2021 FORD F-150 check engine

BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Driving your vehicle
with the warning lamp on is dangerous.
A significant decrease in braking
performance may occur. It may take you
longer to stop your vehicle. Have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible.
Driving extended distances with the
parking brake engaged can cause brake
failure and the risk of personal injury.
Wet brakes result in reduced braking
efficiency. Gently press the brake pedal a
few times when leaving a car wash or
driving from standing water to dry the
brakes.
Note: Depending on applicable laws and
regulations in the country for which your
vehicle was originally built, the stoplamps
could flash during heavy braking. Following
this the hazard warning flashers could also
turn on when your vehicle comes to a stop.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM
LIMITATIONS
The anti-lock braking system does not
eliminate the risk of crash when:
• You drive too closely to the vehicle in
front of you.
• Your vehicle is hydroplaning.
• You take corners too fast.
• The road surface is poor.
Note: If the system activates, the brake
pedal could pulse and travel further.
Maintain pressure on the brake pedal. BRAKE OVER ACCELERATOR
- RAPTOR
In the event the accelerator pedal
becomes stuck or entrapped, apply steady
and firm pressure to the brake pedal to
slow the vehicle and reduce engine power.
If you experience this condition, apply the
brakes and bring your vehicle to a safe
stop. Move the transmission to park (P),
switch the engine off and apply the parking
brake. Inspect the accelerator pedal for
any interference. If none are found and the
condition persists, have your vehicle towed
to the nearest authorized dealer.
Note:
Certain drive modes can disable
brake over accelerator for off-road driving.
BRAKE OVER ACCELERATOR
In the event the accelerator pedal
becomes stuck or entrapped, apply steady
and firm pressure to the brake pedal to
slow the vehicle and reduce engine power.
If you experience this condition, apply the
brakes and bring your vehicle to a safe
stop. Move the transmission to park (P),
switch the engine off and apply the parking
brake. Inspect the accelerator pedal for
any interference. If none are found and the
condition persists, have your vehicle towed
to the nearest authorized dealer.
LOCATING THE BRAKE FLUID
RESERVOIR
See
Under Hood Overview (page 504).
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Brakes

WHAT IS HILL START ASSIST
Hill Start Assist makes it easier for you to
pull away when your vehicle is on a slope
without using the parking brake.
HOW DOES HILL START
ASSIST WORK
When the system activates, your vehicle
remains stationary for a few seconds after
you release the brake pedal. This gives you
time to move your foot from the brake
pedal to the accelerator pedal. The brakes
release when the engine has developed
sufficient torque to prevent your vehicle
from rolling down the slope.
HILL START ASSIST
PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: The system does not
replace the parking brake. When you
leave your vehicle, always apply the
parking brake. WARNING:
You must remain in
your vehicle when the system turns on.
At all times, you are responsible for
controlling your vehicle, supervising the
system and intervening, if required.
Failure to take care may result in the loss
of control of your vehicle, serious
personal injury or death. WARNING:
The system will turn
off if a malfunction is apparent. Failure
to take care may result in the loss of
control of your vehicle, serious personal
injury or death. HILL START ASSIST –
TROUBLESHOOTING
HILL START ASSIST –
INFORMATION MESSAGES Action
Message
Displays when
system is not avail- able. Have your
vehicle checked as soon as possible.
Hill Start Assist Not
Available
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Hill Start Assist

WHAT IS TRACTION CONTROL
The traction control system helps to avoid
drive wheel spin and loss of traction.
HOW DOES TRACTION
CONTROL WORK
If your wheels begin to spin, the loss of
traction can compromise steering control
and stability of the vehicle. The traction
control system applies the brakes to
individual wheels and when needed,
reduces engine power at the same time to
increase traction.
SWITCHING TRACTION
CONTROL ON AND OFF
WARNING: Operating your vehicle
with the traction control disabled could
lead to an increased risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover, personal injury
and death. The traction control system turns on each
time you switch the ignition on.
The button for the stability and traction
control system is on the instrument panel. Press and release the button to switch
traction control off. The stability control
system remains fully active, to switch it off,
press and hold the button for a few
seconds, then release.
When you switch traction control off, a
message and an illuminated icon appear
on the instrument cluster.
Press the switch again to turn the traction
control system back on to normal
operation.
If your vehicle is stuck in mud or snow,
switching traction control off may be
beneficial as this allows the wheels to spin.
Your vehicle may have MyKey restrictions
regarding this feature. See
What Is
MyKey (page 98).
TRACTION CONTROL
INDICATOR
Stability and Traction Control
Indicator If the indicator does not
illuminate when you switch the
ignition on, or remains on when
the engine is running, this indicates a
malfunction. Have your vehicle checked
by an authorized dealer as soon as
possible. The traction control off indicator
illuminates when you switch the
traction control system off, or
when an alternative stability control mode
is selected that requires the traction
control off depending on the drive mode
selected.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Traction ControlE327252 E138639 E130458

