When backing down a ramp during boat
launching or retrieval:
•
Do not allow the static water level to
rise above the bottom edge of the rear
bumper.
• Do not allow waves to break higher
than 6 in (15 cm) above the bottom
edge of the rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allow water to
enter vehicle components:
• Causing internal damage to the
components.
• Affecting driveability, emissions, and
reliability.
Replace the rear axle lubricant anytime
the rear axle has been submerged in water.
Water may have contaminated the rear
axle lubricant, which is not normally
checked or changed unless a leak is
suspected or other axle repair is required.
TOWING THE VEHICLE ON
FOUR WHEELS WARNING:
If your vehicle has a
steering wheel lock make sure the
ignition is in the accessory or on position
when being towed. Emergency Towing
If your vehicle becomes inoperable
(without access to wheel dollies,
car-hauling trailer, or flatbed transport
vehicle), it can be flat-towed (all wheels
on the ground, regardless of the powertrain
and transmission configuration) under the
following conditions:
•
Your vehicle is facing forward for
towing in a forward direction.
• Place the transmission in neutral (N).
If you cannot move the transmission
into neutral (N), you may need to
override it. See
Transmission (page
217).
• Maximum speed is 35 mph (56 km/h).
• Maximum distance is
50 mi (80 km).
Recreational Towing
Note: Put your climate control system in
recirculated air mode to prevent exhaust
fumes from entering your vehicle. See
Climate Control
(page 151).
Follow these guidelines if you have a need
for recreational towing, such as towing
your vehicle behind a motorhome. These
guidelines are designed to prevent damage
to your transmission.
Two-wheel Drive Vehicles
You cannot tow a two-wheel drive vehicle
with any wheels on the ground as vehicle
or transmission damage may occur. You
must tow your vehicle with all four wheels
off the ground, such as when using a
car-hauling trailer.
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forest trail or the open desert. Before going
off-roading, consult with your local
governmental agencies to determine
designated off-road trails and recreation
areas. Also, be sure to understand any
off-road vehicle registration requirements
for the area in which you plan on driving.
Tread Lightly is an educational program
designed to increase public awareness of
land-use regulations and responsibilities
in our nation
’s wilderness areas. Ford joins
the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land
Management in encouraging you to help
preserve our national forest and other
public and private lands by treading lightly.
Before taking your vehicle off-roading, a
basic vehicle inspection should be done to
make sure that the vehicle is in top working
condition.
It is always recommended that at least
two vehicles are used while off-roading.
The buddy system helps make sure that
help is close at hand should a vehicle
become stuck or damaged. It is also wise
to take supplies such as a first aid kit,
supply of water, tow strap, cell or satellite
phone with you any time an off-road
excursion is planned.
Basic Off-road Driving Techniques
• Grip the steering wheel with thumbs
on the outside of the rim. This will
reduce the risk of injury due to abrupt
steering wheel motions that occur
when negotiating rough terrain. Do not
grip the steering wheel with thumbs
inside the rim.
• Throttle, brake and steering inputs
should be made in a smooth and
controlled manner. Sudden inputs to
the controls can cause loss of traction
or upset the vehicle, especially while
on sloped terrain or while crossing
obstacles such as rocks or logs. •
Look ahead on your route noting
upcoming obstacles, surface texture
or color changes or any other factors
which may indicate a change in
available traction, and adjust the
vehicle speed and route accordingly.
During pre-run, mark obstacles with
GPS markers to make sure appropriate
speeds are used to avoid potential
vehicle damage.
• When driving off-road, if the front or
rear suspension is bottoming out
and/or excessive contact with the
skid-plates is encountered, reduce
vehicle speed to avoid potential
damage to the vehicle.
• When running with other vehicles, it is
recommended that communication is
used, and the lead vehicle notify other
vehicles of obstacles that could cause
potential vehicle damage.
• Always keep available ground
clearance in mind and pick a route that
minimizes the risk of catching the
underside of the vehicle on an obstacle.
