OFF-ROAD DRIVING
WHAT IS OFF-ROAD DRIVING
Off-road driving is driving your vehicle on
unsurfaced roads or trails, made from dirt,
rocks, sand and mud.
OFF-ROAD DRIVING
PRECAUTIONS - RAPTOR
WARNING: If you continue to drive
your vehicle when the engine is
overheating, the engine could stop
without warning. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in the loss of
control of your vehicle.
Before going off-road driving, consult with
all the appropriate government entities to
determine where you are legally allowed
to operate your vehicle and what permits
or registrations are required to do so.
Inspect your vehicle before and after any
off-road driving.
Familiarize yourself with the dimensions
of your vehicle including approach angles,
breakover angles, and ground clearance.
Also familiarize yourself with the features
of your vehicle. Some of these features
such as drive modes and cameras can
improve your off-road driving experience.
Secure loose objects inside your vehicle
and in the cargo area.
BASIC OFF-ROAD DRIVING
TECHNIQUES - RAPTOR
Grip the steering wheel with your thumbs
on the outside of the rim. This reduces the
risk of injury due to abrupt steering wheel
motions that occur when negotiating rough
terrain. If you are driving in a dusty area, be sure to
leave ample distance between your vehicle
and any other vehicles to allow for
adequate vision.
BASIC OFF-ROAD DRIVING
TECHNIQUES
Off-road Driving Hints
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.
1. 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.
2. 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 loose terrain or while crossing
obstacles such as rocks or logs.
3. Look ahead on your route noting upcoming obstacles, or any other
factors which may indicate a change
in available traction, and adjust the
vehicle speed and route accordingly.
4. 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.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Driving Hints
Driving In Mud
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle
speed or direction when you are driving in
mud.
After driving through mud, clean your
vehicle. Excess mud stuck on the wheels
and tires and rotating components can
cause an imbalance and result in damage.
Note:
The vehicle brakes are less effective
when wet or muddy.
Driving Over Rocks and Gravel
Never attempt to straddle a rock that is
large enough to strike your axles or
undercarriage.
Leave a generous gap between your
vehicle and other vehicles to minimize the
risk of damage. Avoid dust clouds as they
reduce visibility.
Climbing A Hill 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.
Do not drive over the crest of a hill without
seeing what conditions are on the other
side. Do not drive in reverse over a hill
without the aid of an observer.
Note: Avoid turning on steep slopes or hills.
A danger lies in losing traction, slipping
sideways and possible vehicle roll over.
Note: Too much acceleration can cause
the tires to slip, spin or lose traction,
resulting in loss of vehicle control. Driving Through Water 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.
The key to a safe crossing is the water
depth, current and bottom of the water's
condition. On soft bottoms, the vehicle
sinks in, effectively increasing the water
level on the vehicle. Make sure to consider
this when determining the depth of water.
Determine the depth and speed of the
current before attempting a water crossing.
Be aware that obstacles and debris could
be beneath the water ’s surface.
Note: Cross flowing water at an angle
heading slightly upstream.
Note: Tread lightly and avoid damage to
the environment.
Water can cause permanent damage that
may not be covered by your vehicle
warranty. See
Driving Through Water
Limitations (page 474).
Note: Failure to follow the recommended
speeds can result in vehicle damage.
Muddy waters can reduce the cooling
system effectiveness by depositing debris
into the radiator.
High currents even in shallow water can
wash the dirt out from around your tires or
push your vehicle across slippery rocks or
surfaces.
Do not cross any body of water that is fast
flowing and rising.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Driving Hints
•
Moderate braking is particularly
important since it allows you to
maximize the energy captured by the
regenerative braking system.
• Drive at steady speeds without
stopping.
• Anticipate stops; slowing down may
eliminate the need to stop.
• Driving on flat terrain.
• Drive at reasonable speeds and
observe posted speed limits.
• Shut all windows when driving at high
speeds.
• Combine errands and minimize
stop-and-go driving.