PICKUP BED PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Do not allow people or
animals in truck beds that have
modifications, such as bed covers or
slide-in campers, when the engine is
running. Exhaust fumes are toxic. Failure
to follow this instruction could result in
personal injury or death. WARNING: It is extremely
dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside
or outside of a vehicle. In a crash, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow
people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and
seatbelts. Make sure everyone in your
vehicle is in a seat and properly using a
seatbelt. Failure to follow this warning
could result in serious personal injury or
death.
PICKUP BED ANCHOR POINTS
PICKUP BED ANCHOR POINT
PRECAUTIONS WARNING: Always properly secure
cargo to prevent shifting cargo or cargo
falling from the vehicle. Failure to do so
could result in compromised vehicle
stability and serious personal injury to
vehicle occupants or others. WARNING:
The appropriate
loading capacity of your vehicle can be
limited either by volume capacity (how
much space is available) or by payload
capacity (how much weight the vehicle
should carry). Once you have reached the maximum payload of your vehicle,
do not add more cargo, even if there is
space available. Overloading or
improperly loading your vehicle can
contribute to loss of vehicle control and
vehicle rollover.
WARNING:
It is extremely
dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside
or outside of a vehicle. In a crash, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow
people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and
seatbelts. Make sure everyone in your
vehicle is in a seat and properly using a
seatbelt. Failure to follow this warning
could result in serious personal injury or
death. WARNING:
Do not use the load
retaining fixtures for towing. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in
personal injury. WARNING:
Do not exceed the
maximum load rating of the load
retaining fixtures. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in personal injury. WARNING:
Check the load
retaining fixtures for damage before
using them. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in personal injury.
LOCATING THE PICKUP BED
ANCHOR POINTS
The pickup bed anchor points are located
at each corner of the pickup bed.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Pickup Bed

Certain states require functioning trailer
brakes for trailers over a specified weight.
Be sure to check state regulations for this
specified weight.
Ford Motor Company recommends
separate functioning brake systems for
trailers weighing more than 1,500 lb
(680 kg) when loaded.
TOWING A TRAILER
LIMITATIONS
The vehicle's load capacity
designation is by weight, not by
volume, so you cannot necessarily
use all available space when
loading a vehicle or trailer.
Note: Your vehicle could have
reduced performance when
operating at high altitudes and
when heavily loaded or towing a
trailer. When driving at elevation,
to match driving performance as
perceived at sea level, reduce gross
vehicle weight and gross
combination weight by 2% per
1,000 ft (300 m)
elevation.
LOADING YOUR TRAILER
To help minimize how trailer
movement affects your vehicle
when driving:
• Load the heaviest items closest
to the trailer floor.
• Load the heaviest items
centered between the left and
right side trailer tires. •
Load the heaviest items above
the trailer axles or just slightly
forward toward the trailer
tongue. Do not allow the final
trailer tongue weight to go
above or below 10-15% of the
loaded trailer weight. The
trailer tongue weight should
never exceed 10% of the
maximum towing capacity.
• Select a ball mount with the
correct rise or drop. When both
the loaded vehicle and trailer
are connected, the trailer frame
should be level, or slightly
angled down toward your
vehicle, when viewed from the
side.
TRAILER TOWING HINTS
Towing a trailer places an extra load on
your vehicle's engine, transmission, axle,
brakes, tires and suspension. Periodically
inspect these components during and after
any towing operation.
When driving with a trailer or payload, a
slight takeoff vibration or shudder may be
present due to the increased payload
weight.
Your vehicle may have a temporary or
conventional spare tire. A temporary spare
tire is different in diameter or width,
tread-type, or is from a different
manufacturer than the road tires on your
vehicle. Consult information on the tire
label or Safety Compliance label for
limitations when using.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Towing a Trailer