• When negotiating low speed obstacles,
applying light brake pressure in
conjunction with the throttle will help
prevent the vehicle from jerking and
will allow you to negotiate the obstacle
in a more controlled manner. Using 4L
will also help with this.
• Use and equip supplemental safety
equipment as discussed later in this
chapter.
• Please consult your local off-road
group for other helpful tips.
• Off-roading requires a high degree of
concentration. Even if your local law
does not prohibit alcohol use while
driving off-road, Ford strongly
recommends against drinking if you
plan to off-road.
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Crossing Obstacles
•
Review the path ahead before
attempting to cross any obstacle. It is
best if the obstacle is reviewed from
outside the vehicle so that there is a
good understanding of terrain condition
both in front of and behind the
obstacle.
• Approach obstacles slowly and slowly
inch the vehicle over.
• If a large obstacle such as a rock
cannot be avoided, choose a path that
places the rock directly under the tire
rather than the undercarriage of the
vehicle. This will help prevent damage
to the vehicle.
• Ditches and washouts should be
crossed at a 45 degree angle, allowing
each wheel to independently cross the
obstacle.
Hill Climbing WARNING: Extreme care should
be used when steering the vehicle in
reverse down a slope so as not to cause
the vehicle to swerve out of control.
• Always attempt to climb a steep hill
along the fall line of the slope and not
diagonally.
• If the vehicle is unable to make it up
the hill, DO NOT attempt to turn back
down the slope. Place the vehicle in
low range and slowly back down in
reverse.
• When descending a steep slope, select
low gear and engage hill descent
control. Use the throttle and brake
pedals to control your descent speed
as described earlier in this section using
hill descent control. Note that hill
descent control is functional in reverse
and should be used in this situation. BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for
approximately
300 mi (480 km). During
this time, your vehicle may exhibit some
unusual driving characteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first
1,000 mi (1,600 km)
. Vary your speed
frequently and change up through the
gears early. Do not labor the engine.
Do not tow during the first
1,000 mi
(1,600 km).
DRIVING THROUGH WATER WARNING:
Do not drive through
flowing or deep water as you may lose
control of your vehicle.
Note: Driving through standing water can
cause vehicle damage.
Note: Engine damage can occur if water
enters the air filter.
Before driving through standing water,
check the depth. Never drive through water
that is higher than the bottom of the wheel
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When driving through standing water, drive
very slowly and do not stop your vehicle.
Your brake performance and traction may
be limited. After driving through water and
as soon as it is safe to do so:
•
Lightly press the brake pedal to dry the
brakes and to check that they work.
• Check that the horn works.
• Check that the exterior lights work.
• Turn the steering wheel to check that
the steering power assist works.
SNOW PLOWING
We recommend the four-wheel drive F-150
in XL, XLT or Lariat trim levels with the 5.0L
engine and snowplow option for residential
snowplowing only. We do not recommend
the F-150 with the automatic four-wheel
drive system for snowplowing.
Do not use F-150 vehicles equipped with
the 2.7L, 3.0L, 3.3L or 3.5L engines for
snowplowing.
Installing the Snowplow
Weight limits and guidelines for selecting
and installing the snowplow are in the Ford
Truck Body Builders Layout Book,
snowplow section, found at
www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas. A typical installation affects the following:
•
Certification to government safety laws
such as occupant protection and airbag
deployment, braking, and lighting. Look
for an Alterer ’s Label on your vehicle
from the snowplow installer certifying
that the installation meets all
applicable Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards (FMVSS).
• The Front Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) is on the upper left side of the
vehicle ’s Safety Compliance
Certification Label. This is the total
weight that front axle supports, which
includes the vehicle weight plus any
auxiliary equipment such as snowplow
frame-mounted hardware that can be
added to the vehicle and satisfy Ford
compliance certification to FMVSS. Do
not exceed FGAWR or Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR).
• Rear ballast weight behind the rear
axle may be required to prevent
exceeding the FGAWR, and provide
front-to-rear weight balance for proper
braking and steering.
• Front wheel toe may require
re-adjustment to prevent premature
uneven tire wear. Specifications are in
the Ford Workshop Manual.