• Drive with the tonneau cover installed
if your vehicle comes with one.
• Keep the tires properly inflated and use
only the recommended size.
• Use the recommended engine oil.
• Follow the recommended maintenance
schedule and carry out the
recommended checks.
• Perform all scheduled maintenance.
Note: Having your engine running is not
always an indication of inefficiency. In some
cases, it is actually more efficient than
driving in electric mode.
Avoid these actions; they reduce your fuel
consumption:
• Revving the engine.
• Aggressive driving increases the
amount of energy required to move
your vehicle.
• Driving in lower temperatures during
the first 5–10 mi (12 –16 km) of driving.
• Idle for periods longer than one minute.
• Use the air conditioner or front
defroster. •
Adding certain accessories to your
vehicle like bug deflectors, rollbars,
light bars, running boards, ski racks or
luggage racks.
• Use the speed control in hilly terrain.
• Using fuel blended with alcohol.
• Drive a heavily loaded vehicle or tow a
trailer.
• Driving with the wheels out of
alignment.
DRIVING IN SPECIAL
CONDITIONS
EMERGENCY MANEUVERS
In an unavoidable emergency where you
must make a sudden sharp maneuver, turn
the steering wheel only as rapidly and as
far as required to avoid the emergency.
Apply smooth pressure to the accelerator
pedal or brake pedal as needed. Avoid
abrupt steering, acceleration and braking
changes. Abrupt changes could increase
the risk of vehicle roll over, loss of vehicle
control and personal injury. If possible, use
any available road surfaces to bring your
vehicle under control.
FLOOR MATS WARNING:
Use a floor mat
designed to fit the footwell of your
vehicle that does not obstruct the pedal
area. Failure to follow this instruction
could result in the loss of control of your
vehicle, personal injury or death. WARNING:
Pedals that cannot
move freely can cause loss of vehicle
control and increase the risk of serious
personal injury.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Driving Hints
When operating your vehicle with a
snowplow:
•
Do not exceed 45 mph (72 km/h).
• Your engine could run at a higher
temperature than normal.
•If you are driving more than
15 mi
(24 km) at temperatures above
freezing, angle the plow blade
either full left or full right to provide
maximum airflow to the radiator.
• If you are driving less than
15 mi
(24 km) at speeds up to 45 mph
(72 km/h) in cold weather, you do
not need to worry about blade
position to provide maximum
airflow.
• Shift to 4L when plowing in small areas
at speeds below
5 mph (8 km/h).
• Shift to
4H when plowing larger areas
or light snow at higher speeds above
5 mph (8 km/h)
. Do not exceed
15 mph (24 km/h).
• Do not shift the transmission from a
forward gear to reverse (R) until the
engine is at idle and the wheels have
stopped.
Note: Careless or high-speed driving when
snowplowing, which results in significant
vehicle decelerations, can deploy the airbag.
Such driving also increases the risk of
accidents.
Note: Drive your vehicle at least
500 mi
(800 km) before using your vehicle for
snowplowing.
Note: Follow the severe duty schedule for
engine oil and transmission fluid change
intervals. See
Special Operating
Conditions Scheduled Maintenance (page
675
). SNOWPLOW MODE
WHAT IS SNOWPLOW MODE
Snowplow mode reduces vehicle electrical
load to allow the electrical system to have
sufficient power to support residential
snowplow use.
SWITCHING SNOWPLOW MODE
ON AND OFF
Vehicles receive a physical button in the
instrument panel or an option in the SYNC
menu to enable snowplow mode.
Snowplow mode does not remember the
setting when you switch your vehicle off.
You must re-enable the mode every time
you wish to use it.
The following features turn off and are
disabled in snowplow mode and cannot
be turned back on until snowplow mode
is switched off:
•
120 V
inverter.
• Fog lamps.
• Heated and cooled front seats.
The body module also activates the
snowplow relay that provides power to
aftermarket snowplow controls.