When towing a trailer:
•
Obey country specific regulations for
towing a trailer.
• Do not drive faster than 70 mph
(113 km/h) during the first 500 mi
(800 km).
• Do not make full-throttle starts.
• Check your hitch, electrical connections
and trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly
after you have traveled 50 mi (80 km).
• When stopped in congested or heavy
traffic during hot weather, place the
transmission in park (P) to aid engine
and transmission cooling and to help
A/C performance.
• Turn off the speed control with heavy
loads or in hilly terrain. The speed
control may turn off when you are
towing on long, steep slopes.
• Shift to a lower gear when driving down
a long or steep hill. Do not continuously
apply the brakes, as they may overheat
and become less effective.
• If your transmission has Grade Assist
or Tow/Haul, use this feature when
towing. This provides engine braking
and helps eliminate excessive
transmission shifting for optimum fuel
economy and transmission cooling.
• Your vehicle has AdvanceTrac with roll
stability control. When towing a trailer,
additional loads could cause the
AdvanceTrac system to engage during
cornering maneuvers. Reduce cornering
speeds to make sure that you can
maintain control of the vehicle and
trailer if the AdvanceTrac system
engages. •
Allow more distance for stopping with
a trailer attached. Anticipate stops and
gradually brake.
• Avoid parking on a slope. However, if
you must park on a slope, turn the
steering wheel to point your vehicle
tires away from traffic flow, set the
parking brake, place the transmission
in park (P) and place wheel chocks in
front and back of the trailer wheels.
Note: Chocks are not included with your
vehicle.
LAUNCHING OR RETRIEVING
A BOAT OR PERSONAL
WATERCRAFT
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
6 in (15 cm) could allow water
to enter vehicle components, causing
internal damage to the components and
affecting driveability, emissions and
reliability.
Note: Replace the rear axle lubricant
anytime the rear axle has been submerged
in water.
Note: Disconnect the trailer wiring
connector before backing the trailer into the
water.
Note: Reconnect the trailer wiring
connector after removing the trailer from
the water.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Towing a Trailer

HOW DOES TRAILER SWAY
CONTROL WORK
The system applies the brakes to the
individual wheels and reduces engine
torque to aid vehicle stability.
If the trailer begins to sway, the stability
control lamp flashes and the message
Trailer Sway Reduce Speed appears in
the information display.
Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe to
do so. Check the vertical weight on the
tow ball and trailer load distribution.
TRAILER SWAY CONTROL
PRECAUTIONS WARNING: Turning off trailer sway
control increases the risk of loss of
vehicle control, serious injury or death.
Ford does not recommend disabling this
feature except in situations where speed
reduction may be detrimental (such as
hill climbing), the driver has significant
trailer towing experience, and can control
trailer sway and maintain safe operation.
Note: This feature only activates when
significant trailer sway occurs.
Note: This feature does not prevent trailer
sway, but reduces it once it begins.
Note: This feature cannot stop all trailers
from swaying.
Note: In some cases, if vehicle speed is too
high, the system may activate multiple
times, gradually reducing vehicle speed.
SWITCHING TRAILER SWAY
CONTROL ON AND OFF
1. Press
Features on the touchscreen. 2. Press
Towing.
3. Switch
Trailer Sway Control on or off.
The system turns on each time you start
your vehicle.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Trailer Sway Control

DRIVING THROUGH WATER
LIMITATIONS - RAPTOR
Maximum Wading
Depth
Model
32 in (810 mm)
All.
When you are driving though water do not
exceed 4 mph (7 km/h).
WATER WADING WARNING:
Do not attempt to
cross a deep, fast flowing body of water.
Failure to follow this instruction could
result in the loss of control of your
vehicle, personal injury or death.
As the water depth increases, you must
reduce your vehicle speed to avoid
potential vehicle damage. •
Always determine the depth before
attempting a water crossing. Never
drive through water that is higher than
the bottom of the wheel hubs.
• Slowly proceed and avoid splashing
water any more than is necessary. •
Be aware that obstacles and debris
may be beneath the water ’s surface.
• Keep the doors fully closed during the
water crossing.
• After driving through water and as soon
as it is safe to do so check the brakes,
horn, lights, and steering wheel to
confirm those systems are functioning
properly.
Note: Engine damage can occur if water
enters the air filter.
OFF-ROAD DRIVING AIDS -
RAPTOR
Selecting an Off-Road Drive Mode
Using the appropriate drive mode increases
your vehicle's control. See
Drive Mode
Control (page 371).
Using Four-Wheel Drive
Your vehicle has a four-wheel drive system
that offers various modes to help you
optimize traction on any off-road surface.
See
Four-Wheel Drive (page 291).
Using the Cameras Off-Road
Use the 360 degree camera to enhance
your off-road experience. See 360 Degree
Camera
(page 342).
Using the Rear Differential Lock
When engaged, the rear differential lock
provides additional traction to your vehicle
by forcing the two rear wheels to turn at
the same speed.
Note: Rear differential lock is only available
when the vehicle is in 4H or 4L. See
Electronic Locking Differential (page 301).
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Driving HintsE310941