2021 FORD F-450 tow

•
Your vehicle's brake system and the
trailer brake system work
independently of each other. Changing
the gain setting on the controller does
not affect the operation of your
vehicle's brakes.
• When you switch the engine off, the
controller output is disabled and the
display and module shut down.
Trailer Lamps WARNING: Never connect any
trailer lamp wiring to the vehicle's tail
lamp wiring; this may damage the
electrical system resulting in fire. Contact
your authorized dealer as soon as
possible for assistance in proper trailer
tow wiring installation. Additional
electrical equipment may be required.
Trailer lamps are required on most towed
vehicles. Make sure all running lights, brake
lights, turn signals and hazard lights are
working.
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing up
to get the feel of your vehicle-trailer
combination before starting on a trip.
When turning, make wider turns so the
trailer wheels clear curbs and other
obstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
• Check your hitch, electrical connections
and trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly
after you have traveled 50 mi (80 km).
• Do not drive faster than
70 mph
(113 km/h) during the first 500 mi
(800 km).
• Do not make full-throttle starts. •
When stopped in congested or heavy
traffic during hot weather, place the
gearshift 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 automatically
when you are towing on long, steep
grades.
• Shift to a lower gear when driving down
a long or steep hill. Do not apply the
brakes continuously, as they may
overheat and become less effective.
• If your transmission is equipped with a
Grade Assist or Tow/Haul feature, use
this feature when towing. This provides
engine braking and helps eliminate
excessive transmission shifting for
optimum fuel economy and
transmission cooling.
• If your vehicle is equipped with
Adaptive Steering and you have
enabled Tow/Haul, the Adaptive
Steering system adjusts the steering
response to match your vehicle ’s load.
The system reduces vehicle sensitivity
to steering inputs at higher vehicle
speeds while it maintains the ease of
parking and maneuverability at low
speeds.
• If your vehicle is equipped with
AdvanceTrac with RSC, this system
may turn on during typical cornering
maneuvers with a heavily loaded trailer.
This is normal. Turning the corner at a
slower speed while towing may reduce
this tendency.
• If you are towing a trailer frequently in
hot weather, hilly conditions, at the
gross combined weight rating (or any
combination of these factors), consider
refilling your rear axle with synthetic
gear lubricant (if the axle is not already
filled with it). See
Capacities and
Specifications (page 441).
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•
Allow more distance for stopping with
a trailer attached. Anticipate stops and
brake gradually.
• Avoid parking on a grade. However, if
you must park on a grade:
1. Turn the steering wheel to point your vehicle tires away from traffic flow.
2. Set your vehicle parking brake.
3. Place the transmission in park (P).
4. Place wheel chocks in front and back of the trailer wheels. (Chocks not
included with vehicle.)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a
temporary or conventional spare tire. A
"temporary" spare tire is different in size
(diameter or width), tread-type
(All-Season or All Terrain) 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.
Launching or Retrieving a Boat or
Personal Watercraft (PWC)
Note: Disconnect the wiring to the trailer
before backing the trailer into the water.
Note: Reconnect the wiring to the trailer
after
you remove the trailer from the water.
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
207).
• 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 143).
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Follow these guidelines if you have a need
for recreational towing, such as towing
your vehicle behind a motorhome. We have
designed these guidelines to prevent
damage to your transmission.
Two-wheel Drive Vehicles
Do not tow your vehicle with any wheels
on the ground, as vehicle or transmission
damage may occur. You must tow your
vehicle with all four (4) wheels off the
ground, such as when using a car-hauling
trailer.
Four-wheel Drive Vehicles
If towing your vehicle with wheels off the
ground it must be all four wheels, such as
when using a car-hauling trailer.
To tow a four-wheel drive vehicle with all
wheels on the ground, place the transfer
case in its neutral position and engage the
four-wheel-down towing feature.
Perform the steps in the following section
after positioning your vehicle behind the
tow vehicle and properly securing them
together.
Note:
Make sure you properly secure your
vehicle to the tow vehicle.
Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground
1. Put the ignition in the on position, but do not start the engine.
2. Press and hold the brake pedal.
3. Rotate the four-wheel drive control to 2H.
4. Shift into neutral (N).
5. Using the instrument cluster display controls on the steering wheel, select
Settings
.
6. Select
Advanced Settings.
7. Select
Vehicle.
8. Select
Neutral Tow. 9. Press and hold the
OK button until a
confirmation message appears in the
information display.
Note: You may hear an audible noise as the
transfer case shifts into its neutral position.
10. If you do not see a message in the display, you must perform the
procedure again from the beginning.
11. Leave the transmission in neutral (N)
and turn the ignition off.
12. If your vehicle has an ignition key, you
must leave the key in the ignition
while towing.
Note: To lock and unlock your vehicle, use
the keyless entry keypad or extra set of keys.
13. If your vehicle has intelligent access, switch the vehicle into accessory
mode. See
Starting and Stopping
the Engine (page 174).
Note: You do not need to leave your keys
in the vehicle. You can lock and unlock your
vehicle as you normally do.
14. Release the brake pedal. WARNING:
Do not disconnect the
battery during recreational towing. It
prevents the transfer case from shifting
properly and may cause the vehicle to
roll, even if the transmission is in park
(P). WARNING:
Shifting the transfer
case to its neutral position for
recreational towing may cause the
vehicle to roll, even if the transmission is
in park (P). It may injure the driver and
others. Make sure you press the foot
brake and the vehicle is in a secure, safe
position when you shift to neutral (N).
Note: Failing to put the transfer case in its
neutral position while towing with all four
wheels on the ground will damage vehicle
components.
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Note:
You can check four-wheel-down
towing status at any time by opening the
driver's door or turning the ignition to the
accessory or on position. A message
displays in the information display
confirming your vehicle is in neutral tow.
When finished towing with all four wheels
on the ground return the transfer case to
its 2H position:
1. With your vehicle still properly secured
to the tow vehicle, put the ignition in
the on position, but do not start the
engine. If your vehicle has an ignition
key, switch the key to on. If your vehicle
has intelligent access, switch the
vehicle into accessory mode. See
Starting and Stopping the Engine
(page
174).
2. Press and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shift out of neutral (N).
4. Release the brake pedal.
Note: If completed successfully, the
instrument cluster displays 2H and Neutral
Tow Disabled
.
Note: If the indicator light and message do
not display, you must perform the procedure
again from the beginning.
Note: If
Shift Delayed Pull Forward
displays in the instrument cluster, a transfer
case blockage is present. See resolving the
shift delayed pull forward message
instructions after this section.
5. Apply the parking brake and disconnect
the vehicle from the tow vehicle.
6. Release the parking brake, start the engine and shift the transmission to
drive (D) to make sure the transfer
case is out of neutral (N).
7. If the transfer case does not successfully shift out of neutral (N),
set the parking brake until you can have
your vehicle serviced. Resolving the
Shift Delayed Pull Forward
Message
1. Press and hold the brake pedal.
2. Put the transmission into neutral (N),
and then start the engine.
3. With the engine running, shift the transmission to drive (D) and let the
vehicle roll forward, up to
3 ft (1 m).
4. Make sure the instrument cluster displays that neutral tow is disabled.
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ECONOMICAL DRIVING
Your fuel economy is affected by several
things, such as how you drive, the
conditions you drive under, and how you
maintain your vehicle.
You may improve your fuel economy by
keeping these things in mind:
•
Accelerate and slow down in a smooth,
moderate fashion.
• Drive at steady speeds without
stopping.
• Anticipate stops; slowing down may
eliminate the need to stop.
• Combine errands and minimize
stop-and-go driving.
• Close the windows for high-speed
driving.
• Drive at reasonable speeds (traveling
at 55 mph [88 km/h] uses 15% less
fuel than traveling at 65 mph [105
km/h]).
• Keep the tires properly inflated and use
only the recommended size.
• Use the recommended engine oil.
• Perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance.
Avoid these actions; they reduce your fuel
economy:
• Sudden accelerations or hard
accelerations.
• Revving the engine before turning it off.
• Idle for periods longer than one minute.
• Warm up your vehicle on cold
mornings.