Note: The electrical system supports the
addition of a residential snowplow of up to
60 A
continuous, and snowplow lights of
up to 20 A continuous using snowplow
mode. The system does not support
snowplow usage with additional electrical
aftermarket accessories.
Push Button
(If Equipped)
Press the snowplow button on the
instrument panel to switch on snowplow
mode. The snowplow button illuminates
and a message displays.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Snow Plowing - Vehicles With: Snow Plow Mode
3. Add engine oil that meets our
specifications. See Capacities and
Specifications (page 574).
4. Reinstall 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: Immediately soak up any oil spillage
with an absorbent cloth.
RESETTING THE ENGINE OIL
CHANGE REMINDER - VEHICLES
WITH: 4.2 INCH SCREEN
1. Press the Menu button on the steering
wheel to enter the information display
main menu.
2. Select
Truck Info.
3. Select
Oil Life.
4. Select
Reset Oil Life.
5. Press and hold the OK button until the
system reset confirmation appears.
RESETTING THE ENGINE OIL
CHANGE REMINDER - VEHICLES
WITH: 8 INCH SCREEN/12.3 INCH
SCREEN
Depending on your cluster, there are two
paths to reset the engine oil change
reminder.
Path 1
1. Press the Menu button on the steering
wheel to enter the information display
main menu.
2. Select
Settings.
3. Select
Vehicle Maintenance.
4. Select
Oil Life.
5. Press and hold the OK button until the
system reset confirmation appears. Path 2
1.
Press the Menu button on the steering
wheel to enter the information display
main menu.
2. Select
Truck Info.
3. Select
Engine Information.
4. Press and hold the OK button until the
system reset confirmation appears.
ENGINE OIL CAPACITY AND
SPECIFICATION
For filling information, please refer to the
Capacities and Specifications section of
your owner's manual. See
Engine Oil
Capacity and Specification (page 511).
CHECKING THE COOLANT
When the engine is cold, check the
concentration and level of the coolant at
the intervals listed in the scheduled
maintenance information. See Scheduled
Maintenance
(page 664).
Note: Make sure that the coolant level is
between the minimum and maximum marks
on the coolant reservoir.
Note: Coolant expands when it is hot. The
level may extend beyond the
MAX mark.
If the coolant level is at or below the
minimum mark, add prediluted coolant
immediately.
Maintain coolant concentration within
48% to 50%, which equates to a freeze
point between
-29°F (-34°C) and -35°F
(-37°C). Coolant concentration should be
checked using a refractometer. We do not
recommend the use of hydrometers or
coolant test strips for measuring coolant
concentration.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Maintenance
PREPARING YOUR VEHICLE
FOR STORAGE
If you plan on storing your vehicle for 30
days or more, the following maintenance
recommendations ensures your vehicle
stays in good operating condition.
Under various conditions, long-term
storage may lead to degraded engine
performance or failure unless you use
specific precautions to preserve your
vehicle.
General
•
Store all vehicles in a dry, ventilated
place.
• If vehicles are stored outside, they
require regular maintenance to protect
against rust and weather damage.
• Make sure all linkages, cables, levers
and pins under your vehicle are covered
with grease to prevent rust.
• Move vehicles at least 25 ft (7.5 m)
every 15 days to lubricate working parts
and prevent corrosion.
• Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel
until the first automatic shutoff of the
fuel pump nozzle.
Engine
• Change the engine oil and filter prior to
storage because used engine oil
contains contaminants which may
cause engine damage.
• Start the engine every 15 days for a
minimum of 15 minutes. Run at fast
idle with the climate controls set to
defrost until the engine reaches normal
operating temperature.
• With your foot on the brake, shift
through all the gears while the engine
is running. Body
•
Wash your vehicle thoroughly to
remove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from
exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housings
and the underside of front fenders.
• Periodically wash your vehicle if it is
stored in exposed locations.
• Touch-up exposed or primed metal to
prevent rust.
