deactivate manual control. Progressive Range Selection
Progressive Range Selection gives you the
ability to lockout gears from the automatic
shifting range. This could provide you with
an improved driving experience, for
example, in slippery conditions or when
experiencing a steep slope.
With the transmission in drive (D), press
the
– button to active PRS. The available
and selected gears are indicated on the
instrument cluster.
All available gears display with the current
gear indicated. Press the
– button again
to lock out gears beginning with the highest
gear. Only the available gears display and
the transmission automatically shifts
between the available gears. Press the
+
button to unlock gears to allow the
transmission to shift to higher gears. The
transmission shifts automatically within
the gear range you select. Brake-Shift Interlock WARNING:
When doing this
procedure, you need to take the
transmission out of park (P) which
means your vehicle can roll freely. To
avoid unwanted vehicle movement,
always fully apply the parking brake prior
to doing this procedure. Use wheels
chocks if appropriate. WARNING:
If the parking brake is
fully released, but the brake warning
lamp remains illuminated, the brakes
may not be working properly. Have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible. WARNING:
Do not drive your
vehicle until you verify that the
stoplamps are working.
Your vehicle is equipped with a brake-shift
interlock feature that prevents moving the
gearshift lever from park (P) when the
ignition is in the on position and the brake
pedal is not pressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift lever out
of park (P) position with the ignition in the
on position and the brake pedal pressed,
a malfunction may have occurred. It is
possible that a fuse has blown or your
vehicle ’s brake lamps are not operating
properly.
See Fuse Specification Chart
(page 344).
If the fuse is not blown and the brake
lamps are working properly, the following
procedure allows you to move the gearshift
lever from park (P):
Column-shifter
1. Apply the parking brake and switch off
your vehicle.
2. Move the steering column to the full down and full rearward position
(toward the driver ’s seat).
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USING FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE
Note:
For important information regarding
safe operation of this type of vehicle, see
General Information in the Wheels and Tires
chapter.
Note: Do not use 4H or 4L mode on dry,
hard surfaced roads. Doing so can produce
excessive noise, increase tire wear and may
damage drive components. 4H or 4L mode
is only intended for consistently slippery or
loose surfaces. Use of 4L mode on these
surfaces may produce some noise (such as
occasional clunks), but should not damage
drive components.
Note: If 4L is selected while your vehicle is
moving above 3 mph (5 km/h), the 4WD
system should not perform a shift. This is
normal and should be no reason for concern.
Refer to Shifting to or from 4L (4X4 Low)
for proper operation.
Note: You can switch on and switch off the
electronic locking differential by pulling the
4WD control (4WD vehicles) or turning the
electronic locking differential control (2WD
vehicles). See
Electronic Locking
Differential (page 231).
4WD Indicator Lights
Note: When a 4X4 system fault is present,
the system can typically remain in whichever
4X4 mode was selected prior to the fault
condition occurring. It should not default to
4X2 in all circumstances. When this warning
is displayed, have your vehicle serviced by
an authorized dealer.
4X2 Momentarily illuminates when
2H is selected. 4X4 Auto Continuously illuminates when
4A is selected (2-Speed
Automatic 4WD vehicles only).
4X4 HIGH Continuously illuminates when
4H is selected.
4X4 LOW Continuously illuminates when
4L is selected.
CHECK 4X4 Displays when a 4X4 fault is
present.
Using the Electronic Shift on the
Fly 4WD system
(If Equipped) 2H (4X2)
For general on-road driving. Sends power
to the rear wheels only and should be used
for street and highway driving. Provides
optimal smoothness and fuel economy at
high speeds.
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(If Equipped)E181778 E181781 E181779 E181780 E191851

The information display can display a
message indicating a 4X4 shift is in
progress. The information display can then
display the system mode selected. If any
of the above shift conditions are not
present, the shift should not occur and the
information display can display
information guiding the driver through the
proper shifting procedures.
If Shift Delayed Pull Forward displays in
the information display, a transfer case
gear tooth blockage is present. To alleviate
this condition, place the transmission in a
forward gear, move your vehicle forward
approximately
5 ft (1.5 m), and shift the
transmission back to neutral (N) to allow
the transfer case to complete the range
shift.
Operating 4WD vehicles with spare or
mismatched tires
On four-wheel drive vehicles, the size of
the spare tire can affect the 4X4 system.
If there is a significant difference between
the size of the spare tire and the remaining
tires, you may have limited four-wheel
drive functionality.
When driving with the full-size dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly, it is
recommended that you do not:
• Exceed
50 mph (80 km/h) with a 4WD
mode turned on.
• Turn on a 4WD mode unless the
vehicle is stationary.
• Use a 4WD mode on dry pavement.
When driving with the full-size dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly, 4WD
functionality may be limited, especially
when driving in a mechanically locked 4WD
mode. You may experience the following:
• Additional noise from the transfer case
or other drive components.
• Difficulty shifting out of a mechanically
locked 4WD mode. Use of a dissimilar spare wheel and tire
assembly may lead to impairment of the
following:
•
Comfort and noise.
• Winter weather driving capability.
• Wet driving capability.
• Four-wheel drive capability.
How Your Vehicle Differs From
Other Vehicles WARNING:
Vehicles with a higher
center of gravity (utility and four-wheel
drive vehicles) handle differently than
vehicles with a lower center of gravity
(passenger cars). Avoid sharp turns,
excessive speed and abrupt steering in
these vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously
increases the risk of losing control of your
vehicle, vehicle rollover, personal injury
and death.
Truck and utility vehicles can differ from
some other vehicles. Your vehicle may be
higher to allow it to travel over rough
terrain without getting hung up or
damaging underbody components.
The differences that make your vehicle so
versatile also make it handle differently
than an ordinary passenger car.
Maintain steering wheel control at all
times, especially in rough terrain. Since
sudden changes in terrain can result in
abrupt steering wheel motion, make sure
you grip the steering wheel from the
outside. Do not grip the spokes.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle damage
from concealed objects such as rocks and
stumps.
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(If Equipped)