• Headlight aim may require adjustment.
• The tire air pressures recommended
for general driving are on the vehicle ’s
Safety Certification Label. The
maximum cold inflation pressure for
the tire and associated load rating are
on the tire sidewall. Tire air pressure
may require re-adjustment within these
pressure limits to accommodate the
additional weight of the snowplow
installation.
• Federal and some local regulations
require additional exterior lamps for
snowplow-equipped vehicles. Contact
an authorized dealer for additional
information.
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Snowplow Mode (If Equipped)
Press the snowplow button on the
instrument panel to switch on snowplow
mode. The button illuminates when in
snowplow mode. A message appears in
the information display indicating that
features are turned off when in snowplow
mode.
The following features are disabled when
in snowplow mode:
• 110V inverter.
• Fog lamps.
• Heated steering wheel.
• Heated front and rear seats.
• Massaging seats.
The body module also activates the
snowplow relay that provides power to
aftermarket snowplow controls.
Switch off snowplow mode by pressing
the snowplow button or switching off the
ignition. The snowplow button is no longer
illuminated and features are turned on.
Note: The electrical system is designed to
support the addition of a residential
snowplow (up to 60 Amps continuous) and
snowplow lights (up to 20 Amps
continuous) using snowplow mode. The
system is not designed to support snowplow
usage with additional electrical aftermarket
accessories.
Operating the Vehicle with the
Snowplow Attached
Note: Drive the vehicle at least
500 mi
(800 km) before using your vehicle for snow
removal.
We recommend vehicle speed does not
exceed
45 mph (72 km/h) when
snowplowing. The attached snowplow blade restricts
airflow to the radiator, and may cause the
engine to run at a higher temperature.
Attention to engine temperature is
especially important when outside
temperatures are above freezing. Angle
the blade to maximize airflow to the
radiator and monitor engine temperature
to determine whether a left or right angle
provides the best performance.
Follow the severe duty schedule in your
Scheduled Maintenance information for
engine oil and transmission fluid change
intervals.
Snowplowing with your Airbag
Equipped Vehicle
WARNING:
Do not attempt to
service, repair, or modify the airbag
supplemental restraint systems or its
fuses on a vehicle containing air bags as
you could be seriously injured or killed.
Contact your authorized dealer as soon
as possible. WARNING:
All occupants of your
vehicle, including the driver, should
always properly wear their seatbelts,
even when an airbag supplemental
restraint system is provided. Failure to
properly wear your seatbelt could
seriously increase the risk of injury or
death. WARNING:
Modifying or adding
equipment to the front end of your
vehicle (including hood, bumper system,
frame, front end body structure, tow
hooks and hood pins) may affect the
performance of the airbag system,
increasing the risk of injury. Do not
modify or add equipment to the front
end of your vehicle.
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Protected Component
Fuse Rating
Fuse Number
Central lock/unlock.
20A
24
Driver door control module.
30A
25
Passenger door control module.
30A
26
Vista roof.
30A
27
Moonroof.
Not used (spare).
20A
28
Not used (spare).
30A
29
Not used (spare).
30A
30
Adjustable pedal switch and motor.
15A
31
Multi-function display.
10A
32
SYNC.
Radio frequency receiver.
Radio.
20A
33
Run-start relay.
30A
34
Selectable drive mode switch.
5A
35
Upfitter switches (Raptor).
360 camera module.
15A
36
Heated steering wheel module.
Rear-view mirror.
Rear heated seats.
Lane departure warning module.
Automatic high beam module.
Image processing module A.
Not used (spare).
20A
37
Rear window switches and motors.
30A Circuit breaker.
38
Note: Spare fuse amperage may vary.
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Note:
If the oil level is between the full and
minimum marks, the oil level is acceptable.
Do not add oil.
Note: The oil consumption of new engines
reaches its normal level after approximately
3,000 mi (5,000 km).
Adding Engine Oil WARNING: Do not remove the filler
cap when the engine is running.