• Cover chrome and stainless steel parts
with a thick coat of auto wax to prevent
discoloration. Re-wax as necessary
when you wash your vehicle.
• Lubricate all hood, door and luggage
compartment hinges and latches with
a light grade oil.
• Cover interior trim to prevent fading.
• Keep all rubber parts free from oil and
solvents.
Hybrid Battery Systems
We recommend the following actions for
your vehicle:
• When storing your vehicle for greater
than 30 days the state of charge
should be approximately 50%.
Additionally we recommend
disconnecting the 12V battery which
will reduce system loads on the HV
battery.
12 Volt Battery
• Check and recharge as necessary. Keep
connections clean.
Note: It is necessary to reset memory
features if you disconnect the battery
cables.
Brakes
Make sure the brakes and parking brake
release fully.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Storing Your Vehicle
Note:
If you intend on parking your vehicle
for an extended period after cleaning the
wheels with a wheel cleaner, drive your
vehicle for a few minutes before doing so to
reduce the risk of increased corrosion of the
brake discs, brake pads and linings.
Tires
• Maintain recommended air pressure.
Note: If you intend on parking your vehicle
for an extended period after cleaning the
wheels with a wheel cleaner, drive your
vehicle for a few minutes before doing so.
This reduces the risk of corrosion of the
brake discs, brake pads and linings.
REMOVING YOUR VEHICLE
FROM STORAGE
When your vehicle is ready to come out of
storage, do the following:
• We recommend that you change the
engine oil before you use your vehicle
again.
• Wash your vehicle to remove any dirt
or grease film build-up on window
surfaces.
• Check windshield wipers for any
deterioration.
• Check under the hood for any foreign
material that may have collected
during storage such as mice or squirrel
nests.
• Check the exhaust for any foreign
material that may have collected
during storage.
• Check tire pressures and set tire
inflation per the Tire Label.
• Check brake pedal operation. Drive
your vehicle 15 ft (4.5 m) back and
forth to remove rust build-up. •
Check fluid levels (including coolant,
oil and gas) to make sure there are no
leaks, and fluids are at recommended
levels.
• If you remove the battery, clean the
battery cable ends and check for
damage.
Contact an authorized dealer if you have
any concerns or issues.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Storing Your Vehicle
Information on P Type Tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example of
a tire size, load index and speed
rating. The definitions of these
items are listed below. (Note that
the tire size, load index and speed
rating for your vehicle may be
different from this example.)
A.
P: Indicates a tire, designated
by the Tire and Rim Association,
that may be used for service on
cars, sport utility vehicles,
minivans and light trucks. Note:
If
your tire size does not begin with
a letter this may mean it is
designated by either the European
Tire and Rim Technical
Organization or the Japan Tire
Manufacturing Association. B.
215:
Indicates the nominal
width of the tire in millimeters
from sidewall edge to sidewall
edge. In general, the larger the
number, the wider the tire.
C. 65:
Indicates the aspect ratio
which gives the tire's ratio of
height to width.
D. R:
Indicates a radial type tire.
E. 15:
Indicates the wheel or rim
diameter in inches. If you change
your wheel size, you will have to
purchase new tires to match the
new wheel diameter.
F. 95:
Indicates the tire's load
index. It is an index that relates to
how much weight a tire can carry.
You may find this information in
your owner ’s manual. If not,
contact a local tire dealer.
Note: You may not find this
information on all tires because it
is not required by federal law.
G. H:
Indicates the tire's speed
rating. The speed rating denotes
the speed at which a tire is
designed to be driven for extended
periods of time under a standard
condition of load and inflation
pressure. The tires on your vehicle
may operate at different
conditions for load and inflation
pressure. These speed ratings may
need to be adjusted for the
difference in conditions. The
ratings range from
81 mph
(130 km/h) to 186 mph
(299 km/h)
. These ratings are
listed in the following chart.
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F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202104, Second-Printing Wheel and Tire InformationH
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