• Use the air conditioner or front
defroster.
• Use the speed control in hilly terrain.
• Rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving. •
Drive a heavily loaded vehicle or tow a
trailer.
• Carry unnecessary weight
(approximately 1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is
lost for every 400 lb [180 kilogram] of
weight carried).
• Driving with the wheels out of
alignment.
Conditions
• Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a
trailer may reduce fuel economy at any
speed.
• Adding certain accessories to your
vehicle (for example bug deflectors,
rollbars, light bars, running boards, ski
racks or luggage racks) may reduce
fuel economy.
• To maximize the fuel economy, drive
with the tonneau cover installed (if
equipped).
• Using fuel blended with alcohol may
lower fuel economy.
• Fuel economy may decrease with lower
temperatures during the first 5–10 mi
(12 –16 km) of driving.
• Driving on flat terrain offers improved
fuel economy as compared to driving
on hilly terrain.
• Transmissions give their best fuel
economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure
on the gas pedal.
• Four-wheel-drive operation (if
equipped) is less fuel efficient than
two-wheel-drive operation.
OFF-ROAD DRIVING
Note: The following off-road driving
information applies to Tremor package
equipped vehicles only.
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In addition to providing an excellent
on-road driving experience, your vehicle
excels at all types of off-road driving. Your
vehicle has been designed and equipped
to allow you to explore those places where
the road doesn
’t take you, whether it’ s a
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
conducted to make sure that the vehicle
is in peak operating 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,
drinking water, tow strap, cell or satellite
phone with you any time an off-road
excursion is planned.
Remove the front license plate before
off-roading to achieve optimal
performance. Basic Off-road Driving Techniques
•
Grip the steering wheel with 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. 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, changes to
surface texture, color changes and any
other factors which may indicate a
change in available traction. Adjusting
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 some form of radio
communication is used so the lead
vehicle can notify others of obstacles
that could cause 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.
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•
Inspect exhaust system for damage or
looseness.
• Inspect undercarriage fasteners. If any
are loose or damaged, tighten or
replace ensuring that the proper torque
specification is used.
• Inspect the tires for any cuts in the
tread or sidewall area. Also inspect the
sidewall for any bulge indicating
damage to the tire.
• Inspect the wheels for dents, cracks,
or other damage.
• Refit the front license plate if removed
previously.
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.
Drive your new vehicle at least
1,000 mi
(1,600 km) before towing a trailer. Make
sure you use the specified engine oil. See
Engine Oil Capacity and Specification
(page
449).
Do not add friction modifier compounds
or special break-in oils during the first few
thousand miles (kilometers) of operation.
These additives may prevent piston ring
seating.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER WARNING:
Do not drive through
flowing or deep water as you may lose
control of your vehicle. Note:
Engine damage can occur if water
enters the air filter.
For Vehicles without Tremor Off-
Road Package
Note: Driving through standing water can
cause vehicle damage.
Note: Drive through water in an emergency
only and not as part of normal driving.
Before driving through standing water,
check the depth. Never drive through water
that is higher than the bottom of the wheel
hubs. 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.
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•
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 is
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. Consult
your authorized dealer for additional
information.
Operating the Vehicle with the
Snowplow Attached
Note: Do not use your vehicle for snow
removal until you have driven at least
500 mi (800 km).
Ford recommends vehicle speed does not
exceed
45 mph (72 km/h) when
snowplowing.
If transporting a snowplow in summertime,
cooling system airflow may be blocked by
the snowplow. Change the snowplow
height or position to improve airflow to the
radiator or limit your vehicle speed to a
maximum of
45 mph (72 km/h).
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
supplementary restraint system or
associated components. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in
personal injury or death. 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.
Note: Please refer to the Body Builders
Layout Book for instructions about the
appropriate installation of additional
equipment.
Your vehicle is equipped with a driver and
passenger airbag supplemental restraint
system. The supplemental restraint system
will activate in certain frontal and offset
frontal collisions when the vehicle sustains
sufficient frontal deceleration.
Careless or high speed driving while
plowing snow that results in sufficient
vehicle decelerations can deploy the
airbags. Such driving also increases the risk
of accidents.
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