Do not use supplemental engine oil
additives because they are unnecessary
and could lead to engine damage that may
not be covered by the vehicle Warranty. The American Petroleum Institute (API)
service symbol is used to identify the
proper engine oil for your engine. The API
service symbol will be displayed on the oil
container you purchase. The API symbol
displays the oil performance category in
the top half of the symbol and the viscosity
grade in the center of the symbol.
To top up the engine oil level do the
following:
1. Clean the area surrounding the engine
oil filler cap before you remove it.
2. Remove the engine oil filler cap.
3. Add engine oil that meets Ford specifications. 4. Recheck the oil level.
5. If the oil level is correct, replace the
dipstick and make sure it is fully seated.
6. Replace the engine oil filler cap. Turn it clockwise until you feel a strong
resistance.
Note: Do not add oil further than the
maximum mark. Oil levels above the
maximum mark may cause engine damage.
Note: Make sure you install the oil filler cap
correctly.
Note: Soak up any spillage with an
absorbent cloth immediately.
OIL CHANGE INDICATOR
RESET
Use the information display controls on
the steering wheel to reset the oil change
indicator.
From the main menu scroll to: Action and description
Message
Press the right arrow button,
then from this menu scroll
to the following message.
Settings
Press the right arrow button,
then from this menu scroll
to the following message.
Conveni-
ence
Press the right arrow button,
then from this menu scroll
to the following message.
Oil Life
Reset
Press and hold the
OK
button until the instrument
cluster displays the
following message.
Hold OK to
Reset
Reset Successful
When the oil change indic-
ator resets the instrument
cluster displays 100%.
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Because your vehicle
’s engine is
electronically controlled by a computer,
some control conditions are maintained
by power from the battery. When the
battery is disconnected or a new battery
is installed, the engine must relearn its idle
and fuel trim strategy for optimum
driveability and performance. Flexible fuel
vehicles (FFV) must also relearn the
ethanol content of the fuel for optimum
driveability and performance.
To restore the settings, do the following:
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Shift into park (P) or neutral (N).
3. Switch off all accessories.
4. Press the brake pedal and start your vehicle.
5. Run the engine until it reaches normal operating temperature. While the
engine is warming up, complete the
following: Reset the clock. Reset the
power windows bounce-back feature.
See Windows and Mirrors (page 103).
Reset the radio station presets. See
Audio System (page 478).
6. Allow the engine to idle for at least one
minute.
7. Drive the vehicle at least 10 mi (16 km)
to completely relearn the idle trim and
fuel trim strategy.
Note: If you do not allow the engine to
relearn the idle and fuel trim strategy, the
idle quality of your vehicle may be adversely
affected until the engine computer
eventually relearns the idle trim and fuel
trim strategy.
Note: For flexible fuel vehicles, if you are
operating on E85, you may experience poor
starts or an inability to start the engine and
driveability problems until the fuel trim and
ethanol content have been relearned. Make sure that you dispose of old batteries
in an environmentally friendly way. Seek
advice from your local authority about
recycling old batteries.
If storing your vehicle for more than 30
days without recharging the battery, we
recommend that you disconnect the
negative battery cable to maintain battery
charge for quick starting.
Battery Management System
(If
Equipped)
The battery management system monitors
battery conditions and takes actions to
extend battery life. If excessive battery
drain is detected, the system temporarily
disables some electrical systems to
protect the battery.
Systems included are:
• Heated rear window.
• Heated seats.
• Climate control.
• Heated steering wheel.
• Audio unit.
• Navigation system.
A message may appear in the information
displays to alert you that battery
protection actions are active. These
messages are only for notification that an
action is taking place, and not intended to
indicate an electrical problem or that the
battery requires replacement.
After battery replacement, or in some
cases after charging the battery with an
external charger, the battery management
system requires eight hours of vehicle sleep
time to relearn the battery state of charge.
During this time your vehicle must remain
fully locked with the ignition switched off.
Note: Prior to relearning the battery state
of charge, the battery management system
may temporarily disable some electrical
systems.
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